E/5.1 Class timetabling, allocation and registration policy

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

5.1.1 Policy principles

As a University which offers an extensive and flexible academic program across a number of campuses, QUT aims to recognise the needs and interests of a wide range of stakeholders in developing its class and examination timetables.

QUT's class timetabling, allocation and registration policy incorporates the following principles.

• The University’s corporate timetabling and class allocation systems must be used for the scheduling of all teaching activities.
• The timetable aims to provide for the fair, reasonable and inclusive treatment of both students and staff.
• The timetable for the forthcoming academic period will be published at a time, and in a manner, that provides students with the necessary information to plan and finalise their enrolment.
• Students should expect to complete the standard study program within the specified time and to have reasonable choice of electives or optional units where this is permitted in their course structure.
• Changes to the timetable after publication must be kept to a minimum.
• Scheduling of teaching activities will make efficient and practical use of the University's teaching resources and facilities, and may occur across the University’s nominated teaching times and at any campus.

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5.1.2 Responsibilities for class timetabling, allocation and registration

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.

Student Business Services

Student Business Services is responsible for the overall management of the corporate class allocation and registration system.

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.

Executive deans and heads of school

Executive deans and heads of school are responsible for approving any necessary changes to the published timetable (see E/5.1.8 for further information).

Heads of school are also required to approve the school’s draft timetable prior to publication.

Faculties / schools / QUTIC

Faculties, schools and QUTIC are responsible for managing, maintaining and monitoring the operation of the corporate class allocation and registration system as it applies to their individual units and students, including:

• collecting and entering data into the corporate timetabling and class allocation and registration systems within the specified timeframes
• coordinating timetabling activities for double degrees in consultation with the partner school or faculty  
• checking draft timetables in collaboration with partner schools/faculties.

Course coordinators, subject area 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
• advising timetabling staff of surplus classes by Week 3 of the relevant teaching period.

Subject area coordinators and unit coordinators assist course coordinators in resolving operational matters, including timetabling matters (see 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 class allocation and  discuss with their unit, subject area, or course coordinator  any concerns relating to issues such as clashes between core units, unreasonable travel between campuses to attend core classes, and  reasonable requests arising from family responsibilities, religious obligations, or disabilities.

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

Where required, students must also ensure that they are properly registered for classes.

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5.1.3 Travel between campuses

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

• between Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove - 1 hour
• between Gardens Point and Caboolture - 2 hours
• between Kelvin Grove and Caboolture -  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).

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.

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5.1.4 Equity considerations

Consistent with University policies on equal opportunity and diversity (see A/8), and various anti-discrimination laws, QUT's timetabling, class allocation and registration procedures aim to make reasonable accommodations for staff and students with family responsibilities, religious obligations, or disabilities.

Students and staff seeking such accommodations should provide information and requests in advance of the timetable being developed. Staff require prior approval from their head of school or manager before submitting such requests. 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 Director's office
• staff and students related to family responsibilities are made to the relevant unit or course coordinator, or faculty/school responsible for timetabling the unit/s.

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5.1.5 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. The head of school is required to approve the school’s draft timetable prior to publication.

The Timetabling Officer should be consulted where the timetabling needs of a faculty or school differ from standard.

Publication of timetable

The University class timetable is published as follows:

• Semester 1 and associated teaching periods timetable - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 2)
• Semester 2 and associated teaching periods timetable - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 1)
• Summer Program and associated teaching periods - 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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5.1.6 Opening of class allocation and registration

Class allocation and registration is opened to students as follows (subject to negotiation):

• Semester 1 and associated teaching periods – Week 7 of preceding semester (Summer Program)
• Semester 2 and associated teaching periods – Week 13 of preceding semester (Semester 1)
• Summer Program and associated teaching periods – Week 13 of preceding semester (Semester 2)

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5.1.7 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.

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5.1.8 Timetable changes

Changes to the published timetable must be kept to a minimum to avoid any adverse impact on students.

Changes proposed after the timetable is published but prior to the opening of classes for registration must be approved by the relevant head of school. Changes proposed after the opening of classes for registration must be approved by the relevant executive dean (see Facilities Management website for further information).  Executive deans and heads of school are responsible for ensuring that changes are made only for valid reasons such as:

• unexpected staff turnover
• availability of sessional academic staff
• unexpected surge / decline in student numbers enrolled
• a location is a health or safety hazard
• a unit is no longer deemed viable
• reasonable adjustments to accommodate students with special needs.

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

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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5.1.9 Teaching times

The University’s normal teaching times are from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 10pm on each campus. 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, or resource constraints necessitate their allocation at these times.

Flexible scheduling

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

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5.1.10 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 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.

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

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Related Documents

MOPP E/2.1 QUT Student Charter

MOPP E/6.1 Administration and timetabling of examinations

QUT Handbook

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

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Modification History

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