Fall grades due by December 27, 2018

The final grades for fall are due Thursday, December 27 at 11:59 p.m. This may be a challenging time for some, but please encourage instructors to submit grades as early as possible. For support regarding grades, contact ASR Training and Support at srhelp@umn.edu or 612-625-2803. Resources are also available on the ASR website.

Canceling classes for spring 2019 with zero and low enrollments

If you do not plan to offer a class, the class needs to be cancelled in CCS as soon as possible and before the start of the term. Failure to cancel a class has a direct impact on students. Please do not try to do workarounds to hide the class from the schedule.

For classes with low enrollment to be cancelled:

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

For classes with zero enrollments to be cancelled:

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

Confirm room assignments for spring (1193) and May/summer (1195)

Room assignments for spring 2019 (1193) and May/summer (1195) are available on Class Search. Please review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned. If a class does not need a classroom assignment, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu.

OCM only finds general purpose classrooms for classes with a blank Facility ID in CCS. If the Facility ID field is populated, OCM will not actively look for a classroom for your class. This includes being populated with a virtual space, such as ROOM000TBA, LAB0000TBA, ONLINEONLY, or AHCROOMTBA.

Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, OCM encourages departments and instructors to verify their classroom assignments before first-class meetings.

Add rooms directly to classes using Astra Schedule Academics

Astra Schedule Academics is available to add departmental spaces directly to your classes for the following terms:

• Spring 2019
• May/summer 2019
• Fall 2019

Please note that class changes made in CCS will not be reflected in Astra Schedule until the following day. Likewise, classrooms and labs assigned to fall 2019 classes in Astra Schedule will not be reflected in the Class Schedule until the following day.

For spring 2019 and May/summer 2019, room assignments will be reflected in the Class Schedule the same day.

Astra Academics How-to-guides are available on the ASR Training & Support resources site listed under Astra Schedule.

Grade entry deadlines and reminders

Fall 2018 grades (regular session) are due on Thursday, December 27, 2018. A complete list of grading due dates, how-to guides, and policies are available on the ASR website >>>

Summer 2019 production cycle

CCS has re-opened for emergent changes to the class schedule for May/summer 2019 (1195). Department schedulers may update class information (cancel, add, or change) directly in CCS. As a reminder, changes to meeting time(s) or to enrollment capacities greater than the current room capacity will result in loss of room assignment.

Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. OCM encourages instructors to verify their classroom assignment before the first class meeting.

Queued registration for May/summer 2019 begins Thursday, March 7, 2019. 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 here.
• 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 ECAS.
• All date, day, and time changes should be made before students register to make sure to minimize student conflicts.

(Edit: A previous version and the Scheduling Update had the year in the title listed as 2018 instead of 2019.)

ECAS or ERG questions reminder

Please send all ECAS or ERG questions or concerns directly to srhelp@umn.edu. This will help distribute work among all staff responsible for processing, and your email may be resolved quicker. Thank you.

Thanks for attending Scheduling U

Thank you to everyone who took some time out of your busy schedules to attend a Scheduling U workshop. For those who were unable to attend, please see the presentations below:

• CCS Tips & Tricks
  
• Working with waitlists and class permissions handout
  
• Additional CCS How-to guides
  
• ECAS Updates
  
• Annual Scheduling Update live

Extended weekend classroom hours during finals week

The last day of instruction for the fall 2018 semester is Wednesday, December 12. Dates for final exams and study days are listed below:

• Study days
• Thursday, December 13, and Sunday, December 16, 2018
• Final exam dates
• Friday, December 14 to Saturday, December 15, 2018 
• Monday, December 17 to Thursday, December 20, 2018

On the weekend dates below, some classrooms will have extended hours to meet the needs of students and faculty during finals week:

• Saturday, December 15, 2018
• All general purpose classrooms will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday, December 16, 2018
• All classrooms in the following buildings will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m: 
• East Bank: Bruininks Hall, Folwell Hall, Keller Hall, Nicholson Hall, Rapson Hall
• West Bank: Blegen Hall, CSOM, Hanson Hall, Humphrey Center
• Saint Paul: McNeal Hall, Peters Hall, Ruttan Hall

Please note: building hours may vary from our standard classroom hours of operation. Be sure to carry your U Card with you at all times. For more information about specific building hours, visit the individual building details page via the Campus Maps website.

Spring break 2019 (1193)

If you schedule a class that plans to meet in-person, on-campus during Spring Break next semester (1193), you must fill out this Google Form by Friday, December 7, 2018. The form ensures that a room assignment is retained for your class during Spring Break (March 18 - 22, 2019).

