COP 03-0603: Class Scheduling

Purpose Statement

This policy is to establish an efficient and effective procedure for class scheduling.

Guidelines

The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs has the authority to apply and enforce this scheduling policy so that an efficient and effective conflict-free schedule can be developed. Courses will be scheduled at times, days, locations, and in modalities that meet the needs of students. Faculty have expertise and knowledge that guide and shape the curricular offerings.

Procedures

It is the responsibility of the Academic Dean/Supervising Administrator to develop teaching assignments in collaboration with faculty. Consideration will be given to departmental priorities in scheduling teaching loads during the Fall and Spring semesters. Academic Deans/Supervising Administrators will ensure that the full-time faculty in their respective department(s) have the opportunity to provide initial input to section offerings during the beginning of the schedule development cycle for each term. Full-time faculty will have the opportunity to review the proposed course schedule prior to (and no later than) the opening date for student registration. Full-time faculty will have priority in class section assignments for base load and overloads before courses are offered to adjuncts. This includes summer course schedules. The Academic Dean/Supervising Administrator will make reasonable attempts to honor each faculty member's preference with regard to his or her assignments for the semester. A faculty member's seniority will be given full consideration in the course staffing process. The Academic Dean/Supervising Administrator will make the final decision in determining a faculty member's teaching schedule.

Academic Deans will enforce the College's established Standard Meeting times and comply with applicable instructional contact hour requirements.

Courses with less than 15 enrolled students are considered "low enrollment." Deans are asked to submit a justification to the VPAA's office for all courses that run with an enrollment below 15 (whether as an independent study or as a regular course-that is, one that counts towards load, overload, or as an adjunct assignment). At the end of the add/drop period, a spreadsheet will be sent to each Dean listing any course with an enrollment below 15, with a space provided for a brief explanation The VPAA may approve justifications to low-enrolled courses include the following:

• The section is the only available section at a campus or center, or is the only available course in a day or evening cohort.
• The section is the only available section in the program sequence.
• The course is only offered in one semester in a program sequence.
• The course is part of a new program or initiative that will require time to build enrollment.
• The course is designated for Honors Scholar Program students.

Scheduling Classes

Classroom scheduling is a dynamic process requiring reevaluation of class size, course enrollment averages, equipment specifications, and educational changes each term. The assignment of a specific room at a specific time in a given term may not mean continuing assignment of that space.

The Academic Deans have responsibility for the assignment of classrooms. The VPAA's Office publishes an Annual Term Scheduling Calendar with production dates and deadlines for planning the Schedule of Classes.

Scheduling Procedures

The Academic Deans will identify a primary scheduler who is responsible for receiving, updating, and maintaining the department's course offerings by term. Recognizing the critical responsibilities of the primary scheduler, the College will limit the number of schedulers to a minimum workable number, with appropriate back up scheduling provided by schedulers in other areas if the need arises. The primary scheduler receives training by the Master Scheduler/IT to use the Banner Information System and R25 to create, update, and modify sections that are to be offered. Access to update directly in the Banner system and R25 is granted only during scheduled planning windows, and update capability should be limited for sections of courses not yet published. All active and published sections that require changes are processed through the appropriate Academic Dean at the request of the department Chair, program Coordinator, or Associate Dean. Each Academic Division will assign one scheduling coordinator who communicates with the Master Scheduler.

The following general procedures apply when scheduling and assigning classes to available classrooms:

Credit-bearing classes have priority. Non-credit events and programs are assigned classroom space after credit classes have been assigned a classroom resource. This classroom assignment date will coincide with the Annual Term Scheduling Calendar.

Initial scheduling priority will be given to classes that follow the standard course offering times. Highest priority will then be given to sections with specific technology, equipment or seating style requirements in conjunction with projected enrollment. All sections offered within a department at a given day and time pattern will be reviewed to assure equity in space allocation (e.g., a department offering multiple courses/sections at the same time may not be fully accommodated with its first choice of general classrooms at the expense of departments offering limited sections at the same time.) Room and resource assignments will be scheduled for those classes that are active for the term and have a capacity assigned to them greater than zero. A zero capacity may be used to control selective enrollments (learning communities or special cohorts). Justification for all zero capacity sections will be approved by the Academic Dean. To optimize classroom space use, the primary scheduler will match as closely as possible capacities of classrooms to the maximum enrollment cap stated by the department.

