Instructors seeking more information regarding the methods, processes, and policies around timetabling at the university on this page. For ease of convenience, instructors may simply click on the subject-area of timetabling they are most interested in for more information.
- Principles of Timetabling
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Definition:
A coordination of people, courses and physical space, within a defined period of time.
Principles:
An effective timetable involves adherence to the designated time scheme, meaning that:
a) All courses held within the time period covered by the slot system should conform to the slot system.
b) Instructors should honour the approved slot system by timely commencement and termination of classes.
c) All slots are considered equally in the timetabling process.
1. People
a. Instructor
Definition:
All those individuals that are instructors of record for a course.
Principles:
The timetable must not conflict with an instructor’s other teaching assignments.
- Instructor requests relating to Carleton Human Rights Policy and Procedures will be accommodated up to the point of undue hardship to the University (Level 1). Please refer any questions regarding Accommodation obligations to Equity Services.
- Instructors with disabilities shall be accommodated in timetable matters up to the point of undue hardship for the University.
- All timetabling arrangements for Instructors must conform to the terms of the applicable collective agreement.
- To the extent to which it is possible and with the appropriate approvals, the pedagogical needs of a course, and the individual special circumstances of the instructor, should determine the type of time slot used or assigned. (see Academic Timetable Responsibilities – Chairs & Directors)
b. Students
Definition:
Individuals enrolled in a course for credit, part-time or full-time.
Principles:
- The timetable should optimize space utilization so that we maximize the space available in courses to meet student demand.
- Students requiring special accommodations should be referred to the Paul Menton Centre at http://www.carleton.ca/pmc/
- To the extent to which it is possible, the timetable should facilitate the widest range of program selections within each Faculty
- The timetable will provide a designated amount of time to move between classes.
c. Teaching Assistant
Definition:
All those individuals that are assigned as Teaching Assistants to a course.
Principles:
- To the extent to which it is possible, the timetable should provide the ability for Teaching Assistants to attend the undergraduate courses they are assigned to. In order to achieve this goal, selected graduate courses in which Teaching Assistants are likely to be enrolled in, should be scheduled conflict free with the undergraduate courses.
2. Course Selections:
Individual course sections
Core
The timetable should avoid conflicts among required courses necessary for the completion of a specific year level of a program of study at Carleton University. The principle is of paramount importance and should supersede the attempt to avoid conflicts among elective courses.
Elective
Whenever possible, the timetable should facilitate the availability of the widest range of elective courses for students. It is understood, however, that the number of elective possibilities offered in any year makes this difficult to achieve.
3. Physical Space
- To the extent to which it is possible, the inventory of physical space (i.e., class and lab space) and the classroom assignment process should meet pedagogical and health and safety needs of the course.
4. Academic Units
- Academic Units are permitted to designate up to 3 consecutive hours, in accordance with approved University timeslot patterns, for collective non teaching purposes (i.e. departmental meetings)
* Chairs/Director meetings are exempt from this policy
- Basic Rules of Timetabling
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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
- 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.
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)
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.
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
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The MyDesktop service, also known as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), provides an alternative to physical computer labs, for courses which require students have access to course-specific software during course lectures. It allows students access to applications without needing them to be installed on their own laptop or tablet.
In order to use this service the professor must email the request to Scheduling & Examination Services at timetable@carleton.ca, and students must install a client application on their device. For more information on VDI please refer here.
- Special Timetabling Arrangements
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If you require a special timetabling arrangement (ex. you are unable to teach at a certain time), please contact your departmental administrator. Your request will be reviewed by the Chair and assigned a category:
- Category 1 (Legislative Requirements): Carleton Human Rights Policy
- Category 2 (Reported Circumstances): A medical condition not covered by Category 1, Family/personal issues of a serious nature, other official academic responsibilities
- Category 3 (May Accommodate): Category 3 requests will be considered and will be accommodated if possible
IMPORTANT NOTES: - Levels of prioritization must be assigned by the Academic Chair.
- The STA summary report signed by the Academic Chair must be submitted to the SES department by February 1st 2016.
- AM/PM Preference is not requested on an STA form. Requests must be submitted by the Instructor to the departmental Timetable Coordinator. AM/PM Preference requests will be accommodated by the system, if possible.
