April 1, 2020

This message is distributed to SBFACU-L, SBNSF-L, SBNSOTHER-L, and SBADM-L.  (Click here to view description of distribution groups.)  

The following is being sent on behalf of Jeffrey Stopple, Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of Undergraduate Education

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Thank you all for your efforts to support our students in these challenging times.

As I mentioned previously, students face an enormous challenge in enrolling in courses and registering for the minimum number of credit units to be in good standing and be eligible for federal financial aid. This problem has resulted from the combination of cancelled courses on the one hand, and cancelled EAP programs on the other. Students must be able to fill all available course seats. We can’t afford to leave available seats empty this quarter.

Because remote instruction makes this especially challenging, we are centrally changing all all visible Gauchospace course sites to allow “course crasher” access.  If you do not want this, you are free to change it back. You can do so by following these instructions in reverse.

Please note: we are not asking to increase enrollment in your course.

Rather, we are seeking to facilitate the usual process whereby students move between classes in this remote environment.

We expect some students to drop, and we know that students will need to enroll in those courses. In order that students be able to see what is happening in the course, and not fall behind, and participate in any low stakes activity you may have, they need access as “course crashers.”  This is in many ways analogous to simply attending the class in a face to face environment. It does not give them any right to an approval code to officially add the class.

We appreciate your patience as we get this portion of our remote instruction quarter off the ground. Our current projections indicate that as many as 15% of UCSB students will be below 12 units, thus not in full time status and not eligible for financial aid. We are grateful for your efforts to address this issue as your courses become visible for “course crashers” so they can visit your classes in the hope of a space opening up.. 

If you have concerns about this policy, you may reach me directly at jstopple@ltsc.ucsb.edu

Jeffrey Stopple
Associate Vice Chancellor
Office of Undergraduate Education