CRISP = Computerized Registration Including Student Participation. Or Computer Registration in Spite of Problems. Talking about words: a CRISP acronym
The student course registration system at the University of Michigan for 30 years, developed by a computer science class, CCS 673, taught by Bernie Galler in 1970. In a 2000 letter to the editor of the Michigan Daily, Galler recalled:
Using quite early terminals, the CRISP system envisioned a few clusters of terminals where students could enroll, just as they have been doing for 30 years since then. Once we got it working, we tried to get the Administration's Data Systems Center to adopt it, but some people argued that "Students like the social experience of standing in line." Fortunately, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs disagreed and ordered them to give it a try.
The CRISP Lady was a key part of the U of M experience for alums of a certain vintage: CRISP personality proves stable in a student's time of woe.
In 2001, the CRISP system was replaced with Wolverine Access.