3337-1-24. Classroom and laboratory scheduling  


Latest version.
  • The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online athttps://www.ohio.edu/policy/01-024.html

    (A) Overview

    This policy provides principles and procedures designed to support the goals of scheduling for credit-generating use of instructional facilities on the Athens and regional campuses. Provisions for general use of university facilities and scheduling extracurricular uses of instructional facilities are included in policy 01.025.

    Ohio university will operate its instructional facilities in accordance with specifications of sections 3313.76 and 3345.02.1 of the Revised Code. The university will manage scheduling of credit-generating activities in accordance with the 1992 board of trustees resolution on "Space Utilization and Management Principles" as well as Ohio board of regents standards for instructional space utilization. The university will provide adequate and equitable access to classrooms for all credit activity.

    (B) Classifications of instructional space

    The university classifies instructional facilities according to Ohio board of regents definitions for classrooms, class laboratories, and open laboratories.

    (1) A classroom is a room used for instruction that is not restricted to a specific subject or discipline by equipment in the room or the configuration of the room. Such rooms include seminar, lecture, and general-purpose classrooms used primarily for non-laboratory instruction. Classrooms may be furnished with equipment appropriate to a specific area of study, but the presence of such equipment does not render the room unsuitable for use by other areas of study. For scheduling purposes a classroom is designated as centrally scheduled or priority scheduled.

    (2) A class laboratory is a room used primarily for formally or regularly scheduled classes that require special equipment or configurations designed to serve the needs of a specific discipline. These special arrangements normally limit or preclude use of the room by other disciplines. Scheduling of such laboratories generally is reported to the registrar and appears in the student information system and the schedule of classes.

    (3) An open laboratory is a laboratory used primarily for individual or group instruction that is informally scheduled, unscheduled, or open. The room is designed to serve the needs of a particular discipline or discipline group, and access may be limited to specific groups of students. The primary distinction between class laboratories and open laboratories is formality or regularity of class scheduling. Some formal scheduling may occur in an open lab, but most of the available time in such a facility is open for informally scheduled or unscheduled activity.

    (C) Scheduling procedures - Athens campus

    All classrooms and class laboratories should be scheduled in the university scheduling system using protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. This should include non-credit activities as well as credit-bearing classes. This is necessary to ensure accurate reporting of space utilization.

    (1) Scheduling of priority classrooms

    (a) Deans exercise priority scheduling authority over classrooms allocated to their colleges and are responsible for efficient utilization of classroom space according to board of regents guidelines. The provost or provost's designee will provide annual space utilization reports to assist deans with classroom management.

    (b) After the deans have approved the initial class schedules, open time in the classrooms will revert to the university registrar for central scheduling. See part (C)(2) of this policy for protocol.

    (c) Classrooms may be reserved for non-credit bearing activities that are important to the academic mission after priority registration for the semester concludes (e.g., mid-November for spring semester). If a particular classroom is critical to the success of the activity, colleges should work with the provost's designee during the time that college exercises priority scheduling authority over classrooms to arrange a preliminary reservation of a classroom for the specific times of the activity. Every effort will be made to honor the preliminary reservation, but if the room is the only alternative for a credit-bearing class, then an alternative arrangement must be made for the non-credit bearing activity.

    (2) Scheduling of central classrooms

    (a) Unless otherwise approved by the provost, the office of the university registrar schedules classrooms with a capacity of ninety-nine seats or more. A few classrooms with capacities under ninety-nine also are allocated to the office of the university registrar. Allocations of new classrooms, reallocations of existing classrooms, or repurposing classrooms (i.e., reducing classroom size, taking classroom offline, or changing instructional space classification) are made at the discretion of the provost, i.e., by the provost or the provost's designee.

    (b) Unless otherwise approved by the provost or the provost's designee, credit-generating classes have classroom scheduling priority over non-credit activities. Non-credit activities operating in direct support of scheduled classes or in support of enrollment activities have classroom scheduling priority over other non-credit activities and events. Non-credit activities may be scheduled after priority registration. Classrooms may be reserved for student organization activities just prior to the first day of the term.

    (c) The registrar will schedule classes in close proximity to the home of the department or school when feasible. To request a central classroom with capacity ninety-nine or more, please complete the "Request for Central Classroom - Capacity 99 or More" form.

    (3) Resolution of conflicting requests

    The registrar will resolve conflicting scheduling requests (e.g., multiple requests for the same space in the same time period) according to the following guidelines, which are listed in order from highest priority to lowest:

    (a) A class that will use a minimum of eighty per cent of the classroom capacity and also requires equipment or structural arrangements that are unique to the room in question;

    (b) A class that will use a minimum of eighty per cent of the classroom capacity and also requires specific time-space scheduling considerations to accommodate laboratory sections, discussion sections, or other courses likely to be taken by the same students;

    (c) A class that will use a minimum of eighty per cent of the classroom capacity, but that does not meet either of the additional criteria in parts (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(b) of this policy;

    (d) A class that does not meet any criteria in parts (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(c) of this policy, but cannot be accommodated readily in another location;

    (e) For conflicts between classes of equal priority under parts (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(d) of this policy, attention will be paid to historical enrollment data and to alternating access between academic units.

