In an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across campus, the Tech administration and SGA have partnered with contact tracing app NOVID. The app is currently available for both iOS and Android users.

By signing up, users will be anonymously alerted should they come in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual for more than 15 minutes and be within six feet of them. The app stores its users’ information anonymously and does not attach any personally identifiable details.

You do not even have to register or provide any information about yourself upon downloading the app. NOVID’s effectiveness is based upon the percent of students that use it. This app works in a proactive sense and is unlike other apps in that it operates on a closed source.

This means that the code written for this app is sealed and cannot be viewed by any users or outside entities. The majority of contact tracing apps operate as an open-source, which although provides more transparency to users, it also allows for anyone to copy the code and possibly use it in a more malice way.

Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) will be performing an audit on the NOVID app as new upgraded software becomes available. When running on an iOS device, the user will be asked to allow access to their microphone and Bluetooth, while Android users will have to permit access to location services.

Although access to these things may sound invasive, they are not at all. NOVID will only use your microphone for no more than two seconds at a time. Your phone and other nearby NOVID user’s phones will emit a high-frequency tone (undetectable to humans) to calculate the distance between the users.

Android phones will fundamentally do the same thing, but instead using location services. Instead of sharing your exact location with the app, it shares how far away you are from other users that may or may not have COVID-19.

This is all to say that you should not let a fear of privacy invasion stop you from using the app. The benefit of allowing the app to use your microphone, Bluetooth or location services, greatly outweighs the minimal risks. If you are using an iOS device, it is in your best interest to allow the app to stay in standby mode when you are out and about on campus. The app only works on iPhones if the app is open or if it is on standby mode.

It may be a little more tricky to navigate on an iOS device, but it is better than nothing at all. Because the majority of Tech students come from a place of economical privilege, the population of students that cannot afford smartphones may be overlooked. The best way to amend this issue is for all students that do have access to the app to download and use it diligently.

NOVID is a step in the right direction and the Technique Editorial Board fully support and endorse it.

This app works as a preventative measure that will only work as well as we as a community want it to. The anonymity aspect of the app helps break the taboo notion surrounding being positive for the virus.

If you receive a positive test from Stamps Health Services, you will receive a code to input into NOVID. If they get a test done off campus NOVID lets users protect themselves and others around them with ease.

We take great pride as one of the first institutions to use NOVID and to be chosen to audit the app’s code. This app has the possibility to change how we contact trace across the country. Instead of reacting after the fact, NOVID allows students to stop threats of COVID-19 in its tracks.

Students would like to see more majors represented

It is that time a year again when students break out their best suit jackets, slick resume portfolios and polish up their self-pitch for recruiters. This year is no different in that, the all majors career fair is bound to bring out thousands of overzealous Tech students and alumni. The event will be held virtually from Sept. 21-22 and is expected to host nearly 400 potential employers. Though this career fair will look a lot different than normal, it is still seen as either a huge opportunity to network and to gain interview experience or as a colossal waste of time.

Typically, thousands of students would squeeze into the CRC and anxiously wait in line to speak to an employer for a mere couple of minutes. There is no hiding the fact that the average student will not leave the career fair with an offer from their dream job. It is unwise to go into the event with such high hopes because you will set your self up for failure. Although this mind set seems pessimistic, it will keep you focused should you decide to attend. The career fair should be seen as a time to practice networking, perfect your elevator pitch and to learn to deal with the awkwardness that comes with putting yourself out there for a job that may be over you head.

This is even more important to keep in mind this time around.

Because it is a virtual event and there is a high projected amount of attendees, there will be no time tickets or scheduled chats with recruiters. There will be one general pool of students that chat with each potential employer. Should the employer want to speak further, you will be invited to have a private video call with them.

For those that already find an in-person career fair stressful, this may sound like a nightmare. Recently other major-specific virtual career fairs were held but seemed more organized than the all majors career fair is projected to be. The College of Computing career fair allowed participants to sign up for ten-minute slots to speak to specific recruiters. Although it is understandable why a much larger event cannot do the same thing, it is still frustrating that another solution was not brought forth. In saying all of this, it is most likely in your best interest to check the list of employers that will be in attendance and determine whether or not going to the event is even worth your time. If you are a liberal arts major, then forget everything I just said because the “all majors” career fair is really for everyone except for you.

