ABSTRACT
When wait lists are handled by the course enrollment system, they usually follow a “first come; first serve” principle. The principle works if every student enrolls on the day and time of their appointment. However, even the best-intentioned student can find a hold on their registration, either for good reasons or because of an error. The system is unforgiving. The course is already full. When a seat becomes available, “the student with the highest number of credits goes to the head of the line” or “the student with the greatest number of completed courses in the major goes to the head of the line” are relatively simple rules that build equity among instructors, as well as transparency and fairness between instructors and students. These rules would have to be agreed upon by the entire unit to work well. An instructor can write and apply these rules, too. The important thing is to be scrupulously consistent. Any variation from the rule will make it difficult to apply it the next time the situation arises. When advising in the classroom, you should make students aware of any rules that the unit has adopted.
