Travis Barnicle figures Kansas University’s new online enrollment system isn’t perfect, but it’s better than the old way of doing things.

“It’s more convenient, more at your leisure,” the Olathe sophomore said. “You don’t have to make appointments.”

KU is entering its second full year of having students enroll for their classes on the university’s Web site. KU was the last Big 12 school to offer online enrollment.

“I think it’s going incredibly well,” said Bob Turvey, who administers the student management software. “Students have adapted very quickly.”

That wasn’t the case in spring 2003, when KU started the system. KU offices were flooded with e-mails and phone calls from people confused by the system.

Turvey said this spring, “the number of people confused by the system dropped off to nothing.” He attributed that to people becoming more accustomed to online enrollment and KU fixing a few flaws in the program.

“The new students are the ones that just seem to go right for it, and they also have the most Web savvy,” Turvey said. “People who use the Web a lot seem to have little to no difficulty in using this system.”

The online enrollment system is part of the PeopleSoft program being implemented by KU. The system will include management of student financial aid beginning early next year, and eventually will include online advising for students.

In the meantime, Turvey said KU technicians were working out the kinks of the enrollment program. For instance, a class that is full but is listed under two different names might appear open under one name. He said KU also would like to offer online waiting lists for classes that are full.

Many universities began online enrollment systems in the mid-1990s using Internet-based programs that interact with mainframe computers.

But KU officials opted not to use that type of system, instead waiting to implement the current PeopleSoft system, which is entirely Internet-based.

The process began in 1999 and has included converting enrollment data on hundreds of thousands of students dating to 1916.

“We’re state of the art at this point,” Turvey said. “We could say that many times along the way.”

He urged students to continue being patient with technicians as they work on online enrollment. But he said he understood when students called with frustrations.

“They waited a long time at KU for an online enrollment system,” Turvey said. “They deserve to have a system that works well and fast.”