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You want to make a difference at your college, right? Maybe you want to start a club, or sponsor a class field trip to see Mayan ruins in Mexico.

OK, so maybe you're not quite so ambitious, and you just want to register for the classes you need to graduate on time. The trouble is, no matter what you want to do in college, you'll always have to deal with paperwork. To start that club, you'll have to get Form A from Office X, and get it signed by Mr. V and Dean Z. If you want to break into a "closed" class, you'll need Prof. Y's permission, and approval from Provost B who works in Building H.

Starting to get the idea? Colleges are run by offices and paperwork -- lots of offices and paperwork! If you want to get anything done, you need to know how to handle the bureaucracy (a.k.a., "red tape"). You're just one student, probably among thousands, and it's easy to feel unnoticed by a huge, impersonal campus administration.

Horror Stories
Most college students have horror stories about being tangled up in red tape. Keith Russo, who attended St. John's University (Staten Island, NY) almost didn't graduate on schedule because he was one class short. The funny part was that he had taken the required class and aced it. According to the official campus records, however, he had never set foot in the classroom; so, no graduation.

Keith sorted out the problem eventually, by getting his professor to vouch that he had indeed attended and participated in the class. It did take a lot of time, and tons of heartache, too, as Keith stressed his way to commencement.

Almost no one can make it through college without running into at least one major paperwork problem. But, as bad as these horror situations are, there's always a way to fix them.

Words of Wisdom
As professor and chair of the English department at Drew University (Madison, NJ) Jim Hala, has had to deal with a lot of paperwork. That's why he's sympathetic to students who feel overwhelmed by the campus bureaucracy. "It's frustrating if you don't know how it works," he admits. "But it's important to remember that people in offices are there to help you. Keeping a civil and cooperative attitude toward them will make it easier to get things done."

That means buddying up to those who can help. "Students should try to make personal contact with campus administrators," advises Leonard Sancilio, dean of students at SUNY Geneseo. "Don't conduct all of your business by phone or e-mail. Establish personal contact with people; stop by the office and meet them face-to-face."

Heed such advice, and don't be intimidated when you step into "office central" on your campus. Be patient, be polite, ask a lot of questions, and you'll most likely get what you want. Maybe not quickly, but if it's a reasonable request, you should be successful. It's as simple as that.

Making the Cut
Janet Wells has been involved in SUNY Geneseo's student government for over a year, and encountered many instances of bureaucracy. "Every institution has red tape," she says, "though I've found that it is possible to get things done. Administrators are always willing to listen to students, she assures, and though it may take a while for changes to take place, they do.

"You just have to remember that your school's student government and officials are there to work for you," says Janet. "If you are having a problem, or you would like to start a club, search them out. They should be able to help you, or at least point you in the right direction."

Red tape works differently on every campus, but listen to Janet -- there are ways to cut through it! And, if you learn to cope with bureaucracy in college, you'll be better equipped for that task when you enter the job market.

The $1,500 Runaround
During my last semester at college, the English department was trying to publish a campus literary magazine. I had the job of fundraiser. All I needed to get was $1,500 -- no problem, right?

Everybody loved the idea, but nobody knew who should pay the bill. The English department couldn't afford it. I asked the Student Association (SA) for money, but they couldn't help either. From there, I got bounced around campus like a pinball. I was sent to Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS), but they did all the cooking on campus, not the printing, so no help there. Finally I wound up at the AAC (Academic Affairs Committee). "They have to help," I thought. And they really wanted to. But after weeks of working closely with AAC, I was told they couldn't pay the full $1,500.

Bottom line? I went nuts trying to raise the cash but I wasn't getting anywhere! I'm sure there was plenty of money floating around the campus, but it was all tied up in red tape. Nobody knew which department should pay for the project, so nobody paid.

Was I mad? Sure. But I wasn't beat. With a little help from the English department, I found somebody to take over my mission as I was preparing to graduate. I gave her all my notes and all my advice ("Don't go to the SA or CAS for money"), and wished her good luck. Last I heard, she had managed to raise some of the money, and the magazine was probably going to get published. I got a warm, fuzzy feeling knowing that my work wasn't all a waste! Sometimes it takes a little help to slice through a particularly thick net of red tape.

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