S.05-111
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1. 9. Publication of the Timetable and Course Offerings
  1. 10. Changes to the Timetable
2. Classroom Management
  1. Appendix II
  2. Event Bookings

S.05-111

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ,

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Senate Committee on University Priorities

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Memorandum

TO: Senate

FROM:

John Waterhouse

Chair, SCUP

Vice PresidertAcademic

RE:

Proposal for a Course Scheduling ?

DATE: ?

October 132005

Policy - T.30.01 (SCUP 05-058)

At its October 5, 2005 meeting SCUP reviewed and approved the proposal from the

Course Accessibility Implementation Committee for the establishment of a Course

Scheduling Policy - T.30.01, which is now forwarded to Senate for approval.

Motion

That Senate approve the Course Scheduling Policy - T.30.01.

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Rationale

This policy was developed in response to concerns expressed by Senate about the

increasing shortage of classroom facilities and the need to make more effective use of

classroom resources. This policy establishes principles and priorities for the

assignment of classroom space, and codifies procedures for equitable scheduling and

full utilization of classrooms.

end.

c: M Hayden

D. Whiteley

A. Heard

W. Wattamaniuk

S. Dench

Simon Fraser University

Course Scheduling Policy - T.30.01

Preamble

An effective course schedule is one that maximizes access for students within the

constraints of classroom space and the number of instructional hours available, and

accommodates a range of pedagogies. The University's course scheduling policy applies

to all SFU campuses but it must also be responsive to the distinct scheduling needs of

each.

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 This policy applies to all Simon Fraser University (SFU) campuses.

1.2 The purpose of this policy is:

1.2.1 To define university policy as it pertains to the use and management of

classroom space;

1.2.2 To define university policy as it pertains to the development of class and

. ?

final examination timetables;

1.2.3 To establish and enumerate guidelines for the allocation of classroom

space;

1.2.4 To encourage the university community to make efficient and coordinated

use of classroom space.

1.3 This policy recognizes and accounts for the fact that appropriate pedagogy requires

different class durations, meeting patterns, tutorial structures, and facilities depending on

the discipline and level at which a particular course is taught.

2. Goals

2.1 The university timetable is developed for students and instructors. In developing the

timetable, the following goals must be balanced:

2. 1.1 Classes should be scheduled so as to best utilize teaching resources and

classroom facilities;

2.1.2 Students should be able to take courses needed for graduation in their

program in a timely manner. Classes should therefore be scheduled to allow

students as much choice as possible -and to avoid as many course conflicts as

possible;

2.1.3 Instructors should be able to obtain schedules that permit them to integrate

their professional duties of teaching, research and service in a reasonable way.

2.1.4 The scheduling of graduate and undergraduate classes should be

approached in an integrated manner.

2.1.5

In scheduling classes, the University must, if requested to do so, make

accommodations under the provincial Human Rights legislation to avoid

discriminatory practices.'

3. Classroom Space

3.1 Centrally scheduled classroom space is a university resource that is allocated to and

managed by the Scheduling Section of Student Services. All academic units have shared

access to centrally scheduled classroom space for teaching credit courses.

3.2 Normally, classrooms will not be removed from the centrally scheduled classroom

pool without replacement in kind as soon as practicable. If there are deemed to be good

reasons for removing one or more classrooms from the pool, those requesting the removal

must present a business case, which includes a cost/benefit analysis, to the Associate

Vice President Academic. The Associate Vice President Academic will make the final

decision on whether or not the classroom space is converted to other uses as proposed in

the business case.

3.3 Classroom space that is specialized in nature (e.g. language, science or computer

labs, dance studios) is normally controlled and managed by the specific academic unit

that uses the space for its instructional activities. Such space is not typically available

for use by other academic units.

3.4 Some general classroom space is also controlled and managed by specific academic

units. This space should be used efficiently and made available for use by other groups

within the university community when not being used by the unit that manages it.

4. Instructional Times

4.1 Normally, the instructional hours of the University are Monday through Friday from

8:30 to 22:30. Daytime hours are defined as 8:30 to 17:30. Evening hours are defined as

17:30 PM to 22:30 PM.

4.2 Normally, final examinations each semester will be scheduled Monday through

Saturday and may be scheduled on Sunday.

Standard Timetabling Principles and Patterns

5.1

The following standard timetabling principles apply to classes offered at all SFU

campuses, whether or not they are held in centrally scheduled space.

'See GP 18 Human Rights Policy

5.1.1

To the greatest extent possible, classes in each academic unit should be

spread evenly Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 17:30 PM, including times

which typically have low utilization, i.e. early mornings, late afternoons and

especially Friday afternoons.