OCM Scheduling has an automated process to cancel class meetings during Spring Break in Astra Schedule by campus. This process assumes it is a holiday break and removes class sections from the Scheduling and Activity Calendars to eliminate conflicts when scheduling events.

Open registration for spring 2019 (1193)

Queued registration for students continuing in spring 2019 will open on Tuesday, November 13.

Changes to variable credit/grading basis

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.

If you need to change the number of credits for a class from a variable number to a set number, email ocmsched@umn.edu. If you need to make a change to the grading basis of a course, submit it directly through ECAS.

Monitor your scheduling policy compliance

Ensure that your department is in compliance with the scheduling distribution policies regarding classroom demand before spring registration, November 13, 2018. See the class scheduling policy summary for details on the policies and how to monitor compliance.

The following tools have been built to assist you in monitoring your compliance:

• The Class Scheduling Distribution Summary illustrates the class demand of department or college.
  
• The Liberal Education Distribution Summary illustrates the distribution of classes meeting one or more liberal education requirements.

Spring 2019 classroom assignments

Room assignments for spring 2019 (1193) are still in process. If a class does not need a general purpose classroom assignment and you have not yet been assigned a departmental space, please notify ocmsched@umn.edu.

OCM only works to find general purpose classrooms for classes with a blank Facility ID in CCS. If the Facility ID field is populated, OCM will not actively look for a classroom for your class. This includes being populated with a virtual space, such as ROOM000TBA, LAB0000TBA, ONLINEONLY, or AHCROOMTBA.

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

Review fall 1189 final exam schedule and room assignments

The fall 2018 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 = Fall 2018
• Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule
• Campus = Mpls/St Paul
5. Click “Search” at the bottom of the filter column.
6. To save your filter selections for future use, click on the save button next to “Search” at the bottom of the filter column on the left.
7. Export the list to Excel by using the icon located in the middle of the bottom of the page.

Common exam room assignments are available to review separately.

Want a few extra tips and tricks for getting around in Astra Academics? Check out the resources available on ASR’s system support page under Astra Schedule. Still have questions on how to review your final exams? Contact ocmsched@umn.edu.

Final exam policy resources:

• Final exam regulations
• Fall 2018 final exam times
• Fall 2018 common exam times
• University final examination policy

Summer CCS closes October 30, 2018

We are currently in CCS Open Initial Build for summer 2019 (1195) until October 29, 2018. At the end of day on October 29, we will close CCS to make central room assignments. Please make sure to update all class sections prior to CCS closing on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

Note that new sessions have been added for summer 2019 with new date ranges to better meet the needs of the variety of classes offered (session 027 and 028). Please put classes in session that most closely match the class dates. Review historical classes to make sure it is still the right fit. See session dates on the OCM website.

The following resources for scheduling classes are available:

• Academic session dates by term
• Instructional time guidelines for summer session
• Class schedule production guidelines
• CCS production calendar
• General class scheduling tools

Save the date: Scheduling U

Pre-register for Scheduling U starting November 26, 2018 in Bruininks Hall. Workshops are free and open to any University staff member.

• CCS Tips & Tricks Monday 11/26, 1:00 p.m., 131B Bruininks Hall
  
• ECAS UpdatesWednesday 11/28, 11:15 a.m., 512B Bruininks Hall
  
• Annual Scheduling Update liveFriday 11/30, 11:30 a.m., 131A Bruininks Hall

ECAS rewrite changes go live October 28, 2018

Changes to the Electronic Course Authorization System (ECAS) go live October 28, 2018. Users should clear browsing history, cookies, and caching prior to logging in.

Please note: ECAS proposals at the department (unsubmitted) level that have not been edited since January 1, 2018 will be deleted on Sunday, October 28, 2018. Make edits and save proposals to these prior to Sunday if you want them carried over.

The ECAS rewrite improves system stability, streamlines future development, and is compliant with accessibility standards. Here is a link to our ECAS rewrite handout with visuals.

Roll forward for fall and spring semesters

Fall 2019 (1199) and spring 2020 (1203) class schedules will roll forward on November 11, 2018. This happens two weeks prior to when CCS Open Initial Build begins to allow for data clean up behind the scenes.

As a reminder, classes with the following criteria will not roll forward:

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

ECAS updates preview sessions

ASR is working to improve the Electronic Course Authorization System (ECAS) system stability, streamline future development, and become compliant with accessibility standards. Changes will go live on October 28, 2018.

You are invited to preview the new look and feel of ECAS on one of the following dates:

• Tuesday, October 16, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in G65 Peik Gym, East Bank
• Wednesday, October 17, 10-11 a.m. in G65 Peik Gym, East Bank

Please pre-register if you plan to attend. If you have questions, contact the ASR Training & Support Team at srhelp@umn.edu or 612-625-2803.

