Blog 5

 Interview Planning

College is supposed to be about learning but at SDSU it feels more like a survival game. The biggest problem right now is the nightmare of signing up for classes. This isn't just a small annoyance it's a huge wall stopping me from finishing my degree. The school uses a first com  first served system and if you get a late date you're out of luck. By the time I logged in, every Mechanical Engineering class I needed was full.

WHY!!!!!

I want to look at this like a reporter to see if the school is actually helping us. The university’s "stock story" says anyone can graduate in four years, but the "counterstory" is that students are stuck fighting for seats. To prove this, I am interviewing two people

My Older Brother: An SDSU graduate from 6-8 years ago, who can tell me if things have gotten worse since he left or if they have gotten better and if this was always a problem.

A Freshman Friend: Someone who just finished their first registration and can share the stress of starting college with a broken schedule.To see if they are able to stay on track with their classes or not.

Which in all is basically a Comparison from past and present.

Plan:)

I will do these interviews at my house or on a call because it will be on people i am comfortable with. Each interview will be about 20 to 30 minutes long, realistically shorter, as my patience sucks. I want to make sure I have enough time to hear their full stories. I will use an app on my phone or just record what they say so I do not forget any important parts, and to show proof of assignment. I will also have a notebook to write down things like if they look frustrated or sad when they talk about their classes. I will explain to them that my goal is to find out why the school is not opening enough classes. I will show them some of the research I found about the hiring freeze at SDSU. This helps them see that the problem is not just "bad luck" but a choice the school is making with its money. Basically, allowing them to see the truth.

Inforamtion

Research from the AAUP shows schools nationwide are struggling to hire teachers, and the Daily Aztec has reported on students being squeezed out of required seats. According to the Lumina Foundation, these "structural barriers" make finishing a degree nearly impossible for many. A new report from the Campaign for College Opportunity even shows that delayed graduation costs students thousands in lost lifetime earnings.

Main Questions

How many times did you change your plan because a class was full/ Change majors

• Did this feel like the school broke its promise to you? Did it make you think that the school is not worth going to

What do you think about the school building new facilities while freezing teacher hires?

• Do you really feel like a student at SDSU or just a customer paying to be taught?

How does registration stress compare to exam stress?

• Does the "Hunger Games" vibe make it harder to focus on school? If you don't get the classes you need, what can you do

Was it easier to get core classes in the past? like pre register for freshmen year / back in the day

• Is the value of the degree dropping because it takes so long to get

What would you tell the budget department about this struggle?

• Do you think they care more about the budget or our degrees

STUFF that may come up

My brother might forget details because he graduated 8 years ago, and my friend might think it’s just bad luck. I’ll use CSU Budget Reports to keep the conversation focused on facts rather than just venting. I want to show that this crisis is a systemic choice not an accident. Because most students are putting blame on themselves as college brings alot of mental issues out fo people