No More Late Registration for Classes

By Jose Sillas

College of Southern Nevada established a new policy disallowing students to register late for classes starting spring semester 2014.

This new policy is based on studies done by various colleges around the country that show students, who register late in the first 12 days after classes start, are more likely to dropout.

Current students started registering for spring term November 4; new students will begin enrolling on November 21. Students must complete registration for classes by 11:59 p.m. the evening before classes start.

“National and policymakers have over the past few years begun to emphasize the importance of community colleges in their efforts to increase the number of college educated Americans to 60 percent,” said Katheryn Brekken, CSN communication and government affairs director. “As part of this effort, community colleges, such as CSN, have been implementing policies and practices to better help students succeed toward whatever goals they may have.”

“The end to late enrollment will certainly require a short-term adjustment for students and faculty,” said Darin Dockstader, chairperson for the Faculty Senate at CSN. “In the long run, I think it will significantly benefit us all by encouraging advanced planning. This will help students to be confident in their enrollment decision and help them graduate in a timely way. When enrollment choices are made before deadlines with a long-term plan in mind everybody wins.”

Some students don’t agree with the late registration policy.

“I don’t think they should get rid of late registration because some kids do have a hard time saving up money to pay for school,” said Miriam Hernandez, a CSN student and nursing major. “I’ve been through late registration before, and understand it can be difficult and I can see why they want to change it.”

A 2008 study at the San Jacinto College, 1,300 students registered late and nearly half failed or withdrew. In 2010 the Kentucky Community & Technical College System studied the course registration time, transfer orientation and income level of 2,159 first-time student. The study concluded it was the students who registered late who had the most trouble succeeding. Many studies conducted over the past 30 years show the downside of late registration.

Students can register at http://www.csn.edu/mycsn or register in person at the registration offices. Online registering can only be done with an NSHE id number.