Improvements coming to study space

OCM will be updating student study space in McNeal Hall 190, 223, 393 and Biological Science 15 on the St. Paul campus during the spring semester. The spaces will be updated with new flooring, paint, and furniture. 

From March 12-21, McNeal Hall 190, 223, and Biological Science 15 will be closed for construction. These spaces will be also be closed at the end of April for additional work.

If you have questions about the closure or construction, please contact Katie MacDonald at 612-624-0714 or macd0104@umn.edu.

Scheduling Update: March 3, 2011

On Tuesday, March 8, fall 2011 (1119) ECS period 1 closes. Before ECS period 1 closes, please make sure to update your department's course information (e.g., delete, add, change) and update room characteristics.

ECS for fall 2011 scheduling will be closed to department schedulers from Wednesday, March 9, to Tuesday, March 29, while OCM reviews the Request for Approval of Non-Standard Meeting Time/Day Pattern forms and schedules general purpose classrooms.

Fall 2011 ECS period 3 opens on Wednesday, March 30, and will be open until Wednesday, April 13. During ECS period 3, OCM asks that you only make changes due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., cancel, add, change). Changes to meeting time(s) or enrollments greater than room capacity will result in loss of a general purpose classroom assignment. Department R25 users can begin assigning departmental rooms. Registration for fall 2011 begins on Thursday, April 14.

Go to Scheduling Resources, for more information about the scheduling policy and best practices.

Read the rest of this update, featuring a remembrance of Nancy Peterson, or view the scheduling update archive.

Scheduling Update: February 21, 2011

During ECS Period 1- Phase II, college administrators should begin to review departments' schedules for adherence to standard time, peak time, and course access policies. Department schedulers are expected to continue updating course information before ECS Period 2.

Please review the class production calendar for important scheduling dates and theclass schedule production instructions for ECS assistance.

Read the rest of this update, featuring information about room characteristics and a review of the budget tool, or view the scheduling update archive.

Correcting current markerboard performance issues

OCM is experiencing challenges with markerboard supplies and service delivery in some general purpose classrooms. We appreciate your patience as we work with Facilities Management and our product suppliers to correct these issues. 

OCM manages over 200 classrooms with markerboards around campus. Helpful hints for reducing problems:

• Use only the provided Walltalkers products and disposable towels.
• Do not use any other cleaning products or substances, these can damage the markerboard surface.
• Performance of non-Walltalker products cannot be guaranteed.

Please contact the Classroom Support Hotline at 612-625-1086 or ocmhelp@umn.edu for any classroom concerns, questions, or information.

Akerman Hall classroom relocations

To accommodate the phased construction project to improve the
Akerman Hall Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
system and upgrade the Fire/Life Safety systems, course sections meeting in rooms 211, 215, 225, and 227, must be relocated to a room on the third floor.




Effective Monday, February 14, 2011, the new room assignments are: 

• Room 211 course sections move to 313


• Room 215 course sections move to 317
  
  


• Room 225 course sections move to 319
  
  


• Room 227 course sections move to 327

The new room assignments are for the remainder of the semester.



Instructors and students received an email notification of the
room change and signs will be posted by the second floor rooms.



Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work to
improve the general purpose classrooms in Akerman
Hall. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.




If you have any questions about the project or wish to report a
concern, please call the Classroom Support Hotline at 612-625-1086.     

Faculty help available from OCM rapid response team

As the semester begins, remember to contact the Classroom Support
Hotline at 612-625-1086 if you need any assistance with your general
purpose classroom.



As an additional service, for the first few days of the semester, OCM
technicians will be pre-positioned throughout the Twin Cities campus to
provide rapid assistance should any issues arise.

Gaining student input and ideas for study spaces

For fall semester OCM partnered with the Interior Design department within the College of Design to have students create design concepts for what they would do if they could design student study space. OCM worked with students from IDES 2603, Interior Design Studio III. The students created brand and design concepts for Ruttan Hall 10 and McNeal Hall 223.

The students presented their ideas to OCM staff and the Director of Academic Support Resources on November 3.

OCM is excited about the students' ideas and looking for ways to incorporate their ideas in future study space projects.

To review the students' presentations, click on the links below.

• Color blocking
• ecove
• St. Paul study spaces
• The Nook
  
• The Pit Stop
• The You
• U study