Registrar responds to course schedule delays

The Registrar’s Office experienced a delay in course schedules this month due to unforeseen technical difficulties.

“We experienced a glitch in the technology we use to construct the course schedules which set us back a week,” said David Paltza, the associate registrar in the Office of the Registrar.

Unforeseen difficulties do not happen often, but can delay important updates, such as with the course schedules, according to Paltza.

“[There are] project constraints and buffers that my team works with behind the scenes,” Paltza said.

Paltza knows that this can be frustrating for the student body. While this glitch was out of his hands, he still is apologetic for the inconveniences the course schedule delay may have caused.

“We in the Registrar’s Office want the students to know that, though we may come across glitches in technology and other operational hurdles from time to time, we truly care for our students and always try to provide excellent service to equip them in their journey here at Vanguard,” Paltza said.

Although academic advising had begun, many students had difficulty deciding classes without having the courses available for next semester, resulting in student frustration.

“I was going to meet up with my adviser that week, but I had to wait because I didn’t know what I was taking,” junior Ashley Reyes said.

This experience resonated with many students who felt they had to wait until after their meeting to make their schedule.

“It was incredibly annoying,” said senior Ashley Gomez, who also had to wait to organize her next semester.

Although the course schedule is now online, there are still some frustrations. Many courses students expected to be offered are not on the schedule, even when students were told previously they would be.

“Even now, some of the classes are not accurate,” said Reyes. “I have to look at other classes because some of the ones I needed aren’t being offered, and now I need more classes to be registered full-time.”

This was especially difficult for seniors, many of whom are entering into their final semester  and have also been experiencing other changes on campus.  

“It affected me a lot because I wanted to know what classes I was taking before my meeting with my adviser a week in advance, and I couldn’t,” said senior Erin Green. “I understand why they were delayed and with everything else around changing, so I have a little bit of grace for them.”

Some students have speculated that this delay might be because of staff changes in the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office, like many other departments on campus, was not immune to the budget cuts and reorganization that came with program prioritization.  

Despite the technological difficulties and the changes in staff, the Registrar’s Office is still working hard and has the students’ best interests at heart.

“[We hope] that they may excel in their career goals and the callings God has placed in their lives,” Paltza said.