UNM-G: Classes are full, enrollment down

University of New Mexico-Gallup student Colleen Palmer uses a computer Wednesday at the Student Service Center in Gurley Hall to check her class schedule while other students wait in line to enroll in classes. Palmer is completing coursework for an associate degree in psychology. [Photo by Jeffery Jones/Independent]

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — It was only the second day of classes Wednesday at the University of New Mexico Gallup, and some students were already scrambling to find classes for ones that have already filled up.

Suzette Wyaco, manager of enrollment services for the branch college, said that a number of classes have already gotten their quota of 25 to 30 students and have closed, which is forcing some students to try to find other classes that will work with their field of study.

One student from the Church Rock area said he decided to wait until Tuesday because he wasn't sure whether he would just work full-time this semester and save up some money to go to summer school.

His decision at the last moment to take classes this semester resulted in his missing out on one course he really wanted so he was forced to take a history course he wasn't planning on taking until this summer.

Although there were long lines on Tuesday, it wasn't anywhere near as it has been in the past because more and more students, said Wyaco, are using the Internet and computers in the student services office to register on-line for their classes. Students are also able, at the same time, to sign up for e-mail addresses at the school.

She estimated that about 60 percent of the student body registers now on-line.

Some students have reported having problems using the on-line registration program but Wyaco said a "few glitches" are expected whenever you introduce a new system. Overall, she said, the new system has worked out very well.

Enrollment for the spring semester rested at 1873 as of Tuesday, which was down a little from this time last year, but late registration continues until next Friday. Wyaco said college officials are optimistic that the enrollment level will start picking up.

The college still has a number of classes on the bubble with enrollment of between five and seven students. If they don't add a couple of more students by next week, they stand to be canceled, although college officials have been more lenient the past year or two in keeping many of these classes going to keep enrollment up.

The college is continuing to look at the idea of building either dormitories or apartments for students, which is expected to have a positive effect on enrollment figures. But that's several a few years down the road.