Basic Rules of Timetabling

Rules to apply in the scheduling process of an annual coordinated University timetable.

1. Courses

The following general parameters will be used to schedule courses:

• Courses will be booked in the normal teaching week, 8:30am to 10:00pm, Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 5:30pm on Friday.
• Evening courses should be scheduled in a slot between 5:30pm and 10:00pm.
• Courses offered outside the normal teaching week or slot system cannot be scheduled using scheduling software and therefore, require specific times to be entered into the scheduling software. (This process is referred to as forced scheduling.)  Requests for forced scheduling will be considered on a limited basis and must be requested by the Chair or Director, giving clearly articulated reasons for the request, to the university Timetable Committee for review.  Only approved requests will be processed by the University Registrar’s Office.
• The scheduling process will attempt to optimize the use of academic teaching space using the course size and requirements, the room capacity and features, and preferred teaching space.
• Priority will be given to avoiding timetable conflicts between required, supporting or elective courses as identified by units from among their own offerings, as well as those identified by cross-unit consultations.
• The timetable should provide a minimum designated amount of time for movement of students between classes.

2. Instructors

The following general parameters will be used to schedule instructors when no other program or course requirements are established.  These parameters may be changed at the request of the instructor and with approval of the Chair or Director (Special Timetabling Arrangements Form is available with the Chair/Director)

• Requests relating to Carleton Human Rights Policy and Procedures will be accommodated up to the point of undue hardship to the University (High).  Please refer any questions regarding Accommodation obligations to Equity Services, http://carleton.ca/equity/index.htm
• To the extent to which it is possible, a minimum of (12) twelve hours shall elapse between the completion of teaching one day and the commencement of teaching the next day.
• Normally, no block of teaching shall exceed (3) three hours
• Normally, teaching should not exceed six (6) hours in any day
• Normally, time elapsed from the beginning of the first teaching commitment to the end of the last teaching commitment on campus should not exceed nine (9) hours in any day
• All reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate the requests of instructors, as approved by the Academic Timetabler, concerning the scheduling of teaching based on category 1 or 2 priority requests.
  *please refer to Academic Timetable Responsibilities Chairs/Directors document.
•  Where possible, an instructor’s preference concerning the scheduling of teaching will be accommodated.  Unit heads must approve and communicate this information to the URO where required and appropriate (category 3 requests).
  *please refer to Academic Timetable Responsibilities Chairs/Directors document.
• The number of Special Arrangements Requests will be kept to a minimum.
• Back to back classes are scheduled.

3. Students

• Normally, time elapsed from the beginning of the first class to the end of the last class should not exceed (9) nine hours in any day.
• Where possible, students will be provided with a 30 minute break between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm for lunch.
• The timetable shall facilitate the widest range of course selections.  For a conflict-free schedule, students are expected to request courses that are consistent with their degree program requirements.

4. Other

Administrative and Academic Meeting Times

• Units may request a period of time, in accordance with the slot system to a maximum of three hours and preferably outside the middle time band, in which no courses from that unit may be scheduled to allow for administrative and academic meetings, or special activities.  (In the case of administrative meetings, the time may be moved to enable the scheduling of courses and departments will be informed accordingly)

Fire Regulations, Enrolment and Room Capacity

• If a room is requested for a course that has a higher maximum enrolment than the seating capacity of the requested room, after consultation with the unit, the maximum enrolment will be changed to match the room capacity.

Enrolment Change Requests

• Once the final timetable has been published, should a unit wish to allow more students to register in a course section over and above the existing enrolment maximum and assigned room capacity, units must first request and receive from the University Registrar’s Office a new room assignment.  This process must occur before the maximum enrolment of the course is increased and before additional students are allowed to register.
  NOTE: all requests to change a timetable, a room, or instructor constraints must adhere to the “Acceptable Changes to Timetable” policy, “Acceptable Changes to Rooms” policy and the “Special Timetable Arrangement Form” process.

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