Class scheduling policy feedback requested

The senate committee will be reviewing the class scheduling policy this year. The policy covers all University of Minnesota campuses, except Duluth. There is a desire to have a more uniform approach throughout the policy across campuses. For example, there has been discussion on each campus providing its standard scheduling time grid in the policy.

Feedback is sought on how the policy is working for departments and colleges. For more information, or to provide feedback, please contact Jeremy Todd at toddx012@umn.edu.

Summer CCS opening and new session dates to choose

New sessions have been added for summer 2019 with new date ranges to better meet the needs of the variety of classes offered (session 027 and 028). Please put classes in session that most closely match the class dates. Review historical classes to make sure it is still the right fit. See session dates on the OCM website.

Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) in PeopleSoft will be available for initial build on Thursday, September 27, for May/summer 2019 (1195) class schedule production. It will be open until October 30, 2018. The following resources for scheduling classes are available:

• Academic session dates by term
• Instructional time guidelines for summer session
• Class schedule production guidelines
• CCS production calendar
• General class scheduling tools

Fall 2018 final exam room scheduling

Fall 2018 final exam room scheduling will begin soon. OCM only assigns final exam classrooms for classes that meet in general purpose classrooms. Final exams for classes that meet in departmental spaces need to be scheduled within their respective departments.

For classes not holding an in-person exam during finals week, notify us by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu by Friday, September 28, 2018. Please use the subject line “Fall 2018 Final Exam” and include the subject designator and class section number(s) in the email text. In particular, it is helpful to know when large, lecture classes will not be using their classroom during exam week to fulfill special requests for other final exams requiring large classrooms.

The Final Exam Change Request form is due by September 28, 2018. It must be used by any class that has a need to change their final exam date, time, and/or room

All event requests made through Astra Schedule for finals week are held in our queue until all final exams are scheduled. Astra Schedule event requests should be used to schedule review sessions, but should not be used to secure classrooms for final exams. If you are unsure how to submit your request for an exam room, email ocmsched@umn.edu. 

• Final exam regulations
• Final exam schedule
• Final exam change request form
• Scheduling Examinations, Final Examinations, and Study Days policy

Summer 2019 CCS opens for Initial Build

Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) in PeopleSoft will be available for initial build on Thursday, September 27, for May/summer 2019 (1195) class schedule production. It will be open until October 30, 2018.

The following resources for scheduling classes are available:

• Academic session dates by term
• Instructional time guidelines for summer session
• Class schedule production guidelines
• CCS production calendar
• General class scheduling tools

2019-20 CCS production calendar available

The 2019-20 CCS Production Calendar is available. Please note that some of the dates are still tentative and will be updated as academic calendars across system campuses are finalized.

Fall 2018 room assignments

Review all room assignments for fall 2018. Room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of the term. While this usually only impacts a small number of classes, remind instructors to verify all room assignments before the first class meeting.

If a room changes after August 28, schedulers should consider sending affected students an email notification. Departments are encouraged to print off a list of classes and assigned classrooms in case the system goes down.

Classes with zero and low enrollments are continuing to be centrally monitored if they are assigned a central classroom. Email ocmsched@umn.edu as soon as possible if a class will no longer be offered or for assistance moving a class to a departmental space.

Summer classroom renovations and upgrades

Several general purpose classrooms received environment and technology updates during the summer, including the following:

• Ruttan B35 auditorium has been renovated. Project upgrades include technology, furniture, carpet, acoustical treatments, ceiling tile, and new lighting.
  
• Willey 125 underwent a project to replace auditorium seating. In addition to new student seating, new carpet, staircase lighting, and power door operators were installed.
  
• Mondale Hall phase 3 general purpose classroom renovations have been completed. Rooms 20, 30, 40, and 50 received new technology, furniture, carpet, acoustical treatments. and classroom finishes.
  
• 10 Church Street (formerly Bell Museum of Natural History) has new spaces assigned to Office of Classroom Management. First floor study spaces adjacent to auditorium 100 have been outfitted with new student study and lounge furniture. Rooms 303 and 311 have been converted to general purpose classrooms, equipped with repurposed furniture and classroom technology.
  
• CSOM 1-147 and 1-149 rooms were reconfigured and updated as pilot spaces, with the intent of adding more active learning strategies into CSOM's curriculum.
  
• Feature updates to Video Conferencing rooms including an improved touchscreen system, larger displays, and a new ceiling array microphone to record students. Video conferencing rooms include: Humphrey 20 and 25, Fowell 118, Peik 165, and Peters 145.
  
