As freshmen, we can respect tradition and absorb taunts deeming us the "worst class ever," but we should not have to accept what we believe are the worst classes ever courses that don't truly interest us just because we cannot receive spots in our first choices. The trend is clear: many students, particularly freshmen, often do not receive their first-choice class selections. It seems that the College has done little to address this problem, meaning that first-years, the tadpoles of Occom Pond, suffer.
To make things worse, with the administration currently considering increasing enrollment to address the budget gap, first-years will have even more difficulty attaining their first choice classes if the administration ignores the problem. Take the economics department as an example. Economics 21 is almost always filled to capacity and therefore many students must settle for the waiting list. According to a member of the economics department whom I spoke with, no members of the class of 2013 received spots in Economics 21 for the Spring. The waiting list has already reached 40 students, and most students likely didn't even bother to submit their names. Ultimately, they will have to settle for another class. This trend is not specific to the economics and government departments a fellow classmate and potential English major didn't receive a place in an English class he requested for Spring term.
The current class enrollment system, which gives preference to seniors and majors, is inherently flawed. Students are attracted to this school because of its strong academic program. We all pay the same tuition to access courses. So when students come here and find out that they can't take that upper level economics class until they officially become an economics major, they feel cheated. After requiring students to pay a premium for a college education, the registrar should not put road blocks before younger students' class placements. The idea of giving preference to certain students over others when deciding class enrollment is truly unfair to younger students who may be as talented and as interested as any major in the given subject.
The leading argument in support of the current system is that it is necessary to ensure that majors can complete all of their requirements before graduation. This argument has merit. However, a system in which upper-class students can access their major courses and all students can secure spots in their first choice classes does exist. In this ideal system, the College would periodically assess demand for classes in various departments and hire professors accordingly so the number of class sections truly reflects student demand. The problem, as ironic as it appears, is the supply of classes such as Economics 21 simply fails to meet the demand. Looking at class selection data from past years will likely prove what we already know: the College needs to expand class offerings in the most popular departments, particularly economics and government. Whether by increasing faculty loads or the number of faculty in those particular departments, something needs to change. The data may also suggest that demand for classes in certain departments has decreased. Taken together, this may serve as a reason to consider layoffs in those departments. Although layoffs are never a popular idea, having more professors than necessary in some areas and fewer in others will not help the College achieve fiscal stability or help students receive the best education.
In light of the infeasibility of increasing faculty and laying off non-tenured professors in the short run, the College must turn to a more creative solution while it attempts to restructure departments over time. For example, the economics department can learn from the mathematics department's structure caps can be removed from lower level classes and professors can hire grading assistants who also hold office hours. For the time being, students will certainly favor taking their first-choice classes, even if they are large lecture classes, over taking random classes that fail to spark their interest.
For many years, Dartmouth has prided itself on offering the best undergraduate education in the country. In order for students to truly benefit from Dartmouth's superior education, their class selection must be respected regardless of their place on the registrar's pecking order. The College must address the shortages and surpluses of classes to bring the market into equilibrium. After all, to paraphrase James Carville, it's economics, stupid!