As a student-run publication, we believe the liberal arts college within Tech is integral to the institution and to deny those students equal access to the same resources as other majors is a huge disservice. Although the majors within the liberal arts college are much smaller, that does not mean they should be ignored altogether. Tech has the power to make the liberal arts college on par with its other colleges, but the resources are not put towards it. There are many students that have more creative majors that end up landing amazing jobs at huge corporations like CNN and Google, but they are not as widely celebrated as a STEM major getting a job at the same place. It is also more likely that Tech assisted in helping them get that job, where the majority of liberal arts students are on their own. The liberal arts college should get a full-blown career fair like everyone else and have more than just four or five employers in attendance. Although liberal arts is a small college, it still is not right for hundreds of students to be fighting for a handful of positions.

In all, the notion that going to the all majors career fair will make or break you is ridiculous. The career fair is a great time for most students to expand their horizons and apply or speak to organizations they did not initially see themselves wanting to work for. It is a great opportunity to practice speaking to new people, pitching yourself and possibly getting career advice, but don’t go in expecting more than that.

Since rolling out the Jackets Protect Jackets program this past week, the administration has taken decent strides towards making campus a safer place for all in the midst of the pandemic. 

The three main components of the plan are distributing safety kits, creating an ambassador program and implementing Jackets Protect Jackets week. 

At first glance, it seems as though this initiative was created as a shallow PR attempt to get students of the administration’s back or to ameliorate the fact that students are paying nearly the same amount for majority online classes. Fortunately, Tech has followed through with many of the student’s initial demands for a safer environment. 

For the most part, this first week of classes has gone smoother than most imagined it would. The majority of professors have been more than accommodating and offered even courses labeled as hybrid and residential almost entirely as an online class. 

Although, this week has gone by fairly seamlessly from an academic standpoint, socially is another story. Even though testing is not mandatory, it is readily available for both symptomatic and asymptomatic students and staff. 

Getting tested on the first week of school was also incentivized with gift card giveaways to various fast food restaurants. Incentivizing the testing was the next best thing to making it mandatory. The simple action of students providing a saliva sample is key to stopping the spread from asymptomatic students. 

At the end of the summer and beginning of Fall semester, various Greek life and other student organizations offered virtual welcome events for incoming freshmen and all other interested students. Many organizations went above and beyond to provide engaging events to take 

person. 

While most students are abiding by social distancing and mask covering guidelines, there have been a few bad actors within certain branches of Greek life. Just this past week, UNC-Chapel Hill was forced online because of COVID-19 clusters popping up in their on-campus and Greek housing. 

We should view this instance as a cautionary tale and take steps to prevent the same thing from happening on our campus. Whether it is renting out a bar or having jam-packed parties in off-campus apartments, they are both reckless and thoughtless. 

It is this small percentage of the student body that will mess it up for everyone. There are many students that feel invincible and maybe they are, but what about that person that sits next to you in class and commutes home to their immunocompromised loved ones?

If these students have no respect for themselves, then they should at least think ahead to things they do care about, like graduation, going to concerts or safely hugging a grandparent. The sooner these students realize that it is not all about them and the right now, the sooner we will get to go back to normal. 

As the Technique editorial staff, we call upon the administration to set stricter regulations for organizations that are blatantly disregarding social distancing and face-covering guidelines.

At the end of the day, students can beg and plead with the administration all we want to see a change, but it is impossible to ignore the fact that they can only do so much. We must hold each other accountable and stand up against those that have an attitude of indifference for other’s safety. We have to take it upon ourselves to stop another outbreak from happening. By following the recommendations of the Jackets Protect Jackets program, we can avoid being forced off campus again.

