In an email sent on April 13, the first day of registration for rising juniors, the department acknowledged the shortage of electives available for the fall and notified students that the enrollment in most 2000- and 3000-level electives had been raised to classroom capacity.

“We all regret that these constraints, as well as classroom availability issues, continue to prevent our supply from meeting the huge demand for courses,” the email reads.

Baum said the main issue for course registration is not supply but demand.

“The real challenge here is that in the graduating class of 2023, there are 311 econ majors, and in the rising senior class, a number of whom have had some challenges getting the courses they’re looking for, there are 373,” he said.

Baum added that the Class of 2025 contained 368 econ majors, so it also experienced frustrations during course registration this year.

“The real issue is not do we have as many classes on the list or as many seats available in those classes?’” Baum said. “The real issue is that even if we had exactly the same number of classes and seats, there are more people trying to find a seat in one of those elective courses.”

Though Segnatelli eventually got off the waitlist for two of these elective courses, he was previously stressed about whether or not he would secure seats in the classes he needs to graduate.

“It is definitely putting a lot of stress on me, especially when I could not get into any classes originally,” Segnatelli said. “I thought to myself what is the point of even doing the fall semester if all I am going to be taking is random MCAS credit classes.”

Kate Lewis, another economics student and MCAS ’25, said by the time she could register for her fall classes, there were not any electives for her major left.

“Right now on my schedule … I have five classes, but I’m taking no major classes whatsoever,” Lewis said. “As of right now, obviously there’s add/ drop, but yeah, I couldn’t get into any electives.”

Lewis’ registration time was at 4:15 p.m. on April 14—the day after the email was sent—and she said the extra seats the department had added were already completely filled before she could even pick her courses.

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR Students are expressing their frustration with the shortage of economics electives for the upcoming fall.

“Right after this email was sent, they were basically all full,” Lewis said. “I heard that even some [rising] seniors were saying they couldn’t get into any class … even on the second day of junior class registration.”

One of the expanded courses was Economics of Inequality, which Baum said is a popular elective that the department moved to a larger classroom with teaching assistants to accommodate 85 more students.

Nevertheless, the extra seats in this course filled rapidly as well.

“They lasted about as long as Taylor Swift tickets,” Baum said.

Andrew Caden, MCAS ’24, said he was unable to get his desired elective even as a rising junior with an early pick time.

“I was going to take the Public Finance econ elective and basically that one was already filled up, and there weren’t many others that would fit in the schedule I had, so I had to change around three of my classes to be able to fit in a different econ elective,” Caden said. “It’s just not one I’m as interested in, and it’s kind of annoying.”

Donald Cox, head of undergraduate studies for economics, said the department is working to create a better plan and course load for the spring to ensure this does not happen again.

“I really regret what happened this time around, and I mean, students were very understandably upset,” Cox said. “They should be. And what we’re doing is we’re doing everything we can to shore up the schedule in the spring, as well as continue to add classes for the fall if we can.”

The economics department is always hiring, but it is hard to meet the high demand for economics professors, Cox said.

“It’s hard to keep pace with the demand given that the economics market is so competitive,” Cox said. “I mean, it’s hard for both the administration and for the department. We are always hiring, always in hire mode … but it is, I mean, it’s really hard.”

BC Dining To Offer Three Meal Plans Next Year

By Lucy Freeman Asst. News Editor

Boston College will offer three price levels—light, base, and premium—for students’ residential meal plans starting in the 2023–24 school year, according to Director of Dining Services Beth Emery.

“Dining Services has considered offering multiple Mandatory Residential Meal Plan options for many years since we understand that ‘one size does not fit all,’” Emery wrote in an email to The Heights. “Offering multiple options will better meet student needs.”

The price of the cheapest meal plan will increase from $3,000 total per semester in 2022–23 to $3,100 total per semester for 2023–24. According to Emery, meal plan prices increase each year due to the rising costs of food and labor.

“The minimum for the Base Meal Plan increases each year to cover the rising cost of food, labor, transportation, and other expenses,” Em- ery wrote. “Our dining operation is self-operated and is not supported by tuition. Our goal each year is to be financially self-sufficient.”

This fall, students will be automatically enrolled in the base meal plan, which includes $3,100 per semester, plus $300 in Flex Bucks. This gives students about $30 to spend on food per day. According to Emery, this plan is the best option to fit most students’ needs. It covers about two on-campus meals a day plus snacks.

Although all students will be

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF enrolled in the base meal plan for the fall semester, they can change their preference to the light or premium option in the Agora Portal from June 10 through Sept. 8. Students have until Jan. 26, 2024 to change their meal plan for the spring semester.

According to Emery, the light plan is the best option for students who eat some meals off campus or in their residence halls.

“The Light Plan includes $2850 per semester plus $250 in Flex Bucks (approximately $28 per day),” Emery wrote. “Most students on this plan eat two on-campus meals per day during the week and an occasional meal on the weekends.”

The premium option is best for students who eat the majority of their meals on campus, according to Emery.

“The Premium Plan includes $3350 per semester plus $350 in Flex Bucks (approximately $33 per day),” Emery wrote. “Most students on this plan eat three on-campus meals a day plus snacks, seven days a week.”

With the increase in minimums and Flex Bucks for the base meal plan, students will no longer be able to purchase an $800 maroon or $1,200 gold upgrade if they run out of funds. According to Emery, students can instead purchase a flex plan through the Agora Portal.

Daniel Wise, a Student Assembly representative on UGBC’s Dining Advisory Board and MCAS ’25, said rising food costs and student complaints about running out of meal plan money prompted the new meal plan system.

“I think BC Dining was aware that a lot of students were unhappy with the current dining system and the funding of meal plans,” Wise said. “A lot of students were having trouble funding their meal plans and a lot more so than in past years.”

Wise said he thinks the change in meal plan options is a step in the right direction, as it allows for students to have more flexibility with their spending.

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