Strengthen a weak Registrar

Students face a difficult decision when at least two of the classes they want to take are scheduled during conflicting times. Part of the challenge of attending an institution that grants students huge flexibility in designing their own curricula is the necessity of prioritizing particular courses over others. The schedule for the upcoming spring semester does not deviate from the trend, presenting many conflicts for students to navigate.

Disappointingly, next semester's schedule has created what seems to be an abnormally large number of conflicts. A huge number of lectures across all departments are scheduled in the 11-11:50 a.m. block, including organic chemistry. This particular scheduling choice will preclude many premed students from pursuing their interests in other areas. This is unfortunate because Princeton, with all its proclamations of training students for service, should try to prepare its students interested in the medical professions to be as well-rounded and humanistic as possible. Otherwise the motto appears to be a smug public relations device.

It has been practice during the past few years to schedule large, premed courses early in the morning to allow students maximal flexibility over the rest of their days. If orgo has to be from 11-11:50 a.m. this semester, let it be a onetime occurrence. Students who pursue intensive study of Chinese, Russian or Arabic over four years can more or less take those classes at staggered times throughout the day, not missing out on too much of what else is being offered. All students like them, including the premeds who have demonstrated maturity by choosing to pursue a highly rigorous course of study, should be treated with the same maturity on the part of the scheduling authorities.

But rather than waiting for students to complain after the Registrar publishes course times, the University should consider modifying the scheduling process. Currently, departments control when their courses are scheduled. There appears to be little coordination between departments. The Registrar has tomes of information on classes students take, and logically should be able to calculate what courses are frequently taken in tandem. At a minimum, the Registrar should provide departments with this information to help facilitate interdepartmental coordination.

The Registrar's role should not, however, merely be advisory. It should take an active role in reducing conflicts. This would not be at the expense of departmental autonomy at the initial stage of setting course times, but only applied after the departments have set course times using its data about likely conflicts. The Registrar could use a computer algorithm which would take into account the likelihood of courses being taken concurrently. Such an algorithm would produce a course schedule that optimally minimizes conflicts. Give a few computer science majors the necessary data and see what they can produce.