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Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Canceling classes for spring 2025 with zero and low enrollments

If you no longer plan to offer a class because of low enrollment, the class needs to be canceled in CCS as soon as possible and before the start of the term.

Canceling a class with low enrollment:

    1. Change the Class Status to “Stop Further Enrollment” (on the Enrollment Control tab of UM CCS Maintain Sched of Class page).
    2. Notify all enrolled students directly and offer alternate options.
    3. Email ocmsched@umn.edu to process your cancellation (and drop students).
      • Note: If your college requires collegiate approval for cancellation with low enrollment, also refer to your college procedures. 

Canceling a class with zero enrollment:

    1. Change the Class Status to “Canceled Section” (on the Enrollment Control tab of UM CCS Maintain Sched of Class page).

Reserve Capacity seats released January 17 for spring 2025

If you use a reserve capacity for a class, remember ASR will release all reserved seats on the Friday before the first day of class each semester. For the spring 2025 semester, all reserved seats will be released on January 17th

Fall 2024 final exams

Final exams for fall 2024 begin Friday, December 13 and will conclude on Thursday, December 19.

  • Final exam dates: Friday, December 13 - Saturday, December 14 and Monday, December 16 - Thursday, December 19
  • Study days: Thursday, December 12 and Sunday, December 15

In-person final exams for fall 2024 have been scheduled for those who requested a classroom assignment through the Final Exam Request form. The list of scheduled final exams and common exams is available on the Fall 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

If you do not see a class that intends to have an in-person final exam, and it needs a classroom assignment, please fill out the Final Exam Request form as soon as possible.

Final exam policy resources:


Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Classroom hours during fall 2024 finals week

General purpose classroom hours will be extended on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 to meet the needs of students and faculty during finals week. Weekday hours remain unchanged and will follow standard operating hours during finals week.

During finals week (December 13-19), classroom and building hours will be adjusted as follows:

  • Saturday, December 14 (Final Exam Date): All general purpose classrooms will be open 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 15 (Study Day): All general purpose classrooms in weekend buildings will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Weekend buildings include:
    • East Bank: 216 Pillsbury Hall, Bruininks Hall, Folwell Hall, Keller Hall, Rapson Hall
    • West Bank: Blegen Hall, CSOM, Hanson Hall, Humphrey Center
    • Saint Paul: McNeal Hall, Peters Hall, Ruttan Hall
  • Weekday hours will remain unchanged.

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

Note: Be sure to carry your U Card with you at all times. Most buildings will require your U Card for exterior building access.

Twin Cities grading due dates for fall 2024

The deadline to submit grades for the fall 2024 regular academic session and second half term is December 27, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. Additional due dates for other programs can be found on the ASR website.

Grades that have been entered but have yet to be approved will be posted immediately after the due date for grades. Instructions on how to enter final grades are available. Any grades left blank will receive a grade of “NR” (Not Reported). After that, the grades cannot be uploaded or imported from Canvas. To change an NR grade to the grade earned, instructors or proxies must submit a grade change through MyU.

Remember, missing grades can negatively affect students for the following reasons:

  • Academic standing
  • Financial aid
  • Scholarship, employment, and educational opportunities

If you have questions regarding entering grades, please contact the Office of the Registrar Training and Support team at srhelp@umn.edu.

Staff from system campuses are encouraged to check with their Office of the Registrar to confirm campus-specific dates.

 

Spring 2025 classroom assignments

Room assignments for spring 2025 (1253) are available on the Class Schedule.

Please note the following:

  • If you notice a class without a room assignment, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • Remind instructors to verify their classroom assignments before the first class, as room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term.


Waitlists for spring 2025

As a reminder, the auto enroll from waitlist process will run for the last time the day before a session begins, and the waitlists will be deleted the first day of the session. For spring, the auto enroll process will run for the final time on January 20, 2025 for all regular sessions and 1st half of term classes. The waitlists will be deleted on January 21, 2025.

If you wish to keep a record of who was on the waitlist for a class, and in what order, we suggest saving a copy of the list prior to its deletion. Also, if you want those formally waitlisted students to be able to register before other students, add departmental or instructor consent to that class section. Students would need to obtain a permission number before they register, and those permissions could be given to the students on the waitlist first.

May/summer 2025 CCS closed on December 9

CCS will be closed as of December 9th to make central room assignments for May/summer 2025 classes. Please make sure to update all class sections in CSS before that day.

Fall 2025/Spring 2026 Class Schedule roll forward

We will make a copy of the fall 2024 and spring 2025 class information and roll those classes forward to fall 2025 (1259) and spring 2026 (1263) so that schedulers do not need to build a new schedule each term. This process will be done on December 2nd, 2024.

Class sections that do not roll forward are:

  • Canceled sections
  • Tentative sections
  • UGRD Topics classes
  • Classes with zero enrollment (excluding directed studies and research)
  • Undergraduate classes scheduled in Extended Regular Session (session 011)

Fall 2025 and spring 2026 classes will be available in CCS on December 16th, 2024 to start making updates and changes.

Combined sections are back!

