Grade entry best practices

As a reminder, fall 2013 grades (full semester) are due on Friday, December 27. Acomplete list of grading due dates is available online. The Office of the Registrar would like to highlight some common questions and issues related to grade entry that might affect your instructors and faculty.

Verify access to grade rosters. Instructors should verify they have access to their assigned grade rosters before the last day of instruction by using the "My Classes" report in UM Reports. Grades can be entered online through the University Self-Service grades pages. Class rosters and grade entry for courses owned by the School of Public Health are available only through the School of Public Health grading system. 

Mobile devices. At this time, smart phones and iPads cannot be used to enter final grades. (The PeopleSoft self-service pages for grade entry are not compatible with mobile devices.)

Browser compatibility. The browser type and version used by the grade enterer can also affect grade entry. Mac users typically have the best success with the Safari browser (Safari on an iPad will not work for grade entry). PC users typically have the best grade entry success with the Firefox browser.

Clearing your cache. All grade enterers and approvers should clear their browser cache prior to the grades entry period to ensure they have the most recent version of the grades pages. Some assistance is available on the grade entry section of the Faculty One Stop web page.

Where to go for help. If you know of someone encountering issues with grades entry please refer them to the Student Records Training and Support Team for further assistance at (612) 625-2803 or via email at srhelp@umn.edu. The University is closed on December 23, 24, and 25 and although staff will not be available to answer questions on these days, instructors and others may still use these helplines and someone will respond to them as soon as possible.

Scheduling policy basics

Class scheduling in ECS is in full swing for fall 2014 and spring 2015. Remember to ensure your classes are distributed across both the day and the week.

If you would like a refresher on the class scheduling policy, refer to the class scheduling policy summary and FAQ. The policy was developed using the principle of the fair-use of resources. It aims to:

• reduce classroom demand for certain days and times
• increase scheduling flexibility for departments
• ensure reasonable class access for students

There is no requirement to schedule classes at a particular time, although it is required that classes are evenly distributed throughout the day and week.

The Class Scheduling Distribution Summary illustrates the class demand of a department or college. The Liberal Education Distribution Summary illustrates the distribution of classes meeting one or more liberal education requirements.

Scheduling website redesign

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) has launched new scheduling pages. The redesign was intended to make scheduling information more accessible and easy to find. The page also includes a link to Astra Schedule, which enables users to request departmental and general purpose spaces for event and meeting management.

LET retirement set for spring 2015

With the upgrade to PeopleSoft 9.0, one of the first changes that will occur is the retirement of the LET ("Lecture Workaround") course component. PeopleSoft 9.0 has a more flexible approach for classes that typically meet as a multi-component class but sometimes are offered as a single component class. The LEC component will work for the classes formerly using LET.

Effective for classes offered spring 2015 (1153), the LET course component will no longer be necessary. To assist with data preparation, we will immediately begin converting all classes currently listed as LET scheduled for spring 2015 (1153) to LEC (1143, 1145, and 1149 will all continue to use LET). You will notice this change in ECS for spring 2015 very soon. All classes for future terms with a LET component will be batch updated in the Schedule of Classes to a LEC prior to the upgrade. No extra effort on your part required.

The retirement of the LET removes a confusing workaround--a win for ESUP!

What's up with ESUP?

Maybe you've heard the buzz, but do you know what's up with ESUP? The Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) is the University's two-year effort to upgrade its essential human resources (HRMS), student, and financial systems, and re-examining related business processes to improve the user experience and operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Changes are coming for schedulers and now is a good time to get up to speed. You can watch this video that provides an overview of ESUP and this handout that was available at Scheduling U (it includes links to details on what's happening with ECAS, the schedule of classes, and grading). You can also sign up for a bi-monthly newsletter at the ESUP website. Opportunities to learn more and be involved will be on that website, but the Student team has identified schedulers as a key group to have targeted communications and training opportunities, so keep reading Scheduling Update, too!

Liberal education class distribution summary report now available

A new tool called the liberal education distribution summary shows you how classes that meet liberal education requirements are spread across the day and week. It allows you to filter by specific liberal education (LE) requirement and/or by your college and department for a selected term.

Expanded weekend classroom hours during finals week

Finals week begins Thursday, December 12 with the first study day. The last day of exams is Thursday, December 19. Classroom hours will be extended on Saturday 12/14 and Sunday 12/15 to meet the needs of students and faculty during finals week.

