Illinibucks

            Implementing a system such as Illinibucks would allow students to cut the lines on weight lists. The weight lists they would be able to skip would be clearly defined by the University. These could start with weighting to register for classes. Registering for classes is based on whether you are an athlete or are a James Scholar. It is also based on age, and making sure seniors can get the classes they need to graduate.  If you used illinibucks to skip into the front of the priority line, it may make it easier for a younger student who maybe is a double major and needs to fit into specific classes his junior year because he has a very tight schedule.

            In addition, these Illinibucks could skip a weight list like that of a line at Mckinely. Mckinely, especially during the winter months becomes very busy. These illinibucks would allow you to see a doctor right away if you were sick.

            Another way of using illinibucks could be skipping the weight list for dorms maybe one’s freshman year. If enough were bought, you could request to be put in the same dorm as a large group of your friends.

            My main problem with a system like illinibucks is that these weight lists point more towards seniority. Would it really be fair if a freshman in college was able to take a class that a senior could not get into because they could afford purchasing Illibucks. The allocation of these resources provided at the University has a set system on giving the priority to those that deserve it. Of course seniors need to have higher priority because they need to take classes to graduate. Athletes at our school need higher priority because they need to be able to mold their schedule around when they have games and practices. Those that are not on sports teams should not have that problem.

            For housing, if one was able to purchase a spot at a dorm that is giving those more privileged an unfair advantage. At Mckinley this is also allowing money to take priority over the severity of someone’s health.

            One tweak to be made to this system could possibly be how the University exchanges these Illinibucks. What if instead of purchasing them with money these were purchasing with GPA. However, this system may not be fair to those in engineering with harder majors than a vast majority of others on this campus. Maybe one’s class rank, that would get rid of the limiting factor of variety in major. However, again back to fairness of allocation. Does the University punish those whose GPA may be low one semester?

            Instead of using systems such as Illinibucks, the system becomes fixed itself. Constantly humans try to attach add ons or clauses to already set laws. If we could focus more on how do we efficiently allocate class times and room assignments so that the majority of students are able to register for a schedule that fits for them. At Mckinely, the wait listing comes from many student who refuse to make an appointment before going in. Therefore, those who actually do need immediate attention are forced to wait longer.

            As for the dorm, recently the university has been making attempts at updating the older rooms. However, this goes back to my view on seniority in an educational setting. Upperclassmen still living in dorms should be on top priority, and those that are freshman also have other options such as private certified housing.