Combined sections are now working again on the Twin Cities/Rochester campuses. The fix is the system will start reusing old numbers. The good news is the process of combining classes is still basically the same. You will still add a row at the top of the list to start the process of Creating a New Combined Section

What has changed is that the newly created combined sections may not appear at the top of the list once ALL the information is input. After the individual class information has been input and saved, whatever combined section ID was assigned when adding a new combined section row, is where you'll find your new combined section on the combined section table (the table is in numeric order).

Please let us know if you have any questions. 

CCS user workshops

The Scheduling team is conducting monthly user workshops. We hope these workshops will allow us to connect with our users and review topics relevant to our departmental schedulers.

These workshops will be conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • December 10 - Grades and Instructors
  • January 14 - Combined Sections

If there is an upcoming topic you would like to discuss, please feel free to send your questions/concerns to ocmsched@umn.edu. Also, if there is a topic you would like to discuss in future workshops, please let us know.

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Fall 2024 final exams

The Fall 2024 final exam request form is due November 8, 2024, which is rapidly approaching. The list of final exams and common exams that have already been scheduled is available on the Fall 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

If you do not see a class that intends to have an in-person final exam on the spreadsheet, and the final exam is intended to be held in a classroom, please fill out the Final Exam Request form as soon as possible. 

Additional resources can be found:


Spring 2025 (1253) classroom assignments

Room assignments for spring 2025 (1253) are now available on the Class Schedule. We still have about 1% left to assign for Spring 2025. 

Please remember, many classes already have classrooms assigned. If changes are made on a class (dates, times, etc.), the classroom assigned may be dropped. We are getting down to very few GPC classrooms being available from 9AM - 2PM M-Th. If the assigned classroom does get dropped, it may be assigned to a different class. Please let us know as soon as possible if a classroom needs to be re-assigned.

Please note the following:

  • We only find general purpose classrooms for classes that have a component type of LEC or DIS with a blank Facility ID in CCS. If the component type is LAB, FWK, IND, or ROT, we will not actively look for a classroom for your class.
  • If you notice a class without a room assignment, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • If you need assistance adding a departmental space to a class, email ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • Remind instructors to verify their classroom assignment before the first class, as room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term.


Combined sections issue for spring 25 and beyond

For those who have not heard, we have unfortunately run out of combined section ID numbers in PeopleSoft, for the time being. 

What does this mean? The table that stores Combined Sections in PeopleSoft has reached its limit, and we are no longer able to create new combined sections within PeopleSoft for Spring 2025 and beyond. We are working with our partners in ASR-IT and OIT to implement a fix from Oracle. 

What is the workaround? Please let us know (ocmsched@umn.edu) if two (or more) classes need to be scheduled in the same room that are not already on the combined sections list. We are able to make that happen in Astra without the classes being combined in PeopleSoft first. We do not anticipate too many classes still needing to be combined for Spring 2025, and we are hoping to have a fix for this issue in PeopleSoft in the very near future. 

Once we are able to add combined sections again in PeopleSoft, our team will set up the combined sections that have been reported to us during this time. We will also provide any additional instructions on how to create combined sections in the future. Please let us know if you have any questions. 


Summer 2025 (1255) CCS is still open

CCS is still open for the initial build of the 2025 May/summer semester (1255) through December 9, 2024. At the end of day on December 9, we will close CCS to make general purpose classroom assignments. 

The following resources for scheduling classes are available:


New Office of Classroom Management website

The newly updated Office of Classroom Management (OCM) website launched November 4, 2024. The UX team partnered with OCM to improve the user experience through accessible design and content. The redesigned website aims to help users find the room and scheduling resources they need quickly and efficiently. This update also aligns the OCM website and content more closely with navigability and usability best practices.

The website features Folwell functionality, streamlined navigation, and an improved user interface. While the website design has changed, OCM’s services have not. The most trafficked OCM pages are listed below for your reference: 

All existing links have been redirected, so any bookmarked links to the current OCM website will still be usable.


CCS user workshops

The Scheduling team is conducting monthly user workshops. We hope these workshops will allow us to connect with our users and review topics relevant to our departmental schedulers.

These workshops will be conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:
A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics
  • November 12 - Class Permissions
  • December 10 - Grades and Instructors
If there is an upcoming topic you would like to discuss, please feel free to send your questions/concerns to ocmsched@umn.edu. Also, if there is a topic you would like to discuss in future workshops, please let us know.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Fall 2024 final exams

If an in-person or blended class is planning to have an in-person final exam, the Final Exam Request form must be filled out to request a classroom. This same form can also be used to inform us of any final exam changes (date/time or alternate seating). You can submit up to five classroom/change requests per submission.

The list of final exams and common exams that have already been scheduled is available on the Fall 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

The deadline to submit these requests for fall 2024 is November 8, 2024


Spring 2025 (1253)

Queued registration for spring 2025 begins Tuesday, November 12, 2024. To ensure the greatest success for students, please make sure to finalize the following information in the class schedule prior to registration:

  • Confirm sections are set to the correct session. For reference, view session dates by term.
  • Email ocmsched@umn.edu to set credits for a variable credit section, before registration begins.
  • Confirm grading basis. If changes need to be made, submit changes through Coursedog.
  • All date, day, time, and instruction mode changes should be made before students register to minimize student conflicts and confusion. 