Over four months ago, students across the country had their lives upended when they were abruptly sent home due to COVID-19 concerns. This pandemic has shone a light on the flaws of our institution and how complicit the administration is when it comes to University Systems of Georgia’s (USG) guidelines that are both rigid and ill-defined. When there was originally no intention for the institution to require masks, it took thousands of students and professors shaming us online for us to put a mask mandate in place. 

Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a rule change that would prohibit international students from entering or staying in the country if their entire class schedule is completely online. This ruling could impact the nearly 7000 international students currently enrolled at Tech. Unsurprisingly, we watched our institution pull the “our hands are tied” card yet again due to our relationship with USG. We saw top-ranked universities show compassion for their international students and stand in solidarity with them before the rule was rescinded. As an institution led by a former international student, we expected more from our president. Moving forward, the Technique Editorial Board would like to see more clarity and transparency from the administration. As a staff, we came together to discuss what the safest transition into fall semester should look like for students and staff. 

On July 15, a virtual town hall was held by the Provost Dr. Rafael L. Bras and President Ángel Cabrera of Tech. One of the first things addressed during the meeting was the idea of an “Online COVID-19 Health and Safety Training” being completed by every student before returning to campus. Our question to administration is how will it be ensured that everyone completes it? We believe that if it is not completed before classes begin, then a registration hold or an impact on student’s grades should be considered, much like the AlcoholEDU program that first years complete before entering Tech. A negative effect on a student’s grade is the most significant punishment for the traditional overzealous Tech student. 

Likewise, the proposed “COVID Daily Self Checklist”, which helps students spot traditional symptoms of the virus like a temperature above 100.4 F or experiencing shortness of breath, should be taken seriously, but in all likelihood it will not. The ugly side of Tech culture, which is to put academia before one’s own health, hinders the effectiveness of a self-checklist. What incentive will there be for overachieving students that do not feel well but have yet to take a COVID-19 test, to stay home? The average Tech student will write off their symptoms if it means avoiding missing class and falling behind. 

On the same note, there needs to be a revamping of the Tech attendance policy because according to the recent town hall, there are no formal institutional regulations on attendance. This should simply not be left up to professors. It has also been said that only 25% of classes will be entirely online. This percentage seems staggeringly low in comparison to other universities across the country like Harvard, Rutgers, Princeton and many others that have chosen to go online completely. There needs to be a clear plan set in place for the arrival of hundreds or thousands of asymptomatic students and staff. The one obvious answer is mandatory testing for everyone that plans to work or go to class on campus. As of now there are only plans to have testing available for symptomatic people. It seems as though Tech has plans to expand testing, but in no way does it seem like testing will become mandatory. 

The various teaching modes have been one of the small bits of information dangled in front of students and we have all been waiting anxiously for July 20 to finally arrive. In-person classes should be prioritized in a clear-cut manner. This administration needs to ask itself whether or not there is any way for a class to be totally online and whether the benefits of meeting in person outweigh the risks. Instead of encouraging assigned seating, make it mandatory for COVID-19 tracking purposes. Give professors the authority to refuse students entrance into their class without a mask and allow students a way to anonymously report unsafe conditions in the classroom. The classes being held in person only mode need to be in the best interest of the student and not a ploy to demand more tuition. 

In the case of hybrid and online-only classes, professors need to be proficient at the technology used to have class. It has become increasingly obvious on social media that a majority of professors feel as though they are being forced into in-person teaching. There needs to be better accommodations for professors with high risk family members. Likewise, students should not need to jump through hoops and check off every box in order to meet requirements for total online learning. Many students feel the battle with The Office of Disability Services is not worth the fight. 

One of the highest affected minority groups by COVID-19 are African-Americans. This is important for us to take note of because the many of Tech’s custodial and food staff are African-American . There needs to be clear guidelines and access to PPE and testing set in place before school starts. If they want to start fighting racial injustice, then this is the place to start.  

Although we have been disappointed with how information has been disseminated thus far, we look forward to the new round of information that will be released on July 20. As a highly accredited institution based in STEM, we need to set the example and stop directly going against our own science. We do not expect an across the board solution, but we do hold this institution to a higher standard of unity and respect for its students, faculty and staff.