Category 1 (Legislative Requirements) Category 2 (Reported Circumstances) Category 3 (May Accommodate) Carleton Human Rights Policy A medical condition not covered by Category 1Family/personal issues of a serious nature. Other official academic responsibilities. Category 3 requests will be considered and will be accommodated if possible REQUEST TYPE
REQUEST DETAILS
FORM
APPROVAL CATEGORY
MEDICAL Blind instructor has access to a reader at certain times (please note specific times on STA form) STA
1
MEDICAL Instructor in wheelchair has access to attendant services at certain times
(please note specific times on STA form)STA
1
MEDICAL Heart condition – ability to teach restricted to certain times
(please note specific details on STA form, for example 1 class per day, or no back to back classes)STA
2
MEDICAL Severe Arthritis – ability to teach restricted to certain times
(please note specific details on STA form, for example 1 class per day, or no back to back classes)STA
2
MEDICAL Reduced teaching due to medical condition – ability to teach restricted to certain times
(please note specific details on STA form, for example 1 class per day, or no back to back classes)STA
2
ACADEMIC Request for modification to schedule to accommodate academic related work such as committee meetings which have set schedule. (please note details on STA form, for example cannot teach Thursday afternoon between 1pm – 3pm) STA
2
ACADEMIC Must travel to Toronto on Fridays in order to attend to approved academic related work (please note details on STA form, for example cannot teach Friday due to academic related travel). STA
2 or 3
OTHER Child care, partner care and elder care where there is a medical condition– denial of request would result in considerable difficulties/hardship if not accommodated due to extenuating circumstances(please note details on STA form, for example cannot teach after 4pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays) STA
2
OTHER Child care, partner care and elder care where there are logistical issues– denial of request would result in considerable difficulties/hardship if not accommodated due to extenuating circumstances(please note details on STA form, for example cannot teach after 4pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays) STA
3
OTHER Child care: single parent, recently divorced – denial of request would result in considerable difficulties/hardship if not accommodated due to extenuating circumstances (please note details on STA form, for example cannot teach after 4pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays) STA
3
OTHER Child care, partner care and elder care – request is of a preferential or convenient nature AM/PM
Not Approved as STA
should be AM/PM PreferenceOTHER Commuter related request – request is of a preferential or convenient nature AM/PM
Not Approved as STA
should be AM/PM PreferenceOTHER Ability to be able to request days off to match partners e.g. Fridays for long weekend. NONE
Not Approved as STA
OTHER Full-time faculty member has other employment NONE
Not Approved as STA
OTHER Request for blocking of days or partial days for research NONE
Not Approved as STA
- Acceptable Changes to Timeslots
It is understood that it is the department’s responsibility when submitting requests for changes to the timetable that the effects of changing the requested time slot does not affect the ability of the student to access the course and does not create other conflicts or issues.This process applies to all requests for time slot changes received two weeks prior to registration as per the categorization defined below. After this date, once registration has begun, time slot changes will only be granted in extenuating circumstances and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Category Codes:
1 = Affects ability to offer the course
2 = Limits the ideal academic environment to deliver the course
3 = Preference with justification
NA = Not acceptableReason for Change 1, 2, 3 or NA 1. Class conflicts with required courses (departmental request) 1 2. Newly assigned instructor* has Level 1 category of special arrangement request 1 3. Newly assigned contract instructor* has Level 1 category of special arrangement request 1 4. Newly assigned instructor* has Level 2 category of special arrangement request 2 5. Newly assigned instructor* has Level 3 category of special arrangement request 3 6. New section or course added 1 7. Instructor has new Level 1 category** of special arrangements request 1 8. Instructor has new Level 2 category** of special arrangements request 2 9. Instructor has new Level 3 category** of special arrangements request NA 10. Instructor prefers another timeslot NA 11. Course constraints requested in original data submission, not fulfilled 2 *New Special Arrangement Requests (Category 1, 2 & 3) applies to newly assigned instructors only.
**New Circumstances that have arisen since the original submission date apply to Category 1 & 2 Special Arrangement Requests only (Category 3 requests for any new circumstances cannot be reviewed until the next cycle of the timetable).
NOTE: All Category 1 Special Accommodation requests that were originally submitted before the schedule was created will have been implemented and any Category 2 and 3 Special Arrangement requests that were submitted, and where it was not possible to accommodate, will not be reviewed a second time.
- Acceptable Changes to Rooms
For a list of acceptable reasons to change the scheduled course classroom, please refer to our table here.
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