Spring 2025 classroom assignments

Room assignments for spring 2025 (1253) are in progress. If a class does not need a general purpose classroom assignment and you have not yet assigned a departmental space, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu. Please also let us know if you need assistance adding a departmental space. 

We only find general purpose classrooms for classes that have a component type of LEC or DIS with a blank Facility ID in CCS. If the component type is LAB, FWK, IND, or ROT, we will not actively look for a classroom for your class. 

Additionally, if the Facility ID field is populated, we will not actively look for a classroom for your class. This includes virtual space populations, such as:

  • ROOM000TBA (room to be assigned) - the CCS scheduler will be adding a departmental or other room to a class section or meeting pattern.
  • NORMREQD (no room required) - no room is required for the class section and/or meeting pattern.
  • ONLINEONLY (online only) - the class section or meeting pattern of the class will be conducted completely online, so no classroom is needed.
  • REMOTE (remote instruction) - the class section or meeting pattern of the class will be conducted remotely, so no classroom is needed.
  • AHC000TBA (AHC room to be assigned) - no GPC is needed.
  • LAB000TBA (lab section - specialized room to be assigned) - no GPC is needed.
  • NO000PRINT - the class section has the “schedule print” box unchecked.

All room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, we encourage departments and instructors to verify their classroom assignments before the first class meeting. 


Spring 2025 - Variable credit email

With spring registration approaching, it is imperative to make final changes to classes requiring set credits and/or changes to grade basis. After financial aid has been disbursed, the grading basis and the number of credits for a class cannot be altered.

We will be identifying all classes with variable credits and sending emails to schedulers reminding them if they need to change the number of credits for a class from a variable number to a set number, they need to email ocmsched@umn.edu

If you need to change the grading basis of a course, use Coursedog to submit the change.

Reminder: Complete FERPA training

If you haven’t already, please complete the new FERPA training course by October 31, 2024. You were enrolled in this 20-30 minute course through Training Hub the first week of October. The new course is required for all PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and/or APLUS users to maintain access to those systems, regardless of any previously completed training. If the training is not completed on time, access to PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and/or APLUS will be removed.   

If you have questions, you can contact cctraining@umn.edu

Summer 2025 (1255) CCS is open

CCS is open for the initial build of the 2025 May/summer semester (1255). Please put classes in a session that most closely matches the class dates. Review historical classes to make sure they are still the right fit. See session dates on the OCM website.

The following resources for scheduling classes are available:


CCS user workshops

The Scheduling team is conducting monthly user workshops. We hope these workshops will allow us to connect with our users and review topics relevant to our departmental schedulers.

These workshops will be conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Fall 2024 final exams

If an in-person or blended class is planning to have an in-person final exam, the Final Exam Request form must be filled out to request a classroom. This same form can also be used to inform us of any final exam changes (date/time or alternate seating). You can submit up to five classroom/change requests per submission.

The list of final exams and common exams that have already been scheduled is available on the Fall 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

The deadline to submit these requests for fall 2024 is November 8, 2024.


Spring 2025 (1253)

Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) is open for spring 2025 class changes. Queued registration for spring 2025 begins Tuesday, November 12, 2024. To ensure the greatest success for students, please make sure to finalize the following information in the class schedule prior to registration:

  • Confirm session dates are set to the correct session. For reference, view session dates by term.
  • If choosing a set number of credits for a variable credit class, make those changes before students register by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • Confirm grading basis. If changes need to be made, submit changes through Coursedog.
  • All date, day, time, and instruction mode changes should be made before students register to minimize student conflicts and confusion.

CCS user workshops

The Scheduling team is conducting monthly user workshops. We hope these workshops will allow us to connect with our users and review topics relevant to our departmental schedulers.

These workshops will be conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • September 10 - Final Exams
  • October 8 - Behind the scenes in CCS

If there is an upcoming topic you would like to discuss, please feel free to send your questions/concerns to ocmsched@umn.edu. Also, if there is a topic you would like to discuss in future workshops, please let us know.


Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Fall 2024 (1249) general purpose classroom assignments

We have assigned most classes for fall 2024 classes into general purpose classrooms (GPC). Please review room assignments for fall 2024 and encourage instructors to view room assignments on the Class Schedule. Instructors may also view GPC capacities and room layouts on OCM’s Room Search

Please notify ocmsched@umn.edu if you need assistance with any room change requests. 

Canceling classes for fall 2024 with zero and low enrollments

If you no longer plan to offer a class because of low enrollment, the class needs to be canceled in CCS as soon as possible and before the start of the term. Failure to cancel a class in a timely manner will have negative financial aid and degree progress impacts on students. 

Starting Monday, August 26th, ASR will formally review each class cancellation request and follow up with departments regarding specific concerns. This review includes an individual degree progress and financial aid impact assessment of each student currently enrolled.  

For canceling classes with students enrolled, please do the following:

  1. Change the Class Status to “Stop Further Enrollment” on the Enrollment Control panel of CCS.
  2. Notify enrolled students directly of class cancellation and offer alternative options before requesting the class to be canceled.
  3. Email ocmsched@umn.edu to process your cancellation.
    • **If your college requires collegiate approval for cancellation with low enrollment, also refer to your college procedures.

