A crush of nearly 100 people overwhelmed San Juan College’s Encore early registration in Farmington last week, turning what was expected to be a routine 2 p.m. sign‑up into a chaotic scene of long waits, confusion, and frustration.
The surge – possibly fueled by high‑demand classes and the program’s lack of online registration was – unexpected by program organizers, who said Encore is growing.
College officials acknowledged the disorder and said they are now weighing changes, including moving Encore registration online, as they work to manage a rapidly growing program that routinely fills classes within minutes.
The Encore program is tailored for students aged 50 and older and open to students aged 18 and older. Courses in arts, trades, humanities, business and science are offered through San Juan College’s Community Learning Center, which also offers courses in arts and crafts, hobbies and health, and other subjects.
The Tri-City Record was notified of a “very chaotic” situation at the college at about 1:30 p.m. on June 5 by a woman who said she’d been waiting for nearly two hours to register.
San Juan College’s registration information online directed prospective registrants to call a number to register, and to call ahead to ensure in-person registration was available.
The website said online registration is not available for summer/fall registration, which began Monday. It also said in-person early registration for Encore members was scheduled for 2 p.m. June 5.
Laura Ryan, who had been at the San Juan College Encore Course office to register for class for two hours, said she called ahead and was told to go early because it would be “very busy.”
Ryan said there was already a line when she arrived, and she was about seventh in the line.
“Then we were just told there’s going to be no number system,” she said, adding, “It’s just going to be a mob.”
There were approximately 100 people in the lower level waiting to register for classes, which would take place on the second floor.
A woman helping with registrations tried to make order out of the chaos – she directed registrants to line up at the stairs and elevators, asking people who don’t need to use the elevator take the stairs and to not crush anyone on the way up.
Registrant Peggy Gaudy, hustling into a registration line, said she’d been waiting for over an hour.
“We’re trying to sign up for pickleball,” James Walden, another registrant, said.
Ana Greif, vice president of workforce and economic development, oversees the Encore program. She said pickleball is one of the classes in highest demand, and the college is looking to build more courts and looking to hire more instructors.
She said registration was planned to open at 2 p.m. June 5 and the early turnout was unexpected.
The Encore program tried a numbering system for registration last year and received feedback that it “didn’t go great,” so that system wasn’t used this year.
Greif said she hopes to make online registration available. In the past, Encore students have been notified of early access registration by postcard.
She said she’s been with San Juan College for about seven months and the early registration last week was an opportunity to improve.
“That’s what we’re always trying to do. And we are just working very diligently to get it right, and this process can be better.”
“We do have multiple classes that are always full and some folks want to take the same class every time … where they’ve got a community,” said Greif, adding there are several fitness classes that are very popular.
Continuing Education Director Jacinta Escobel said it’s “wonderful” to see so many people turn out for the Encore program, which is still growing. There’s often a “fight” for classes, but organizers did not anticipate how many people would show up.
Greif said Encore is actively working on transitioning to an improved, online registration process, which started a couple of months ago. That requires aligning all of San Juan College’s software platforms and technologies.
And, she said, some Encore members may not be comfortable or want an online registration option.
“Encore is a program that we’re extremely proud of and that the community supports,” Greif said. “…We have been working at figuring out the best way for people to register and the best way for us to offer as many classes as our community is asking for.”
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