Do you remember what it was like filling out applications for college? You went through them printing the same biographical and educational information on each.

It was the way many of us finally memorized our Social Security numbers.

Like throwing darts blindly at a wall, you hoped that at least two or three will stick.

If you choose to major or minor in communication, you must go through the whole process again on a smaller scale, just to get into the classes you need to graduate.

Students majoring or minoring in communication must obtain permits — golden tickets to educational bliss — to get into their required classes.

With or without them, it’s still incredibly hard to gain access to your needed classes.

The permit system was set up to moderate student registering for popular classes.

Earlier this month, the department held a contest as an incentive to students to apply for their permits early. They raffled off permits as prizes.

The university doesn’t even raffle off parking permits.

It’s like scalping tickets at a Dave Matthews Band concert — these little slips of paper obviously are hot commodities.

Is this a carnival or an institution of higher learning?

The communication department is underfunded and understaffed for the number of students majoring or minoring in communication and journalism.

Do we need continuous hefty donations from wealthy alumni to maintain our university?

The College of Business has fared pretty well in that area — it’s getting an amazing new building and they’re getting amazing new training software — but other colleges aren’t as fortunate.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has 22 departments — by far the most of any other college — but hasn’t received much more than a pat on the back since many of us can remember.

Maybe the university administration needs to take a closer look at its other departments.

Whether it’s government funding, budget appropriations or alumni support, we definitely need it.