Over four months ago, students across the country had their lives upended when they were abruptly sent home due to COVID-19 concerns. This pandemic has shone a light on the flaws of our institution and how complicit the administration is when it comes to University Systems of Georgia’s (USG) guidelines that are both rigid and ill-defined. When there was originally no intention for the institution to require masks, it took thousands of students and professors shaming us online for us to put a mask mandate in place. 

Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a rule change that would prohibit international students from entering or staying in the country if their entire class schedule is completely online. This ruling could impact the nearly 7000 international students currently enrolled at Tech. Unsurprisingly, we watched our institution pull the “our hands are tied” card yet again due to our relationship with USG. We saw top-ranked universities show compassion for their international students and stand in solidarity with them before the rule was rescinded. As an institution led by a former international student, we expected more from our president. Moving forward, the Technique Editorial Board would like to see more clarity and transparency from the administration. As a staff, we came together to discuss what the safest transition into fall semester should look like for students and staff. 

On July 15, a virtual town hall was held by the Provost Dr. Rafael L. Bras and President Ángel Cabrera of Tech. One of the first things addressed during the meeting was the idea of an “Online COVID-19 Health and Safety Training” being completed by every student before returning to campus. Our question to administration is how will it be ensured that everyone completes it? We believe that if it is not completed before classes begin, then a registration hold or an impact on student’s grades should be considered, much like the AlcoholEDU program that first years complete before entering Tech. A negative effect on a student’s grade is the most significant punishment for the traditional overzealous Tech student. 

Likewise, the proposed “COVID Daily Self Checklist”, which helps students spot traditional symptoms of the virus like a temperature above 100.4 F or experiencing shortness of breath, should be taken seriously, but in all likelihood it will not. The ugly side of Tech culture, which is to put academia before one’s own health, hinders the effectiveness of a self-checklist. What incentive will there be for overachieving students that do not feel well but have yet to take a COVID-19 test, to stay home? The average Tech student will write off their symptoms if it means avoiding missing class and falling behind. 

On the same note, there needs to be a revamping of the Tech attendance policy because according to the recent town hall, there are no formal institutional regulations on attendance. This should simply not be left up to professors. It has also been said that only 25% of classes will be entirely online. This percentage seems staggeringly low in comparison to other universities across the country like Harvard, Rutgers, Princeton and many others that have chosen to go online completely. There needs to be a clear plan set in place for the arrival of hundreds or thousands of asymptomatic students and staff. The one obvious answer is mandatory testing for everyone that plans to work or go to class on campus. As of now there are only plans to have testing available for symptomatic people. It seems as though Tech has plans to expand testing, but in no way does it seem like testing will become mandatory. 

The various teaching modes have been one of the small bits of information dangled in front of students and we have all been waiting anxiously for July 20 to finally arrive. In-person classes should be prioritized in a clear-cut manner. This administration needs to ask itself whether or not there is any way for a class to be totally online and whether the benefits of meeting in person outweigh the risks. Instead of encouraging assigned seating, make it mandatory for COVID-19 tracking purposes. Give professors the authority to refuse students entrance into their class without a mask and allow students a way to anonymously report unsafe conditions in the classroom. The classes being held in person only mode need to be in the best interest of the student and not a ploy to demand more tuition. 

In the case of hybrid and online-only classes, professors need to be proficient at the technology used to have class. It has become increasingly obvious on social media that a majority of professors feel as though they are being forced into in-person teaching. There needs to be better accommodations for professors with high risk family members. Likewise, students should not need to jump through hoops and check off every box in order to meet requirements for total online learning. Many students feel the battle with The Office of Disability Services is not worth the fight. 

One of the highest affected minority groups by COVID-19 are African-Americans. This is important for us to take note of because the many of Tech’s custodial and food staff are African-American . There needs to be clear guidelines and access to PPE and testing set in place before school starts. If they want to start fighting racial injustice, then this is the place to start.  

