District supports responsible students

Joanna Zimring Towne, the director of the Pierce College Career Center, said the changes to priority registration will come into effect starting fall 2014 and will then immediately begin benefiting students, especially those new to Pierce.

“Priority registration for new students who meet the criteria is helpful because new students have a very difficult time getting even one class under the current enrollment priority system,” she said. “This allows new students who take the initiative to prepare themselves to benefit from priority registration and enroll in meaningful classes in their first semester.”

This does not fix the problem for returning students looking for classes.

Continuing students, however, are also highly encouraged to keep track of their progress in order to maintain priority registration eligibility.

“I would recommend that all current students work really hard to maintain good academic standing,” said Phyllis Braxton, dean of student services. “If they are formally on probation, then they should work closely with a counselor and utilize as many academic support services to improve their grades. We offer probation workshops for students, as well as student success workshops, so students should utilize those.” a list of alternate courses in case their first-choice classes are not available. If they don’t get the classes they want, they should keep checking the online registration system to see if any spaces open up in the class that they want.”

Students can also attend one of Pierce’s counseling and career workshops or set up a personal appointment with a counselor to clarify their respective goals and objectives, Braxton said.

Although the new priority registration measures will give students a better chance of getting the classes they desire, Braxton still recommends that they remain attentive when it comes to their schedules.

“Unfortunately, nothing guarantees that a student will get a class that they need. However, students can do a few things to improve their chances,” Braxton said. “Students need to know the date and time that they can begin to register and they should have

“I certainly hope (the new measure makes students take their classes more seriously) because that is the intent of the regulations: to support students who can identify their educational and career goals as soon as possible in order to take the appropriate classes and achieve their goals as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Braxton said.

For information on getting classes you need for transferring and the upcoming changes to priority registration, visit the Pierce Counseling Center’s website or drop by the Transfer Center on the first floor of the Student Services Building.