1. Overview

   This policy provides principles and procedures designed to support the goals of scheduling for credit-generating use of instructional facilities. Provisions for general use of university facilities and scheduling extracurricular uses of instructional facilities are included in policy 01.025 .

   Ohio university will operate its instructional facilities in accordance with specifications of sections 3313.76 and 3345.021 of the Revised Code. The university will manage scheduling of credit-generating activities in accordance with the 1992 board of trustees resolution on "Space Utilization and Management Principles" as well as Ohio department of higher education standards for instructional space utilization. The university will provide adequate and equitable access to classrooms for all credit activity.

2. Classifications of instructional space

   The university classifies instructional facilities according to Ohio department of higher education definitions for classrooms, class laboratories, and open laboratories.

   1. A classroomis a room used for instruction that is not restricted to a specific subject or discipline by equipment in the room or the configuration of the room. Such rooms include seminar, lecture, and general-purpose classrooms used primarily for non-laboratory instruction. Classrooms may be furnished with equipment appropriate to a specific area of study, but the presence of such equipment does not render the room unsuitable for use by other areas of study.

      For scheduling purposes a classroom is designated as centrally scheduled or priority scheduled.

   2. A class laboratoryis a room used primarily for formally or regularly scheduled classes that require special equipment or configurations designed to serve the needs of a specific discipline. These special arrangements normally limit or preclude use of the room by other disciplines. Scheduling of such laboratories generally is reported to the registrar and appears in the student information system and the schedule of classes.

   3. An open laboratoryis a laboratory used primarily for individual or group instruction that is informally scheduled, unscheduled, or open. The room is designed to serve the needs of a particular discipline or discipline group, and access may be limited to specific groups of students. The primary distinction between class laboratories and open laboratories is formality or regularity of class scheduling. Some formal scheduling may occur in an open lab, but most of the available time in such a facility is open for informally scheduled or unscheduled activity.

3. Scheduling procedures - Athens campus

   All classrooms and class laboratories should be scheduled in the university scheduling system using protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. This should include non-credit activities as well as credit-bearing classes. This is necessary to ensure accurate reporting of space utilization.

   1. Scheduling of priority classrooms

      1. Deans exercise priority scheduling authority over classrooms allocated to their colleges and are responsible for efficient utilization of classroom space according to Ohio department of higher education guidelines. The provost or provost's designee will provide annual space utilization reports to assist deans with classroom management.

      2. After the deans have approved the initial class schedules, open time in the classrooms will revert to the university registrar for central scheduling. See paragraph  (C)(2) of this policy for protocol.

      3. Classrooms may be reserved for non-credit bearing activities that are important to the academic mission after priority registration for the semester concludes (e.g., mid-November for spring semester). If a particular classroom is critical to the success of the activity, colleges should work with the provost's designee during the time that college exercises priority scheduling authority over classrooms to arrange a preliminary reservation of a classroom for the specific times of the activity. Every effort will be made to honor the preliminary reservation, but if the room is the only alternative for a credit-bearing class, then an alternative arrangement must be made for the non-credit bearing activity.

   2. Scheduling of central classrooms

      1. Unless otherwise approved by the provost, the office of the university registrar schedules classrooms with a capacity of ninety-nine seats or more. A few classrooms with capacities under ninety-nine also are allocated to the office of the university registrar. Allocations of new classrooms, reallocations of existing classrooms, or repurposing classrooms (i.e., reducing classroom size, taking classroom offline, or changing instructional space classification) are made at the discretion of the provost, i.e., by the provost or the provost's designee.

      2. Unless otherwise approved by the provost or the provost's designee, credit-generating classes have classroom scheduling priority over non-credit activities. Non-credit activities operating in direct support of scheduled classes or in support of enrollment activities have classroom scheduling priority over other non-credit activities and events. Non-credit activities may be scheduled after priority registration. Classrooms may be reserved for student organization activities just prior to the first day of the term.

