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UCF student on probation after creating class registration website

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The University of Central Florida has put a student on probation because he created a website.

Tim Arnold's professors at UCF are always pushing him to think outside the box, so he created a website to help students register for classes.

The website will send a text message to students, alerting them when a class has an opening.

But UCF officials said Arnold, who is in his senior year, didn't think his idea through, and now he's on academic probation until the end of next spring.

"I want to still continue to give back and use my talents at the university but I am not allowed to anymore," said Arnold.

"How does that make you feel?" WFTV's Tim Barber asked.

"It's pretty disappointing," said Arnold.

They said he violated the university's rules by misusing UCF's computer systems because he charged 99 cents for students to use the site.

Arnold said he didn't know that was against policy, and on top of that he only made $7 before the university shut it down.

"I was trying to help students make this an easier thing and you know, they come after me for it," said Arnold.

Arnold's website went online in June, but administrators said it's accessed the university's schedule search page more than 220,000 times, blocking people from signing up.

Arnold is not buying the university's figures, so he's appealing them.

He said he can prove the data was inflated because his website tracked its own activity.

In the meantime, one of Arnold's punishments also seems to be a cry for help.

The university is forcing him to write a paper about what he would do to update the registration system.

"I am ready to collaborate. I always have been. I would love to make this a feature for all students on campus," said Arnold.

UCF officials would not comment on Tuesday.

The university is already in the process of creating a system that would automatically enroll students in selected classes when spaces become available.