This past registration for summer courses has been a horrific experience for a lot of students. I and countless other students had the unpleasant fortune of experiencing long lines and congested halls of the Wheatley Building, second floor, just outside the Department of Corporate, Continuing, & Distant Education (CCDE) office. We did not see the holy gates of the Continuing Education doors until nearly two and a half hours later. Can anyone say, INEFFICIENT?!?

Registration opened its doors at 8:00am, but some students arrived at 5:30am. By 8:45am there was already a long line. Some management majors, who were trying to register for MGT 490, were told, “You need initials. Step aside.” They were not told in advance nor were they told in line. Instead they were told after they reached the customer service desk of the Department of CCDE. Students’ reactions to this information were confusion and bewilderment. One student stated she had been in line since 6:00am, was not a UMB student, unfamiliar with the logistics of UMB, and was not told about this “rule” until she approached the customer service rep (CSR). Now I have to go over to the College of Management stand in another line, get the signature, and then return to CCDE at the end of the line to await approval. The CSR replied to her, “This is not my problem. The College of Management makes this rule. Please step aside … Next.”

Not all the summer registered students are from UMB. Many students from other universities register for classes here. Would it not be more efficient to address this rule in the University of Massachusetts Boston Bulletin? Would it not be more efficient if the College of Management and other colleges collaborate with the Department of CCDE to print this information in the CCDE Contact Information, Website, and Directions pages? Where is the responsibility? Who is responsible for this problem?

The last time I checked, students (customers), have rights too. I have met some rude CSRs at UMass Boston, but this bunch of reps come close to scraping at the bottom of the barrel.

No one in the College of Management or the Department of CCDE wants to take responsibility. This is unacceptable. I let the woman know about my unsatisfactory experience I was having signing up for MGT 490. She replied, “That’s College of Management’s rules.” Again, this is unacceptable.

I asked a random student who experienced the first day of registration his thoughts of the summer registration system. He replied, “F**king sucks.” I also asked him how long he had been in line. He retorted, “Since 8:30 AM I have been here.” The student also noted he had a waiver letter from the University of Massachusetts Boston, but the Continuing Education Department would not accept the letter and insisted he have an initial from the College of Management. His final thoughts about these whole circumstances “Screw you.” I believe he is referring to the Continuing Ed Department.

When will the CCDE get its act together? Who, in the CCDE and/or the College of Management, will take responsibility for this ongoing problem?

We want answers and we want registration for any courses throughout the academic year to be more efficient and clearly written before circulation. Is this too much to ask for? Can you handle this request?

J. Stone Laraway