• See the other OCM blog post for several summer technology updates. 

Use OCM’s Room Search to verify which features are available in your assigned classrooms. If a feature you need is not available in your scheduled space, you may be able to bring your own adapter or device to connect to the system. Otherwise, contact ocmsched@umn.edu to see if we may be able to locate another classroom for you.

Roll forward for May/summer session 2019 (1195)

Class data entered into CCS rolls forward from the same term in the previous year (e.g., summer 2018 to summer 2019) as a convenience to schedulers. We will roll forward classes for May/summer session 2019 (1195) on Monday, September 10. This happens two weeks prior to CCS Open - Initial Build to allow for behind-the-scenes data clean up.

As a reminder, classes with the following criteria will not roll forward:

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

Welcome back - 3 steps to be ready for fall 2018!

Greetings,


The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) welcomes you to the start of the fall 2018 semester! We recommend taking the following 3 steps to best prepare:

• Step 1: Confirm your classroom
  Go to the Teaching tab of MyU to locate your room assignments for spring 2018. We recommend you record your room assignment before the first day of the term as high system load at the start of term can cause system slowness or unavailability. We ask students to do the same, so please minimize any room change requests. While in MyU, you can also access and print your class roster [PDF].
  
  
• Step 2: Check your tech
  Use Room Search to learn about the features, layout, and equipment in your classroom. Classroom equipment instructions on the OCM website are available to learn how to use the equipment in your classroom.
  
  
• Step 3: Know your resources
  OCM is available to help with questions, concerns, and comments regarding general purpose classrooms, scheduling, and central student study spaces. You can also request a consultation for hands-on training or orientation for classroom equipment and technology. We answer calls Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Messages left at the hotline after hours are monitored by an on-call manager.
  
  Call: Classroom Support Hotline at 612-625-1086
  Email: classrm@umn.edu

All OCM classrooms are equipped with ADA compliant tables and chairs as a standard feature. We work with the Disability Resource Center to accommodate student needs and ask for your help in ensuring its proper use.

We wish you a great start to the semester!

Jeremy Todd

Director, Office of Classroom Management
Academic Support Resources, Office of Undergraduate Education

Make final changes to fall 2018 classes by Friday, August 24

It is imperative to make final changes to classes as soon as possible. Late class changes can negatively impact student financial aid eligibility, retention and degree progress. It is the department’s responsibility to make changes prior to this deadline.

Changes that should be made by August 24, 2018, include:

• Credit changes of any kind (e.g., reduction, addition, variable to set, set to variable, etc.)
• Grading basis changes of any kind (e.g., A-F only to S-N only, S-N to A-F only, etc.)
• Class cancellations
• Career changes
• Repeat allowance updates
• Component changes

After August 24, ASR will formally review each class change requested. Many changes are not directly accommodated after students are enrolled and financial aid has been disbursed.

How do I make the change requests?
Changing credits

• If choosing a set number of credits for a variable credit class, request your changes by emailing ocmsched@umn.edu.
  
• If a reduction or addition to course credits needs to be made, submit your changes through ECAS.

Changing grade basis, career, component, and/or repeat allowances

• Submit your changes through ECAS.

Canceling a class with low enrollment

1. Change the Class Status to “Stop Further Enrollment”
   (on the Enrollment Control tab of CCS).
   
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 “Cancelled Section”
   (on the Enrollment Control tab of CCS).

Need-to-know dates and deadlines

Please note the newly posted dates below and mark them on your calendar:

• Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 final exam schedules
  
• 2019-20 CCS production calendar

Confirm room assignments for fall (1189)

Room assignments for fall 2018 are available on the Class Schedule. Review assignments for your department to ensure all classes requiring a general purpose classroom have been assigned. If you see a class without a room assignment, notify ocmsched@umn.edu ASAP to work to find a classroom. 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.

Canceling classes for fall 2018 with zero and low enrollments

If you do not plan to offer a class, the class needs to be cancelled in CCS as soon as possible and before the start of the term. Failure to cancel a class has a direct impact on students. Workarounds to hide the class from the schedule are not a good idea.

For classes with low enrollment to be cancelled:

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

For classes with zero enrollments to be cancelled:

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

Academic calendar changes 2018-2020

The Faculty Senate has approved moving spring break forward one week starting March 2020. This was the best solution to get the majority of A term before spring break and to equalize meeting patterns for classes scheduled once per week. Syllabi may need to be reviewed due to this adjustment, so please communicate these changes to those within your departments.

As a reminder, spring 2019 will change from 74 instructional days to 70. Fall and spring semesters will have the same length going forward, and there is room for an additional study day for students in the spring term. The full calendars for 2018-22 can be viewed on the University Senate page.

