Students are forced to sit and wait at the University of The Bahamas during the registration chaos. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
HUNDREDS of angry University of the Bahamas students suffered under the sweltering sun yesterday as they queued for hours in an effort to submit payments and complete registration for the spring semester.
It marked the second day of registration chaos at the university.
In anticipation of the long lines and disorganised process, some students arrived on campus to start queuing as early as 4am. However, as The Tribune canvassed the area after 1pm, many were still waiting.
“I don’t even recommend this place as a university,” Victoria Edgecombe, a third-year student, told The Tribune. “I (still rank UB) as a…college, because it’s not up to standard.”
Ms Edgecombe had been waiting since 6.45am yesterday, and spoke to reporters as she rushed behind dozens of other students to wait on yet another line.
Images of these lines, which wrapped around buildings, flooded social media, causing outrage from the general public. Yesterday afternoon, UB officials held a press conference to outline the factors contributing to the pandemonium, which included a recently launched online registration system and the fact that the majority of the roughly 500 students on campus yesterday were either seeking the institution’s deferred payment plan or were being processed for scholarships.
Ms Edgecombe told The Tribune she was among those students seeking a deferred payment plan. She said her experience was delayed by a short staffed office.
“Well in the building, technically it was only one person for almost four hours and then afterwards they got about three persons, but the way that they were moving (was) very slow,” she said.
“They weren’t keeping up with the pace. And then someone went on lunch. They had the audacity to go on lunch. And we been out here (for)… almost more than eight working hours. We working overtime.”
Ivanna Gaitor, an alumna who was graduated in the fall of 2013, was present yesterday to help her younger brother, who is about to begin his second semester at UB.
She said they had been on campus since 6am, and had actually been there the day before and were faced with the same issue of extreme lines.
Ms Gaitor noted a tumultuous registration process is nothing new for the institution, saying the experience was the “exact same” during her college years.
When asked if she had faith that the process will be improved by the fall, Ms Gaitor said: “You know, I had faith when I was here four years ago, actually as a student government representative.
“I was a senator for the School of Communication and Creative Arts, and the same issues have been occurring since then. And I’m still keeping the hope, keeping the faith that they will make the necessary improvements.”
Ms Gaitor said the new system has not been “of much significant improvement.”
She noted although the website has implemented the ability to pay online, students have reported difficulties making payments.
“I think that the solution to this problem is really just implementing a proper online system,” Ms Gaitor said. “Students should be able to pay their bills online, they should be able to register, and they should be able to drop their classes all on one platform efficient.”
Nathan Richards, a sophomore, told The Tribune he was on his third hour of waiting and described the experience as “unbearable”.
Mr Richards was there to sort out his scholarship payment, as his grades were submitted late. He said the previous system used before Banner was “more efficient,” but expressed hope this new method will improve in future semesters.
Taeliyah Fernander, a third-year student who began waiting at 7am, told The Tribune another frustrating element of the day was the number of people skipping the line.
“The line really is long and you have persons that (aren’t) honest, that are skipping the lines,” she said. “But I think that they’re (the staff) working as best as they can…and last night I think they worked up until 9pm. So I think they’re doing a pretty good job. But the lines are really, really long.”
Comments
ohdrap4 5 years, 3 months ago
the school officials were on tv last night and looked pathetic.
among their excuses was that grades were entered by the faculty online for the first time, so the grades were late. surely an indictment on the IT who cannot predict the demand or the faculty that are not sufficiently computer literate to produce their work on time.
why is it that the average worker has to work till December 24 but they close the school on December 14. Remember these folks get generaous vacation packations anywhere from 4-6 weeks a year, but they artificially close the administration offices at 11 am on DEcember 14th!!!!!!!
that just shows disdain for students, especially those on financial aid who are completely disregarded in this whole online process.
K4C 5 years, 3 months ago
I have been told by reliable sources many countries use this new thingie called the Internet for school registration, perhaps the Bahamas should looking into this
DDK 5 years, 3 months ago
The solution to the problem is to EDUCATE those in charge of the process, starting at the TOP!
sealice 5 years, 3 months ago
aaahhh the legacy of the PLP smells just like Harold road.....and we know any (red or blue) gov't of the Bahamas purposely don't spend money on education because they want a massive dumbed down voting population that they think they can control = thanks for nothin!!
joeblow 5 years, 3 months ago
The Tribunes reporting is often juvenile at best!
SP 5 years, 3 months ago
This story is more hot air than reality! My family member at UB paid tuition online months ago for this semester without any problems!
These are typical lazy people making last minute changes and payments when they had the ENTIRE summer break to sort things out.
Yes UB still sucks in many ways, however, these "Hundreds Suffering Nine-Hour Wait To Register" students are only suffering because of self-inflicted problems caused by their own lackadaisical way of doing business!
Now they want sympathy? HELL NO! They should have put down cell phones, YouTube, Twitter, SnapChat and WhatsApp long enough over the summer to "TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS"
Maybe a few of them will learn from this experience, but the vast majority will remain unchanged and bound to make this same "late" mistake for the rest of their pathetic, excuse, blame anyone else, pathetic, lives!
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 3 months ago
It's not"lazy" people it's people who can't afford to pay up front so they go n a payment plan and persons with scholarships. They can't make their payments online from what I understand.
cx 5 years, 3 months ago
Sometimes I wonder if people actually bother reading a story before they start commenting. -_-
bogart 5 years, 3 months ago
CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAVE..... TOP ECHELON EARNING BIG SALARIES.... SITTING IN PLUSH AIR CONDITIONED OFFICES.....WID FAMILIES FRIENDS..CRONIES......ON THE GRAVY TRAIN.........SALARIES .....PAID BY DESE STUDENTS....SITTING.....SUFFERING...IN THE HEAT....COLD....DIRT....AND ROAD....WAITING FOR HOURS.....TREATED LIKE DIS.....!!.,!!,......EXECUTIVES NEEDS TO BE FIRED...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.........beyond embarrassment dis annual fiasco students....taxpayers....paying.FAT CATS....GRAVY TRAIN......SALARIES....in dese roughest of times.....sacrifices........FIRE THEM...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....give dem dere tern to be in the dirt...!!!!
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