Although we have been disappointed with how information has been disseminated thus far, we look forward to the new round of information that will be released on July 20. As a highly accredited institution based in STEM, we need to set the example and stop directly going against our own science. We do not expect an across the board solution, but we do hold this institution to a higher standard of unity and respect for its students, faculty and staff.

The Technique Editorial Board would first like to start off by saying that Black lives matter and will always matter. Our organization shares in the anguish and frustration that many of this institution’s Black students are feeling. We stand with and admire those protesting and risking their lives for change. We recognize that we have a responsibility to speak up and speak out for those that have been silenced for centuries. For over 400 years African Americans have had to live in a country that tells them that their very existence is illegal. We recognize that the Black Lives Matter Movement should not be reduced to a hashtag, marketing scheme or a passing trend. We promise to stand vigilant and become more of a safe space for Black students. We will strive to raise up the voices of Black students and be a newspaper that represents all cultures. Tech can oftentimes feel like a bubble of white privilege in the middle of a huge hub of Black culture, but that needs to change. We can no longer celebrate the culture of our institution, while not also crediting Black culture.  

As a student-run publication,  it is imperative that we look within ourselves and take note of our own shortcomings. It is no secret that Tech is predominately white and in turn, our staff is as well. The lack of Black students in our organization is disturbing and we want to and will change that. We want to be a platform for all students to voice their concerns and frustrations. Black students cannot and should not just feel like they are only apart of the conversation when it is about their suffering. We want to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of Black students and organizations as well. In the past, we recognize that we did not possess the sensitivity and cultural knowledge to accurately report on certain multicultural events. To change this, we will maintain a better rapport with members inside said organizations. Along with creating more inclusive and diverse student spotlights, we will also commit to actively covering more events and stories stemming from Tech’s Black community.

We would like to call on Tech to take the next few actions. First, we would like the Georgia Tech Police Department to answer students’ demands and communicate how they plan to actively work towards mending their poor reputation with Black students. We are disappointed that GTPD did not release any sort of solidarity statement on their active social media platform. Their silence on this issue is deafening, and even more so after many Black students and alumnae spoke out on Twitter about their uncomfortable encounters with GTPD. If their goal is to make students feel safer on campus, the steps they are taking right now are clearly not enough and we hope that they will soon be compelled to break their silence and set out a strategic plan surrounding a commitment to make Black students feel safer in their presence.  We would also like to call on our institution to denounce white supremacy and racist rhetoric. Students deserve a more detailed agenda from President Cabrera on how he plans on making Black students feel more welcome on campus. It is not enough to simply acknowledge the pain of Black students and offer no real mitigation moving forward. While there are mentions of increasing the diversity and inclusivity of the Institute within Cabrera’s Strategic Plan, meant to be implemented over the next decade, it is clear that a more immediate plan needs to be created to combat decades of racial discriminaton that continues to permeate our campus through a lack of Black professors, mistreatment of Black staff members, and the significantly low percentage of admitted Black students compared to Atlanta’s large Black population.

As the Technique Editorial Board, we promise to do better by Black students and create a more inclusive environment. We understand that it is not enough to just not be racist. We must be anti-racist and pro-Black. Afterall, this is a movement, not a moment. 

After a year of unprecedented changes at Tech, one more change is set to be finalized April 3, 2020 — barring a runoff, of course. Campus leaders have thrown their hat in the ring for the Undergraduate Student Government Association (SGA) elections for the 2020–2021 academic year.

Three tickets made an appearance in this year’s election cycle, two with veteran SGA members and the third intending to “save Tech (and the world)” from the novel coronavirus. 

It is certainly true that uncertainty is in the air for Tech students as the crisis revolving around COVID-19 escalates, but there is one thing that the Technique Editorial board is sure of: Brielle and Kyle deserve your vote for Undergraduate SGA president and executive vice president.

The decision was certainly a painstaking one. Both Brielle and Kyle’s platform and Vivek and Divyesh’s platforms were extremely promising, and Sarthak and Mike’s platform was concise and ambitious. For our board it came down to reliability and a tangible track-record of impactful success.

