Classroom Scheduling Policy

Policy Number: AES-2500-02

Policy Title: Classroom Scheduling Policy

Vice Provost for Academic and Enrollment Services: Vice Provost for Academic and Enrollment Services

Unit Responsible for Policy: Office of Classroom Scheduling

Effective Date: January 1, 2019

Contacts: Director of Classroom Scheduling, Office of the Registrar; Director of Capital Planning and Project Management

Policy Statement:

Departments that utilize shared classroom space on the east side of campus must adhere to common start and end times for all UIC classes in all terms including summer as depicted in the Classroom Scheduling Model. This requirement is referred to here as "staying on grid."

In addition to adhering to the Classroom Scheduling Model, classrooms controlled by departments must be used at 71% (35.5 hours per week) before utilizing common classrooms. This is an important aspect of maximizing classroom usage. The hours being accounted for are Monday through Friday 8:00 am through 6:00 pm. The Office of Classroom Scheduling will add rooms to the student information system (Banner) and Ad Astra classroom scheduling software that are not already in inventory. Listing classroom space in Banner and Ad Astra will allow rooms to be published to the online schedule of classes.

The Office of Classroom Scheduling will audit the usage of the classrooms controlled by departments. In the event that there is not a minimum of 71% usage, the department will be contacted to decide which other of their classes can be scheduled in those rooms.

Overview and Definitions:

Scheduling Classes on Grid

Staying on grid serves two key purposes: It allows the university to maximize classroom use, and it gives students maximal registration options, making it easier for students to create schedules, get needed classes, and therefore graduate sooner. On-grid scheduling also eliminates final exam time and space conflicts. The Classroom Scheduling Policy is intended for all sections up to and including 400 level courses. 500 level courses are allowed some leniency when necessary.

When courses are scheduled on grid, each classroom is able to accommodate fifteen classes per week beginning at 8:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., more when counting evening hours (see below). Scheduling off grid has a negative impact on both classroom availability and student scheduling options.  For example, a three-credit class scheduled only on Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. eliminates the ability to schedule M-W-F classes in that room at 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m., and students in that class cannot take other M-W-F courses at 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. Scheduling off-grid also creates final exam conflicts for students and faculty members.

A few colleges or departments offer degree programs with course sequences students must take in lockstep. These programs schedule courses in “blocks” across the week, making on-grid scheduling impracticable. Students in such programs rarely still need to take other courses such as General Education requirements that might conflict with such blocks of courses. Therefore, programs with such course-scheduling requirements—those who offer courses exclusively, or nearly exclusively, to students who have been accepted into that program and who do not need to work general education and other courses into their schedule—are exempt from this on-grid policy.

Otherwise, permission for off-grid requests must be requested by the department to the college dean and forwarded to the Office of Classroom Scheduling (OCS) upon approval. Given the multiple benefits of on-grid scheduling, exceptions should rarely be granted.

OCS will maintain a list of approved exceptions.

Meetings through the week

• MW courses:  at least 20%
• TR courses:  no more than 40%
• MWF courses:  no more than 40%

Large Room Scheduling

1. Scheduling of large lectures will remain on the old grid of MWF/TR courses to ensure maximum usage/efficiency (back-to-back all day, every day)
2. Scheduling of large lectures should be spread out across the day, following the ratios established for the new grid as a whole
3. Departments offering MWF and TR large lectures should make every effort to distribute classes evenly across those day blocks
4. Where Classroom scheduling runs into capacity issues, units may be asked to schedule WF lectures with M discussion sections or to re-balance the distribution between MWF/TR lectures.

Three-credit-hour classes

The on-grid scheduling pattern for three-credit classes, which require 2 hours and 30 minutes of class time per week, must be scheduled as follows:

• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday sections of 50-minute blocks.  The first class begins at 8 a.m., and subsequent classes begin every hour on the hour thereafter, with a 10-minute interval between classes. Thus, the first class runs from 8:00-8:50 a.m., the second class runs from 9:00-9:50 a.m., and so on throughout the day and evening.
• Tuesday and Thursday sections of 75-minute blocks. The first class begins at 8:00 a.m. with subsequent classes beginning every 90 minutes thereafter, with a 15-minute interval between classes. Thus, the first class runs from 8:00-9:15 a.m., the second class runs from 9:30-10:45 a.m., with subsequent classes beginning at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.
• Monday and Wednesday sections of 75-minute blocks. The classes begin at 8:00, 9:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00 and 7:30. There is a 15 minute interval between classes.

Four-credit-hour classes.

If there is no on-line alternative for some of the necessary class time, four-credit-hour classes that meet in person four days per week must be scheduled Monday through Thursday, 50 minutes per day (see above for 50-minute block policy). This leaves open more Friday times for discussion sections of other courses.

Foreign language classes that meet in person four days per week must be scheduled Monday through Thursday, 50 minutes per day (see above for 50-minute block policy). This leaves open more Friday times for discussion sections of other courses

Final Exams

All course exams (except for final exams) must be given within the scheduled course meeting times. Final exams are given according to the official separate schedule after the end of classes.  The only exception is for officially scheduled combined-section exams.

Non-compliance

The Office of Classroom Scheduling will audit the usage of the classrooms controlled by departments. In the event that there is not a minimum of 71% usage, the department will be contacted to decide which other of their classes can be scheduled in those rooms.

Exceptions

The Director of the Office of Classroom Scheduling or his/her designee may grant exceptions to this policy and will record those exceptions. The Director may at any time rescind any exceptions to this policy.

Reason for Policy: To ensure that the University practices around classroom scheduling are structured so as to satisfy the needs of the campus community.

Minority Impact Statement: This policy does not have any disproportionate or unique impact on UIC’s minority students, staff, or faculty.

Who Should Read the Policy: All UIC faculty, staff, or other employees or representatives at the Chicago Campus.

Procedures: The procedures for the classroom scheduling can be found on the UIC Office of the Registrar website.

Related Laws, Regulations, Statutes, and Policies:

For in-depth details on the Fall 2018 classroom scheduling model review see Growing Capacity at UIC Report

Document History:

Approved by: Committee on Policy, CVC, Chancellor
Approval date: 7/26/18
Approved as: New Policy