semester, course registration is the process that most troubles students. For students who major or double major in popular subjects, registration is more difficult. Some students postpone graduation because they could not register for certain required courses, and others have wasted hours and even days readjusting their timetables.“It was impossible for me to register for some courses even though it is my major,” Ki Hyun-soo (Business, 2) said. “There are too few classes open to satisfy the students’ high demand.”The need for more openings in major courses is a problem not only for Business, but also for other popular majors. Because there are few openings in classes even for students in these majors, some have had to move from class to class or ask professors for more openings.“Until the very last day of course registration, I was busy signing up for courses,” Chun Kyu-yeon (Economics, 3) said. “Every day, I had to go to classes and stand in the back of the classroom for hours to talk to professors. I went through all that just to sign up for 18 credits.”The lack of major courses generates additional concerns. On Web sites such as Ewhaian and Timetabl, where Ewha students share their opinions regarding courses, desperate pleas for particular classes can easily be found. Some students explain that they need those classes to graduate, and others even offer money.Given the enormous popularity of specific majors, students point out the need for more classes. Although limits are not placed on the number of students who wish to double major or even minor in popular majors, class offerings have not significantly increased. For example, the Ewha School of Business (ESB) produced the highest number of minor and double-major graduates for nine consecutive years. According to the ESB, the number of students who either double majored or minored in Business was 542 in 2011 and 504 in 2012. In February, 341 students, including minors and double-majors, graduated in the ESB, which means that 14 percent of Ewha’s total graduates have studied Business Administration.Concerning the ESB courses, however, 58 opened in the 2011 spring semester, 53 in the 2011 fall semester, 55 in the 2012 spring semester, 59 in the 2012 fall semester, and 62 this spring semester. The number of Business courses has thus averaged between 57 and 58, which does not meet the high demand for minor and double-major students. Students who felt the need for improvement due to a lack of classes raised their voices. From March 6 to 8 this year, student council members from the ESB held a signature-seeking campaign under the theme of “Guaranteeing Business Major Students’ Right to Learn.” About 300 Business major students signed up, and the student council is planning to deliver the result of the campaign to the ESB.“We all feel the urgent need for improvement on the Business course registration issue,” said Ha Da-jung (Business, 3), a student representative of the ESB.Regarding the registration inconvenience, Ewha has implemented some solutions. Basic subjects for majors such as Business, English, or Media Studies have courses that accept only major students. Additionally, more sections have been added for some courses. For example, a “Principles of Accounting Information” course has been divided into seven sections to accommodate more students to the ESB.Despite all these measures, the problem of a shortfall in classes still exists. The school is planning to adopt more effective measures through regular coordination among departments.The Office of Faculty and Academic Affairs (OFAA) and the ESB have scheduled a meeting on March 27 to seek possible solutions not only for the issue of course registration but also for additional problems that may arise as a course takes place. “It is difficult to reconcile the conflicts between rising demands of students and course limitations,” said an official from the OFAA. “However, the school will put in every effort to provide the best educational environment for students.”
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