    (4) Class laboratory scheduling

    (a) Class laboratories are presumptively subject to exclusive college, department, or school scheduling control and generally do not require approval from the provost for such control.

    (b) The university expects efficient utilization of class laboratory space according to board of regents guidelines. An ongoing pattern of underutilization may warrant reallocations at the provost's discretion.

    (5) Open laboratory scheduling

    (a) Open laboratories are operated under policies of their controlling colleges or other units. Access policies in open labs do not require prior approval from the provost, but the provost may mediate or intercede in such policies if warranted by institutional interests.

    (b) There are no formal efficiency guidelines for utilization of open laboratories.

    (6) Preparation and submission of schedules

    (a) Departments and schools will submit class schedules in the scheduling system using the protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. Deans will review the schedules and make adjustments as necessary to achieve consistency in scheduling practices, best matches of enrollment demands to room capacities throughout the college, and utilization in accordance with board of regents guidelines.

    (b) Each college's semester class schedule (laboratories excluded) may include

    (i) No more than sixty per cent of its total classroom hours between 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday - Friday;

    (ii) No more than sixty per cent of its total classroom hours offered on Monday, Wednesday, Friday; and

    (iii) No more than sixty per cent of its total classroom hours offered on Tuesday, Thursday.

    (c) These provisions do not include special problems, independent study, tutoring sessions, arranged classes, or classes meeting in rooms designated other than classroom (i.e., it includes classes meeting in rooms designated as classrooms only). The sixty per cent check will be done after the deans have approved the initial class schedules and before the registrar schedules open time in the priority classrooms. College class schedules that exceed the sixty per cent limit will be returned to the appropriate dean(s) for reconsideration. If, after reconsideration, a dean wishes to petition for exceptions to the standards, the dean may submit a written request for exceptions to the provost or the provost's designee.

    (7) Class meeting times

    Standard class meeting times must be followed.

    (a) The standard daily schedule goes from 7:30 a.m. to 5:05 p.m.

    (b) There are ten minutes between classes.

    (c) Fifty-five minute classes are scheduled Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

    (d) Eighty minute classes are scheduled Tuesday, Thursday.

    (e) There are standard starting times for labs or other special types of instruction (excluded space) that meet one hundred ten minutes or longer.

    (f) Labs or other special types of instruction in class laboratories that meet less than one hundred ten minutes should follow the standard start times of fifty-five-minute classes if meeting Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, and the standard start times of eighty-minute classes on Tuesday or Thursday.

    (g) Beginning at 3:05 p.m. Monday - Friday classes may be fifty-five minutes, eighty minutes, one hundred ten minutes, or longer, but must begin at a standard start time (e.g., 3:05 p.m., 4:10 p.m., 4:35 p.m.).

    (h) Beginning at 5:15 p.m. classes meeting in classrooms with fewer than ninety-nine seats may follow any meeting pattern.

    (i) For classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine seats or more, scheduling priority will be given to classes that begin at 6:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Classes meeting two nights per week will have scheduling priority over classes which meet only one night per week.

    (8) Options for scheduling classrooms

    Scheduling options are based on the number of contact hours (not credit hours) per week of the class. One semester credit hour will be awarded for a minimum of seven hundred fifty minutes of formalized instruction that typically requires students to work at out-of-class assignments an average of twice the amount of time as the amount of formalized instruction (one thousand five hundred minutes). It is acknowledged that formalized instruction may take place in a variety of modes. One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of one thousand five hundred minutes laboratory instructional time.

    (a) Three contact hours (e.g., three credit hour class, four credit hour class including a lab) meeting in a classroom (as described in part (B)(1) of this policy).

    (i) Three times fifty-five minutes (MWF)

    (ii) Two times eighty minutes (TTh)

    (iii) Two times eighty minutes (MW, MF, WF starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (iv) One times one hundred sixty minutes (any day starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (b) Two contact hours meeting in a classroom (e.g. three credit hour class including a lab)

    (i) Two times fifty-five minutes (MW, MF, WF)

    (ii) One times one hundred ten minutes (any day starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (c) One contact hour meeting in a classroom: one times fifty-five minutes (M, W, F)

    (d) Four contact hours meeting in a classroom

    (i) Two times one hundred ten minutes (any two days starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (ii) Two times eighty minutes (TTh) + one times fifty-five minutes (M, W, F)

    (iii) Two times eighty minutes (MW, MF, WF starting 3:05 p.m. or after) + one times fifty-five minutes (M, W, F)

    (iv) Four times fifty-five minutes (starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (v) Three times fifty-five minutes (MWF) + one times fifty-five minutes (T, Th)

    (vi) One times two hundred twenty minutes (any day starting 3:05 p.m. or after)

    (9) Options for scheduling non-classroom space

    (a) Two hours

    (i) May be scheduled any day of the week

    (ii) Monday, Wednesday, Friday must start at 7:30 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:15 p.m.

