There is a debate about whether it is better to cancel a class due to low enrollment weeks before the semester begins or to wait and see if that class will eventually be filled up.
It would be fair to students and teachers if classes were canceled weeks before the semester begins because it allows them more time to make the necessary changes in their lives.
College students deal with more than simply school. Some deal with jobs, families, sports or other extracurricular activities.
Not to mention, most people don’t have access to their own car. They may rely on their family and friends to drive them, while others depend on public transportation. Having to find a new class to replace the one that was canceled may require them to find a new way to get to school.
Lots of students relate to having to balance school while also working a job. They plan out their class schedule ahead of time so modifications can be made for work schedules. However, almost every semester they have to add and drop multiple classes in the first week. Not only is it stressful to have to find another class to enroll in, but there’s also the need to reschedule or cancel plans that were already made.
Letting students know before the semester starts that a class is going to be canceled would mainly help students. Giving the students a heads up allows them time to not only find a new class that will fill their requirements, but also gives them time to make adjustments in their lives out of school.
While students should be given the opportunity to make the necessary changes in their lives, teachers deserve it as well.
Canceling a class doesn’t affect only students, it also troubles teachers. Believe it or not, teachers have lives outside of school. There are professors that teach at other colleges and some have children they need to take care of. As with the students, if teachers are given advance notice that one of their classes is going to be canceled, they can find a way to alter their outside of school priorities as well.
This doesn’t only affect how teachers balance their obligations, it also may influence their pay negatively. According to the article, “The Average Adjunct Pay at Community Colleges” by Tony Guerra, “Adjunct faculty pay at community colleges is usually on a per-class or per-semester hourly basis.”
In other words, some professors are paid by each hour that they teach. If one of their classes is dropped, it could have a significant financial impact on them. If they were to know that a class is being canceled ahead of time, then they could have time to try and find a new way to make up for that loss of pay, whether that be by teaching a different class or finding another job.
Some believe that it’s more beneficial to try and see if more students will enroll in the class once the semester starts, and sometimes the classes do get enough students. However, is it worth the risk of throwing students and teachers lives into chaos simply to see if a class gets filled?
