As University of Wisconsin students begin to register for the Fall 2003 semester, many are stressing with the typical anxiety. However, university officials are lending advice to students having difficulty dealing with the prospect of approximately 300 classes being cut and the difficulty of obtaining a preferred schedule.

There are several ways for students to get help with the anxiety surrounding class registration. According to university spokesman Kent Barrett, one of the best and underused resources the university offers is advisers.

“Just talking to their advisers is the best way to go,” Barrett said.

Betsy Draine, associate chair of UW’s English department, reiterated the importance of talking to an adviser.

“(Students) should talk to an adviser,” Draine said. “That’s the way the department finds out if there’s a problem (with class registration) that’s important.”

She also offered another useful bit of information to get students into the classes they want.

“Students should register as soon as they are authorized,” Draine said.

UW English Adviser Grace Krewson agrees.

“I recommend that students don’t let that (registration) time go past,” Krewson said.

This is especially important for English classes, according to Draine, because more than 290 overall seats were cut from various level classes, including Communication B classes, introductory-level classes and upper-level classes required for certain degrees.

Krewson offered two pieces of advice for classes that are closed, regardless of the department. One is to ask your adviser and/or your prospected professor if there is any way to include you in a seat for the class.

“We are lucky to have professors who are very generous,” Krewson said.

Another option is to take a class that you hadn’t planned on taking that semester, but is still needed.

“This is a great university,” Krewson said. “There are marvelous classes available that students can take that will help them.”

She also noted that many students just have anxiety about class registration, something she said is normal.

UW sophomore Jason Potrykus, who has yet to register for classes, echoes this feeling of anxiety about getting into certain classes.

“I’m always worried about [not getting into classes],” Potrykus said.

He has also yet to see his adviser, but said the Internet timetable is very helpful.

Even though Krewson has noted an increase in students asking for advising sessions, Cristina Springob at Cross College Advising Services has noticed a somewhat regular increase in requests for advising that happens at registration times.

“It’s been about the same,” Springob said. “A lot of students have problems getting into classes, but a lot of times it’s just a problem with prerequisites.”

UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences sophomore Quinn DeBruin did not find it hard to get into his classes but was very satisfied with the university’s advisers.

Barrett said the classes required for graduation are still there after budget cuts, but that does not mean students are not going to feel a difference, which advisers are feeling.

“We’re doing all right, we’re holding our own,” Krewson said, saying they are helping as many students as they can.