Override Policies Leave Students Frustrated, Struggling to Register

Every semester, a hefty number of Howard students register for classes late. This could be due to unmet financial aid requirements, surprise medical holds, or the frequently unreliable Howard University Bison Web.

By the time these provisions, holds, and technical difficulties are taken care of, classes are closed, and students are then forced to scramble between buildings to get signatures for course overrides.

Getting a course override is perhaps one of the most stressing and daunting tasks at Howard, and it seems like everyone always needs one. The large demand for override slips can possibly be attributed to a limited number of classes available per students in need of the class, students who have to retake previous classes, or miscommunication within the administration building itself. This semester, the search for course override forms became so intense that students even began selling them to others, desperately in need.

Sophomore biology major Brandon Johnson believes that it is a frustrating situation to need a course override as an underclassman.

"It's a struggle being in the biology department because overrides are only available to graduating seniors. They won't even look at anyone else until the seniors are taken care of," Johnson said,"And on top of that, teachers don't sign the overrides."

When it comes down to it, it seems like the professors are usually the ones who are consistently blamed for this issue, but they are not to bear the brunt.

Professor Reginald Miles of the Radio, Television, and Film department said that he is aware of the course override policy and specifically the requirements for his class, which is a prerequisite for many students. He also said that he receives strict policies from the department chair whether or not he can or cannot accept additional students, and likes to maintain small class sizes, anyway.

"I don't do overrides, because if the chair says, ‘no overrides', then I follow the directive that I'm given," he said.

Professor Miles also joked about students even wanting to override into his courses, saying that if they did, "they must not know me."

He admitted that depending on the specific case, if the chair of the RTVF department allows him to do so, he would consider permitting additional students. Other than that, don't count on it.

Marlena Spikes, a senior psychology major, believes that there should be more done for incoming freshman, and every classification, because everyone struggles with overrides and it is something that can be avoided.

She admits to times where she was in need and empathizes with those who will continue to have this problem.

"I have been in the tough position of getting course overrides ever since my first semester at Howard. Every semester seems to be getting worse and worse," she said of the issue.

Spikes thinks that a source of the large demand and continuation could be due to lack of advisement for underclassmen. She adds, "I think that students need to be advised better as incoming freshman to relieve this problem because it is ridiculous especially for seniors or rising seniors."

To avoid the override issue, students should visit their advisor on a regular basis and frequently check the administration and financial aid offices for mistakes and requirements that can easily be fixed, avoided, or solved.

Mistakes and glitches do happen, but these tips should help students ensure that they can properly register for classes.