Spring 2016 final exam schedule available for review

The spring 2016 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 check your department's classes 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:

1. Sign into 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 = Spring 2016
• 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.
7. Export the list to Excel by using the icon at the bottom of the page.

Common Exam room assignments are available to review separately in this Google Spreadsheet.

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?

• Spring 2016 final exam regulations
• Spring 2016 final exam times
• Spring 2016 common exam times
• University final examination policy

Class scheduling during Tate Lab of Physics renovation

Classroom space will continue to be very tight through summer 2017 during the Tate Laboratory of Physics renovation. 

OCM appreciates the efforts that departments have already made to coordinate efforts and be flexible with times and days that classes meet to ensure that all classes have a place to meet. We will continue to reach out to departments to explore alternate days and times during the busiest times on campus (9:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.) if classrooms are not available as we work to place fall 2016 classes. 

Per Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Robert McMaster’s November 18,2014 memo, we will continue to require all departments to make adjustments to their class schedules by:

• distributing classes across both the day and the week
• making realistic enrollment projections
• utilizing departmental space whenever possible
• using standard class times
• meeting scheduling production calendar deadlines 

If you have questions about space utilization, potential alternative days and times to offer a class, or have a departmental space you would like to offer to for other departments to use during the renovation, please email ocmsched@umn.edu.

Final exam scheduling for spring 2016 (1163) continues

Standard final exams have been scheduled for spring 2016. The OCM Scheduling Unit is currently working on scheduling common exams and special requests submitted throughASR forms 163 and 123. While OCM does its best to accommodate special requests, there is always a possibility that your request may not be able to be fulfilled. 

After all final exams have been scheduled, detailed instructions for how to review exam room assignments will be sent to schedulers through Scheduling Update e-newsletter to verify for their department. 

Please note: Space is very tight this final exam period. Please continue to notify Scheduling if a spring 2016 course section will not require a general purpose classroom during finals week. Email ocmsched@umn.edu with the subject line “Spring 2016 Final Exam” and the designator/section number(s) in the text. 

Spring 2016 final exam schedule and regulations are posted online.

Spring 2017 (1173) scheduling resources

CCS for spring 2017 (1173) is open through April 25. Remember to cancel any class sections that have rolled forward but will not be taking place for spring 2015 and toupdate any class sections that require changes. OCM will remove class sections that have been canceled from the schedule for all classes that are canceled during CCS Open Initial Build (through April 25).  For resources on working in CCS, check out the quick start guides available on the ASR training team’s website. 

All department room (labs, meeting rooms, department classrooms, etc.) assignments should also be made by April 25. For resources on how to assign departmental rooms to classes in Astra, review the Astra Academic quick start guides: 

• Anatomy of Astra Academics
• Getting Started with Astra Academics

Be sure to review the Class scheduling distribution summary to check for compliance and the Liberal Education distribution summary to see how your classes that meet LE requirements are spread throughout the day and week. 

For a full view of dates and deadlines for spring, consult the CCS production calendar.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Prerequisites

What is the difference between Enforced and Unenforced Prerequisites? 

Enforced prerequisites are entered into ECAS at the course level and restrict access to a class during registration based on prerequisite classes and/or student standing. 

Unenforced (also known as Advisory) prerequisites are recommended for course enrollment but are not enforced at the point of registration. These are entered into ECAS as part of the course Catalog Description and may be enforced or waived by the instructor, even though they are not enforced at the time of registration.

Can prerequisites be overridden?

Yes. Permission numbers can override Enforced Prerequisites if set up to do so. See more details on how permission numbers can be set up in this past news item.

Is there policy surrounding the use of prerequisites?

Yes. Please review the policy in the UMN Policy Library.

How do prerequisites show up in the Class Search?

Enforced prereqs are captured in the "Enrollment Requirements" field. Unenforced prereqs are captured in the "Description" field of Class Details (bottom section in image below).

(Click for larger image view)

As course changes go through ECAS, the Catalog Description field does go through a Catalog Editor to ensure that there is not duplication between the information displayed in "Enrollment Requirements" and the "Description" field.

CCS closed for fall 2016

CCS is now closed for fall 2016 (1169). During this time, room assignments for fall 2016 will be made centrally for classes requiring a general purpose classroom. CCS will reopen for emergent changes prior to registration on March 31.

Because of space constraints on campus, OCM will continue to reach out to departments if we have difficulty placing classes, particularly those with an enrollment capacity of 75 or more. 

Last call for final exam scheduling requests for spring 2016

Finals scheduling is underway! Let us know your special requests for exams and if you do not need a room for a class’s exam.

  

For special requests, review the final exam scheduling processes to ensure that you have submitted the correct forms for your exams.

Due to the space crunch on campus, it is increasingly important for OCM Scheduling to know if a class does not need a classroom for their final. Please send that information toocmsched@umn.edu ASAP. 

OCM Year in Review

The OCM Year in Review is an account of how well we have met our charge during the past year. It is an opportunity to highlight trends that will impact decisions and services in the Office of Classroom Management through the next year and beyond.