For canceling classes with zero enrollments, no review is required:

  1. Change the Class Status to “Canceled Section” on the Enrollment Control panel of CCS.
  2. Click Save.


Check fall term instructor assignments

You can have a positive impact on classes and students when you enter complete and correct instructor information. Maintaining accurate information gives instructors appropriate access to their:

  • Online class rosters
  • Canvas site
  • Grade rosters

Students also benefit from knowing who their instructors will be as they begin their semester. CCS schedulers should verify the following instructor information per class section for fall 2024:

  • Correct Instructor information
    • Use the minus button to delete any instructors or proxies that should no longer be listed.
  • Accurate instructor role (e.g., Primary Instructor, Secondary Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Proxy)
  • Appropriate grading access (e.g., Approve, Grade, None)
    • Note: All teaching assistants should be entered with the role of “TA.” Additionally, undergraduate teaching assistants can not have grade access. 

You can also run the Classes Missing Instructor Information report found in the MyU Reporting Center, under Student Services, then Course Scheduling. This report identifies active scheduled classes with enrollment that do not have any instructor information listed, per college.

Waitlists for fall 2024

As a reminder, the auto enroll from waitlist process will run for the last time the day before a session begins, and the waitlists will be deleted the first day of the session.

For fall, the auto enroll process will run for the final time on September 2, 2024 for all regular sessions and 1st half of term classes. The waitlists will be deleted on September 3, 2024.

If you wish to keep a record of who was on the waitlist for a class and in what order, we suggest saving a copy of the list prior to its deletion. Also, if you want formally waitlisted students to be able to register before other students, add departmental or instructor consent to that class section. Students need to obtain a permission number before they register, and those permissions can be given to the students who were on the waitlist first.

Reserve capacity seats released August 30th for fall 2024

If you use a reserve capacity for a class, remember ASR will release all reserved seats on the Friday before the first day of class for each semester. For the fall ‘24 semester, all reserved seats will be released on August 30th, 2024

Fall 2024 final exams

If an in-person or blended class is planning to have an in-person final exam, the Final Exam Request form must be filled out to request a classroom. This same form can also be used to inform us of any final exam changes (date/time or alternate seating). You can submit up to five classroom/change requests per submission.

The deadline to submit these requests for fall 2024 is November 8, 2024


Spring 2025 (1253)

CCS opens soon to make emergent changes to spring 2025 classes. Queued registration for spring 2025 begins Tuesday, November 11, 2024. To ensure the greatest success for students, please make sure to finalize the following information in the class schedule prior to registration:

  • Confirm session dates are set to the most reflective session. For reference, view session dates by term.
  • If choosing a set number of credits for a variable credit class, make those changes before students register by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • Confirm grading basis. If changes need to be made, submit changes through Coursedog.
  • All date, day, time, and instruction mode changes should be made before students register to minimize student conflicts and confusion. 

Building name change

The Board of Regents voted to change the name of Nicholson Hall to 216 Pillsbury Drive, its address, until University leaders select a new name for the building. Campus Maps and exterior signage have already been updated. OCM has also updated many of the places where this prior building name was listed in various systems and websites, including the Class Schedule and Astra.

CCS user workshops

The Scheduling team is conducting monthly user workshops. We hope these workshops will allow us to connect with our users and review topics relevant to our departmental schedulers.

These workshops will be conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • August 12 - Start of Term reminders
  • September 10 - Final Exams

If there is an upcoming topic you would like to discuss, please feel free to send your questions/concerns to ocmsched@umn.edu. Also, if there is a topic you would like to discuss in future workshops, please let us know.


Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Fall 2024 general purpose classroom assignments

We have assigned the majority of fall 2024 classes into General Purpose Classrooms (GPCs) as needed. While OCM is still working to assign classrooms, you can review room assignments for fall 2024 on the Class Schedule

Canceling classes for fall 2024 with zero and low enrollments

If you do not plan to offer a class, the class needs to be canceled in Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) as soon as possible and before the start of the term

Failure to cancel a class in a timely manner may have financial aid and degree progress impacts on students. 

For classes with low enrollment to be canceled, please do the following:

  1. Change the Class Status to “Stop Further Enrollment” on the Enrollment Control panel of CCS and Save.
  2. Notify enrolled students directly to offer alternative options before requesting a class cancellation.
  3. Email ocmsched@umn.edu to process your cancellation.
    1. **If your college requires collegiate approval for cancellation with low enrollment, also refer to your college procedures.

For classes with zero enrollments to be canceled:

  1. Change the Class Status to “Canceled Section” on the Enrollment Control panel of CCS.
  2. Save.


2024-25 final exam information

Please check out these resources for additional information on upcoming final exams:

Spring 2025 (1253) classroom scheduling

CCS will be closed as of July 8, 2024 to make general purpose classroom assignments for spring 2025 classes. CCS will open again on August 2, 2024 to make emergent changes to spring 2025 classes before registration begins on November 12, 2024.

2024-25 Production calendar

The 2024-25 production calendar is now available. If you want the production calendar added to your Google calendar, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page.

Class Scheduling Distribution Summary (CSDS) update

The Class Scheduling Distribution Summary (CSDS) dashboard monitors compliance with the Class Scheduling policy. You can find the updated dashboard on the classroom website, under Scheduling, or at the dashboard z-link.

