Overbooked classes put squeeze on NSCAD students

Long wait lists and early registration for classes at NSCAD means some students aren't getting the classes they need

Emily Davidson, NSCAD's student union president, blames a flawed registration system for overbooked classes. (Photo: Terrence McEachern)

A 20-year-old NSCAD University student is dropping out and heading home for the remainder of the fall term after being waitlisted for three out of five classes.

Lindsey Baxter, a second-year design student from Whitehorse, even met with a counselor from the registrar’s office last year to make sure she got into her classes.

“She did everything for me. I just told her what I wanted and she put it into the computer and I was still waitlisted,” says Baxter.

Not every student has waitlist problems, but students who do risk losing student loans and bursaries if they have to register part-time.

It may also take students longer to graduate, says Nathan Morrier, a fifth-year NSCAD student. 

“I should have graduated last April, so that’s a source of frustration to me. I was on a waiting list and I was basically told that if you’re not within the first four people you might as well not even bother. And I was eighth and never ended up getting into the class.”

Baxter is nineteenth on a waitlist for one class this term.

Laurelle LeVert, NSCAD’s registrar and director of student services, says there are 164 waitlist spots this fall compared to 283 a year ago. The main reason is that NSCAD changed its registration policy – students are now asked to register for fall and winter classes as early as March.

“Having these early numbers allowed us the time to find, if possible, instructors and space to offer additional sections,” says LeVert. “The most important role of waitlists is as a planning and registration tool. It gives us a way to track demand for classes and respond to that demand.”

Emily Davidson, NSCAD’s student union president, says that the new registration system is flawed. Students are asked to register a year early for classes that, in some cases, have descriptions and instructors listed “to be announced.”

So even though waitlists may be shorter, more students are changing their course registrations, says Davidson. 

“It’s no surprise that there’s students lined up on the day you’re allowed to start changing your classes again. There’s all sorts of examples of people changing their mind. The new way of registering makes no sense at all.”

To deal with registration problems, the student union is collecting testimonials from students to present to university officials before the end of the school year.   

This may not be enough to bring Baxter back to NSCAD. She’s applying to transfer to Emily Carr University in Vancouver and Ryerson University in Toronto. She is enrolled at NSCAD for the winter term, which starts in January, but she is also on a waitlist for two more classes.

Returning to NSCAD will be difficult for Baxter. The matter has become personal.

“I’m pretty angry that they’re treating me like this. They don’t seem to be taking care of their students, which isn’t really an environment I want to be in.”

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