      3. The registrar will schedule classes in close proximity to the home of the department or school when feasible. To request a central classroom with capacity ninety-nine or more, please follow the protocol provided by the office of the university registrar.

   3. Resolution of conflicting requests

      The registrar will resolve conflicting scheduling requests (e.g., multiple requests for the same space in the same time period) according to the following guidelines, which are listed in order from highest priority to lowest:

      1. A class that will use a minimum of eighty percent of the classroom capacity and also requires equipment or structural arrangements that are unique to the room in question;

      2. A class that will use a minimum of eighty percent of the classroom capacity and also requires specific time-space scheduling considerations to accommodate laboratory sections, discussion sections, or other courses likely to be taken by the same students;

      3. A class that will use a minimum of eighty percent of the classroom capacity, but that does not meet either of the additional criteria in paragraph  (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(b) of this policy;

      4. A class that does not meet any criteria in paragraph  (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(c) of this policy, but cannot be accommodated readily in another location;

      5. For conflicts between classes of equal priority under paragraph  (C)(3)(a) to (C)(3)(d) of this policy, attention will be paid to historical enrollment data and to alternating access between academic units.

   4. Class laboratory scheduling

      1. Class laboratories are presumptively subject to exclusive college, department, or school scheduling control and generally do not require approval from the provost for such control.

      2. The university expects efficient utilization of class laboratory space according to Ohio department of higher education guidelines. An ongoing pattern of underutilization may warrant reallocations at the provost's discretion.

   5. Open laboratory scheduling

      1. Open laboratories are operated under policies of their controlling colleges or other units. Access policies in open labs do not require prior approval from the provost, but the provost may mediate or intercede in such policies if warranted by institutional interests.

      2. There are no formal efficiency guidelines for utilization of open laboratories.

   6. Preparation and submission of schedules

      1. Departments and schools will submit class schedules in the scheduling system using the protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. Deans will review the schedules and make adjustments as necessary to achieve consistency in scheduling practices, best matches of enrollment demands to room capacities throughout the college, and utilization in accordance with Ohio department of higher education guidelines.

      2. Each college's semester class schedule (laboratories excluded) may include

         1. No more than sixty percent of its total classroom hours between nine-thirty a.m. and three p.m., Monday through Friday;

         2. No more than sixty percent of its total classroom hours offered on Monday, Wednesday, Friday; and

         3. No more than sixty percent of its total classroom hours offered on Tuesday, Thursday.

      3. These provisions do not include special problems, independent study, tutoring sessions, arranged classes, or classes meeting in rooms designated other than classroom (i.e., it includes classes meeting in rooms designated as classrooms only). The sixty percent check will be done after the deans have approved the initial class schedules and before the registrar schedules open time in the priority classrooms. College class schedules that exceed the sixty percent limit will be returned to the appropriate dean(s) for reconsideration. If, after reconsideration, a dean wishes to petition for exceptions to the standards, the dean may submit a written request for exceptions to the provost or the provost's designee.

   7. Class meeting times

      Standard class meeting times must be followed.

      1. The standard schedule for Monday, Wednesday, Friday goes from seven-thirty a.m. to five minutes after five p.m. 

      2. The standard schedule for Tuesday, Thursday goes from eight a.m. to four-fifty p.m.

      3. There are ten minutes between classes.

      4. Fifty-five-minute classes are scheduled Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

      5. Eighty-minute classes are scheduled Tuesday, Thursday.

      6. There are standard starting times for labs or other special types of instruction (excluded space) that meet one hundred ten minutes or longer, which are different than the standard starting times for classrooms. 

      7. Labs or other special types of instruction in class laboratories that meet less than one hundred ten minutes should follow the standard start times of fifty-five-minute classes if meeting Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, and the standard start times of eighty-minute classes on Tuesday or Thursday.

      8. Beginning at five minutes after three p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes may be fifty-five minutes, eighty minutes, one hundred ten minutes, or longer, but must begin at a standard start time (e.g., five minutes after three p.m., ten minutes after four p.m.).

