Staff Editorial: Prereqs a good system

In an effort to enforce class prerequisites, ACES has been equipped with software that prevents enrollment when prerequisites have not been met. Currently, only the economics and psychology departments have implemented this system in the registration process. Other departments should adopt this system as well. Other departments should use the software, but not until several modifications are made to it.

 Students should show responsibility for their actions and recognize that if they want to take a class with a prerequisite, that it is necessary to complete the prerequisite course, or demonstrate competency in the revenant subject matter. Otherwise, the entire class can be slowed down and the professors will be forced to re-teach material that was assumed to be understood prior to enrollment.

 The largest flaws of the current electronic enforcement system are that it requires students to complete prerequisites prior to admission and that does not allow professors to override the system and offer a student entry into the class based on permission numbers. The purpose of prerequisites is to prove that a student understands and is capable of dealing with a specific body of material. A professor who has spoken with a student and feels that he or she has a sufficient understanding of the material should be able to offer a student a permission number and allow the student into the class. Additionally, the system should allow students to sign up for courses while they are concurrently signed up for the prerequisites. AP credits should also be able to count for prerequisites, especially in athematics-based courses.

 If the system is going to be adopted on a wide scale, it is necessary that departments seriously rethink prerequisites and ensure that all prerequisites placed on a class are essential. Otherwise, students will be forced to take classes that they do not want or need to take when they are already very limited in their scheduling.

 Since prerequisites are essentially to assure competency, departments that are going to use the enforcement mechanism should adopt a policy similar to the EcoTeach Math Test. This test allows students who demonstrate that they have a sufficient understanding of the mathematics necessary for Intermediate Economics II (Econ 105) to be exempted from the Math 103 prerequisites. This is a sound policy; if only parts of Math 103 are necessary for Econ 105, a student who understands the essential math should not be forced to waste a class if they do not wish to do so.

 While we recognize that not all departments are capable of or have the resources to create a test similar to the EcoTeach test, it should serve as a model for other departments to follow.