The Class Schedule Office relies on the input of different sources to achieve the most optimal use of rooms and fairly distribution of courses
This process requires the following roles:
Provost
- Stewards all instructional space at McGill.
- Is responsible for all decisions regarding the use of space on the two campuses, including rendering decisions regarding proposed changes to the use of space.
- Considers advice from, and is responsible for, the Teaching and Learning Spaces Working Group.
- Ensures students’ needs and student-centeredness are considered in allocating instructional space at McGill.
Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning)
- Arbitrates significant disputes regarding the use of space at McGill.
- Stewards the Class Scheduling Parameters.
- Ensures students’ needs and student-centeredness are considered in allocating instructional space at McGill.
Deans
- Are responsible, in collaboration with directors, chairs, and the University Registrar, for ensuring that all instructional space is included in the central database (Banner and Timetabler);
- Designate responsibility for the oversight of scheduling coordination within each Faculty, normally to the Chairs/Directors of academic units, but possibly to an Associate Dean.
Chairs, Directors, and Deans of Faculties without Departments
- Ensure, in collaboration with Deans and the University Registrar, that all instructional space: is included in the central database (Banner and Timetabler); is used efficiently through the promotion and adoption of the University’s Class Scheduling Parameters.
- Assign teaching responsibilities to instructors, taking into account their other academic duties, such as research.
- Review and render decisions regarding requests for limitations on teaching availability from instructors and for programs (course combinations and other pedagogical requirements), ensuring the decisions are consistent with the Class Scheduling Parameters and are submitted to Enrolment Services by the specified deadline.
- Assign scheduling coordination responsibilities within the academic unit.
- Encourage and provide time for the instructor to attend training and process streamlining sessions with Enrolment Services.
- Provides the instructor with timely access to approved instructor availability forms.
- Liaise with Enrolment Services to problem solve as the need arises.
- Hire course sessional instructors in a way that optimizes their availability across a 45-hour week.
Instructors
- Identify, and communicate to their chair/director/dean, by the deadline, technology and classroom configuration requirements for their courses as well as serious constraints that may limit their availability for teaching according to the Class Scheduling Parameters.
- Work closely with chairs/directors and scheduling coordinators in their academic units to resolve any problems or conflicts that arise.
- Ensure that classes start and end at their formally scheduled time.
- Report any changes in class locations to their department.
- Students are responsible for choosing a schedule that reflects the academic requirements of their program.
- The person responsible for schedule coordination in the department collaborates with chairs, directors, and deans of faculties without departments, and Enrolment Services to record all instructional space in the central database (Banner and Timetabler); use space efficiently through the promotion and adoption of the University’s Class Scheduling parameters.
- Discusses and resolves, in consultation with Enrolment Services, problems that arise around scheduling.
- Maintains accurate room locations for classes within Banner.
- Consults with the academic advisers in their units regarding course conflicts and sequences.
- Validates class schedule drafts, especially concerning the details of the academic program and whether the schedule works for students.
- Problem solves, in collaboration with Enrolment Services, to resolve any conflicts, disputes, errors, or other challenges that emerge during the scheduling process.
- Informs Enrolment Services by appropriate deadlines of any changes that arise that will affect the class schedule.
- Attends training regularly.
- Streamlines and enhances practices as new tools and technology become available.
Enrolment Services
- Stewards the class scheduling technology.
- Coordinates the collections of scheduling requests and requirements for courses, programs and instructors.
- Creates the official class schedule and allocates instructional space for each class.
- Stewards and manages the scheduling software, including identifying enhancements and collaborating with IT to implement new technology.
- Provides annual reports to monitor the distribution of classes.
- Provides training and documentation to the community of scheduling coordinators in the academic units.