Last Friday was the last day during this term to drop full-semester courses. This deadline always arrives much to the relief of those like myself who understand how ridiculous it is to be part of a school that allows students to commit such appalling acts. Each semester I am reminded that our school still somehow has policies that permit those enrolled here to do this as well as several other academically disruptive actions. The ability to dropping courses, switching majors or repeating classes should never be allowed in any circumstance, despite the rules that our school has authorizing these to be done. Furthermore, switching majors or repeating classes are both inexcusable. When any of these atrocities are permitted, the educational system breaks down and students lives are ruined.

It does not make any sense to allow students to drop courses. When students sign up for their classes, they know exactly what they are getting into, and should not be excused for deciding to back out simply because they get lazy later in the semester. The registration process must be fully completed by every student before classes start in order for the school administration to determine the number of students that will need to be taught during the upcoming term, and use this information to post rankings of the most popular teachers. But completing important tasks such as these becomes impossible when courses may be dropped so readily. Then not only is the registration system compromised, teachers are also unfairly confused when students stop showing up to class. Instructors constantly judge themselves based on how many students enjoy the classes they teach, and when attendance is not maintained, they begin to feel inadequate and frown more often.

Additionally, the procedure followed here at Iowa State is that after the first week, students must attain the signature of the instructor of the course they wish to drop. Seeing that small pink slip of paper causes deep sadness in the hearts of those teachers as they doubt their ability to create a classroom environment fun enough to keep students coming back. The rejection students cause instructors to experience by asking for that signature is disgraceful. 

Switching majors should also be unacceptable. A basic requirement for students starting college is that prior to attending each new student must have completely planned out the remainder of their life. Accordingly, when they select an area of study, they are making a commitment that will dictate their entire future as an adult. This should be one of the most significant choices of one’s life, and must not be taken lightly. But when school policy grants the freedom to change majors after enrollment, students are allowed to break the promise they made when they enrolled and spit in the face of the institution of education. Colleges that permit students to switch their designated concentration fail to instill integrity in the people who attend them, and are effectively valuing dishonesty. If changing intentions is compatible with the values of an organization, how can such a school even be trusted to fulfill its own commitments? Truly, there is nothing to stop that school from switching its purpose from a place that grants degrees to a place where silly policies are created, or a place where hot dogs are made.

Another harmful policy is allowing students to repeat classes and replace the original grade received with a newer one. The ability to repeat a course in this way encourages students to become used to getting second chances at success. But the concept of “do-overs” should only be allowed on elementary school playgrounds, and have no place in adult life. Meeting a goal must be done on the first try in the real world, and any person with the audacity to ask for another is simply a whiner. I do not wish to be part of a school system that allows whiners.

College is meant to be a place where students come to learn. But what is being taught if they are permitted to change their minds? If the current policies allowing scheduling and major changes are allowed to continue, students learn nothing less than that failure is a common and acceptable part of being human. They are basically learning how to fail at life. Clearly, the schools that have these kinds of provisions in place are breeding grounds for dysfunctional adults. As students graduate from these institutions and are released into the outside world, they proceed to become the major cause of all of society’s problems. 

But this does not have to continue to be the case. Once action is taken to rip the policies that allow students to get second chances out of college rulebooks, we can finally start to see schools produce noble scholars who actually resemble decent human beings and people who are finally prepared to become truly useful members of society.