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UCF implements faster registration process

News Editor

Published: Friday, August 10, 2012

Updated: Friday, August 10, 2012 17:08

 

UCF unveiled a new process today that will allow students to secure their spots in class faster and more efficiently. This news comes weeks after Tim Arnold, a UCF marketing student, was placed on academic probation for creating a website designed to notify students as soon as a spot in a class became available.

According to a press release, UCF has been developing this process as an enhancement to its current course registration process for some time but moved forward with the implementation of it in response to Arnold’s U Could Finish website. The enhanced process will be ready for student use in the spring 2013 through the myUCF registration system.

Arnold’s website functioned by accessing UCF servers up to 30,000 times a day which could have severely affected students’ use of the system, according to the press release.

“Innovations often come from disruptive technologies, and this outside website certainly disrupted our computer systems and conflicted with university policy,” said university spokesperson Grant J. Heston in a press release. “The student website developer displayed an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that is commendable. However, inadequate coordination with the university caused system issues.”

The new registration system is compatible with the current UCF systems and will not place excessive demands on the university’s resources and the developers of the system have welcomed students, including Arnold, to assist in the further development of the program.

Arnold says that he has not been contacted to assist but would love to collaborate with the developers to work on the system.

“I’m excited that they’ve implemented this feature and that I’ve helped inspire them. It’s important for students,” Arnold said.

Unlike the U Could Finish website, UCF’s new system will allow students who are waiting for an opening in a class to be automatically registered for the class as soon as a seat becomes available. UCF will also be able to use this system to track the number of students waiting for a given class. They plan to use this information to assist in the planning of future semesters.

“My goal was to fix this problem for students, and since the school thinks they found a solution I’m happy,” Arnold said. “I have no intentions in continuing [the website] now that they have this new system. Most of all I’m happy they realized there was a student need.” 

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6 comments

A Thinker
Thu Aug 16 2012 14:57
Based on how quickly UCF has responded to it's long standing reputation as "U Can't Finish", it is laughable to believe that any change would have occurred from a student requesting a service similar to what Mr Arnold demonstrated could be done. If another service (Classalerts.com) is available at other Universities, why has UCF been blind to implementing something similar? Fair price for a service is determined by the demand for it. There must have been quite a demand if Arnold could charge more at UCF. There has been a lot of speculation about Arnold's (& for that matter UCF's) motives. A person who claims to know what is in the heart and mind of someone else displays a closed & limited intellect which is unworthy of debate.
Anonymous
Mon Aug 13 2012 17:47
A Thinker, you might want to put more thought into your comments.

"UCF may or may not have stolen the idea, but they certainly would not have moved so quickly to meet this LONG standing issue if not for Tim Arnold's "push"."

Tim could have accomplished the same by going to the staff and faculty and requesting such a service. Tim decided to make his program without input, which is what led to the punishment.

"And if trying to cover costs or make money is so evil, why does UCF feel the need to charge tuition,lab fees, activity fees, parking sticker fees, etc., etc.?"

There is a difference between covering costs, and taking advantage of students. Tim Arnold modeled his service after one already in place. Classlerts.com offers the same service for other universities. Tim's price point was up to 9 dollars a class. Classlerts.com only charged 8 dollars to monitor 20... 20... classes (or 40 cents a piece).

"Since Mr. Arnold is, his way to fill a need by creating a business strategy for his service makes complete sense to anyone...outside of the anal retentive, bureucrats of acadamia that is."

What? That just sounds like an angry statement with no real purpose.

Tim's strategy was to take someone else's idea, pay someone to make it work UCF's systems, ignore policies and warnings, and charge every student an arm and a leg to try to get an advantage over each other, while slowing down UCF's systems for everyone else. That sounds like a horrible strategy for everyone except Tim.

A Thinker
Sun Aug 12 2012 08:30
UCF may or may not have stolen the idea, but they certainly would not have moved so quickly to meet this LONG standing issue if not for Tim Arnold's "push". And if trying to cover costs or make money is so evil, why does UCF feel the need to charge tuition,lab fees, activity fees, parking sticker fees, etc., etc.? Hopefully UCFGrad is not a business or economics major; he would fail as a small business owner. Since Mr. Arnold is, his way to fill a need by creating a business strategy for his service makes complete sense to anyone...outside of the anal retentive, bureucrats of acadamia that is.
UCF Grad x2
Fri Aug 10 2012 19:47
They didn't steal the idea. These things take longer to develop and perfect than when they figured out what he did and punished him for it. As much as people want to say that Tim was doing it for the "good of the students." He wasn't. I am pretty sure he was planning on giving a few copies to get people's attention in hopes to make more money the next semester. A very classic promotional move.

If he was doing it for the "Good of the students" than he would have just given it away. I am sure he would have gotten a lesser punishment for it. More like a slap on the wrist.

Anonymous
Fri Aug 10 2012 17:37
Way to basically steal Tim's idea...
Monica A.
Fri Aug 10 2012 15:43
As someone who worked in a UCF advising office doing 20+ overrides a day during Add/Drop/Swap week, this is fantastic news not only for the students, but for the office staff who have assisted these students in the past as well. It's never fun to say "Sorry, there's nothing we can do, you'll just have to keep checking the site," and have a student angrily storm out of the office.




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