This semester, John Brown University is debuting a new process for registration.
The new program will allow currently enrolled students to plan ahead as many semesters as they desire.
One of the biggest pros of the registration process so far has been the time it will save during advising.
“The new process will help students figure out the order they should take classes in,” Becky Lambert, registrar, said. “It also frees up some advising time so advisers can talk about career options and other important things for students and advisers to discuss together.”
The new process is easy to use and easy to understand for first time users, Jackie Masters, Director of Client Services, said.
“From what I understand, the University was looking for a way to streamline registration and combine it with a four-year plan and advising,” Masters said. “It’s really nice, because you have the option to plan the rest of your time at JBU at once.”
She explained the general process in a few simple steps.
On Eaglenet, click “academic planning” on the right hand side of the screen. Then click “view Program, Plan your Degree and Register.”
Click the “My Progress tab” to view your requirements. These are specific to each student based on declared majors and minors.
Click on any class to bring up the course catalog to see pre-requisites and add the course to your plan for any given semester you have left at JBU.
Click the “Plan Schedule” tab. This is where you see all of your classes listed, flip ahead to the next term and choose the section of the class you want to take. The “View Sections” option will show what time classes are offered and who you can take each section from.
Submit to adviser for the review and approval of your planned classes. Once classes are approved by your adviser, the courses turn green on your plan.
“As soon as registration opens, which for seniors is March 31, the button on the top right side of the screen will say ‘register now’,” Masters said. “You will be able to register for all of your classes at the same time. Classes you’ve chosen that now have been waitlisted will give you an option to choose another section or select waitlist, or then choose to swap out for another class.”
Masters added that adding a different class to your plan will require your adviser to approve it once more. She also stated that the program will be the most effective if students use it to plan out all four years at the school.
“It will save you time in the long run. Everything is in the same system, and it is really easy for students to use,” Masters said. “Students I have talked to so far have really liked it. It is really great for people who are visual. It is color coded and the requirements page is set up like an outline.”
Masters trained all resident assistants and Gateway mentors during the fall semester as a part of a pilot for the new process.
Sophomore Maggie Gore, a resident assistant in Hutcheson Hall, used the new process to register for the current semester.
Gore agrees with Masters that the new process will be beneficial to students, because there will no longer be a need to make an entire new four year plan when one class needs to be switched around.
“It will also be beneficial when registration comes around every semester because instead of having to draw, and for some color code a schedule with the times of every class for the semester, all we will have to do is make a couple clicks and we can tell what classes overlap and which classes work,” Gore said.
All Resident Assistants on campus have been encouraged to hold an instructional meeting to show how to use the new program and to answer any questions that may arise during the change. Masters encourages students to open the program and just try to figure it out.
“You can’t break the system. Go in and try it,” Masters said. “Every student that I have seen that just tried it has figured it out. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
Masters encourages all students that may encounter questions to find their RA, ask the registrar or to talk to their adviser to get their questions resolved before the registration process starts.
Lambert feels as if there should be little to no issues on the program side, and sees the program and easy to use.
“There is always a chance for problems, because it is the first time the whole campus will be using it at once,” Lambert said. “The pilot last semester went very smoothly. We feel as if we have done our homework for it this semester and that it should also run smoothly.”
Lambert added that if students need a refresher on how the process works, there is a step-by-step tab on the Registrar’s homepage.