The proposed 13-unit cap CSU East Bay students can sign up for during the first registration period was eliminated at the Academic Senate meeting last week.

All students will now be allowed to register for up to 17 units during the first registration period.

As part of a system-wide effort to address future budget concerns by spreading out ever-thinning resources, campuses across the California State University (CSU) system have been directed to limit the number of units each student can take per quarter.

“With the limited state money, the system is very concerned that if we don’t limit individual students, we might end up with some students not getting many classes at all,” said Linda Dalton, vice president of CSUEB’s Planning, Enrollment Management, and Student Affairs department (PEMSA). “It’s spreading the courses around a little better.”

PEMSA originally recommended students should be allowed only 13 units during the first enrollment period and an additional four units during the second, but Associated Students Inc. (ASI) objected on behalf of the student body.

“ASI’s position is always generally to allow for the most student freedom in being allowed to choose their classes,” said Christopher Prado, ASI president. “With all the things that have come with student tuition increases, allowing that freedom for students is of the utmost priority.”

While debating the issue at the April 24 meeting of the Academic Senate, Sally K. Murphy of the General Education Program at CSUEB explained how the 13-unit first registration cap would adversely affect students in high-unit programs.

“The problem is students who have five unit classes,” said Murphy, “and if they have three five-unit classes they cannot register for those with a 13 unit total in the first pass, and we seriously damage the progress towards degree of students who are studying in the STEM disciplines.”

A major issue the limit was geared to address, as discussed at the Academic Senate meeting, was the impact on class availability due to students who take more than 17 units.

Dalton estimated the number to be around five or six hundred students, but a portion of those are nursing students of the same class who all take 35 units a piece.

It is unclear if students who take a higher amount of units actually impact class availability.

Exceptions to the 17-unit cap will be given to “graduating seniors” and for students in “programs requiring more than the traditional minimum units to degree.”

Despite the elimination of the 13-unit first pass, many students expressed frustration with having any limit at all, saying it will slow down their progress towards graduation.

“I think it’s kinda dumb and I just don’t see the point of it,” said 18-year-old Sara Mills, liberal studies major. “I feel like it’s gonna get in the way of getting out of here as quick as I can.”

“One of the reasons I wanted to come to Cal State East Bay is because it’s on the quarter system and it’s a little easier to get out faster,” said business major Danielle Buckles. “Because that was the whole reason I came here, when they limited it to 17 units, it was discouraging.”

Regardless of how students, staff and faculty feel about it, the 17-unit limit will start this summer.