Students - Livin' on the academic edge

Part 1 - The Big Sign

How one student handled the course cancellation
- Elvira Barron

No involvement, no interaction, take notes, leave class, return next session (like a routine)
no questions asked, confused with some thoughts,not talkative, shy.

Before I came to Fresno State, I was attending College of the Sequoias. I applied to Cal Poly in san Luis Obispo and was accepted. When the time came to leave home I got cold feet. It was too late to apply anywhere else, but I was determined to keep going to school. Somehow I came in contact with the right people and I made it to Fresno State. My image of Fresno State was that I was just going to be another simple student in a huge classroom of about 300 or more. I knew it was going to be difficult for me because it was the first time I actually left home. I had confidence in myself and I felt I had to make my parents proud.

I was not aware of all the rules. I went to my first class in the morning( Women’s Studies) . There was a big sign by the room door saying: CLASS CANCELED! Terrible, I went to the department to ask if the sign meant that the class was canceled just for that day, or for the rest of the semester. I figured I didn’t need to ask anyone else or drop the class myself since it had been cancelled. I thought the office would drop everyone.

At the end of the Spring’90 semester, I found out that I had an INCOMPLETE for the Women’s Studies class. I went to the Joyal and asked why that class was coming up on my records when the class had been cancelled for the semester. I found out that the class had not been cancelled for the semester. The lady I had spoken to was wrong and gave me the wrong information. I explained to the person at the window what had happened but they told me the only thing that I could do about it is to take the course again, and request a grade change. I went to the Liberal Studies Department and I spoke to someone. Nothing could be done. I just have to take the class over.

No change came about and now I have to retake the course. Change did come bout for me because I will no longer trust just one person who gives me an answer, but I will remember to ask a variety of people.