IT Services has apologised to students after accidentally opening online module enrolment at 11.30am instead of 11am as was previously announced.
This meant that some students who had logged onto the site at 11am were confused, and logged off again, after the website displayed a notice that the service would instead open on September 28th. The system was based on a first come, first served basis.
In an email statement to The University Times, Patrick McGee, director of IT Services, said: “We very much regret that a number of students encountered issues in accessing the new Online Module Enrolment function in the first half hour this morning.”
McGee said that IT Services was “very sorry for the confusion and distress” that the incorrect messaging had caused, explaining that “the system had been scheduled in error to enable the function at 11:30 am”.
Over 6,000 module selections had been registered by 3pm today, and 2,870 Trinity elective spaces were allocated this week.
Originally meant to launch on Monday, the online enrolment system launch was delayed due to “a number of technical issues” with the system. Due to further issues enrolment was postponed until Tuesday, and then again to Wednesday, before being delayed until tomorrow.
The IT Services had to launch a new programme to organise timetables, which were reconfigured during the implementation of the Trinity Education Project (TEP).
Trinity has introduced fixed timetables as part of TEP and also added Trinity electives – stand-alone, university-wide modules that are not available to a student as part of the core programme of their degree – as well as open modules, which are modules each course is willing to open up to other students.
The new project also introduced the new joint-honours system, which has replaced the TSM system.
The new computer programming required was called the DT2 Project. Over the past few months, the project has dealt with the selection of eligible single honours, joint-honours, and Common-Entry programmes, as well as the allocation of new minor subjects and Trinity electives.
First years will be able to make their optional and open module choices next week.
McGee added that IT Services’ “work and the timing for making these features available was affected by the impact of Covid-19 on the college year. The project team have worked tirelessly to make all of these features available on the announced dates and we have had great support and help from the Students Union and Schools”.