Astra to be replaced with 25Live

In case you missed the news last month, Astra is being replaced with CollegeNET’s 25Live product. Highlights of the new product include:

  • An updated, multi-campus academic and room scheduling platform
  • Improved workflow management, calendars, and customization options
  • Smarter event forms and streamlined event pricing
  • Increased what-if scenario planning
  • Advanced administrative tools

The project will officially kick off with the vendor in late July 2024 and is expected to launch in June 2025. Communications, including comprehensive training plans, will continue throughout the project with current Astra users to ensure a smooth transition. 

Astra will continue to be the University’s class and room scheduling system until 25Live launches.

CCS user workshops

Please join us for our monthly CCS user workshops. These workshops allow us to connect with our departmental schedulers and review relevant topics.

These workshops are conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15–20 minute presentation with time for discussion). 

To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 


Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Spring 2025 (1253) scheduling is in progress

CCS is open for the initial build of the spring 2025 (1253) class schedule and closes at the end of the day (11:59 p.m.) on July 7th, 2024 to make general-purpose classroom assignments for spring classes. Please make any changes by the end of the day on Sunday, July 7, 2024.

Prior to CCS closing, make sure to do the following:

  • Work with your faculty and instructors to obtain updated information for the term.
  • Update class information using the CCS pages in PeopleSoft:
    • Cancel class sections that will not be offered this term.
    • Set realistic enrollment limits and requested room capacities (+/- 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 ensure it is in the appropriate academic session (remember that classes in the extended regular session are typically not eligible for financial aid).
    • Indicate the required room characteristics (technology, seating styles, etc.) needed to facilitate teaching and learning by using the room characteristic codes accessible on 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.
    • Use Astra Schedule to assign departmental classrooms and labs directly to class sections.
  • Review the Class Scheduling Distribution Summary Report to assess department/college compliance with the 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).
    • Avoid scheduling class sections in high-demand periods/days.


Review room assignments for fall 2024 (1249)

While OCM is still working on assigning classrooms, most room assignments for fall 2024 are available on the Class Schedule.

  • The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) only finds general-purpose classrooms for classes with a blank Facility ID on the UM CCS Maintain Sched of Class page.
    • If the Facility ID field is populated (including a virtual space such as ROOM000TBA), OCM is not actively looking for a classroom for your class. 
  • Changes to room assignments do not generate automated emails. 
    • If you change a classroom assignment, you must notify instructors and students directly.
  • Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term.
    • While this usually only impacts a small number of classes, instructors should be encouraged to verify their classroom assignments before the first class meeting.
  • If you are planning to cancel any classes for the fall, please do so as soon as you know they will no longer be offered. 
    • If students are enrolled:
      • Add “Stop Further Enrollment” on the class.
      • Email the students to let them know the class is being canceled.
      • Contact ocmsched@umn.edu to cancel the class.
    • If there are no students enrolled in the class, you can cancel classes directly in CCS.  

Upcoming PeopleSoft unavailability and changes

MyU, PeopleSoft applications, and other related online services such as APAS will be unavailable due to a system upgrade on Saturday and Sunday, June 8 and 9. Service is expected to be restored on Sunday afternoon. During the outage, you can check the Service Status website for updates. When work is complete, we recommend that you clear your browser cache before logging into PeopleSoft or MyU. 

PeopleSoft Campus Solutions users will notice changes that include a new look and additional options on all search pages. 

The new Student Program Plan search page. The new layout includes more search options and a gray box outlining the search fields.

Additionally, a button has replaced the tab layout on search pages that include the option to Add a New Value or Find an Existing Value. This includes the Quick Enroll a Student, Student Program Plan, Request a Transcript Report, and other pages.

The Quick Enroll a Student search page. On the right, a yellow button titled "Find an Existing Value" is circled in red.

Astra to be replaced with 25Live

After completing the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, CollegeNET has been selected as the vendor to replace Astra for the University’s class and room scheduling system. CollegeNET’s 25Live product achieved the top score with the following highlights:

  • An updated, multi-campus academic and room scheduling platform
  • Improved workflow management, calendars, and customization options
  • Smarter event forms and streamlined event pricing
  • Increased what-if scenario planning
  • Advanced administrative tools

A core group has been preparing for the project kickoff by conducting preliminary analysis and planning. The project will officially kick off with the vendor in late July and is expected to launch in June 2025. The project team will work with the University community to ensure 25Live is optimally configured. Communications, including comprehensive training plans, will continue throughout the project with current Astra users to ensure a smooth transition. 

Astra will continue to be the University’s class and room scheduling system until 25Live launches. 

2025-26 production calendar

The 2025-26 production calendar is now available. If you want the production calendar added to your Google calendar, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page.

CCS user workshops

Please join us for our monthly CCS user workshops. These workshops allow us to connect with our departmental schedulers and review relevant topics.

These workshops are conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00–11:30 a.m. (15–20 minute presentation with time for discussion). 

To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • June 11th - Astra Academics
  • July - No CCS Workshop
  • August 13th - Start of Term Reminders


Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Spring 2024 grading due dates

Spring 2024 full semester and second 7-week session grades are due on Monday, May 13, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. A complete list of grading due dates, how-to guides, and policies are available on the ASR website.