Saturday, December 14: All general purpose classrooms will be open from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. to accommodate scheduled final exams. 

Sunday, December 15: All classrooms in weekend buildings will be open from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. to accommodate students for study day. Weekend buildings include the following:

• East Bank: Folwell Hall, Keller Hall, Nicholson Hall, Rapson Hall, STSS
• West Bank: Blegen Hall, CSOM, Hanson Hall, Humphrey Center
• Saint Paul: McNeal Hall, Ruttan Hall

After final exams week, we will return to our standard operating hours.

Have you reviewed your final exam schedule yet?

The fall 2013 final exam schedule for general purpose classrooms is now available for review in Astra Schedule.

Be sure to look through your department's courses for accuracy. Email the Scheduling Unit at ocmsched@umn.edu as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• An exam scheduled for a class that does not require a room
• An exam missing for a class that should have one scheduled
• An exam scheduled at a time or place you did not expect

To review your department's final exams, please follow the steps below:

1. Sign in to Astra Schedule with your University internet ID and password in the upper right hand corner of the screen. 
2. Click on the "Academics" tab located in the top navigation menu. 
3. Click on the "Sections" link at the top of the page. 
4. Update the filters in the left column as follows:

• Is Exam = Yes
• Term = Fall 2013
• Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule
• Campus = Mpls/St Paul

5. Click "Search" at the bottom of the filters. 
6. To save your filter selections for future use, click on the save button on the bottom left hand side of the page.

Fall 2013 General Purpose Classroom Satisfaction and Planning Survey

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) invites you to provide feedback about current and future classrooms so we can provide you with the highest quality learning environments possible. Your survey scores and comments help inform our planning for renovations and equipment changes. OCM makes significant technology changes and renewal updates in more than 60 classrooms each year, and we value your input. Your voluntary participation in a short, seven-question survey is very much appreciated, and your responses will be confidential. Please complete the survey by Friday, December 20. We encourage you to submit a separate survey for each classroom for which you would like to offer feedback. Please click here to complete the survey. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact us at 612-625-1086 or classrm@umn.edu.

Review fall 2013 final exam schedule

The fall 2013 final exam schedule for general purpose classrooms is now available for review in Astra Schedule. Please forward room locations to instructors to ensure they know the location of their final exam.

Be sure to look through your department's courses for accuracy. Email the Scheduling Unit at ocmsched@umn.edu as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• An exam scheduled for a class that does not require a room
• An exam missing for a class that should have one scheduled
• An exam scheduled at a time or place you did not expect

To review your department's final exams, please follow the steps below:

1. Sign in to Astra Schedule with your University internet ID and password in the upper right hand corner of the screen. 
2. Click on the "Academics" tab located in the top navigation menu. 
3. Click on the "Sections" link at the top of the page. 
4. Update the filters in the left column as follows:

• Is Exam = Yes
• Term = Fall 2013
• Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule
• Campus = Mpls/St Paul

5. Click "Search" at the bottom of the filters. 
6. To save your filter selections for future use, click on the save button on the bottom left hand side of the page.

Want a few extra tips and tricks for getting around in Astra Academics ? Check out this handout.

Still have questions on how to review your final exams? Contactocmsched@umn.edu.

Questions about final exam policy?

• Fall 2013 final exam regulations
• Fall 2013 final exam times
• Fall 2013 common exam times
• University final examination policy

Room assignments complete for spring 2014 (1143)

General purpose classroom assignments for spring 2014 are available on the One Stop Class Schedule. Review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned a room.

Please note: room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term. While this usually affects only a small number of classes, please encourage instructors in your department to verify their classroom assignment before the first class meeting.

Catch up with ESUP

Have you visited the ESUP website lately? Spend a few minutes on the site and find current information about the project and how to get involved.

Here are a few items we think you'll like:

• A general overview of ESUP (2:23 minute video)
• Review & offer feedback on the rough draft of the new U of M Portal
• Student Records town hall meeting details and notes
• Sign up to receive The Upgrade bi-weekly newsletter

Thanks for attending Scheduling U!

Schedulers from more than 40 different departments participated in the Scheduling U workshops earlier this month. Thank you for taking the time to join us! The presentations and related handouts are posted on the OCM blog.

Scheduling U presentations

Scheduling U, which took place November 4-8, included several workshops. If you were unable to attend, or would like a fresher, you can view the presentation for each session below.