    (iii) Tuesday, Thursday must start at 7:30 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:15 p.m.

    (b) Three hours

    (i) May be scheduled any day of week

    (ii) Monday, Wednesday, Friday must start at 7:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 3:05 p.m., 6:15 p.m.

    (iii) Tuesday, Thursday must start at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 6:15 p.m.

    (10) Standard start and end times

    Monday, Wednesday, Friday

    Start

    End

    7:30 a.m.

    8:25 a.m.

    8:35 a.m.

    9:30 a.m.

    9:40 a.m.

    10:35 a.m.

    10:45 a.m.

    11:40 a.m.

    11:50 a.m.

    12:45 p.m.

    12:55 p.m.

    1:50 p.m.

    2:00 p.m.

    2:55 p.m.

    3:05 p.m.

    4:00 p.m.

    4:10 p.m.

    5:05 p.m.

    5:15 p.m.

    6:10 p.m.

    *6:00 p.m.

    7:20 p.m.

    *7:30 p.m.

    8:50 p.m.

    * Standard start-times for classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine or more seats.

    Tuesday, Thursday

    Start

    End

    7:30 a.m.

    8:50 a.m.

    9:00 a.m.

    10:20 a.m.

    10:30 a.m.

    11:50 a.m.

    12:00 p.m.

    1:20 p.m.

    1:30 p.m.

    2:50 p.m.

    3:05 p.m.

    4:25 p.m.

    4:35 p.m.

    5:55 p.m.

    *6:00 p.m.

    7:20 p.m.

    *7:30 p.m.

    8:50 p.m.

    * Standard start-times for classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine or more seats.

    (11) Completion of schedules

    (a) After the deans have approved the initial class schedules, the office of the university registrar will process the semester schedule in accordance with part, (C)(1) of this policy, then place all remaining classroom space-time in the university-wide pool for additional classroom assignments as needed.

    (b) Individual classes assigned by colleges to classrooms with less than sixty-seven per cent seat utilization (i.e. enrollment limit is less than sixty-seven per cent of classroom capacity) will be returned to the appropriate dean(s) for reconsideration if there is a demand for the classroom with a greater seat utilization and there is another classroom to accommodate the smaller class. The seat utilization test will take cross listings. dual listings, and multi-section scheduling into account.

    (D) Scheduling procedures - regional campuses

    All classrooms and class laboratories should be scheduled in the university scheduling system using protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. This should include non-credit activities as well as credit-bearing classes. This is necessary to ensure accurate reporting of space utilization.

    (1) Class meeting times

    Standard class meeting times must be followed according to the chart in part (D)(2) of this policy. A non-three hour class may be scheduled by utilizing a standard start time. Evening classes must begin at 5:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m..

    (2) Standard start and end times

    Monday, Wednesday and Tuesday, Thursday

    Start

    End

    8:00 a.m.

    9:20 a.m.

    9:30 a.m.

    10:50 a.m.

    11:00 a.m.

    12:20 a.m.

    12:30 p.m.

    1:50 p.m.

    2:00 p.m.

    3:20 p.m.

    3:30 p.m.

    4:50 p.m.

    5:30 p.m.

      

    Friday

    8:00 a.m.

    10:50 a.m.

    11 a.m.

    1:50 p.m.

    2:00 p.m.

    4:50 p.m.

    5:30 p.m.

      

    (3) Class meetings on Friday

    A minimum of twelve per cent of course offerings must be scheduled on Fridays.

    (E) Implementation and monitoring

    (1) The university registrar is responsible as the university's scheduling agent for general implementation of this policy.

    (2) The deans, under oversight from the provost, are responsible for monitoring and enforcement of all provisions in this policy.

    (3) Departments, schools, and regional campuses must update the scheduling system to reflect all scheduling changes and ensure the appropriate dean's office is aware of any changes.

    (4) Changes to the class schedule after students have registered for the class will be permitted only under extraordinary circumstances. Departments, schools, and regional campuses should consult their dean's office and the university registrar to modify a class schedule after students have enrolled.

    The version of this rule that includes live links to associated resources is online athttps://www.ohio.edu/policy/01-024.html


Effective: 7/24/2016
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 111.15
Rule Amplifies: 3354.09