The process of creating class timetables has been a source of frustration for students as timetables changed continuously in the run up to the academic year.
Second year business student Eve O’Malley was angered by the changes her timetable underwent, telling The College View: “The organisation of the timetables was very poor this year we had to constantly check the portal for changes to the timetable with many major mistakes on the timetable only being modified a week into the semester”
Frustrations were also felt in the humanities faculty. “I do Journalism and our timetable changed about 10 times in two weeks,” explained final year student, Conor Hawkins. “People were telling employers they could work certain days and all of a sudden classes were changed again and people had to contact work to change shifts.’’
“Eventually our class rep managed to organise it so we would have Fridays off for all the people who promised employers they would work,” Hawkins continued.
Multimedia student, Katie O Reilly also had problems when it came to her employers: “I’ve ten hours a week and my timetable changed a couple of times. I have had to tell work I’m unable to have hours all next week so therefore I’ll get paid about €36,’’ she said.
Deputy President and chairperson of the timetabling oversight group, Jim Dowling attributed the reason for changing timetables to the college offering flexibility to students.
“If you’re offering that flexibility and that change of mind provision, the student choices at the end of that period or during that period when they are making these decisions will impact on the timetables and therefore those timetables will change,’’ he said.
“Every year there are slight errors in registration down to the students picking modules they weren’t supposed to pick. In a very small number of students, their subjects were incorrectly registered and therefore their timetables had to change,’’ Dowling continued.
Dowling said that some lecturers requested changes for research purposes and that one class in The Business School saw more students than expected enrolling in a particular class resulting in them needing a bigger room, which in turn misplaced other classes to accommodate this.
“While we appreciate the need for students to have work, particularly nowadays, we cannot accommodate everybody, there is always going to be somebody. The same thing happens with lecturing staff and crèche arrangements,’’ said Dowling.
Students are advised to take note of the DCU website which advises all students to regularly check their timetables as they are still subject to change.
Gavin O’Callaghan
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