Scheduling news and notes

Find out about all the new buzz in scheduling! Discussions will include process improvements, final exam batch scheduling, Astra Schedule, upcoming classrooms projects, policy and procedure changes, the new Liberal Education (LE) distribution tool, and more.

Speakers: Sarah Kussow, Nate Meath 

• Scheduling News and Notes.pdf

What's up with ESUP?

The University is upgrading its PeopleSoft systems and reexamining all associated business processes. What does this mean for schedulers? Come to this session to get the scoop and a preview of some changes on the way.

Speakers: Heather Micek, Kate Sophia, John Vollum

• What's up with ESUP.pdf

How to make Astra Schedule work for you

You may already know how to use Astra Schedule to request an event or to view a calendar, but there is a lot more that it can do for you. Learn how to navigate the new system-wide scheduling tool to find information faster by using filters, saving searches, and running ad hoc reports to make class scheduling easier.  

Speakers: Gary Andersen, Renae Faunce, Nancy Killian

Moderator: Christine Mounts

• How to make Astra Schedule work for you.pdf

Back to the basics

If you are new to academic scheduling or simply looking for a crash course, this session will provide all the information you need on scheduling processes, policies, and procedures. Topics covered will include the academic schedule production cycle, ECAS, final exam scheduling, how to navigate the class scheduling distribution summary, getting the room you need, and Q & A with the Student Records training and support team.

Speakers: Gary Andersen, Renae Faunce, Nancy Killian, Sarah Kussow, Robert Wilson

• Back to the Basics Part 1.pdf

  Back to the Basics Part 2 ECS Tips and Tricks.pdf

  
  

What's open in ECS?

Fall is a busy time to be a scheduler! You can always refer to the Production Calendar to determine upcoming dates and deadline by term. You can also add the Schedule/Course Guide Production Calendar to your Google calendar. The following periods are now available in ECS:

Fall 2013 - ECS period 4 
Spring 2014 - ECS period 4 
Summer 2014 - ECS period 2 
Fall 2014 - ECS period 1 
Spring 2015 - ECS period 1

ECS period 1 open for fall 2014 (1149) and spring (1153)

Electronic Course Scheduling (ECS) in PeopleSoft is now available for fall 2014 (1149) and spring 2015 (1153) class schedule production. Remember to delete any course sections that have rolled forward but will not be taking place during either term. You can delete courses/sections in ECS by clicking on the minus button on the Basic Data panel of "Maintain Schedule of Classes."

The following resources for scheduling courses are available:

• Class schedule production instructions

• Class scheduling distribution summary

• Class scheduling policy FAQs

Still time to attend Scheduling U!

Scheduling U will continue through Friday, November 8. There is still time to attend two workshops! See details below.

How to make Astra Schedule work for you

Learn how to navigate Astra Schedule in a brand new way. Find out how to use the new system-wide scheduling tool to find academic information faster by using filters, saving searches, and running ad hoc reports to make class scheduling easier. This session is full of practical information you can use every day.

• Thursday, November 7, West Bank, 10-11:30 a.m., 140 Blegen

Schedulers Roundtable

From spreadsheets to databases to Post-its, we know that every department has a unique way of preparing their schedule. This is an opportunity for you to exchange practical experiences and challenges about your scheduling process. Bring your artifacts to share! We'd love to see how the magic really happens. The session will be a moderated discussion (rather than a presentation or a succession of speakers).

• Friday, November 8, East Bank, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 102 Appleby

Sessions are led by ASR trainers and scheduling staff. No RSVP required.

Classroom schedule displays

Thanks to the work of the Academic Support Resources (ASR) web team and Classroom Technical Services (CTS), the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) is again able to post the daily schedule for rooms that have room schedule displays installed. Those include classrooms in the following buildings: Cooke, Folwell, Nicholson, and STSS.

There are no plans to add more displays outside of new classrooms. To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, however, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in and then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.

Modernized Learning Spaces fCoP

Affinity group leaders and steering committee members have been announced for the Modernizing Learning Spaces (MLS) Formal Community of Practice (fCoP). Leads have mobilized teams to prioritize tasks and take action for the first milestone deadline of November 4, 2013, as noted in the committee's charge.

If you haven't already done so, please consider joining one of the Google Groups listed below:

• Voice of the Community

• Space and Technology

• Service Delivery and Process Workflow

The next large community meeting is Friday, October 25, 10-11:30 a.m. in HHH50. Look for an invitation at the MLS fCoP Google Group soon with more details.