      9. Beginning at three-thirty p.m. Tuesday, Thursday classes may be fifty-five minutes, eighty minutes, one hundred ten minutes, or longer but must begin at a standard start time (e.g., three-thirty p.m., five p.m.). 

      10. Beginning at five-fifteen p.m. classes meeting in classrooms with fewer than ninety-nine seats may follow any meeting pattern.

      11. For classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine seats or more, scheduling priority will be given to classes that begin at six p.m. or seven-thirty p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and five p.m., six-thirty p.m., or eight p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday. Classes meeting two or more nights per week will have scheduling priority over classes which meet only one night per week.

   8. Options for scheduling classrooms

      Scheduling options are based on the number of contact hours (not credit hours) per week of the class. One semester credit hour will be awarded for a minimum of seven hundred fifty minutes of formalized instruction that typically requires students to work at out-of-class assignments an average of twice the amount of time as the amount of formalized instruction (one thousand five hundred minutes). It is acknowledged that formalized instruction may take place in a variety of modes. One hour of credit shall be awarded for a total of one thousand five hundred minutes laboratory instructional time.

      1. Three contact hours (e.g., three credit hour class, four credit hour class including a lab) meeting in a classroom (as described in paragraph  (B)(1) of this policy).

         1. Three times fifty-five minutes (MWF)

         2. Two times eighty minutes (TTh)

         3. Two times eighty minutes (MW, MF, WF starting five minutes after three p.m. or after)

         4. One times one hundred sixty minutes (Monday, Wednesday, Friday starting five minutes after three p.m. or after; Tuesday, Thursday starting three-thirty p.m. or after)

      2. Two contact hours meeting in a classroom (e.g. three credit hour class including a lab)

         1. Two times fifty-five minutes (MW, MF, WF)

         2. One times one hundred ten minutes (Monday, Wednesday, Friday starting five minutes after three p.m. or after; Tuesday, Thursday starting three-thirty p.m. or after)

      3. One contact hour meeting in a classroom: one times fifty-five minutes (M, W, F)

      4. Four contact hours meeting in a classroom

         1. Two times one hundred ten minutes (MW, MF, WF starting five minutes after five p.m., or after; TTH starting three-thirty p.m. or after)

         2. Two times eighty minutes (TTh) plus one times fifty-five minutes (M,W,F)

         3. Two times eighty minutes (MW, MF, WF starting five minutes after three p.m. or after) plus one times fifty-five minutes (M,W,F)

         4. Three times fifty-five minutes (MWF) plus one times fifty-five minutes (TTh) (starting three-thirty p.m. or after)

         5. One times two hundred twenty minutes (M, W, F starting five minutes after three p.m. or after; T,Th starting three-thirty p.m. or after) 

   9. Options for scheduling non-classroom space

      1. Two hours

         1. May be scheduled any day of the week

         2. Monday, Wednesday, Friday must start at seven-thirty a.m., nine-forty a.m., eleven-fifty a.m., two p.m., five minutes after three p.m., five-fifteen p.m.

         3. Tuesday, Thursday must start at eight a.m., ten minutes after ten a.m., twelve-thirty p.m., two-thirty p.m., three-thirty p.m., five p.m.

      2. Three hours

         1. May be scheduled any day of week

         2. Monday, Wednesday, Friday must start at seven-thirty a.m., eleven-fifty a.m., five minutes after three p.m., six-fifteen p.m.

         3. Tuesday, Thursday must start at eight a.m., twelve-thirty p.m., three-thirty p.m., six-thirty p.m.

   10. Standard start and end times

       Monday, Wednesday, Friday

       Start

       End

       7:30 a.m.

       8:25 a.m.

       8:35 a.m.

       9:30 a.m.

       9:40 a.m.

       10:35 a.m.

       10:45 a.m.

       11:40 a.m.

       11:50 a.m.

       12:45 p.m.

       12:55 p.m.

       1:50 p.m.

       2:00 p.m.