May/Summer 2024 updates

May session begins on May 13th. Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu about May/Summer classes if:

  • A class does not have a room assignment and needs one.
  • A variable credit class needs to have a set number of credits for summer 2024.
    • After financial aid has been disbursed, the number of credits for a class cannot be altered.
  • A class with enrollment needs to be canceled.


Waitlist troubleshooting

There are three common reasons why students on the waitlist are not automatically enrolled:

  • The Auto Enroll from Waitlist process has not run yet. 
    • Remember, if you increase the number of seats OR a student drops from the class leaving a seat available (that has a waitlist with students waiting), the Auto Enroll from Waitlist process will run overnight.
  • The student was justifiably not enrolled for a reason, and they received an email as to why they could not be enrolled.
    • Wouldn’t it be nice if you could also see that message? Well, you absolutely can! As a CCS scheduler, you have access to the system-generated emails sent to students when they auto-enroll from the waitlist process runs for a class. 
    • These messages are available, per term, on the UM Waitlist Email History page (Records and Enrollment > Term Processing Waitlist > UM Waitlist Email History). 
  • The “Auto Enroll from Waitlist” checkbox on the class section is NOT checked.
    • If this box is unchecked, the Auto Enroll from Waitlist process will NOT run for that section. Instead, the class will look open for any student to enroll, even if there are students sitting on the waitlist.
      • CCS schedulers can find this checkbox on the UM CCS Maintain Schedule of Classes page > Enrollment Control tab. The checked box serves the following two functions: 
        • Triggers the Auto Enroll from Waitlist process if a seat is available.
        • Gives priority to students on the waitlist, so open seats are not taken by other students (before Auto Enroll from Waitlist runs).


Review room assignments for fall 2024 (1249)

While OCM is still working to assign classrooms for all classes, most room assignments for fall 2024 are available on the Class Schedule.

  • Review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general-purpose classroom have been assigned. 
    • There are some days and times when we do not have classroom space available. 
  • If you are planning to schedule some classes in a departmental space, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu if you need assistance, or if a general-purpose classroom will become available as a result. 

Please remind instructors that room assignments are subject to change before the start of the term, so they should check the schedule again closer to the semester's start.

Making spring 2025 (1253) classes eligible for Freshman Full Year (FRFY) registration

Freshman orientation will soon be underway on the Twin Cities campus. During orientation, incoming freshmen have the ability to register for both fall 2024 and spring 2025 at the same time, if set up correctly.

For students to be able to register for spring 2025 classes, the Freshman Full Year (FRFY) course attribute must be added to the class. This is done in the UM CCS Maintain Sched of Class page on the Basic Data tab, as seen below.

Classes with the attribute are open for registration but only to students with the “FRFY Freshman Full Year Registration” student group on their record.

If you discover your department missed applying the FRFY attribute to a class, the CCS scheduler should add the attribute in CCS. A daily query identifies those classes with a newly added FRFY attribute, and the requisite stopping them from registering for the class is removed to allow freshmen to register. 


CCS user workshops

Please join us for our monthly CCS user workshops. These workshops allow us to connect with our departmental schedulers and review relevant topics.

These workshops are conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15–20 minute presentation with time for discussion). 

To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • May 14th - Coursedog and CCS
  • June 11th - Astra Academics


Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Upcoming important dates

April

  • 4/9/24 - CCS User Workshop - FRFY (Freshman Full Year)
  • 4/11/24 - Fall 2024 (1249) registrations begins
  • 4/11/24 - Fall 2024 waitlist auto-enroll process begins

May

  • 5/2/24-5/8/24 - Spring 2024 (1243) Final exams 
  • 5/14/24 - CCS User Workshop - Coursedog and CCS
  • 5/13/24 - May session and summer 13,14, and 15-week classes begin

 

Spring 2024 final exams

Final exam week is rapidly approaching for spring 2024. The list of final exams and common exams that have been scheduled is available on the Spring 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

If you do not see a class on that list and know the class intends to have an in-person final exam, please fill out the final exam request as soon as possible.

Classroom hours during finals week (spring 2024)

Final exams for spring 2024 begin Thursday, May 2. The last day of exams is Wednesday, May 8. Official University final exam schedules are available online.

  • Final exam dates: Thursday, May 2 - Saturday, May 4, and Monday, May 6 - Wednesday, May 8
  • Study Days: Tuesday, April 30, Wednesday, May 1, and Sunday, May 5

General purpose classroom hours will be extended on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5 to meet the needs of students and faculty during finals week. Weekday hours will remain unchanged during finals week. See standard operating hours.

During finals week, weekend classroom and building hours will be adjusted as follows:

  • Saturday, May 4 (Final Exam Date): All general purpose classrooms will be open 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 5 (Study Day): All general purpose classrooms in weekend buildings will be open from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Weekend buildings include:
    • East Bank: Bruininks Hall, Folwell Hall, Keller Hall, Nicholson Hall, Rapson Hall
    • West Bank: Blegen Hall, CSOM, Hanson Hall, Humphrey Center
    • St. Paul: McNeal Hall, Peters Hall, Ruttan Hall
  • Weekday hours will remain unchanged.

