Hooray! California State University, Stanislaus has lifted their policy on unit capping.
The cap changed from last semester’s 15 unit cap to 18 units, which students can take starting Fall 2013 without submitting an appeal.
Unit capping hinders students from graduating in a timely fashion.
Every student beginning college with the hopes for a bachelor’s degree enters a world of stress and worry that becomes their life for at least four years.
The 120 units it takes to receive a bachelor’s degree can seem unachievable at times. Handling the pressures of work and school can be rigorous on top of that.
For freshmen to receive a bachelor’s degree in the traditionally desired four years, they would have to take 15 units every Fall and Spring semester all four years.
Every student comes into college at different levels, so it takes each individual a different amount of time to figure out how to properly pass classes and effectively learn. Some people come out of high school as scholars. For others, not so much.
It takes some students a couple semesters to get used to the pressures of college deadlines. Even the university suggests incoming freshman take no more than 12 units their first semester, which sets students off track from reaching 120 units in four years right from the start.
Then, it becomes convenient to take more than 15 units because students have learned how to productively study and manage time, and can play catch up for semesters where less units were taken.
Along with the ability to play catch up, the 18 unit cap allows students to tailor their schedule to exactly what they personally need and want. One student voiced his opinion on the importance of an 18 unit cap.
“If we are paying for our tuition we should be able to take as many classes as we want,” Kyle Hunt (senior, History and Communication Studies) said.
“We know our schedules and what we are able to handle, and with tuition going up and program funding being taken away from the education system it is important we finish in a timely manner.”
The cap lift is due to Proposition 30 being passed last November, which provides an increase in funding toward education.
As student voters we helped pass this proposition that directly benefits us in that it reinstated the 18 unit cap which helps gives us the opportunity to get through school faster.
The freedom to choose a class schedule up to 18 units is beneficial for most students because it’s giving them the opportunity to manage their education plan more freely.
Fifteen units will no longer be the limit. So, organize your calendars and pick your schedules, and make sure to fill them up because now you have the freedom to. Good luck in the Fall.