Fresh from a high school containing a little more than 600 students, I was a bit unprepared for the UA, to say the least. I was fully expecting that college would provide the same sort of environment as my high school. However, it was my first encounter with WebReg that made me realize that college is a different kind of beast.
Being ignorant and naive, I thought that you could get all the classes that you would need for the semester. Like a good little freshman, I logged in at the appointed time expecting to have a neat little schedule with days that would, at their earliest, begin at 10 a.m. and end at 3 in the afternoon. I was set to experience the stereotypical college life that I'd seen in the movies where students wouldn't get up until lunchtime, have class for an hour or two a day, subsist on a diet composed entirely of vending machine fare and then graduate with a nice little bachelor's degree.
However, I didn't take into account that I would be competing with thousands of other students for a highly coveted spot in a first-year English composition class, among other classes. Looking back now, I know I didn't have a chance. Since there probably are handheld calculators out there that are faster than my family's computer with its prehistoric 28K modem, my dream schedule would remain unrealized.
With the classes that I did get, I was just another face in the various lecture halls around campus. Unlike in high school, where my teachers knew my family history by the time I graduated, here professors didn't even know I existed. Like many other students, I felt lost my freshman year. Having to fight with thousands of other students for one class opening, and then having to make my presence known in class just so that professors would acknowledge my existence, made me wonder: Why doesn't the UA just admit fewer people?
However, with the current direction that the university is taking, there doesn't seem to be any end to expansion in sight. This year, the UA broke records for enrollment with a combined undergraduate and graduate population totaling more than 36,000.
With one of the largest college campuses in the nation, the UA invited plenty of complaints from students and educators alike regarding the preservation of academic standards. Many contend that the increase in students puts a strain on the already overworked faculty. With such a large undergraduate population, some classes have to be taught in huge lecture halls where personal attention is minimal at best. In other cases, classes rely solely on teaching assistants. As a result, critics warn that the UA's academic reputation will take a severe blow as more students file onto campus.
With my freshman-year misadventures still seared into my memory, I tended to agree with the critics regarding the massive student body. Like many others, I did my fair share of complaining about the seemingly unending growth rate and the hassles that came along with it. However, after much contemplation, the UA's population became more of an asset than a drawback.
It's a common complaint among students that with so many students in a class, it's hard to get any special attention from the instructor. Though it may seem like a shock to some of you, it's not the professors' job to hold our hands throughout our college careers. That's not to say that professors don't want to see students succeed in classes. On the contrary, the faculty at the UA does an extraordinary job in assisting the student body. However, there must be some initiative taken on the students' part. It's the students' personal responsibility to make sure they succeed. By the way, there's a little thing called office hours. They might be of some slight use to you.
Bigger universities foster a greater sense of personal responsibility. Without the more intimate setting of a smaller institution, students are forced to become more self-reliant or suffer the consequences. Though it does seem harsh and cruel, it prepares students for the real world.
Just like in the real world, it's sink or swim here at the UA, and in order to succeed you have to learn how to swim. Fast.
Susan Bonicillo is still trying to register for a much needed Tier One Gen-Ed class. You can let her know of any class openings or send her any comments regarding this column at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.