Changing of Course Requirements for Students
By Shannon Muldrow
Recent documents have shown that course requirements to graduate have changed in the current student curriculum of the 2009-2010 school year. Classes have been added to list of required courses that are not actually needed to complete the curriculum in order to graduate, for example, Communications. Many students are unaware of this change. The students who are aware of this issue are worried about not graduating according to their scheduled time.
22 year old Nicole Baylinson, a sophomore at Camden County College in Blackwood says she was not originally aware of the changes that are being made to the student curriculum. Baylinson, says she is very confused as to what the graduation requirements should be. She plans on verifying that her required courses have not changed and that she will be able to graduate on time. Baylinson feels that it’s necessary for all students and higher authorities that may be responsible for these changes, to know how frustrating it is to not be properly informed of the issue in advance to her registering for her classes. She will be transferring to Rowan University, Spring, 2010. Baylinson’s aggravation showed very much in her last statement, “I’m not surprised at how Camden County operates. Camden County College doesn’t prepare u properly to move on to other places. The care and quality of experience is lacking here at the college.”
27 year old Amy Sylvis, also a sophomore at Camden County College, Blackwood says she was aware the changes being made to the student curriculum. She claims her course requirements have changed several times recently. Her confusion led her to seek help from the guidance office, however she wasn’t given correct information. Sylvis then sought help from the Drew Jacobs, a professor at the college, and was told to follow the original course requirements she was given when she started her classes. She is transferring to Rowan University, Fall, 2010. Sylvis stated, “I absolutely want these changes to stop, but if it’s necessary for these changes to continue, then I would like to be properly informed prior to registering for class. The staff should be aware of the situation and the people in the advisement office should be more knowledgeable in their profession. “
Several attempts to contact Jim Canonica, Dean of Students at Camden County College in Blackwood, were made to discuss this important issue, however these attempts remain unsuccessful.
More students are finding out every day that the required courses of the student curriculum is changing every semester, but these questions for the students still remains, “ Why weren’t they properly informed in advance of the changes being made, what are the official required class they must take to graduate and will they graduate on time?” The advice that comes from the students that are aware of this issue have suggested to those who are not aware to ask the heads of the departments for their major to verify what curriculum they should follow in order to graduate on time.