       2:55 p.m.

       3:05 p.m.

       4:00 p.m.

       4:10 p.m.

       5:05 p.m.

       5:15 p.m.

       6:10 p.m.

       *   6:00 p.m.

       7:20 p.m.

       *   7:30 p.m.

       8:50 p.m.

       * Standard start-times for classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine or more seats.
   11. Tuesday, Thursday

       Start

       End

       8:00 a.m.

       9:20 a.m.

       9:30 a.m.

       10:50 a.m.

       11:00 a.m.

       12:20 p.m.

       12:30 p.m.

       1:50 p.m.

       2:00 p.m.

       3:20 p.m.

       3:30 p.m.

       4:50 p.m.

       *   5:00 p.m.

       6:20 p.m.

       *   6:30 p.m.

       7:50 p.m.

       *   8:00 p.m.

       9:20 p.m.

       * Standard start-times for classes meeting in classrooms with ninety-nine or more seats.

   12. Completion of schedules

       1. After the deans have approved the initial class schedules, the office of the university registrar will process the semester schedule in accordance with paragraph  (C)(1) of this policy, then place all remaining classroom space-time in the university-wide pool for additional classroom assignments as needed.

       2. Individual classes assigned by colleges to classrooms with less than sixty-seven percent seat utilization (i.e. enrollment limit is less than sixty-seven percent of classroom capacity) will be returned to the appropriate dean(s) for reconsideration if there is a demand for the classroom with a greater seat utilization and there is another classroom to accommodate the smaller class. The seat utilization test will take cross listings, dual listings, and multi-section scheduling into account.

4. Scheduling procedures – regional campuses

   All classrooms and class laboratories should be scheduled in the university scheduling system using protocol specified by the office of the university registrar. This should include non-credit activities as well as credit-bearing classes. This is necessary to ensure accurate reporting of space utilization.

   1. Class meeting times

      Standard class meeting times must be followed according to the chart in paragraph  (D)(2) of this policy. A non-three hour class may be scheduled by utilizing a standard start time. Evening classes must begin at five-thirty p.m. or seven p.m..

   2. Standard start and end times

      Monday, Wednesday and
      Tuesday, Thursday

      Start

      End

      8:00 a.m.

      9:20 a.m.

      9:30 a.m.

      10:50 a.m.

      11:00 a.m.

      12:20 p.m.

      12:30 p.m.

      1:50 p.m.

      2:00 p.m.

      3:20 p.m.

      3:30 p.m.

      4:50 p.m.

      5:30 p.m.
   3. Friday

      Start

      End

      8:00 a.m.

      10:50 a.m.

      11:00 a.m.

      1:50 p.m.

      2:00 p.m.

      4:50 p.m.

      5:30 p.m.

   4. Class meetings on Friday

      A minimum of twelve percent of course offerings must be scheduled on Fridays.

5. Implementation and monitoring

   1. The university registrar is responsible as the university's scheduling agent for general implementation of this policy.

   2. The deans, under oversight from the provost, are responsible for monitoring and enforcement of all provisions in this policy.

   3. Departments, schools, and regional campuses should follow the protocol provided by the office of the university registrar for updating the scheduling system to reflect all scheduling changes and ensure the appropriate dean's office has approved any changes.

   4. Changes to the class schedule after students have registered for the class will be permitted only under extraordinary circumstances. Departments, schools, and regional campuses should consult their dean’s office and the university registrar to modify a class schedule after students have enrolled.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. University Registrar

2. Educational Policy and Student Affairs Committee of Faculty Senate

3. All Academic and Regional Campus Deans

4. University Planner and Director of Space Management

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following form is specific to this policy:

   1. There are no forms that are specific to this policy. 

2. References

   The following item is relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 01.025 , "Use of Ohio University Facilities."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. August 22, 2016 (re-formatted)

   2. July 14, 2016 (re-formatted)

   3. August 3, 2012

   4. August 17, 1998

   5. June 30, 1996