CUNYFirst Still Draws Resentment from Students, Admins Defend Software

York College students continue to vent frustration with the registrar’s office over the rippling effects of the crashes and glitches with the CUNYFirst system and the college’s ineffective methods to notify and advise them when changes are made to registered classes, while administration officials maintain they’re not the ones to blame.

While the frequent crashes of the CUNYFirst system appear to be partially at fault, many students are frustrated with the lack of answers they get after enduring long waits at the registrar’s office.

“Students rely on CUNYFirst to see the status of their enrollment, so when the program doesn’t work, our only place to go is the registrar’s office and they don’t even assist us properly,” said sophomore, Geneva Harrison.

“Communication in the registrar’s office sucks,” said Swantanter Polce, president of the National Honor Society. “It is so frustrating that we have to go on a wild goose chase just to get information about our classes!”

But according to some York administration officials, it is student unwillingness to read informational documents regarding deadlines for registration and protocol for dropping classes that are the main contributing factors to the communication gap.

“Students don’t read! That’s the problem,” said Joyce Palmer, a college assistant in the registrar’s office. “We notify students about getting dropped or switching a class before we actually drop them. They expect to be fed information concerning their classes, but this ain’t high school.”

Starr Ferrens, a member of York’s Disability Accommodations in the Student Development Office, believes that the communication between faculty and students has dwindled over the years.

“The information is not organized at all,” Ferrens said. “I get it, it’s a digital world now, but you can’t always rely on electronics to give you information that you need. All faculties should step up to the plate and be more involved with students.”

Students’ demands for changes in the practices of the registrar’s office have been escalating.

“I got screwed when the registrar randomly dropped one of my classes. They need to give us a personal call or at least an e-mail beforehand,” said Club Council President for York’s student government, Haroon Hasan.

Hasaan and other students believe that the registrar does not inform students of their rights.

“I understand that the registrar puts information regarding our enrollment and deadlines online, but us students pay for our education and expect to have better services since we are helping to fund the school’s budget,” said senior Shavon Richards.

“The miscommunication in the registrar’s office is an administrative error and it is irresponsible,” said Eric Ortiz, a senior preparing to graduate. “I am bewildered that after four years of coming to York that registration and classes randomly getting dropped without proper notice is still an issue. Students are left in the dark. I don’t know if it’s a budget problem or if they blatantly just don’t care.”

Student disapproval with the practices of the registrar’s office has been acknowledged by some student government representatives.

“Students need to be more assertive,” said SGA President Shaikh Amin who stressed that students should be more involved. “But I do think there is not enough advertising from the registrar’s office sometimes to inform students about what is going on with their scheduling.”

“Students need to step up and voice their opinions,” Hasan said. “If you do not step up regarding your registration to certain classes, how do you expect others to step up for you?”