Confirm room assignments for spring semester (1143)

Room assignments for spring 2014 are available on the Class Schedule. Please review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned. If a class does not need a classroom assignment, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu.

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) only finds a general purpose classroom for classes with a blank Facility ID in ECS. If the Facility ID field is populated, OCM will not actively look for a classroom for your class. This includes being populated with a virtual space, such as ROOM000TBA or AHCROOMTBA.

Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, OCM encourages instructors to verify their classroom assignment before the first class meeting.

Scheduling U

Scheduling U will begin Monday, November 4 and continue through Friday, November 8. Session dates, times, and descriptions may be found on the OCM blog.

Workshops will cover classroom and policy updates, ESUP, Astra Schedule, and scheduling distribution policy outcomes. Sessions will be lead by Scheduling staff, ASR trainers, and members of the ESUP Student Records team. No registration is required.

Fall 2013 final exam scheduling reminder

Final exam scheduling for fall 2013 is underway. The schedule will be available for review the first week of November. In the meantime, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu of any special requests, which include the following:

• If any course sections will not require a classroom during finals week. If so, notify the scheduling team on or before October 25 by emailingocmsched@umn.edu with the subject line "Fall 2013 Final Exam" and the course and section number(s) in the body.

• If a department would like to request an adjustment of final exam hours. If so, requests should be made online with form ASR 163 on or before November 1 to permit publication of the change and orderly consideration of hardships.

• If a specialized room is needed for a final exam. Departments should request alternate seating only when it is necessary for proper administration of the exam. Specialized room requests must be submitted by the department office via the online ASR 123 form on or before November 1.

If any of the above special requests apply to you, please note you must take action to fill out the proper form or to email ocmsched@umn.edu.

Scheduling U begins Nov. 4

All schedulers should plan to attend the annual scheduling workshop series, Scheduling U, which will take place from November 4-8. No RSVP or prior registration is required. Workshop topics include:

Scheduling news and notes

Find out about all the new buzz in scheduling! Discussions will include process improvements, final exam batch scheduling, Astra Schedule, upcoming classrooms projects, policy and procedure changes, the new Liberal Education (LE) distribution tool, and more.  It is a session you will not want to miss.

Speakers: Sarah Kussow, Nate Meath

• Monday, November 4, West Bank, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., L-114 CSOM

• Monday, November 4, East Bank, 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m., 210 Tate Lab of Physics

• Wednesday, November 6, St. Paul, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 365 Borlaug

What's up with ESUP?

The University is upgrading its PeopleSoft systems and reexamining all associated business processes. What does this mean for schedulers? Come to this session to get the scoop and a preview of some changes on the way.

Speakers: Heather Micek, Kate Sophia, John Vollum

• Tuesday, November 5, East Bank, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 140 Nolte

How to make Astra Schedule work for you

You may already know how to use Astra Schedule to request an event or to view a calendar, but there is a lot more that it can do for you. Learn how to navigate the new system-wide scheduling tool to find information faster by using filters, saving searches, and running ad hoc reports to make class scheduling easier.  

Speakers: Gary Andersen, Renae Faunce, Nancy Killian

Moderator: Christine Mounts

• Tuesday, November 5, East Bank, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., 412 STSS

• Thursday, November 7, West Bank, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 140 Blegen

Back to the basics

If you are new to academic scheduling or simply looking for a crash course, this session will provide all the information you need on scheduling processes, policies, and procedures. Topics covered will include the academic schedule production cycle, ECAS, final exam scheduling, how to navigate the class scheduling distribution summary, getting the room you need, and Q & A with the Student Records training and support team.

Speakers: Gary Andersen, Renae Faunce, Nancy Killian, Sarah Kussow, Robert Wilson

• Wednesday, November 6, East Bank, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., 140 Nolte

Schedulers Roundtable

From spreadsheets to databases to Post-its, we know that every department has a unique way of preparing their schedule. This is an opportunity for schedulers to exchange practical experiences and challenges about their scheduling process. Bring your artifacts to share! We'd love to see how the magic really happens. The session will be a moderated discussion (rather than a presentation or a succession of speakers).

Moderators: Sandie Carlson, Sarah Kussow, Nate Meath, Bob Quinney

• Friday, November 8, East Bank, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Appleby 102

Now hiring!

