Students crowded classrooms last week attempting to fill their empty study cards, but the new dean of the Faculty is determined to see that in the future students start choosing their classes well before professors approach their lecterns.

Dean of the Faculty William C. Kirby asked the Office of Undergraduate Education this summer to develop plans for “early course selection,” a system of preregistration that would retain shopping period yet require students to fill out their study cards the semester before.

And leading faculty members predict that the system will appear in some form.

Jeffrey Wolcowitz, associate dean of undergraduate education, said he hopes to see this system implemented for classes starting in February 2004.

While the details of the proposal have yet to be drafted, Kirby’s commitment to the underlying concept remains strong.

“The subject [of preregistration] has come up before, but Professor Kirby is now dean of the Faculty and he will take it on seriously,” said Director of the Core Program Susan W. Lewis.

Lewis said that she has discussed the issue extensively with Kirby in the past and is not surprised that he “brought it up right away” after his appointment as dean last spring.

Last May, Kirby said he wanted to look into what preregistration would entail and, after discussing the plan with Faculty leaders, his commitment has not waned.

“It would permit better planning for larger classes, and more complete training for graduate teaching fellows, which should have a positive impact on sections,” he said in an e-mail yesterday.

Kirby also cited better advising opportunities for undergraduates and schedule planning for graduate students as advantages.

Having presented the idea to department chairs and members of Faculty Council this month, Kirby said he is now looking forward to discussing the issue with students.

But administrators said the role students and other faculty will play the final decision is unclear.

“I’m not certain whether we would need a formal [Faculty] vote before implementing such a system, but I do think the Faculty will need to have the opportunity to discuss a plan before implementation,” Wolcowitz wrote in an e-mail.

A Groundswell of Support