By Gil Milanes
More than 25,000 students received an email from the administration regarding the loss of priority registration for the upcoming Winter 2015 section and Spring 2015 semester.
Students who will lose their early registration privileges are those who have completed more than 75 nonexempt units, students who have completed over 100 degree applicable units and students who are on their second semester of progress or academic probation.
Students are placed on academic probation when they have attempted at least 12 semester units and earn a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0.
Priority registration is lost when a student is placed on probation for the second consecutive semester.
The Loss of Registration Priority is a law being enforced by The California State Legislature and is taking effect this fall on our campus.
Students are able to appeal by submitting a Petition to Appeal Loss of Enrollment Priority form found in the Office of Admissions and Records.
“Although the due date has expired, we will still take petitions and process them as quickly as possible,” said Dean of Admissions Jeremy Allred.
Forms will be taken past the due date because emails were sent later than when they were supposed to.
According to Allred, The Board of Governors of The California Community Colleges (BGCC) system was in charge of the notifications sent to students but decided individual colleges should send the emails instead.
“That delayed the process and it is the reason why admissions is still accepting the appeal forms,” Allred said.
A student’s appeal will be approved by a committee vote, if approved students will be notified via email.
The State of California passed this law to ensure classes are available for students seeking associate degrees, transfers or job training.
The main purpose is to reward those students who are in good academic standing by providing them the opportunity to take advantage of priority enrollment.
To avoid losing priority the Office of Admissions urges students to only take courses that will help towards associate degrees or transfer plans.
Taking unnecessary courses will increase the chances of losing priority registration.
Students should maintain a GPA at 2.0 or higher and meet with a counselor for a Student Education Plan.
The BGCC is hoping this law will motivate students to take college more serious and set up a plan to achieve their goals quickly.
Students who have lost priority still have a chance at enrolling since classes aren’t completely full at the moment.