In their platform, Vivek and Divyesh do a remarkable job of showcasing their passion for Georgia Tech and succeed in fostering a sense of school spirit. Their active campaigning on social media and Skiles Walkway are symbols of their connection with the student body. Their initiatives focus on making student voices heard, which at times seems impossible for Tech students — especially in such a tumultuous era. We commend the campaign for its specific and highly detailed plans for Tech, but found that the overarching ideas within their platform largely overlapped with Brielle and Kyle’s.

The candidates’ qualifications seem to overlap as well, as both presidential hopefuls are members of the Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Fraternity and Student Ambassadors. Brielle, Kyle, Vivek, and Divyesh have all served on SGA since their freshman year, and have since worked on committees they were particularly passionate about.

Sarthak and Mike’s campaign video is not to be missed, highlighting the importance of tackling COVD-19 and the problems surrounding it. All A’s for students at Tech seems pretty nice, but certainly the undergraduate SGA does not have the power to accomplish this. Outside of the outlandish promise to charge The Weather Company for rain droplets, their point about the Books & Supplies fee hits home to many students. But an initiative like this is already happening at Tech — students will be partially refunded for both the Student Activity Fee and parking permits they may have.

Brielle and Kyle stayed in their area of expertise when drafting their platform. They focus on successful initiatives that they personally spearheaded and promise to expand them, such as the implementation of Mini-Mesters, mental health curriculum in GT1000 and GT2000, classes and the Menstrual Product Plan. On their website, Vivek and Divyesh are only able to speak on their accomplishments at the highest level, including buzz terms like “advocating” and “empowering” without specifics.

The Technique Editorial Board believed that Vivek and Divyesh have a better platform in that its goals were ambitious, specific, and captured many of the wants of the student body. However, idealism is not as electable as a proven history of successful initiatives that impact the student body on a day-to-day basis. This is ultimately why the Technique has decided to endorse Brielle Lonsberry and Kyle Smith.

It is our sincere hope that these four outstanding individuals can collaborate on their visions for the future of our institution — Vivek and Divyesh with their knowledge in large-scale projects and finance, and Brielle and Kyle with their drive to provide more opportunities for Tech students and prioritize diversity — and that they will continue to serve our Undergraduate SGA throughout their tenure at Tech.

Shifting the focus to campus life outside of studies

Now that FASET in its current form is changing, it gives the perfect opportunity for us as a campus to think about how we can welcome the newest generation of Jackets with what we remember most: the various extracurriculars and the social interactions. 

Organization fairs are a crucial part of the orientation experience, as student life at Tech can, and should, be more than studying. Likewise, orientations should emphasize the extracurriculars with dedicated time for incoming students to explore the diverse opportunities available.However, according to information from the Center for Student Engagement, this summer will feature only two organization tabiling fairs for new students: the first for summer first-year students on June 14, and the second for all new students on Aug. 9.

Limiting what often is the only opportunity for smaller organizations to reach out to incoming freshmen into only two nights is only to the detriment of the future they will spend on campus. 

If the issue is a lack of confidence in weather conditions for an outdoor fair or a lack of space for an indoor one, the obvious solution would be to hold an online event available for students to seek out the contact information and meeting times for the clubs they find interesting. 

As for the social experience at orientation, the potential for long-lasting connections leaves much to be desired. In its current form, FASET groups are essentially random groups of kids that are excited to be starting college but are too shy to communicate with complete strangers. Opportunities for interdisciplinary connections are important, but they could have more meaning and cultivate the type of community that Tech wants by grouping students that will already be together throughout the school year. If incoming freshman were organized by their dorm floor, and the orientation being held by their future Peer Leader, the people they would be forced to interact with would be less of a stranger and more of a future neighbor. 

It is difficult to imagine the “perfect” orientation program. The transition from high school to college is one that is difficult to prepare for. But if Tech introduced students to campus by focusing on the aspects of being a Jacket outside of the classroom, the freshmen experience would be more nostalgic than regretful. 

The Technique Editorial Board stands with GSU’s The Signal in calling for the relocation of the new Henry Grady monument. Figures like Grady with white supremacist ideals — regardless of their positive impact on the city — should not be remembered without the historical context that museums and history centers provide. However, legislative roadblocks written into law under the new governorship make this easier said than done. 

