34 CommentsDon’t you hate sitting there hitting refresh on SSOL just hoping one person will drop out of that 15-person creative writing seminar? Well, now you can stop hitting refresh and simply wait it out: there’s an automated waitlist! That’s right, coming this fall (to instructors who choose to opt-in, including most non-core classes) all you have to do is sign up for the waitlist on SSOL.
Faculty will have the option of auto-fill (default, first-come-first-serve) or instructor selection. Instructor selection is for courses that require applications or instructor permission and involves teachers picking people off the list based on provided information (year, major, comments, and attachments). This is a CC-initiative, though. SEAS students may have to wait a bit longer, depending on ESC cooperation. Barnard students will be given access to SSOL to join the waitlist. Students will be limited to 3 waitlist requests per semester.
In addition to the waitlist, the add/drop system has finally been automated. No more going to Kent to fill out forms!
Of course, this wouldn’t be Columbia without convoluted instructions, so please enjoy these rull simple flowcharts:
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- The Waitlist
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- Automated drop
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- Automated add
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34 Comments
@Columbia Longtimer The University Registrar is responsible for bringing a real Waitlist to SSOL.
You wouldn’t believe how many meetings it takes to get something like this off the ground.
He is one of the good guys on campus.
Sincerely,
Duckling Rescuer
@? Am I the only one confused? Longtimer – are you an admin? Who is “he”?
I’m excited regardless though. Thanks!
@Creative Writing Major Graduating Next Week -_-
@Anonymous SWeeeeeeet!
@Wise Sage Love how people are arguing that refreshing ssol represents dedication and giving spots to friends represents equity. Aren’t these bad things we want to avoid? Not to mention a waste of time. Now, the students that really want the class will be able to get in through communicating it on the list without nepotism and random chance interfering.
@SEAS '15 Wait, what… the people who really want the class EARN their spots by constantly, compulsively refreshing. As someone who has gotten into numerous classes by obsessively refreshing, I think it’s BS that my hard work means nothing.
Spots will be taken by people who are passively signing up for the class, hoping to get into one of five different ones. People who are really dedicated to getting into the class won’t be differentiated at all. In fact, it will be even MORE left to chance/randomness, as their lottery number will dictate when they can sign up for the waitlist.
Thank goodness engineering doesn’t have this yet (although no one wants to take my classes anymore anyway haha they’re never full (fml))
@hmm Trying to decide if you are a troll and I should laugh or if you are a member of ESC trying to make a serious argument.
@Anonamoose Doesn’t this mean you won’t be able to switch sections with a friend?
@Seyhan Arkonac FUCK YOU
@Confused Econ major Wait what?
@question Where did these charts come from?
@Anonymous Based on the above, it seems like CCSC and the registrar.
@Anonymous Damn. These flowcharts are actually pretty well thought out!
@SEAS'14 Glad bwog finally called ESC out on its shit. I want to use this before I graduate, please.
@tsk tsk But what about GS?
@Anonymous They’re on board. Generally grouped with CC for academic stuff for better or for worse, which may be why bwog left them out, but this also went through their council.
Theme of the year:
CC, GS, BC – working together and on board;
SEAS – let’s wait until two large disasters to sign on…and then wait some more
@Recent Alumn This was an issue for all four of my years here, and I’m glad to see someone got this through! Well done!
@hashtag Steven Castellano, again!
@Anonymous Kid is on fire. Why is he graduating now that he finally figured this place out?
@Anonymous Some benevolent professor, please fail him now. It’s for the greater good. Here’s to hoping he becomes like a certain alum who hasn’t stopped coming to CCSC meetings.
@Anonymous Can he write a guide to his ways and how he got all this shit done? We need better institutional memory and transparency.
@CC'13 Wait, I thought ESC’s big gripe this year was passing and then rescinding the honor code. What happened with this?
@CC'16 My understanding is that ESC rescinded the honor code the same week Steve C. presented this to them. Reasons range from them wanting more feedback on everything CCSC does to them outright trying to hinder its progress. Glad both sides get to have it their way regardless…
@SEAS …except the engineering students don’t get to have it our way if this does indeed lag for us.
@Noooo Refreshing was the only way I got into really selective classes as a freshman. Now spots will be filled by seniority! This is the only time I’ve been upset that a system’s become fairer.
@Anonymous I actually agree — if the amount of time you spend refreshing is a measure of how motivated you are to actually get into the class, then the old system was actually better.
@Anonymous Or it’s a measure of random luck. Or how boring your life is. Isn’t your reason to a professor a better, less time-consuming and less random testament to how much you care?
@Anonymous Good point.
@Village Troll But now I can’t stand with the hordes of kids harassing Gulati for spots after the first lecture!? And I won’t have an excuse to wait on line to see the angry lady in Kent who always asks for a different signature on my forms!! What the hell, Columbia! Just let us turn grey refreshing SSOL so we have more to complain about!
@At least now you just get to complain about this instead?
@Anonymous Bwog, I think you meant “major” and not “makor”.
@Alexandra I direct you to the second tag on this post. Good day, sir/madam.
@cc'13 the “sorry class of 2013” tag is so real.
@Anonymous About time Columbia! This is awesome!