5.1.2 The use of evening hours is encouraged in order to meet the needs of

students and reduce the number of course conflicts in the overall timetable.

5.1.3 Normally, classes will begin on the half hour and will be scheduled in one-

hour units and multiples thereof. The final hour of the class will end at 20

minutes past the hour to allow for transition. This allows for classes with a total

duration of 50 minutes, 110 minutes, 170 minutes, 230 minutes, and so on.

5.1.4 A class must begin or end at the same time every day that it meets in order

to fit within the standard timetabling pattern. For example, a lecture course

scheduled MWF 8:30 AM to 9:20 AM (i.e. beginning and ending at the same

times) would meet this criterion, as would a laboratory course scheduled T 14:30

PM to 17:20 PM and R 15:30 PM to 17:20 PM (i.e. ending at the same time). A

class scheduled M 10:30-12:20 and F 14:30-16:20 (i.e. neither beginning nor

ending at the same time) would not meet this criterion.

5.1.5

Classes with a total duration of 80 minutes are also permitted within the

standard timetabling pattern, as long as they are scheduled from 8:00 AM to 9:20

AM, from 15:30 PM to

16:50

PM, or during evening hours.

5.1.6

Requests for non-standard timetabling patterns must be approved by the

Dean of the Faculty.

5.1.7

Classes may be held on Saturday or Sunday if so requested by an academic

unit.

6. Scheduling Priority: Academic Courses

6.1 Courses that are offered on a regular basis or that are required for completion of a

degree program will be given priority for scheduling requests.

1.1 Fixed-Schedule Courses are courses that are offered in the same semester(s)

every year at the same time(s) and on the same day(s). These courses provide

students with the highest level of certainty in planning their schedules, and will be

given scheduling priority. The designation of specific courses as fixed-schedule

offerings will be advertised in the SFU Course Timetable and Exam Schedule.

6.1.2 Periodically-Scheduled Courses are courses that are offered in the same

semester(s) every year but at times and/or days of the week that may vary. These

•

courses provide students with a degree of certainty in planning their schedules,

and will be given priority over aperiodically scheduled courses. The designation

of specific courses as periodically scheduled offerings will be advertised in the

SFU Course Timetable and Exam Schedule.

6.1.3

Mandatory Courses are courses that are required for completion of a degree

program and for which no alternative course is ever offered (as indicated in the

university calendar). Mandatory courses will be given priority over courses for

which some choice is offered.

6.2 Courses offered in six-semester cycles rather than three-semester cycles are eligible

for designation as fixed- or periodically-scheduled courses.

6.3 A course will be designated as being a fixed- or periodically-scheduled course after

having met the necessary criteria for three consecutive offerings in a particular semester.

It will not lose that designation unless it fails to meet the necessary criteria for at least

three of the last four offerings in a particular semester. A fixed-schedule course will not

lose its designation if severe scheduling constraints force the university to change the

time at which the course is offered. Likewise, courses will not lose their designations as

fixed- or periodically scheduled courses if permanent scheduling changes are negotiated

with Student Services in order to alleviate congestion, correct course conflicts, or

otherwise improve student access to courses.

6.4 Academic units are strongly encouraged to use fixed-scheduling practices for large

enrolment first- and second-year courses.

6.5

Academic units are expected to coordinate their offerings so as to avoid substantial

timetable conflicts with related units.

Scheduling Priority: Event Bookings

7.1 Events are university-related activities for which course credit cannot be earned.

Normally, events receive lower priority for classroom space than credit courses.2

Course Scheduling

8.1 The task of producing an equitable and efficient timetable every semester is complex.

It requires balancing the priorities and needs of all academic units within the context of

shared university resources that are in high demand and often scarce. The Registrar has

the responsibility to produce and revise scheduling guidelines that can best achieve the

goals set out in this policy. To assist in this task a Course Scheduling Advisory

Committee will be appointed to advise the Registrar, who will chair the committee. The

committee will include a student and one representative from each Faculty, except Arts

and Social Sciences, which will have two. The committee will report to the Associate

Vice President, Students and International. In addition to advising the Registrar, the

Course Scheduling Advisory Committee will oversee the implementation of this policy

See Appendix II and GP 36 Use of University Space

and will adjudicate requests for and conflicts regarding the designation of

fixed-,

periodically-scheduled and mandatory courses. ?

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8.2 The following prioritized (but not exhaustive) list identifies criteria that can affect

scheduling priority:

• Credit courses will receive priority over events for classrooms.

• The need to accommodate a disability for an instructor or a student.

• Fixed-schedule courses will receive priority for classrooms over flexibly-

scheduled courses.

• Periodically-scheduled courses will receive priority for classrooms over

aperiodically-scheduled courses.