Classroom Resources

Departmentally controlled classrooms and labs are scheduled by the department that controls the room. The department should use these spaces to minimize demands on the general classroom pool. The academic department has priority in assigning courses to these classrooms through the preliminary deadline as published in the Annual Term Scheduling Calendar. After this deadline, those classrooms will be available for general assignment.

Associate Deans, Department chairs, and program directors that schedule instructional activities in departmentally or college controlled instructional spaces (classrooms, labs, seminar rooms, etc.) must provide subject, course number, course reference number (CRN), instructor of record, and, building and room number to the primary scheduler.

Changes in Classroom Assignments

Within the first 12 days of the semester, the Associate Dean or Dean may request room changes for classes based on low actual enrollment. Sections may be reassigned to smaller rooms if they do not reach projected capacities. A request for room changes may also occur if the actual enrollment exceeds the room's capacity in compliance with the Fire Code. Classroom assignments may be changed when a location is determined inadequate for a disabled student or instructor. The Office of Adaptive Services makes these determinations. If for any of these reasons it is necessary to relocate a class, the Scheduling Coordinator will make every effort to work with the instructor and department chair to relocate the section to an appropriate and accessible space.

Additional scheduling procedures follow:

Faculty may not move their class from a room assignment without prior approval from the Associate Dean or Academic Dean and notice to the Scheduling Coordinator. Exceptions to capacity restrictions may only be granted in the event that enrollment will not exceed mandated Fire Code room capacities.

All changes affecting classroom assignment, such as scheduling special events, must be requested and arranged through the Central Scheduling Coordinator. Changes in meeting days or meeting times will be processed based on classroom availability. The academic department requesting the change is responsible for contacting the impacted students if the time and/or meeting days change.

In the event of maintenance requirements or evacuation of a classroom or a building, the Central Scheduling Coordinators will attempt to relocate classes to temporary locations.

Special requests for activities related to regularly scheduled classes, (i.e., review sessions, exams, films, combined lectures) must be requested through the Scheduling Coordinator to secure appropriate space. Special requests use of scheduled classrooms for events or activities that may attract visitors to campus are subject to the approval of the appropriate Dean.

Scheduling courses outside of the standard time can only be approved by the VPAA.

Class Cancellation

Any classes that have been canceled must be updated immediately in the Banner system by the scheduling coordinator or the master scheduler.

Classroom Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment

Information on the capacity of each classroom is maintained by the Scheduling Coordinators in conjunction with Facilities Planning and Management to enable appropriate assignment of classes to rooms on the basis of projected enrollment. Room capacities are determined by Fire Code Regulations. Chairs or other furniture affect the rooms' rated capacity and thus should not be moved from one room to another. If a larger classroom is required, arrangements should be made with the Associate Dean or Academic Dean.

Conflict Resolution

The Scheduling Coordinators will make every effort to resolve any room conflicts. In the event that conflicts cannot be resolved, the Registrar, Deans, and VPAA's Office staff may assist in resolving the conflict. In case a conflict cannot be resolved the VPAA holds final authority over assigning space.

Compensation for Large Class Size (change effective beginning January 1, 2015)

Sections of courses of at least 3 credit hours with enrollment above 47 students, faculty will be assigned additional compensation (rate will be based on the Overload rate per the most recent Collective Negotiations Agreement), according to the following chart. Class size will be determined by the number of paid students enrolled at the conclusion of the add/drop period. Approval of compensation for large enrollment sections is done by the VPAA. This compensation is not considered part of faculty load.

Definitions Related to Scheduling Policy

Primary Scheduler

An appointed representative of an academic department who enters the initial schedule in Banner after receiving it from an Associate Dean or Campus Dean. Working in conjunction with an Associate Dean or a Campus Dean and consulting with the fulltime faculty in accordance with the scheduling policy, the Scheduler continues working and making changes until the schedule is considered complete. The process lasts approximately six weeks.

Scheduling Coordinator

One appointed representative from each academic division who, working in conjunction with a scheduler and an Academic Dean may make changes to the schedule after it has been deemed complete and locked down in Banner.

Master Scheduler

An appointed representative who has ultimate responsibility for the final schedule under the direction of the VPAA.