Priority registration for undergraduate students for the Fall 2025 semester began on March 31, but as students began to select their schedule, many faced a common issue with the availability of courses.
Students select their classes based on their DARS audit, an online platform that assesses students’ progress toward their degree. Students in the university’s Fly in 4 program are required to visit an academic advisor each semester, which can be unreliable due to high demand and lack of availability.
As students’ academic careers advance, registering for classes may become more stressful. They may face challenges while rushing to register for major requirements, like writing intensives or introductory seminars, which often have limited class sizes or are not offered.
Temple’s student body deserves greater clarity on course offerings, academic planning and changes to their degree requirements. The Editorial Board urges Temple’s department chairs and academic advisors to better communicate with students about these changes to ease their anxieties during registration.
Due to limited class selections, students may face scheduling conflicts for other on-campus commitments, jobs or university activities. A third of Temple’s professors are adjunct and only teach on a semester-to-semester basis, BillyPenn reported. This means courses are offered based on the adjunct faculty’s semester availability.
Before semester registration, students often create academic plans to ensure their academic goals are met in an efficient and timely manner. However, due to miscommunication on when courses are offered or certain requirements, students often find themselves in an academic limbo.
Before enrollment begins, department staff should ensure that the courses advertised to students are available. When there are any drastic changes to course availability, advisors should be provided with up-to-date information and plans for student success.
It’s in the hands of academic advisors to be confident and reliable about the information they are relaying to students. With constantly shifting schedules and unpredictable course offerings, the job of academic advisors has another layer of difficulty.
Students deserve a smooth and stress-free registration process. It is the responsibility of advisors and university staff to ensure they have adequate resources and transparent communication so they do not feel blindsided come registration time.
Students already face countless other burdens in their time at college. Temple must ensure that students receive a stress-free and reliable registration process.
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