E/5.1 Class timetabling policy

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5.1.1 Policy
5.1.2 Teaching times
5.1.3 Teaching space and room allocation
5.1.4 Travel between campuses
5.1.5 Equity considerations
5.1.6 Development and publication of class timetable
5.1.7 Responsibilities for class timetabling
5.1.8 Resolving timetable clashes
5.1.9 Timetable changes
5.1.10 Information to assist class timetabling process
Related Documents
Modification History

5.1.1 Policy

In developing its class and examination timetables, QUT aims to recognise the needs and interests of a range of stakeholders in a University that offers an extensive academic program, including double degrees, across a number of campuses. The University's class and examination timetables are prepared using a corporate timetabling system. The data required to create timetables are gathered, collated and prepared by faculties, schools and campus services offices on each campus.

The University will continue to use available technology to develop timetables and provide timetabling information to students and staff.

QUT's class timetabling policy incorporates the following principles.

• The timetable for the forthcoming academic period will be published at a time, and in a manner, that permits continuing students to be informed of the timetable when they enrol.
• Students enrolled in a standard program should expect over time to be able to attend classes in all core units which are offered in attendance mode and to have a reasonable selection of electives from which to choose.
• Changes to the timetable after publication will be kept to a minimum.
• Class sizes normally should not exceed the seating capacities of allocated rooms.
• Scheduling of classes should make efficient use of the University's teaching resources and facilities.

Specific policy information relating to examination timetabling is at section E/6.1 .

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5.1.2 Teaching times

The University is normally available for teaching from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 10pm on each campus. Where a course is offered in a full-time mode, classes may be scheduled at any time during these hours. Provided sufficient resources are available, however, classes may be confined to a core period covering Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 9pm.

Classes should be spread evenly over a full week and may be scheduled on weekends where necessary. Classes should be in multiples of 30 minute blocks that commence on the hour or the half hour. Classes should vacate a teaching space 10 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time for that class.

Class free period

Each campus maintains a class free period of at least one hour each week during a semester. Gardens Point Campus has an additional class free period between 1pm and 2pm on Friday. These periods are set aside for organised student activities. Formal class activities should not be scheduled during class free periods unless they are activities of a long duration that should not be interrupted.

Flexible scheduling

Classes in courses advertised as being available for part-time students should normally be scheduled such that there are sufficient classes at appropriate times for all students to complete the course at a normal progression rate.

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5.1.3 Teaching space and room allocation

The Campus Services section of Facilities Management has responsibility for all general teaching space in order to ensure efficient use of this resource through timetabling and room allocation (see section H/3.3.2 ).

All teaching space must be incorporated into the timetabling system. Teaching space identified as specialist space is reserved for use by classes conducted by the specialist school. Other schools wishing to use specialist space must make arrangements with the school that controls this space before they can be timetabled to use the space.

Room allocation is the responsibility of central timetabling staff in the Campus Services section. Conflicts will be resolved by negotiation between the parties concerned and, if required, mediated by the Timetabling Manager. Conflicts which cannot be resolved in this manner will be mediated by the Associate Director - Campus Services. If resolution is not achieved, a decision will be made by the Registrar.

Use of rooms for ad hoc purposes

Rooms that are not already in use in any teaching period may be booked for ad hoc purposes. Formal verification of room availability by the school administration officer, followed by an authorised booking through Campus Services, is essential in cases where staff or students wish to use a room that appears to be free.

Timetabled activities take precedence over ad hoc requirements. See H/6.2.2 for policy on catering arrangements in classrooms.

External hirers

The University's requirements for rooms and facilities take precedence over their use by external persons, groups or bodies. No adjustments to the academic timetable will be made to accommodate external use apart from those exceptional circumstances specifically approved by the Associate Director - Campus Services.

See section H/3.2.5 for policy on hire of facilities by external users.

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5.1.4 Travel between campuses

Students and staff may be required to attend more than one campus on the same day to attend lectures in core units. Where travel to attend lectures in core units is required, a minimum travel time should be provided as follows

• Between Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove - 1 hour
• Between Gardens Point and Carseldine - 2 hours
• Between Kelvin Grove and Carseldine -2 hours

Approaches that minimise the need for students to travel between campuses include scheduling classes on the appropriate campus (ie taking the class to the students rather than bringing students to the class) and avoiding split lectures (ie conducting a single two-hour lecture on one day rather than two one-hour lectures on different days).

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5.1.5 Equity considerations

Consistent with University policies on equal opportunity and diversity ( A/8.4 , A/8.6 , A/8.7 and A/8.8 ), and various anti-discrimination laws, QUT's timetabling procedures make reasonable accommodations for staff and students by taking into account family responsibilities, religious obligations, and disabilities.

Students and staff seeking accommodations should provide information and requests in advance of the timetable being developed. Requests from:

• students related to disabilities are made to the Disability Officers
• staff related to disabilities are made to the relevant unit or course coordinator
• staff and students related to religious obligations are made to the Equity Coordinator's office
• staff and students related to family responsibilities are made to the relevant unit or course coordinator.