Academic Support Resources (ASR) has a position open to develop, deliver, and improve Astra Schedule, PeopleSoft student records, and other training opportunities for the University. The person in this position will serve as the helpdesk expert on Astra Schedule, PeopleSoft student records, and ASR developed applications and processes. For more information and to apply, search for requisition 187466 or click here.

Fall 2013 final exam scheduling

Fall 2013 final exam scheduling will begin soon for the Twin Cities campus. The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) will schedule final exams based upon the final exam regulations for course sections with meeting patterns assigned to general purpose classrooms.

If you need to schedule final exams in departmental spaces, please email ocmsched@umn.edu. We can assist with the scheduling and ensure the course section appears on the master Twin Cities Final Exam Calendar. Let us know which classes require a final exam, the times it should be offered, and where it will take place. 

Notify the scheduling team as soon as possible of course sections that will not require a classroom during finals week by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu with the subject line "Fall 2013 Final Exam" and the course and section number(s) in the body. This will ensure that the Master Final Exam Calendar is accurate. A link to the calendar will be sent in the next Scheduling Update.

• Final exam regulations, Fall 2013

• Fall 2013 final exam schedule

• Fall 2013 common exam times

Astra Schedule improves final exam scheduling

Astra Schedule offers the Scheduling Unit an opportunity to increase efficiency in final exam scheduling starting with fall 2013 exams. Historically, all final exams have been scheduled manually, one by one. It was a process that took two staff members more than one month to finish for the Twin Cities campus alone!  

Now, with our ability to schedule exams using Astra Schedule, we will have the chance to increase our efficiency by scheduling the vast majority of final exams in a batch process, which takes less than one day to run. The only final exams that will need to be scheduled manually will be common exams and those that fill out the ASR 123 and ASR 163 forms. Way to go, Astra Schedule!

New way to view room schedules

When using Astra Schedule, schedulers should rely on the request forms to view classroom availability. Using the grid calendars is no longer necessary to request a classroom. You can now request space and see availability in the same place.

To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.

Viewing classroom availability in Astra Schedule

When using Astra Schedule, schedulers should rely on the request forms to view classroom availability. Using the grid calendars is no longer necessary to request a classroom. You can now request space and see availability in the same place.

To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in, then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.

General purpose classroom search

To view the schedule of a specific general purpose classroom, use the General Purpose Classroom Search. Choose the building you are interested in, then select the room name. The room details will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click on the "Room Schedule" link to bring up the daily calendar for the classroom. If you prefer to see an entire week or month at a time, you can easily switch your view by using the buttons on the upper left-hand corner of the calendar.

Save the date for Scheduling U

All schedulers are encouraged to attend Scheduling U this fall to learn new information about scheduling. Sessions will be held November 4-8. Offerings will take place on both Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. More details will be announced in the next issue of Scheduling Update.

ECS period 1 opens Monday, September 23

Electronic Course Scheduling (ECS) in PeopleSoft will be available Monday, September 23 for May/summer 2014 (1145) class schedule production. The following resources are available for scheduling summer session courses:

• Class schedule production instructions

• Summer session scheduling guidelines

Reminder about fall 2013 final exams

Fall 2013 final exam scheduling will begin soon. OCM only schedules final exams for classes that meet in general purpose classrooms. Final exams for classes that meet in departmental space need to be scheduled within the department.

Notify the scheduling team as soon as possible if a course section will not require a classroom during finals week. Email ocmsched@umn.edu with the subject line "Fall 2013 Final Exam" and the course and section number(s) in the body.

• Final exam regulations, Fall 2013

• Fall 2013 final exam schedule

• Fall 2013 common exam times

Upcoming Astra Schedule user groups

A series of Astra Schedule user groups is scheduled for this fall. Session topics will address issues that schedulers experience in their day-to-day use of Astra Schedule. They also serve as an opportunity for users to share ideas with each other and receive help solving specific problems.

No registration is required to attend. Locations and times for each session are as follows:

• Thursday, September 26, 9-10:30 a.m., Nolte Center 140

• Friday, October 25, 1:30-3 p.m., STSS 512B

• Tuesday, November 19, 9-10:30 a.m., Nicholson Hall 110

• Tuesday, December 17, 9-10:30 a.m., STSS 512B

Save the date for Scheduling U

All schedulers are encouraged to attend Scheduling U this fall to learn about new information regarding scheduling. Sessions will be held November 4-8. Offerings will take place on both Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. More details will be announced soon.