“Just because it is the law, doesn’t mean it is right,” writes The Signal in an editorial on the matter. “Mayor, unless you believe Henry Grady continues to embody the values and character of our great city, we and the below signatories firmly advocate that this monument be removed from the public square and relocated to the grounds of the Atlanta History Center.”

But recent legislation disallows this type of relocation. According to The Signal, “The law, Georgia Senate Bill 77, states that no monument ‘shall be relocated, removed, concealed, obscured, or altered in any fashion by any officer or agency.’ This means that, barring ‘appropriate measures’ for preservation or a need for relocation due to construction, no one can move this statue — at least not legally.” 

As such, the Technique joins The Signal in urging students to call on our representatives to lobby for this action to take place as soon as possible to ensure that this statue represents its proper place in history. Mayor Bottoms is in the perfect position to do so, having already “[renamed] Confederate Avenue to United Avenue” and “[erected] plaques adjacent to Confederate monuments that provide historical context.” 

We agree that Mayor Bottoms, as well as other Georgia legislators, must continue to contextualize our history by removing and relocating monuments highlighting figures with racist histories, and uplift figures that represent the true identity of multiculturalism and acceptance. 

As first-year students experience the annual rite of passage that is ‘registration,’ this particular period of time calls to mind similar episodes for all other students on campus. It evokes a range of sentiments across different disciplines, but there are a few grievances among students that seem to reverberate louder than the rest.

One commonly voiced issue is the existence of major-restricted classes. While it is understandable that opening up certain classes creates overhead costs and a need for hiring more faculty, which may not be feasible, there is also an argument to be made for not only increasing but facilitating interdisciplinary study on campus. Perhaps we at the Technique are some of the best suited students to push for interdisciplinary study, as the very existence of the publication is owed to an amalgamation of students across the spectrum of study. Too often, however, this is a rarity, with students tending to aggregate among people in the same major, with similar outlooks, leading to homogenized social groups and communities.

It only takes one class for a student’s mind to be opened to a new career path they didn’t know existed, or for career credentials to be enhanced by the ability to engage in unconventional thinking. At any rate, the current class registration structure discourages students from taking classes unrelated to their track of study and may be too specialized for those that desire more holistic academic exposure.

Other issues include nuances related to timing issues and increased access to classes. For instance, the Add/Drop period for classes ends on the Friday of the first week, with students being plunged into classes that they may still have misgivings about. It would be ideal for students to be able to to ‘shop’ around for classes without worrying about space. Although it would be difficult given the rigor of upper-level classes and sometimes tight schedules, it does not seem unreasonable for the period to be extended one week, allowing students time to get a feel for what the class is actually like.

Additionally, a problem faced by Tech and other state universities like Berkeley is the overpopulation of classes. When it becomes necessary for the fire marshal to look into fire safety hazards due to standing-room only classes, we urge the administration to consider more stringent enforcement of class sizes to be offset by an increased number of sections.

The stress of registration might be further alleviated by more transparency in how permits are issued and with the waitlist system (scores of students claim the possibility of ‘jumping’ the waitlist or being arbitrarily demoted). The front-end of registering is another topic entirely, given that students from the 1980s also used OSCAR. Issues of non-intuitive page sequences, confusing CRN’s, Buzzport’s lack of mobile compatibility and stressful instructions given in boldface seem to be problems that could be solved by students. Students looking to gain experience could contribute code to a long-range or open-source project incentivized by the improvement of user experiences for both current and future students.

However, these issues of registration are symptoms of larger institutional problems, and speak to ever-present but understandable issues with allocation of the limited financial resources any large institution is bound to encounter. While we recognize that the administration cannot simply deliver on every request by the student body, it also should not be a stretch to ask for a system that facilitates an improved educational experience.

Impediments in registration create unnecessary frustration, and as students who have gone through several cycles of registration, we offer suggestions for remedying a long-standing wellspring of stress based on cycles of personal experience.