Reminder: Scheduling Update live

A live, in-person Scheduling Update will happen on Wednesday, April 30, 2-3:15 p.m. We will provide:

• An overview of what the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) is
• A sneak peek at what is changing for schedulers (including specific examples of changes to the schedule of classes)
• What the new production cycle will look like
• An overview of the training timeline for schedulers
• An opportunity to ask questions

The session will be offered concurrently in Rapson Hall 56 (East Bank), Carlson School 2-215 (West Bank), and Peters Hall 155 (Saint Paul). This meeting will be added to your google calendar later this week. Please be sure to attend.  

Reviewing final exam schedules

The spring 2014 final exam schedule for general purpose classrooms is 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:
1. Is Exam = Yes
2. View Meetings = Radio button selected
3. Term = Spring 2014
4. Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule
5. 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.
7. To save the exam schedule as a spreadsheet for distribution, click on the Excel icon at the very bottom middle. Choose All Pages, Open, and Yes. Move or hide columns as preferred. Choose "Save As," insert File name and choose Excel Workbook or Excel 97-2003 Workbook.

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

Spring 2015 classroom optimization begins April 17

ECS period 2 for spring 2015 (1153) begins April 17. ECS will be unavailable for spring 2015 scheduling until May 22, 2014. During this time, OCM will schedule general purpose classrooms and work with college representatives to review compliance with the class scheduling policy. Check the Class Scheduling Distribution Summary to see how your department aligns with these policies.

Reminder about classroom placements

All academic room assignments are tentative prior to the start of the semester. Changes will continue to be made to the Class Schedule throughout the spring and summer months. While we do our best to accommodate individual preferences, we cannot guarantee all requests will be fulfilled.

Review spring 2014 final exam schedule

The spring 2014 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 had 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: Sign in to Astra Schedule with your University internet ID and password in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Click on the "Academics" tab located in the top navigation menu. Click on the "Sections" link at the top of the page. Update the filters in the left column as follows: Is Exam = Yes View Meetings = Radio button selected Term = Spring 2014 Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule Campus = Mpls/St Paul Click "Search" at the bottom of the filters. To save your filter selections for future use, click on the save button on the bottom left hand side of the page. Advanced user tip: To save the exam schedule as a spreadsheet for distribution, click on the Excel icon at the very bottom middle. Choose All Pages > Open > Yes. Move or hide columns as preferred. Choose Save As > insert file name > choose Excel Workbook or Excel 97-2003 Workbook. Want a few more 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? Spring 2014 final exam regulations Spring 2014 final exam times Spring 2014 common exam times University final examination policy

Room assignments for fall 2014 (1149)

General purpose classroom assignments for fall 2014 are available on the One Stop Class Schedule. The Scheduling Unit is still working on placing many classes during the busiest times of day and as classes continue to be added to the schedule. Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term as we work to accommodate all class activity.

Review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned a room. Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu if any classes that do not need a general purpose classroom have inadvertently been assigned to one. We can also assist you in assigning a departmental space to your class.

Registration for May/summer and fall 2014 begins next week

Registration for May/summer 2014 (1145) begins Tuesday, April 8. Registration for fall 2014 (1149) begins Thursday, April 10.

The start of queued registration coincides with the beginning of ECS period 4. During ECS period 4, department schedulers can make late changes to the schedule or add courses, but changes may result in the loss of classroom assignment. Cancellations must be referred to college offices for approval

If you plan to add large class sections (more than 70) to the class schedule, please be sure to consult with the Scheduling Unit (ocmsched@umn.edu) to ensure a general purpose classroom will be available.

Make your final changes in ECS for spring 2015

Class scheduling in ECS is in full swing for spring 2015 (1153). ECS period 1 for spring 2015 ends on April 16, 2014. Remember to ensure your classes and your enrollments are distributed across both the day and the week.

There has been an increase in the number of Monday/Wednesday 75-minute classes offered across campus. While this is permitted within the guidelines of the policy, it can only be maintained if departments spread their classes across both the day and the week. More and more departments are being asked to change their meeting patterns as a higher demand for large lecture halls (more than 70 students) during the busiest times on campus (Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon). You will have the best chance of getting the room you want if you choose a meeting time outside of those times.   

Refer to the class scheduling policy summary and FAQ for a refresher on the scheduling distribution policy. The following information might also be helpful:

• 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; it is required that classes and enrollments are evenly distributed throughout the day and week.
• The Class Scheduling Distribution Summary illustrates the class demand of a department or college.