Jessica R. Barnes
The Exponent

Finding classes for the 1,384 new freshman attending UW-Platteville requires a balance of academic and university resources.

Increased enrollment, including 400 students brought to campus through the Tri-State Initiative, has put stress on the campus, where many areas are under construction. But through careful balancing of campus resources, the university is able to meet students’ needs.
“ We don’t have enough classrooms to offer every class Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Michael Viney, assistant chancellor for student affairs, said. “It’s better for students if classes are offered in a broader time frame.”

The Student Access to General Education committee helps manage how many classes are open to students each registration session.

“ We focus strictly on the needs of students,” Tammy Salmon-Stephens, chair of the SAGE, said. “We evaluate what’s available and student interest. We collaborate closely with departments to meet the needs of students.”

“ Some classes have increased, but the increases has been five to ten students,” Salmon-Stephens said. “It’s strictly up to the department if they want to increase class size.”
The committee makes recommendations to the provost, who collaborates with college deans to make decisions on class sizes.

“ Most of our classes are probably between 35 and 40 students,” Carol Sue Butts, provost and vice chancellor, said. “On this campus, our class sizes are very reasonable; it’s constantly one of the things that draws faculty in.”

“ We’ve purposely never built 600 seat lecture halls,” Viney said. “Platteville is not that type of school.”

We’re only two years into TSI growth, so the general education classes have been most affected by increases, Duane Ford, dean of the college of buisness, industry, life science and agriculture, said. “As we see TSI students move into their junior and senior years we will see more pressure on the majors.”

“ I don’t feel we have a problem, but it’s something we need to keep an eye on,” Ford said. “I’m not worried about classrooms, right now I’m more worried about labs.”

By the fall of 2007, a program to match classrooms with demand will be piloted in Ullsvik Hall. The software looks at the seats available in a classroom, how many students have registered, and then gives the best matching of classrooms and needs, Viney said. “The program can maximize the use of your resources.”