Legal Commentary

Having taught classes at three universities, I have yet to see a system of class sign ups, course caps, and drop/adds that comes anywhere close to being optimal. Perhaps the general way we approach these situations is flawed. Every semester some courses do not fill (some don't come even come close to filling) while others have a line for entry that could go around the block (if we still did the wait in line method, rather than online sign ups).

During peak times (about two weeks before winter break and a week after) I receive about 5-10 emails a day requesting an 'override,' ' variance,' or 'petition" - or whatever request process a given school uses. Most come with a very sad or urgent story attached. In some ways, this makes one feel a bit like the person handing out life jackets on the Titanic - and it seems that no one appears happy with the process. In some schools this situation is amplified by "shotgun" registration strategies whereby students only intend to take 9-12 hours, but sign up for 15-18 hours and then attend the first few classes and in the eleventh hour drop the 2 courses they like least - this usually results in a few spots being left open and no one willing to take them due to the late drop.

Don't get me wrong - in the larger world of annoyances, this one is actually pretty darn small. But it's hard to imagine that some bright academic or administrator (or student) hasn't come up with a better way of handling this process. Steven Levitt notes that NYU Law uses a Coase Theorem approach, although this particular system may have some of its own problems. What process does your institution use? How well does it work?