Problems continue with Datatel system
by Diana De Leon
managing editor

   Datatel is yet again at the center of registration horrors that could have science students enrolled in a lecture class on one campus and lab on another.
   The system also has the potential to enroll students in a science class during summer session one and the lab during summer session two.
   “ Datatel does not seem to respond to students,” Gary Smith, chairman of natural sciences on NE Campus, said.
   Janice Smith, chair of life and physical science on NW Campus, expressed concern for all science students on every campus.
   She explained that the problem is very hard to fix if labs are full by the time the problem is discovered.
   “ Lab space is determined not by the size of the lecture class, but by safety issues,” she said.
   Classes on different campuses could be on different pages in the schedule, and labs could be full and closed to further registration when the problem is discovered.
   A recurring point that all instructors were worried about is that the lecture grade is connected to the lab grade.
   Instructors cannot give a final grade for a lecture class until all lab work is in.
   “ I try to correlate lecture and lab, but on another campus, I have no control over it,” Jim Black, geology instructor on South Campus, said.
   A possible solution that has been suggested is also drawing scorn from instructors.
   It would involve connecting the lab and lecture class together so that different campuses could not be selected by mistake.
   “ It’s contrary to the college mission,” Gary Smith said. “They [our students] have complicated lives; they come first.”
   Smith believes that students come to TCC because of the flexible schedule the college offers.
   “ Weekday students should be able to take a Saturday lab if that fits their schedule,” he said.
   The administration is aware of the problem and offers advice to students when registering.
   “ The student has to be real careful,” Dr. Cathie Jackson, director of admissions and records, said.
   She explained that Colleague, the Datatel system currently used, is different than the old system.
   “ The programming is different,” she said. “There is nothing to guarantee lecture and lab together.”
   Jackson said that like students, faculty and staff, administrators are learning the new system as they introduce new areas of the program.
   “ There is no way to fix this right now,” she said. “Students must make sure campuses match.”
   Meanwhile this semester, instructors have spent many hours trying to fix the problem themselves within their respective classes.
   Janice Smith said special allowances have been made, but not all problems could be fixed.
   For now, all instructors are cautioning students to pay close attention to campus locations and start/end dates when registering, especially for summer sessions.