Summer classroom technology upgrades

OCM has updated the technology in 50+ rooms this summer. View our project page to see a list of upgraded classrooms. In these rooms, instructors will see a familiar touchscreen interface, but may notice it’s a little faster. We’ve upgraded projectors, added the ability to connect devices via USB-C, and completed a general tune up of the components. Additionally, we continue the work of removing VCRs and DVD players in these rooms as we keep our commitment to provide technology that we can support.

Use OCM’s Room Search to verify which features are available in your assigned classrooms. If a feature you need is not available in your scheduled space, you may be able to bring your own adapter or device to connect to the system. Otherwise, contact ocmsched@umn.edu to see if we may be able to locate another classroom for you.

Personal pronouns and gender identity in MyU

Students and staff on all campuses are able to share personal pronouns and/or a gender identity through the MyU: My Info tab. Sharing personal pronouns and/or a gender identity is optional. Here are some additional resources:

• How-to guides on One Stop website
• One Stop information on pronouns and gender identity
• MyU information on pronouns & gender identity

MyU unavailable for maintenance

MyU has scheduled maintenance for Sunday, August 5 from 6:00 a.m. to noon and will be unavailable during this time.

Summer break for Scheduling Update

The Scheduling Update will be taking a short break during summer in June and July. The newsletter will resume again on August 1, 2018, running on the first and third Wednesday of the month throughout the academic year.

Church Street is closed

The North Church Street Reconstruction project began on May 14, 2018 and includes reconstruction of the street and green spaces between Washington Avenue and Lily Plaza. Church Street is closed to pedestrian and bike access for the summer. In addition, the Church Street Garage will be closed from July 2 - 22, 2018.

Fall 2018 (1189) and spring 2019 (1193) room assignments

Room assignments for fall 2018 (1189) are now posted. Spring 2019 (1193) will be available on Class Search when CCS re-opens. Beginning May 23, 2018, you can cancel, change, or add class information for spring 2019. Please note, you will lose a classroom assignment if changes are made to the following:

• Meeting times
• Enrollment capacities
• Requested room capacities 

The Scheduling Unit is finding that Tuesday and Thursday morning through mid-afternoon are the busiest and most difficult times to find classroom space. All room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term to accommodate class activity.

If you have a class without a room assignment, we may be asking individual departments if the class days or times can change, or if a departmental space is available instead. Please consider moving classes to departmental spaces if that is an option.

Contact the Scheduling Unit to:

• Add classes during peak times and ensure that a classroom will be available
• Cancel a class that is no longer being offered (this is different than hiding it from the schedule, stopping further enrollment, or asking students to drop the clas)
• Ask general scheduling questions

Make final changes to variable credit classes & grading basis prior to semester start

With the May/summer session beginning next week, it is imperative to make final changes to classes requiring set credits and/or changes to grade basis. The grading basis and the number of credits a class is being offered at cannot be altered after the term has begun.

If you need to change the number of credits for which a class is offered, from a variable number to a set number, email ocmsched@umn.edu to make the change. If you need to make a change to the grading basis of a course, submit changes directly through ECAS.

Summer building updates

OCM is working on a variety of projects this summer across Minneapolis and St Paul. More details are available on our website pages, linked below:

• Ruttan Hall B35 renovation
• Willey Hall 125 seating replacement
• CSOM 1-147 and 1-149 renovation
• Mondale Hall subplaza, Phase 3
• Bruininks Hall technology updates
• Video conferencing upgrades in various locations
• Mechanical Engineering infrastructure update, Phase 3

There are also many exterior construction projects occurring around campus which will impact the use of OCM classrooms. These include, but are not limited to:

• Ruttan Hall exterior repairs and window/skylight replacement
• Willey Hall roof and skylight replacement
• Solar panel installation in various locations
• Church Street reconstruction

The extent of these projects may limit our ability to relocate classes and events. We cannot control the progress of these projects, but we will make every effort to minimize disruptions. We appreciate your patience as we navigate this busy summer together.

Grade entry deadlines and reminders

Spring 2018 grades are due on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. A complete list of grading due dates, how-to guides, and policies, are available on the ASR website.

Grade rosters are available in the Faculty Center in MyU. Please encourage instructors to log into Faculty Center ahead of time to check that they have a final grade roster for the classes they expect to enter grades in. If instructors do not see their expected final grades rosters, they should contact their department’s class scheduler.

If you know of someone encountering issues with grades entry, please have them call the ASR Training & Support Team at (612) 625-2803 or email srhelp@umn.edu.

