Unit requirement tests Bruins

The morning after pulling an all-nighter ““ when students
may find themselves nodding off in a lecture hall and consequently
becoming the involuntary subject of the professor’s lecture
on sleep deprivation ““ is perhaps the undergraduates’
unofficial welcome to college.

Lack of sleep is not a foreign concept to many students. But for
those trying to maintain a balance between fulfilling academic
requirements and extracurricular activities, sleep may be the first
luxury to be swept off their full plate.

“To balance, I sacrifice sleep and use up every minute of
my time,” said second-year mass communications student, Pearl
Tin, who during last spring quarter split her time between
academics, interning at Universal Studios, working at World
Financial Group, pledging for Alpha Kappa Psi, and upholding duties
with Bruin Leaders Project and her floor government.

Tin is among the undergraduates affected by the implementation
of the expected cumulative progress requirement, which applies to
all students admitted to The College after fall 2001.

Under ECP, students must enroll in a minimum of 13 units per
quarter and meet an outlined cumulative progress requirement that
will result in the student completion of a minimum of 180 units
after 12 quarters.

Students are monitored on a bi-quarterly basis, and any
undergraduate who does not meet ECP in the previous two quarters is
placed on probation. If a student remains behind during the next
bi-quarterly check, students can be disqualified from further
registration at the university.

Many have said keeping on track with ECP while being involved in
extracurricular activities is dependent on good time management
skills.

Prioritizing and maintaining a good balance between health and
academics should be the student’s main interest, said Eligio
Martinez, Academic Affairs commissioner for the Undergraduate
Students Association Council.

Scheduling and prioritizing time also includes planning ahead
and taking advantage of summer sessions.

In addition, it may be beneficial to augment one’s program
with low-unit, such as Fiat Lux seminars, tutorial or small seminar
courses that are presently offered by every department, as well as
internships through the Center for Community Learning, said Penny
Hein-Unruh, director of counseling for The College.

Making time for extracurricular activities has garnered concerns
about whether ECP detracts from a student’s overall college
education.

“It decreases the level of education that a student
gets,” Martinez said. “It’s not as well-rounded
because there’s no time to be active.”

Many students agreed that extracurricular activities are an
important factor in molding a valuable college experience.

Third-year student Joe Vardner is an engineering student,
therefore ECP does not apply to him. He said he believes this
position offers him a broad perspective on the values of a real
college experience.

“You learn a lot in the classroom, but you also learn by
actually being in college ““ by being involved and making
friends,” Vardner said.

Vardner is director of recruitment for the Interfraternity
Council, chaplain of his fraternity, student representative for
UCLA Transportation Services, and works in a lab doing research for
a professor. He was also the USAC Elections Board chairman during
the spring 2003 elections.

ECP has also been met with concerns regarding the inability of
some students to complete a set amount of units due to financial
constraints forcing them to work extra hours.

“I can see the challenge that it poses to students who
don’t have monetary backing, and have to work their way
through college,” said first-year undeclared student Jennifer
Mishory, who held two on-campus jobs during spring quarter, while
enrolling in 18 units and playing on an intramural soccer team.

Such circumstances are recognized by the university, and
students have the option of filing an appeal to be exempt from the
requirement for a certain period of time, which must be approved by
the vice provost for undergraduate education.

Standard exemptions include students who file an appeal through
the Office of Students with Disabilities, and those in the reduced
fee program, which is for students who are enrolled on a part-time
basis for an extended period of time due to personal circumstances
such as work and family, Hein-Unruh said.

These students are placed on individual contracts that still
enable them to maintain academic progress.

“We do whatever is academically beneficial for
students,” Hein-Unruh said. “We are interested that
they succeed.”

Some students believe that ECP benefits them by helping them
keep track of their progress .

“I like seeing the breakdown,” Tin said.
“Students tend to take too few units, so this helps them to
graduate faster.”