• Mandatory courses will receive priority for classrooms over courses for which

some choice is offered.

• Courses scheduled in accordance with the standard timetabling patterns will

receive priority over those that do not follow standard patterns.

• A large class will have priority for a given classroom (to the upper limit of

classroom capacity) over a smaller class, regardless of requests for permanent.

(installed in the room) technical equipment.

• Requests by departments that make full use of the teaching week may be given

priority over requests made by departments that cluster their courses during

periods of high utilization.

8.3 If, in the first instance, no classroom can be assigned for a course component at the

requested time, the Registrar will contact the person who submitted the scheduling

request and ask that the course component be rescheduled to a time when a classroom is

available. Normally, more than one alternative time will be offered. If none of the

alternative times is suitable, the Registrar will contact other Departments or Schools and

resolve the problem through negotiation. If no resolution can be reached by negotiation,

the Registrar will determine when the course component will be scheduled and assign a

classroom for the course at that time.

9. Publication of the Timetable and Course Offerings

9.1 The timetable for the upcoming semester will be available at least two weeks before

registration for the upcoming semester begins.

9.2 In addition to the schedule of courses for the upcoming semester, the timetable will

include a listing of the courses to be offered in the subsequent two semesters, including

all fixed and periodic courses.

10.

Changes to the Timetable

10.1 Changes to the timetable after publication must be kept to a minimum to provide

certainty to students. Normally, changes to the days and/or times when a course is

offered will not be permitted. Changes to assigned classrooms may be made for the

following

Enrollment

reasons:increases

beyond the capacity of the classroom assigned and a larger

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classroom is available.

The assigned classroom does not have all or some of the room facilities

(technical or other) requested and a classroom with the facilities is available.

The number of students enrolled in a course can be accommodated in a smaller

classroom, allowing another course with more students to use the larger

classroom.

11. Interpretation

? -

11.1 Questions of interpretation or application of this policy should be referred to the

President.

Appendix

Classroom Management

Classroom Technology Assistance (CTA) in the Learning and Instructional

Development Centre (LIDC) is responsible for providing and maintaining technical

equipment in centrally scheduled classrooms.

Facilities Management is responsible for maintaining, renovating, cleaning and

furnishing centrally scheduled classrooms.

Campus Security is responsible for the security of centrally scheduled classrooms.

A committee, appointed by and reporting to the Associate Vice President Academic,

will be established to ensure that centrally scheduled classroom space is maintained,

suitably furnished and equipped with appropriate technical facilities on an ongoing basis.

The committee will tour all classrooms annually and submit a report on their condition to

the Associate Vice President Academic. The committee will consist of one member each

from Schedules, LIDC, Facilities Management, as well as one member from each of the

Faculties and a student representative.

The Schedules Section of Student Services will set up and maintain a clear description

of centrally scheduled classroom space, which includes room capacity, facilities, design

features and disability access. This description will be available to the university

community on the web.

The Office of Analytical Studies will prepare an annual report on classroom utilization

which will be distributed

totticiate

Vice-President, Academic, Deans, Chairs and

Departmental Assistants, in addition to being posted on the web.

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Appendix II

Event Bookings

1. Event bookings at campuses other than SFU Vancouver are made in accordance with

the following guidelines:

1.1 A limited number of event bookings may be allocated space in advance of

credit courses. For example, because of the associated noise problem, pipe band

and junior pipe band practices are normally assigned to classrooms before rooms

are assigned to credit courses. These bookings normally occur during the

evenings and/or weekends.

1.2 Sets of rooms may be allocated in advance of credit-course bookings to

groups such as Conference Services, Field Schools, Exchange Programs, and

various on-campus groups offering camps during the summer semester.

1.3. Event requests for non-classroom space (such as Maggie Benston Centre)

can be processed at any time.

1.4. Event requests for classrooms can be processed anytime if the event is held

during a semester break or the event is held on a weekend (excluding final exam

periods).

1.5.

Event requests for classrooms during exam periods can be processed after

Week 7, Day 5 of the same semester except events requiring smaller classrooms

(capacity less than

50),

which may be processed after Week 3, Day

1.6. Event requests for classrooms for future semesters (excluding final exam

periods) will be processed only after enrollment for that semester has been

underway for 5 weeks.

Events at SFU Vancouver may receive higher priority than credit courses during

designated timeframes. SFU Vancouver operates on a cost recovery model that allows

for the planning of events years in advance and provides the necessary dynamic required

for a multi-use facility. Event bookings at SFU Vancouver are made in accordance with

the SFU Vancouver Event Booking Policy, which uses a block booking system designed

to maximize utilization of space by the various constituent groups defined in that policy.

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