Extended weekend classroom hours during finals week (spring 2018)

Finals week for spring semester begins Saturday, May 5 with Study Day. The last day of exams is Saturday, May 12. Official University final exam schedules are available online.

• Study days: Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6
• Finals dates: Monday, May 7 through Saturday, May 12

General purpose classroom and computer lab hours will be extended on Saturday 5/5, Sunday 5/6, and Saturday 5/12, to meet the needs of students and faculty during finals week. Weekday hours remain unchanged during finals week (see standard operating hours).

Days with Extended Hours

• Saturday, May 5 (study day): 
• All general purpose classrooms and computer labs will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. to accommodate scheduled and ad hoc student study.
  
  
• Sunday, May 6 (study day):
• All general purpose classrooms and computer labs in weekend buildings will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. to accommodate students for official University study days. Weekend buildings include the following:
  
• East Bank: Bruininks Hall, Folwell Hall, Keller Hall, Nicholson Hall, Rapson Hall
• West Bank: Blegen Hall, CSOM, Hanson Hall, Humphrey Center
• Saint Paul: McNeal Hall, Peters Hall, Ruttan Hall
  
  
• Saturday, May 12 (last final exam day): 
• All general purpose classrooms and computer labs will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. to accommodate scheduled final exams and student study.

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

NOTE: Building hours may vary from standard classroom hours. Be sure to carry your U Card with you at all times. Some buildings will require your U Card for exterior building access.

Planned system maintenance April 21 and 22, 2018

Update: As of Friday, April 20, the PeopleSoft outage will NOT take place on April 21 and will be rescheduled. Updates to Ad Astra will continue as planned.

MyU will be unavailable for use on Saturday, April 21, 2018 for a planned database upgrade. This outage also includes all other PeopleSoft applications, including CCS and the Class Schedule. Ad Astra also plans to perform cloud server maintenance this weekend that will cause intermittent unavailability for Astra Schedule. During this time, users will still be able to access Moodle, Canvas, and University mail. For more information and progress updates, please visit the OIT Service Status page.

Planned PeopleSoft Database Upgrade (12 hours)
Saturday, April 21 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) to 11:59 p.m.

Planned Astra Cloud Maintenance (24 hours)
Saturday, April 21 from 10 p.m. to Sunday, April 22 at 10 p.m.

Making changes to variable credit/grading basis

With May/summer session nearing and fall registration underway, it is imperative to make final changes to classes requiring set credits and/or changes to grade basis. After financial aid has disbursed, the grading basis and the number of credits for a class cannot be altered.

If you need to change the number of credits for a class from a variable number to a set number, email ocmsched@umn.edu. If you need to make a change to the grading basis of a course, submit it directly through ECAS.

Make final changes to fall 2018 prior to registration

CCS is open for emergent changes to the class schedule for fall 2018 (1189). Department schedulers may update class information (cancel, add, or change) directly in CCS.

As a reminder, changes to meeting time(s) or to enrollment capacities greater than the current room capacity will result in loss of room assignment. If you make these changes, notify ocmsched@umn.edu to determine if a general purpose classroom will still be available.

NOTE: Mechanical Engineering will be offline for fall 2018, so classrooms in the capacity range of 85-120 on campus will experience a significant space crunch. This pushes classes further away from their home bases and into larger classrooms than typically required. Changes to meeting patterns of classes with an enrollment capacity of 75 or larger should always inquire about room availability prior to making the change. Pillsbury Hall’s availability for fall 2018 scheduling is still tentative, and an update will be provided once it is confirmed.

Queued registration for fall 2018 begins Thursday, April 12. 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 here.
• 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 ECAS.
• All date, day, and time changes should be made before students register to make sure to minimize student conflicts. 

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

CCS closes on April 25 for spring 2019 (1193)

We are currently in CCS Open Initial Build for spring 2019 (1193) until April 24, 2018. On April 25, we will close CCS to make central room assignments.

By the end of the day on April 24, 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.
• 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 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.
• Use Astra Schedule to assign departmental classrooms and labs directly to class sections. If you are not able to get these assignments made in Astra Schedule by the end of the day on April 24, please email ocmsched@umn.edu to make the assignments for you. This will ensure your class is not unnecessarily assigned a general purpose classroom.
3. 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).
4. Avoid scheduling course sections in high-demand periods/days.

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

Calendar changes for spring 2019

Starting with spring 2019 (1193), the spring term for Rochester and Twin Cities is changing from 74 instructional days to 70. This change means that fall and spring semesters will have the same length going forward, and there is room for an additional study day for students in the spring term. This presents a slight change for how the A term (session 009) and B term (session 010) are structured.