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

Be sure to carry your U Card with you at all times. Most buildings will require your U Card for exterior building access.

May/Summer 2024 updates

Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu about May/Summer classes if:

  • A class does not have a room assignment and needs one.
  • A variable credit class needs to have a set number of credits for summer 2024.
    • After financial aid has been disbursed, the number of credits for a class cannot be altered.
  • A class with enrollment needs to be canceled.


Fall 2024 (1249) classroom assignments

At this time, we are still working on getting classrooms assigned for fall, and around 5% of classes still need classrooms. Classroom availability for large lecture halls is very limited. We may not be able to accommodate enrollment capacity increases or meeting pattern changes for certain times of the day. Please check with ocmsched@umn.edu before making any changes.  

As a reminder, OCM only works to find general-purpose classrooms for classes that are lecture or discussion sections with a blank Facility ID in CCS. If a class is typically held in a specific departmentally-owned classroom, please assign those classrooms to those classes.

If the Facility ID field is populated, OCM will not actively look for a classroom for your class. This includes populating it with a virtual space, such as:

  • ROOM000TBA (room to be assigned) - the CCS scheduler will be adding a departmental or other room to a class section or meeting pattern.
  • NORMREQD (no room required) - no room is required for the class section and/or meeting pattern.
  • ONLINEONLY (online only) - the class section or meeting pattern of the class will be conducted completely online, so no classroom is needed.
  • REMOTE (remote instruction) - the class section or meeting pattern of the class will be conducted remotely, so no classroom is needed.
  • AHC000TBA (AHC room to be assigned) - no GPC is needed.
  • LAB000TBA (lab section - room to be assigned) - no GPC is needed.
  • NO000PRINT - the class section has the “schedule print” box unchecked and a GPC will not be required.

If a class has one of these virtual rooms assigned and it now needs a classroom, contact ocmsched@umn.edu.

All room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. While this usually affects only a small number of classes, we encourage departments and instructors to verify their classroom assignments before the first class meeting.


Fall 2024 class schedule changes

Queued registration for fall 2024 begins Thursday, April 11, 2024. To ensure students have the greatest success, please make sure to finalize the following information in the class schedule prior to registration:

  • Confirm that session dates are set to the most reflective session.
  • If choosing a set number of credits for a variable credit class, make those changes before students register by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu.
  • Confirm grading basis. If changes need to be made, submit changes through Coursedog.
  • All date, day, and time changes should be made before students register to minimize student conflicts.

If any of the above information needs to be changed after students have registered, email ocmsched@umn.edu to determine if changes may still be made. 

TIP: Class permission numbers for fall 2024

The class permission number batch process has already run and created permission numbers for fall 2024 classes. This process only runs once for a semester. What does this mean for newly created class sections? You will need to create permission numbers for those sections. Please follow this guide on how to create permission numbers per class section. 

7 things class schedulers should know about instructor assignments in CCS

  1. Approve access is required to enter and submit grades.
  2. Grade access allows you to enter grades but not submit them.
  3. Multiple component classes need an instructor assigned to each component. 
  4. Your primary instructor on a non-graded non-enrollment lecture section cannot enter grades unless they are also the instructor for the lab and/or discussion sections.
  5. The Print checkbox determines if an instructor (or proxy) is listed on the Class Search and Schedule Builder.
  6. The Classes Missing Instructor Information query will find classes with enrollment but without instructors. This is located in the Reporting Center.
  7. Instructors (and proxies) will roll forward each term. It is the CCS Schedulers responsibility to ensure that instructors and proxies who are no longer associated with a class section are removed. 


Room Scheduling RFP

Academic Support Resources (ASR) and Office of Classroom Management (OCM) have an active Request for Proposals (RFP) for the University’s academic room scheduling system to ensure that the tools we use meet the evolving needs of the institution and comply with University policy. Astra is the University’s current academic room scheduling system vendor.

At this point, we have received vendor responses and conducted demos and usability with two finalists, and we have made reference calls to determine a fit with the University's needs. ASR is working with Purchasing, the Office of the General Counsel, and University Information Security to negotiate a contract with our top finalist. More information will be available, including a project timeline, when a contract is signed. 

CCS user workshops

Please join us for our monthly CCS user workshops. These workshops allow us to connect with our departmental schedulers and review relevant topics.

These workshops are conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15–20 minute presentation with time for discussion). 

To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:

A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • April 9th - FRFY (Freshman Full Year) set up
  • May 14th - Coursedog and CCS


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Final exam requests for Spring 2024 are due March 29th

If any instructor in your department is teaching an in-person or blended class and planning to have an in-person final exam, a Final Exam Request form must be filled out to request a classroom to hold the final exam. 


This same form can also be used to inform us of any final exam changes (date/time or alternate seating), with up to five submissions per form. 


The list of already scheduled final exams and common exams is available on the Spring 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.


The deadline for Spring 2024 for these requests is March 29, 2024

May/Summer 2024 updates

Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu about May/Summer classes if:

  • A class does not have a room assignment and needs one.

  • A variable credit class needs to have a set number of credits for summer 2024

  • A class with enrollment needs to be canceled.

