Problem Statement

The current class enrollment system is insufficient for handling course overflows.

Societal Problem

The current course sign up system results in excess student communication with faculty in order to facilitate the student's desire to be enrolled in a specific course when it is full. While the student and faculty body are attempting to resolve this issue, they are taken away from their other tasks. Implementing a wait list feature to the current working course add/drop system will greatly reduce the number of these avoidable communications.

Problem Characteristics

Current System's Flaws:

• Confusing
• Time Consuming
• Inefficient
• Leads to faculty, student, and administrative staff headache when a full course appears.

This graph shows that throughout the years CS250 has stayed close if not full. If you look at Spring 2013, the amount enrolled (pink) is higher than the amound available (red). This is a perfect example of why we need a program to handle our "wait-list" issue.

Data provided from LeoOnline, ODU's student information system. It contains official record, including personal information, grades, transcripts, and more.

Competitors

Schools	Management System
Old Dominion University	LeoOnline/Banner
University of Michigan Ann Arbor	Wolverine Access
Spokane Community College	myBigfoot
Princeton University	SCORE
Mount Holyoke College	ISIS
The University of Texas at Austin	UT EID
San Bernardino Valley College	WebAdvisor
University of California Irvine	WebReg
Tulane University	Gibson Online
Emerson College	eCommon
The University of Alabama	myBama
Rice University	ESTHER
Community College of Rhode Island	MyCCRI
Ohio State University	Buckeye Link
Johns Hopkins University	ISIS
Skagit Valley College	mySVC
University College, University of Denver	webCentral
Hampshire College	TheHub
University of Pittsburgh	PeopleSoft
Carnegie Mellon University	TheHub
SUNY Plattburgh	MyPlattsburgh
Columbia	Student Services Online
Northern Virginia Community College	MyNOVA
* Brown University	Banner
University of Virginia	Student Information System
Santa Barbara City College	Pipeline
The University of Maine	MaineStreet
Henry Ford Community College	WebAdvisor
The University of North Carolina	MyUNC
* Auburn University	Banner
Fullerton College	myGateway
Stanford University	Axess
Duke University	ACES
College of Western Idaho	myCWI
Northwestern University	CAESAR
Baruch College (CUNY)	e-SIMS
University of Wisconsin-Madison	My UW
Clemson University	iRoar
Salt Lake Community College	MyPage

Identifying Customers

There are three "customers" that this solution will benefit.
One, of course, is the student body. This tool will take out the initial "panic factor" when a course has reached capacity. The other half of the customer base will be the faculty. Staff will receive some relief from the influx of emails, phone calls, and personal visits that relate to course availability. Finally, the University's administration suffers. Undergraduate Admissions must also deal with the panic'd students when a course becomes full.

What We Know About the Customers

Many universities use some form of wait-list to help their students enroll in classes. The problem with their wait-list is the effectiveness of them. Waitlist will cause more problems for certain classes, such as classes with labs and recitation. Many students struggle getting into their classes due to a capacity. This may cause problems for students attempting to graduate. When classes hit capacity, students are forced to contact their advisor or the teacher of their desired classed. If a class that is highly desired reaches capacity, the advisor and teacher will be forced to take extra time to help all the students in need. This causes stress on both parties. A perfected wait-list can save both time and money for the students and faculty members.

A Perfect Solution

Implement a wait list for students wishing to take Computer Science courses with x number of spots (with x to be determined). A student who wishes to register for a closed course will add their relevant information to the wait list program. If a spot opens up in a closed course, the program will start with the first person on the wait list and move down the list; if no matches are found, nothing happens. If, however, there are matches, the first three matching students on the list are notified of the opening, and the first to register gets the course. The other two students have a given amount of time to request they be kept on the wait list, and the everyone moves up the list as need be.

Without Our Solution

With Our Solution