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5.1.6 Development and publication of class timetable

Draft timetable

A draft timetable is prepared for staff to review during Week 8 of the semester preceding that in which it will be implemented. The draft timetable enables faculties and schools to ensure that provision has been made for all teaching activities and to identify any clashes within standard programs.

Publication of timetable

The University class timetable is published as follows

• Semester 1 timetable - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 2)
• Semester 2 timetable - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 1)
• Summer Program - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 2) (to correspond with the beginning of Summer Program enrolment)

Official class timetables are published and updated daily on the QUT Home Page and QUT Virtual.

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5.1.7 Responsibilities for class timetabling

Timetabling Manager

The Timetabling Manager coordinates University timetabling and is responsible for:

• managing timetabling and associated business processes across the University
• maintaining and developing the corporate timetabling system, including training and support for system users
• preparing and distributing timelines for data preparation
• ensuring that all QUT teaching space is used efficiently.

Campus Services

Campus Services coordinates timetabling activities and is responsible for:

• room allocation (including ad hoc room bookings and external room bookings)
• implementing approved timetable changes.

Faculties/schools

Each faculty/school is responsible for:

• collecting and entering its data into the corporate timetabling system
• coordinating timetabling activities for double degrees in alternate years
• checking draft timetables in collaboration with partner schools.

Teaching staff should have a spread of classes that normally avoids patterns of:

• late evening classes immediately followed by early morning classes,
• early morning classes and late evening classes on the same day, and
• consecutive late evening classes or early morning classes.

Course coordinators, study area coordinators, program coordinators and unit coordinators

Course coordinators are responsible for:

• ensuring accurate data are provided when the timetable is being prepared
• making timely adjustments to the draft timetable, including changes arising from staff or student requests for reasonable adjustments
• making timely adjustments to the published timetable if necessary.

Study area, program and unit coordinators assist course coordinators in resolving operational matters, including timetabling matters - see section B/3.5 .

Academic staff

Academic staff are responsible for checking individual teaching timetables and advising course, subject area, or unit coordinators of any problems.

Students

Students should check the published timetable and advise their unit, subject area, or course coordinator of concerns relating to issues such as clashes between core units, unreasonable travel between campuses to attend core classes, and adjustments required arising from family responsibilities, religious obligations, or disabilities.

Note that Disability Officers should arrange room adjustments in advance, following interviews with students early in the year.

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5.1.8 Resolving timetable clashes

In resolving timetable clashes, the following principles will be applied.

• Teaching activities have precedence over non-teaching activities
• Larger classes have precedence over smaller classes
• First year units have precedence over later year units
• Activities that occupy large blocks of time have precedence over those that occupy small blocks of time
• Full-semester classes take precedence over other activities
• Activities with more teaching weeks have precedence over activities with fewer teaching weeks
• Specialist teaching space shall be used for its designated purpose
• Activities requiring specialised teaching facilities (eg media equipped lecture theatres) in rooms so equipped have precedence over those requiring standard facilities
• Access for students with disabilities takes precedence over other considerations, unless this causes unjustifiable hardship.

During the draft timetable period, and after the timetable has been published, a faculty/school which initiates a change is responsible for avoiding clashes.

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5.1.9 Timetable changes

Changes to the published timetable will be kept to a minimum. Academic managers are responsible for ensuring that changes are made only for valid reasons such as:

• unexpected staff turnover
• unexpected surge / decline in student numbers enrolled
• a location is a health or safety hazard
• a unit is no longer deemed viable (see section C/7.1 )
• reasonable adjustments to accommodate students with special needs.

The change procedure to be followed is provided on the Facilities Management web site. Campus Services maintains a record of all changes.

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5.1.10 Information to assist class timetabling process

Course offerings

The timeline for the publication of the timetable requires faculties to finalise their course offerings for the forthcoming academic period by Week 6 of the previous period.

Course and unit viability

See section C/7.1 for policy on course and unit viability.

Unit outlines

For all units offered in the forthcoming academic period, faculties publish unit outlines on QUT Virtual prior to the date of publication of the timetable.

Double degree programs

In even years, preparation of timetable data for double degree programs is coordinated by the school or faculty whose degree is listed first in the award title, in consultation with the partner school. In odd years, the school or faculty whose degree is listed second is responsible for coordinating the timetable data.

Cross-faculty teaching

Service provider schools and service recipient schools should liaise with each other to ensure that the need for students to travel between campuses is minimised.

Faculties/schools that provide service units are required to liaise with their partner faculty/school before making timetable changes.

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Related Documents

MOPP E/2.2 QUT Student Charter


MOPP E/6.1 Administration and timetabling of examinations

QUT Handbook

Equity Section web page ( http://www.equity.qut.edu.au/publications/ )

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Modification History

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