In 2019, the B term will start the Tuesday before spring break. The benefit to this is that both A and B terms will have seven meeting times for each day of the week. It does mean that there is a gap in instructional time after the first meeting for most classes.

• Academic session dates are available on the OCM website. 
• Full academic calendars for 2018-2022 are available on the University Senate page. 
• Spring 2019 (1193) session 001, 009, and 010 for UGRD dates are below.

Click image for larger display

Spring 1183 final exams

The spring 2018 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:

Sign into Astra Schedule with your University internet ID and password in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

1. Click on the “Academics” tab located in the top navigation menu.
2. Click on the “Sections” link at the top of the page.
3. Update the filters in the left column as follows:
• Is Exam = Yes
• Term = Spring 2018
• Subject = Select the subject(s) you schedule
• Campus = Mpls/St Paul
4. Click “Search” at the bottom of the filter column.
5. To save your filter selections for future use, click on the save button next to “Search” at the bottom of the filter column on the left.
6. Export the list to Excel by using the icon located in the middle of the bottom of the page.

Common exam room assignments are available to review separately.

Want a few extra tips and tricks for getting around in Astra Academics? Check out the resources available on ASR’s system support page under Astra Schedule. Still have questions on how to review your final exams? Contact ocmsched@umn.edu.

Final exam policy resources:

• Spring 2018 final exam regulations
• Spring 2018 final exam times
• Spring 2018 common exam times
• University final examination policy

Use the Auto Enroll from Waitlist checkbox in CCS for summer and fall 2018

As a reminder, the Auto Enroll from Waitlist checkbox must be checked on both the enrollment and non-enrollment sections of your class for it to be included in the Auto Enroll from Waitlist process. CCS schedulers can find this checkbox on the UM CCS Maintain Schedule of Classes page > Enrollment Control tab.

The checked box serves two functions:

• It triggers the Auto Enroll from Waitlist process if a seat is available.
• It gives priority to students on the waitlist, so open seats are not taken by other students (before Auto Enroll from Waitlist runs).

Working with waitlist and class permissions

New and experienced CCS schedulers may be interested in checking out the ASR Training Team’s handout on Working with Waitlists and Class Permissions. It contains information on how these processes work as well as troubleshooting tips.

Change of Employment Status form reminder

If an employee no longer needs access to certain systems, supervisors or key contacts must submit the Change of Employment Status (COES) form to OIT Provisioning and Requests (PAR). Removing someone’s PeopleSoft access will also remove the individual from the Scheduling Update query. A change of status includes:

• Termination of employment
• Retirement
• Death
• Transferring to a new department
• Changes in job duties making certain access unnecessary
• Leave of Absence

Spring 1183 final exams

Standard final exams are being scheduled for spring 2018 (1183). The OCM Scheduling Unit is currently working on scheduling common exams and special requests submitted through ASR final exam change request form. While OCM does its best to accommodate special requests, there is always a possibility that your request may not be fulfilled.

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

Space is very tight this final exam period. Please continue to notify Scheduling at ocmsched@umn.edu if a spring 2018 course section will not require a general purpose classroom during finals week. Use the subject line “Spring 2018 Final Exam” and the designator/section number(s) in the text of the email.

Final exam schedule and regulations are posted on the Academic Support Resources site.

Verify instructor information

Many classes are on the schedule without an instructor listed. Please input instructor information directly into CCS with accurate role and access type for spring (1183), summer (1185), fall (1189) and spring (1193). This practice ensures instructors will be able to access their online grade rosters at the end of the semester and assists students with complete information when registering for classes. Additionally, please verify all of your classes have the correct instructor assigned.

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.

Final exam scheduling for spring 2018 (1183)

Final exam scheduling for spring 2018 will begin soon. If a class will hold its final exam as indicated on the University final exam schedule in its regular classroom, there is no need for you to contact us. Your final exam will be scheduled centrally.

If a class is not holding an in-person exam during finals week (Monday, May 7 – Saturday, May 12, 2018) please email ocmsched@umn.edu by Friday, February 16.

• Use the subject line “Spring 2018 Final Exam” 
• Include the designator/section number(s) in the email text

Due to the high demand for larger classrooms for finals week, it is especially helpful to know when a large class will not need a classroom for a final exam.

If a class is requesting a change to the date and time of an exam, or to change or add a location to an exam, submit a Final Exam Change Request form by February 16. You will automatically receive a copy of your final exam change request, and when final exam scheduling is completed, you will receive email confirmation of the outcome. While the Office of Classroom Management (OCM) does its best to accommodate special requests, there is a possibility that your request may not be fulfilled.

