Procrastination lingers

Late registration has been the cause of disorder for both students and faculty at Contra Costa College early this semester.

Jeanette Moore, director of Admissions and Records, said the fall semester is always the most active for the department and late enrollment has a huge effect.

“I have to hire more staff around this time to have enough people to accommodate the additional flow of traffic,” Moore said.

Since 2002 CCC has experienced nearly a 25 percent drop in course sections offered, making it a challenge to meet the needs of every student.

Admissions and Records isn’t the only department dealing with the impact of late registration. The Counseling Office is also trying to handle the large flow of students.

Counseling assistant Ashlee Walker said there are some students who come to them with no classes at all. Those people are given a flier with a six-step process, she said.

This process informs students on how to search for open courses and schedule appointments with counselors through the college’s website.

“Counselors show students what they need to take, like math and English, and help them find classes that are open,”  Walker said.

Even with the help from counseling, there are still some students who are facing difficulties with registering for their courses.

“Some students are unable to see homework for classes because they are still stuck on waitlists and unable to add,” said CCC student Layla Martinez.

Martinez said she was told to use a late-add code to register for a class online but was unsuccessful, bringing her back to Admissions and Records a second time.

Ashley Davis, another student, said instead of receiving help, she was referred to WebAdvisor.

“It frustrates me,” Davis said. “I don’t think you get the help you want here.”

Moore said that the department has a myriad of responsibilities that will continue throughout the next two weeks of school.

“Student services as a whole is very busy. But we accommodate students to the best of our ability,” she said.

The Counseling Office and Admissions and Records are both located in the Student Services Center. Counseling is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.