Fall 2013 class cancellations

Remember to cancel classes with no enrollment for fall 2013 (1139). This will ensure the room assignment is released and the class is accurately displayed on the Class Schedule.

2014-15 ECS Production Calendar

The 2014-15 ECS Production Calendar is now available. You may add the Production Calendar directly to your Google calendar. With this option, you can be sure that important scheduling dates are always available.

Redesigned classroom search

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) now has a redesigned classroom search. The General Purpose Classroom Search allows you to find classrooms that meet your specifications. You can filter by campus, building, capacity, and/or feature. You can also view room details, including capacities, layout, photo, links to campus maps, and room schedule. 

September Astra Schedule demonstrations

In May, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) implemented a new, system-wide classroom and event scheduling system called Astra Schedule. You can use Astra Schedule to request both departmental and general purpose classroom space for an event. A quick start guide is available for additional step-by-step instructions. Demonstrations of Astra Schedule will be held at the following locations on campus:

• Friday, September 6, 9-10 a.m., STSS 512B

• Friday, September 13, 2-3 p.m., STSS 512B

Welcome to fall 2013!

Summer classroom renovations and updates 

Several general purpose classrooms received environment or technology updates during the summer. Some of these updates included the following:

• Willey Hall partition - The large motorized partition in Willey Hall 125 and 175 was replaced. See photos of the construction and finished product here.
• Video conferencing classrooms - Magrath 4, Peik 165, and Peters 145 were added to the OCM inventory.
• Furnishing upgrades - Keller 3-230 and Borlaug 335 and 365 received new furniture, finishes, lighting, and A/V equipment.
• Technology feature upgrades were completed in more than 50 rooms. Room features can be found on the newly revised room inventory page.
• STSS 114 - Two classrooms in the Science Teaching & Student Services building (STSS) were combined to provide increased capacity for an Active Learning Classroom (ALC).The new room seats 171 students and offers the same active learning functionality as before.

New scheduling system launched

In May, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) implemented a new, system-wide classroom and event scheduling system called Astra Schedule. The system replaced the old classroom schedule viewers and request process. A quick start guide is available on the new Astra Schedule home page showing how to request a classroom for an event.

Fall 2013 classroom assignments

Room assignments for fall 2013 classes are available on the One Stop Class Schedule. Please note: room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, verify your classroom assignment before the first class meeting. If you have specific questions about your room assignment, contact your department scheduling coordinator.

Classroom technology instructions and videos

The classroom technology instructions for each building provide a list of equipment and additional features, as well as a representative image of the instructor station in each classroom. Orientation is available upon request for those who want to learn more about the technology features. For any questions, contact OCM Classroom Support or 612-625-1086.

OCM News Blog

Stay informed about general purpose classrooms and student study spaces by visiting the OCM news blog. The blog provides news and information updates throughout the semester and is accessible via the OCM website or by subscribing using your favorite RSS feed/blog reader.

Contact us

OCM is available to help with any questions, concerns, or comments regarding general purpose classrooms or central student study spaces. Contact us via the Classroom Support Hotline at 612-625-1086 or classrm@umn.edu.

The hotline is available from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Messages left at the hotline are monitored by an on-call manager after hours.

Confirm your room assignments for fall semester (1139)

Room assignments for fall 2013 are available on the Class Schedule. Please review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned.

Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) encourages instructors to verify their classroom assignment before the first class meeting.

Recap of summer upgrades

Several general purpose classrooms and study spaces are being upgraded during the summer. Detailed project information is available on the OCM website, but a few highlights include:

• Technology Updates: OCM updated classroom equipment in more than 50 rooms.

• AppleTV expansion: Apple TV enables users to display presentations from an iPad or Apple computer using a wireless network.

• Willey partition: The large motorized partition in Willey Hall 125 & 175 has been replaced.

• Increased capacity ALC: STSS rooms 114 and 118 are being combined. The new room will seat 171 students and have the same active learning functionality.

• Furniture Updates: Keller 3-230, Borlaug 335, and Borlaug 365 received new furniture, finishes, lighting, and A/V equipment.

• Amundson Hall: The south face of Amundson Hall has been replaced as part of the Gore Annex addition and infrastructure updates. All general purpose classrooms on the first and second floors have new windows or are on the new curtain wall.

• Card access and accessibility: All general purpose classrooms in Lind and Kolthoff Halls received new card access systems and improved handicap access.