Reminders

If a class is on the pre-approved Common Exams list for the semester, a Final Exam Change Request form must still be submitted in order to assign appropriate classrooms.

Event requests for classrooms during finals week are held as tentative and not scheduled until after the completion of final exam scheduling. Submitting an event request for a classroom needed for a final exam does NOT increase the likelihood that the room will be available for you.

Final exam resources

• ASR final exam information
• One Stop final exam times
• Final exam change request form
• Scheduling Examinations, Final Examinations, and Study Days policy

Summer 2018 (1185) scheduling resources

CCS continues to be open for May/summer 2018 (1185). Registration begins March 1, 2018. This is a month and a half earlier than previous years. Remember to cancel any class sections that have rolled forward but will not be taking place and to update any class sections that require changes. Classrooms have already been assigned, and we will continue to monitor new sections added.

Be sure to review the class scheduling guidelines available on OCM’s website to review resources available to assist you in scheduling classes.

Preparing for the start of spring 2018 (1183)

With January 16 quickly approaching, ASR is asking students, faculty, and staff to prepare in advance for the start of the term. Faculty and instructors will receive a welcome back message from OCM next Monday, Jan. 8 (see below).

In the message, they are encouraged to record their classroom assignments in advance and minimize any room change requests. Students will also be encouraged to record their schedule in advance. Because of this, consider sending an email to the students in a class if there is a change in the week before the term starts.

You may also want to consider having a hard copy of your classroom assignments available to reference in case there is an unexpected system issue the first week of term.

Welcome back message:

"Greetings,

The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) welcomes you to the start of the spring 2018 semester! Below are some resources for teaching in general purpose classrooms:

• Go to the Teaching tab of MyU to locate your room assignments for spring 2018. We recommend you record your room assignment before the first day of the term as high system load at the start of term can cause system slowness or unavailability. We ask students to do the same, so please minimize any room change requests.
• Learn how to access and print your class roster [PDF].
• Use Room Search to learn about the features, layout, and equipment in your classroom.
• Refer to classroom equipment instructions to learn how to use the equipment in your classroom.
• All OCM classrooms are equipped with ADA compliant tables and chairs as a standard feature. We work with the Disability Resource Center to accommodate student needs and ask for your help in ensuring its proper use.

As always, OCM is available to help with questions, concerns, and comments regarding general purpose classrooms, scheduling, and central student study spaces. You can also request a consultation for hands-on training or orientation for classroom equipment and technology. We answer calls Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Messages left at the hotline after hours are monitored by an on-call manager.

     Call: Classroom Support Hotline at 612-625-1086
     Email: classrm@umn.edu

We wish you a great start to the semester!"

Class cancellation policy and spring 2018 deadlines

The last day for spring 2018 class cancellations is Monday, January 22, 2018. According to the Course Enrollment Limits and Cancellation policy, colleges (and sometimes departments) maintain policies regarding low-enrollment course sections. Sections may not be canceled after the fifth day of classes for the term. Each college has its own guidelines for canceling low enrollment classes on its website.

For spring 2018 class cancellations:

• If there is no enrollment, cancel the class directly in CCS. This will ensure the room assignment is released and the class is accurately displayed on the Class Schedule. Changing the enrollment capacity to zero and checking the “no print” box in CCS will not release the classroom assignment nor cancel the class.
• If there are students enrolled, notify ocmsched@umn.edu for cancellations and follow collegiate policies. OCM will cancel the class and an automated email will be sent to enrolled students. We still encourage departments to send an email directly to students to let them know of the cancellation and to encourage alternate class options.

Make final changes to variable credit/grading basis

With the spring semester beginning soon, it is imperative to make final changes to classes requiring set credits and/or changes to grade basis. After the term has begun, the grading basis and the number of credits for a class cannot be altered.

If you need to change the number of credits for a class from a variable number to a set number, email ocmsched@umn.edu. If you need to make a change to the grading basis of a course, submit it directly through ECAS.

Setting end dates for reserve capacity

Remember to set an end date for reserve capacity requirement groups for spring 2018. The end date should be set to the Friday before the start of the term or earlier. Review the guidelines for reserved seats >>>

If reserved seats have not been previously released by departments, ASR will release all reserved seats on the Friday before the first day of class each semester (January 12, 2018 for spring 2018 semester).

Upcoming data center maintenance

From 6:00 a.m., Saturday, January 6, until noon on Sunday, January 7, 2018, certain systems, including MyU, ECAS, and PeopleSoft, will be unavailable for annual maintenance. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) has provided a list of affected services. You can also check the IT Service Status that Saturday and Sunday morning for live updates. As work is completed, outages will be removed.