Fall 2024 (1249) scheduling in progress

CCS is currently closed for fall 2024 so classroom assignments can be made by OCM. CCS will re-open on March 29, 2024, for emergent changes before registration begins on April 11, 2024.

Tip: Deleting Combined Sections

This time of year, we see many class updates, including cancellations. Remember, if you cancel a class that is combined with other classes, the date, time, and instructor information will be deleted on all of the class sections in the combination. To avoid this, uncombine the class first, then cancel the class. Follow this guide to delete a combined section class from a combination, before you cancel a combined section class.

CCS user workshops

Please join us for our monthly CCS user workshops. These workshops allow us to connect with our departmental schedulers and review relevant topics.


These workshops are conducted over Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (15-20 minute presentation with time for discussion). 


To attend a workshop, simply add the class schedule production calendar to your Google Calendar:


A Zoom meeting link and materials will be added to the calendar event closer to the day of the workshop. 

Upcoming topics

  • March 12th - Waitlists

  • April 9th - FRFY (Freshman Full Year) set up

System support guides

On the ASR website, under Training and Support, you’ll find the following System support resources:


  • The Faculty Center, Advisor Center, and Student Services Center have guides that are geared towards instructors (and proxies) to help with various class set-up questions, such as How to change a grade in Faculty Center.


  • The PeopleSoft CS - Class Scheduling and Student Records has guides available to help with various common business processes in PeopleSoft. You’ll find helpful guides on Program/Plan setup, Service Indicators, CCS (including Waitlists), and more.

Upcoming important dates

March

3/1/24 - CCS closes for fall 2024 classroom assignments

3/12/24 - CCS User Workshop - Waitlists

3/29/24 - Final Exam requests due for spring 2024

3/29/24- CCS re-opens for fall 2024 for emergent changes


April

4/9/24 - CCS Workshop - FRFY (Freshman Full Year)

4/11/24 - Fall 2024 (1249) registrations begins

4/11/24 - Fall 2024 waitlist auto-enroll process begins


Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Spring 2024 final exam room requests

If any instructor in your department is teaching an in-person or blended class and planning to have an in-person final exam, a Final Exam Request form must be filled out to request a classroom to hold the final exam. 

This same form can also be used to inform us of any final exam changes (date/time or alternate seating), with up to five submissions per form. 

The list of scheduled final exams and common exams is available on the Spring 2024 Final Exam and Common Exam Scheduled Rooms spreadsheet.

The deadline for Spring 2024 for these requests is March 29, 2024


Make final changes to May/summer 2024

Registration opens February 22, 2024, for the May/summer term (1245). Please make your final changes to summer 2024 classes as soon as possible. Changes to classes made after enrollment can negatively impact students.

Course changes should be made and approved in Coursedog, which include:

  • credit and grading basis changes
  • consent required 
  • component changes
  • topic titles

Class changes should be made in CCS, which include:

  • meeting patterns
  • instructors and grading access
  • enrollment capacity changes
  • class cancellations

Classroom assignments for summer 2024 have been completed and are available on the Class Schedule

Please contact ocmsched@umn.edu if:

  • A variable credit class needs to have a set number of credits for summer 2024.
  • A class does not have a room assignment and needs one.


Fall 2024 (1249) scheduling in progress

CCS is currently open for fall 2024 for the upcoming academic year. CCS will close on March 1, 2024, for term 1249 so classroom assignments can be made by OCM. For additional class setup guidance, please refer to the Class Setup Guide.

Prior to CCS closing, make sure to do the following:

  • Review class sessions.
    • Check classes outside of the Regular Session to make sure they are in the appropriate academic session (remember that classes in the extended regular session are typically not financial aid eligible).
  • Adjust non-standard class meeting times to a standard time.
    • Classes using standard meeting times guarantee a GPC classroom if needed and help students build their schedules.
  • Input instructor information and grading access on each meeting pattern.
    • Instructors must be on each meeting pattern per class to aid with the grading process at the end of the term.
      • Find classes with no instructor listed by running the Classes Missing Instructor Information report. Path: MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center > Student Services > Course Scheduling > Classes Missing Instructor Information report.
  • Enter the required room characteristics.
    • If a certain technology or seating style is needed to facilitate teaching and learning, please indicate that for the class.
  • Set realistic enrollment capacities and requested room capacities.
    • +/- 10% of last year’s enrollments.
  • Cancel class sections that will not be offered.
  • Review the Class Scheduling Distribution Summary Report (You will need to log into the University’s network or VPN to view the website).
    • Assess department/college compliance with the distribution of meeting times (no more than 3% in any standard time block) and the distribution of meeting patterns (no more than 50% meeting on Tuesday/Thursday).
  • Assign departmentally owned classrooms and labs using Astra.
  • It’s helpful to let us know which classes do not need GPCs BEFORE we close CCS for the term to assign classrooms.

Email ocmsched@umn.edu to:

  • add the facility NOROOMREQD (no room required) to all class meeting patterns that will not require any room assignment.
  • add the facility ROOM000TBA (Room TBA) to all class meeting patterns that will meet in a small office space.
  • add the facility ONLINEBLENDED to any meeting patterns in a blended (both in-person and online/remote) learning class.