Make final changes to May/summer 2018 (1185) classes prior to registration starts

It is imperative to make final changes to summer 2018 classes prior to registration. Changes after registration has occurred may have a detrimental effect on students. For degree-seeking students, summer 2018 registration opens March 1, 2018.

Submit the following changes directly through ECAS:

• Credit changes
• Grading base changes of any kind
• Drop consent required
• Career changes
• Repeat allowance updates
• Component changes
• Adding topics courses

To make the following changes, email ocmsched@umn.edu:

• Change the number of credits for which a class is offered, from a variable number to a set number within the range

Meeting pattern, requested room feature, instructor, and enrollment capacity changes should all continue to be made in CCS.

For classes that are not planned to be offered, cancellations should be made directly in CCS during CCS Open Initial Build. If a cancellation needs to occur after students have enrolled, email ocmsched@umn.edu. ASR formally reviews class changes made post-enrollment. Many changes are not able to be accommodated after students are enrolled.

Wireless microphones being updated

Classroom microphones are being updated throughout the spring semester to match new standards. The new solution replaces the current in-room microphones with a pair of rechargeable wireless microphones. 

To use the new microphones, follow these steps:

1. Remove a mic from the charging base.
2. Press the button to turn it on. 
3. Blinking red is muted; Green means charged and on
4. Clip it to your shirt about 3 inches below your chin.

Mics should be returned to the charging base after use to ensure that they remain charged for the next instructor. Detailed instructions can be found on OCM’s microphone instruction page.

Classroom being updated mid-semester include: 

• Andrew Boss Lab 125 
• Hanson Hall 1-102, 1-103, 1-104, 1-105, 1-106, 1-107, 1-108, 1-109, 1-111
• Mechanical Engineering 18
• Nolte Center 140

2017 OCM annual report

Each year, the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) publishes a report to showcase projects and give details on OCM spaces, student impact, and funding. Did you know that approximately 9,215 classes are scheduled in OCM classrooms per year? See the full report as well as annual survey results on OCM’s website. Notable projects in 2017 include Study Space Finder, the new OCM website, and Tate Hall.

Fall scheduling is in progress

We are currently in CCS Open Initial Build for fall 2018 (1189) until Thursday, March 1, 2018. At that time, we will close CCS to make central room assignments.

Prior to March 1, please make sure to:
1. Work with your faculty and instructors to obtain updated information for the term.

2. Update class information using the CCS pages in PeopleSoft.

• Cancel class sections that will not be offered this term.
  
• Review and update enrollment limits and requested room capacities to realistic values (+/- 10% of last year’s enrollments).
  
• Input instructor information and grade access in CCS.
  
• Adjust non-standard class meeting times to a standard time.
  
• Review classes outside of the Regular Session to make sure it is in the appropriate academic session (remember that classes in the extended regular session are typically not financial aid eligible).
  
• Indicate the required room characteristics (technology, seating styles, etc.) needed to facilitate teaching by using the room characteristic codes accessible in the meeting pattern page of CCS.
  
• Email ocmsched@umn.edu to add facility ROOM000TBA or NOROOMREQD to all class meeting patterns that will not require any room assignment or that will meet in a small office space.
  
• Review the Class Scheduling Distribution Summary Report to assess department/college compliance with distribution of meeting times (no more than 3% in any standard time block) and distribution of meeting patterns (no more than 50% meeting on Tuesday/Thursday).

3. Avoid scheduling course sections in high demand periods/days.

4. All room requests sent to ocmsched@umn.edu will be queued until after the batch scheduling run for fall semester has been completed. They will be reviewed in late March, and we will try to accommodate as many requests as we can, but cannot guarantee specific room requests.

Preferred name - class permission numbers and waitlist management

A student’s preferred name (instead of legal/primary name) is now being used for class permission numbers and waitlist management. Students and staff may indicate a preferred name through the My Info tab of MyU. Indicating a preferred name is optional. This functionality was implemented as part of the University’s PeopleSoft 9.2 upgrade.