Real email to the Comm Dept.
Hello such and such:
I am writing because I am genuinely desperate for a way to graduate as soon as possible. I am requesting approval to take two Winter classes: Digital Photography and Comm 424, since they are the only courses that would move me forward in my program and are available this winter.
The form for this request opens on the 27th, but I have already been told I won’t succeed with it. That is devastating to hear, especially when I have done everything in my power to move forward responsibly and efficiently. I am paying for housing, parking, food, and other expenses out of pocket, I have no job, and the cost of simply existing here is overwhelming. The parking situation adds insult to injury: my car is over a mile away every time I want to use it. Therefore, I have to walk every time I need to get to class or even eat.
At this point, I feel stuck and financially drained by a system that gives students little control over their own progress. The three additional Gen Eds I was told to take this semester cost me over $2,200, and for what? I already completed similar coursework in Green Bay. Now I am hearing that Wisconsin will soon unify general education requirements across all its universities, meaning I have paid for redundant classes that would soon have counted anyway. That feels like a serious injustice and a waste of both time and money.
I truly don’t want to leave the Journalism major, I care about it deeply, but I can’t keep paying indefinitely while waiting for courses that are not conveniently offered throughout the year. Why aren’t Journalism classes available year-round? The lack of summer options makes it impossible to graduate sooner.
If taking Winter courses isn’t possible, I need guidance on what other degree paths I can switch to immediately to graduate sooner. I have even asked Molly to help explore alternatives, because at this point, I just need to finish my bachelor’s degree, even if it is in a different field. I cannot keep accumulating debt because of scheduling limitations from an institution that does not care about the students, only about the profit.
I also do not understand why there is not a transient or consortium process that lets students take courses at other accredited institutions, even temporarily. If I could complete summer credits somewhere else, like in Florida, I could save on housing and finally be done. There ought to be flexibility for students who are willing to keep working hard, not barriers that keep us paying longer.
Please, Chris, I am asking for your help, whether that means approving these Winter classes, granting an exception, or finding another academic route that allows me to graduate soon. I have worked too hard to be held back by institutional limits that have nothing to do with my effort or ability.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping me find a solution or options for graduation on Spring 2026.
Sincerely,
Sophia