SPRING 2013 CLASS SCHEDULINGWhat’s new for spring 2013 and a review of some common scheduling oversights.

Blended Instructional Mode A course’s instructional mode is noted on the

basic data tab in Maintain Schedule of Classes. There are three instruction mode options:

P = Class is offered in person. This is the most common instruction mode.

OL = Class is offered online. BL = Blended, class is a mixture of online and in

person instruction. Blended instructional mode is a new option

that departments can now select.

Blended Instructional Mode, Cont.

Select the appropriate instructional mode on the basic data tab in maintain schedule of classes.

Change to class permissions Enrollment Services has updated the process for

assigning class permissions.   We are asking that academic schedulers do not

provide permissions for students to register in closed classes. A class is closed when it has reached its enrollment capacity.  If you wish to raise the enrollment capacity for a course, please contact Meg Jerabek in Enrollment Services (Jerabek@cua.edu). It is important not to give permissions to permit additional students into closed classes because it can affect the ability to room the course in an appropriately sized classroom.

Change to class permissions, cont. If you would like to assign permission for

one particular student to enroll in a class that has reached its enrollment capacity, Enrollment Services will be happy to process these requests.

Please email jerabek@cua.edu with your request.

Reminder about FYE Scheduling Blocks

Reminder about First Year Experience block scheduling

During the Spring 12 semester, the First Year Experience learning community courses will be scheduled during the MWF 9 am -11 am block, which will affect space availability for all courses. This leaves very limited availability in classrooms during these

times. Courses with an enrollment higher than 15 should not be scheduled

during this time block. Courses serving freshmen or expecting significant freshman

enrollment should avoid this time period. Courses requiring digital presentation rooms should not be

scheduled during this time block, as the rooms that hold 15 or less do not have technology.

Popular Scheduling Blocks Over the past few semesters there have

been a handful of scheduling blocks that have become very popular.

Over-scheduling in these particular time slots has left a large number of courses without classroom assignments, simply because there are not enough classrooms to accommodate all requests.

Popular Scheduling Blocks, Cont. We ask all academic schools/departments

to try to spread their classes out among all available meeting blocks.

In particular, be judicious in scheduling classes in the following most-popular time slots: MWF 9:10 am & 10:10 am (FYE scheduling

block) TR 11:10 am, 2:10 pm MWF 11:10 am, 2:10 pm

Popular Scheduling Blocks, Cont. Historically, Enrollment Services has

been unable to provide rooms to all classes scheduled in these most popular timeslots. Please be aware that the meeting time for courses may need to be adjusted in order for space to be assigned.

Why wasn’t space assigned? Prior to the start of registration (November 5th for

spring 12), Enrollment Services will complete classroom assignments and they will be visible in Cardinal Station.

We will notify academic schedulers when room assignments are complete.

We urge all schools/departments to review their space assignments at this time.

Some classes will not have received rooms. The following is a list of the most common reasons classes don’t receive space assignments:

Reasons why a space may not have been assigned…. The class is non-conforming and has not received

approval from the Provost. No primary classroom code was requested for the

class. (If no code is entered, no space will be assigned.) More than one primary or secondary classroom

code was requested. (If this is done, no space will be assigned.)

There is no room available that fits the needs of the course. Needs include: the class meeting time, requested enrollment capacity, and primary classroom code. (secondary classroom codes are not considered needs but rather requests).

Blackboard updates We have heard feedback from academic

schools/departments that instructors would like access to their courses in blackboard further in advance of the start of the semester.

Enrollment Services is working with CPIT to make this possible.

Our goals are to roll courses into blackboard earlier to allow faculty to build their online instructional materials.

Blackboard updates Our plan is to roll all fall courses into blackboard

by early June; roll spring classes by the first week in December; and roll summer courses before the end of March.

We hope this effort will help faculty prepare for their semesters.

We ask academic schools/departments not to schedule classes for a semester which the course is not planned to be offered, simply to allow instructors earlier access to the blackboard component.

Clarification on secondary classroom code The Secondary classroom code, Close to the

Metro, can only be used for evening and weekend classes.

This code is designed to allow schedulers to note if a course is primarily offered to off-campus students traveling to campus in the evening.

This feature should only be requested for courses that are offered after 5pm during the week or anytime on Saturday. If this feature is entered for any courses that begin

before 5 pm, it will be removed.

Mark your Calendar! Important Spring 13 deadlines…

September 27th: Scheduling deadline. This is the last day to make changes in Cardinal Station.

September 28th: The following are due: Bound class request forms. Back-to-back request forms. Any special needs requests should be emailed to

jerabek@cua.edu. Accommodation requests for faculty with special

needs is due to the Equal Opportunity Officer. No-conforming course approvals must be received

by Enrollment Services.

Mark your Calendar! Important Spring 13 deadlines… October 1st: Enrollment Services will begin the room

assignment process. November 4th: Room assignments will be complete. November 5th: Registration begins. January 14th: First day of classes. January 25th: Add/Drop deadline for session 1.

Enrollment Services will cancel all classes with an enrollment of zero.

Comprehensive exam rooming request due at http://events.cua.edu.

Enrollment Services will begin the final exam rooming process.

If you have questions about any of these changes for the spring 2013 scheduling process, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Meg Jerabekjerabek@cua.edu

Or via phone at X5309

Questions?