When more than 300 students enrolled in Astronomy 101 classes this semester they expected to have one instructor, Bel Campbell.
Instead, as the semester winds down, they have had many.
Junior Christal Miller says the class has been a roller coaster.
"I don't really know what happened to the professor, but I know that we've had like our third professor, and for us having to pay this much money, it should have been more consistent," Miller said.
Campbell, a long-time professor, was originally slated to teach two introductory courses and a laboratory, but, weeks into the semester, she left to Kentucky to attend to her mother, whose health was failing. Her classes have been in limbo ever since.
The Astronomy 101 laboratory was canceled and the two lecture sections, which consistently fill Regener Hall, have been taught by three instructors.
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The changes have left some students in the classes confused. UNM student Matt Davis thinks that it might have been better if he was given another option.
"It could've been thought about a little more, and they should've either canceled it or restructured it or done something that would've been a little more satisfying to the students, since we're the ones who paid for it," he said.
Marcus Price, chairman of the Astronomy Department, said the lecture sections were not canceled because so many students are enrolled in the classes.
"There are about 300 students there and we didn't want to disappoint them, but the lab is only about 20 people and she has a special way of doing it," he said.
Richard Rand, who took over one of the lecture sections more than half way through the semester said the department is doing its best to stick to Campbell's class schedule.
"It's a bit of work, a bit of preparation, but we all wanted to do a good job on this because we felt the students were left on a lurch," he said.
Rand says that the professors are not getting extra pay for substituting for Campbell. He said they are filling in when they have available time in their schedules, and though the classes are an overload to their own, the department thought it would be too much for one professor to take on.
Davis, a junior, said that despite the department's effort, the switching of professors has caused some problems.
"We've gotten taught the same lesson four times in a row because every professor has a different idea of what was going on," he said.
Miller also said that with the inconsistency of professors, it has been difficult to learn and it may impact her grades.
"In most cases, you know the exams by the time you're mid-way through the class, how a professor gives an exam, what to study for and now you don't know what the professor expects."
Rand is aware of the concerns and has received the same kind of feedback from others.
"I know a lot of them aren't happy with it because every professor has a different style, but I've done my best to try to stick with the material Dr. Campbell would've been teaching," Rand said.
He added that it is ideal to have one professor for the entire semester, but that under the circumstances the best way to handle the load is to share it.
He said he is trying his best to stick to the original class material.
"We all have our own styles and that unfortunately can't be avoided," he said.
Price says that Campbell's situation is resolving itself and that she might be back next semester.
