“I’m a senior, so I’ve gotten pretty used to registering online,” SAU student Jamie Booher said.  “It’s much more convenient than waiting in line at the registrar’s office.”

Booher is not alone.  With enrollment at an all-time high, many students will be jostling for space in classes.  However, if the fall semester is any indication, registration should go smoothly, according to Daniel Zeimet, SAU registrar.

“We generally have more difficulty in the fall, when there’s more new students coming in,” Zeimet said. “Plus, we generally lose many students at the semester break to early graduation.  But registration went very smoothly earlier this year, so we’re not anticipating any problems.”

Early registration for the spring semester will showcase some changes.  The Beeline, which is SAU’s online registration system, has been modified.  A new feature allows students to browse for classes using specific course numbers along with the subject and level.  In addition, students can now learn what prerequisites are required for a given class right on the Beeline.  According to Zeimet, the changes are only the beginning.

“This is a step in the direction of combining the Beeline and the course catalog,” said Zeimet.  “Eventually, we’d like to have all the information currently in the course catalog available on the Beeline.”

  In addition to the changes in the registration process, new courses are being planned for the spring semester.  “Life in the Tropics”, an SAU International Studies program, is being offered for the first time.  The program consists of two classes, Biology 321 and International Studies 103.  Students involved in the program will participate in the two courses during the spring semester, and then travel to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during the 2006 May-June Interim.  Plans for the program are tentative.  Students interested in more information can contact biology professor Richard Legg at 333-6369.

Early registration for seniors begins Nov. 2, juniors on Nov. 7, sophomores on Nov. 10, and freshmen on Nov. 15.  See sidebar for a more complete early registration schedule.  Students can log onto the Beeline at http://beeline.sau.edu.