Content
Academic Timetable - Managerial Policy
Responsible Officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Designated Officer: Director, Facilities Management
Approval authority: Vice-Chancellor and President
Approval date: 18 May 2011
Last amended:
Effective starting date: 19 May 2011
Any policies replaced by this policy: N/A
Related Policies:
Due date for next review: 19 May 2014
Part A: Preliminary
1. Purpose
This policy is intended to achieve coordinated and consistent timetabling practices at the University of the Sunshine Coast which will facilitate the timely production of class timetables that are equitable, take into account the needs of both students and academic staff and maximise the efficient use of University space and resources.
2. Application
This policy applies to the timetabling of all teaching activities at the University and, therefore, to all students enrolled in those activities and staff who teach those activities.
3. Definitions
In this policy the following definitions apply:
Class means a lecture, tutorial, workshop, computer laboratory, laboratory session, field trip, practicum and other contexts in which face-to-face teaching occurs.
Course means a unit of study towards a qualification and is identified by a course code and description.
Draft timetable refers to the working document generated via PeopleSoft and released by CPO to the Faculties at the commencement of, and at various times throughout, the timetable development process.
Published timetable refers to the final versions of each study period’s timetables, signed off by the Executive Dean of each Faculty, and published to the University of the Sunshine Coast website.
Resources refers to all University of the Sunshine Coast teaching spaces and the equipment therein.
Sign off means the Executive Dean of each Faculty has authorised the publication of the timetable for a particular study period.
Study period refers to the period of time in which each semester and associated sessions are scheduled.
Teaching staff means the academic staff with teaching responsibilities.
Part B: Policy
4. Principles
4.1 Each Study Period’s timetables will be developed in accordance with overriding principles of support for student learning and achieving optimal utilisation of the University’s resources.
4.2 Priority is given to the timetabling of first year courses in recognition of the importance of the first year of study for successful engagement of students.
4.3 The timetable will be developed and published by Facilities Management using relevant software packages.
4.4 The timetable will be developed by Facilities Management in consultation with the Faculties.
4.5 Each Course Coordinator will be given the opportunity to request changes to the draft timetable during the development process.
4.6 The timetables for the forthcoming Study Period will be published to the USC website by Week 8 of the previous semester, which permits all students to be informed of the timetable prior to the opening of the enrolment session.
4.7 Teaching staff should be engaged having regard to the scheduling of the classes for which they are appointed. Only in exceptional circumstances, authorised by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor will scheduling be changed in light of teaching staff availability once the timetable has been published.
4.8 Changes to the timetable after publication will only be made in exceptional circumstances.
4.9 Class sizes will not exceed the capacity of the allocated room, as identified by Facilities Management and according to the Building Code of Australia 1996.
4.10 Each Faculty has a weekly lecture-free period of two hours to be used for staff development, staff meetings, research seminars and other Faculty-specific purposes.
4.11 The development of the timetable will take into account the efficient and effective use of physical resources and their availability.
4.12 Requests for bookings of teaching space for activities that are not included in the timetable will not normally be considered until after the timetable is published.
5. Teaching Times
5.1 Semester and Session dates will be set as per the Academic Calendar.
5.2 Classes will be scheduled between 8am and 9pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays, except where the Executive Dean determines that required classes may be timetabled outside of these hours.
5.3 Classes are to commence on the hour and be completed at 10 minutes to the hour to allow for set-up of the next teaching session.
6. Teaching Space
6.1 All teaching space, including specialist teaching space owned or leased by the University, is to be incorporated into the timetabling system.
6.2 Facilities Management will be responsible for the efficient utilisation of the University’s teaching space through timetabling and room allocation.
7. Room Allocation
7.1 The allocation of rooms will be the responsibility of the Facilities Management timetabling staff.
7.2 Any conflict will be resolved by negotiation between the parties concerned and in consultation with the Coordinator, Timetabling and Space Allocation Unit.
7.3 Conflicts which cannot be resolved in this manner will be resolved between the Coordinator, Timetabling and Space Allocation Unit, and the relevant Faculty officer and will be mediated by the Pro Vice Chancellor (Corporate Services).
END