Scheduling Resources

Academic Services

The Academic Services unit within the Office of the University Registrar manages the production and publication of the Schedule of Classes, facilitates room assignments and reservation of academic space on behalf of Academic Affairs, and ensures course scheduling meets University and systemwide data requirements.

Academic Departments and Colleges

Academic departments and colleges are responsible for developing course schedules aligned with enrollment demand and producing them in accordance with course scheduling dates and deadlines and data entry requirements.

Each department is responsible for designating a department scheduler to complete course scheduling activities and coordinate with the college on the department's behalf. Each college is responsible for designating a college scheduler to coordinate course scheduling activities across the departments and to coordinate with Academic Services on the college’s behalf.

Office of Planning and Budget

The Office of Planning and Budget provides room utilization and enrollment analyses to assist associate deans in each college in the development and refinement of their course schedule for each academic term.

Scheduling Working Group

This advisory group was formed in 2017 and is chaired by the Vice Provost for Planning and Budget. The group consists of department chairs, associate deans, schedulers, and facilities staff who make recommendations to improve course scheduling tools and practices.

The Scheduling Toolkit is designed to gather relevant information and resources for department chairs to help build their course schedules. Inquiries regarding the toolkit should be directed to the Office of Planning and Budget.

Cal State LA complies with standards for awarding credit as defined in Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 600.2 and 600.4. See University Catalog Procedures and Regulations Credit Hour policy for additional information.

Standard Time Modules

Courses must adhere to standard time modules. See the Office of Planning and Budget Enrollment Planning Resources for additional information.

Courses that are not scheduled adhering to standard time modules are considered “off grid”. See Off Grid Courses for additional information.

Hybrid Courses

Hybrid courses blend in person instruction with more than 25% and less than 100% online instruction and are an increasingly popular format. To promote the most efficient use of academic space, the format endorsed by the University involves scheduling two Hybrid course sections that share a standard time module and room, e.g.:

Other formats do not increase space utilization if they do not enable complementary course sections to share a single standard time module and room. To share a room, courses should have similar enrollment limits and equipment needs.

Combined Sections

Two or more course sections that are taught as a single class (i.e., with the same instructor(s), on the same day(s) and times, at the same location) must be combined. Combined sections may be within the same subject area and may be equivalent (i.e., “cross listed”) although neither is required.

Combined sections require associate dean approval and must be coordinated with Academic Services during the Section Build phase of schedule production via SMF.

Shadow Sections

To allow all departments to schedule courses students need, departments are discouraged from overscheduling sections when demand is unclear. Course sections that are scheduled but which remain closed in anticipation of increased enrollment demand are considered “shadow” sections and may not hold room assignments.

Off Grid Courses

Courses that are not scheduled adhering to standard time modules are considered “off grid” and require prior approval to do so. See Off Grid Course Resources on the Office of Planning and Budget Enrollment Planning Resources website for additional information.

Unapproved off grid courses scheduled during semesters (i.e., Fall, Spring) may be excluded from optimization and suppressed from the published Schedule of Classes and enrollment.

Inquiries regarding off grid course scheduling should be directed to offgrid@calstatela.edu.

Changing Class Meetings

Class meetings are finalized during schedule production.

Once the Schedule of Classes is published, a class meeting may only be changed to correct University error. Requests for change require associate dean approval, must be coordinated with Academic Services via SMF, and will be subject to room availability. If enrollment is present, the course section will be cancelled, enrollment dropped, and a new course section with the correct class meeting will be scheduled. The department and college are responsible for communicating with the affected students and instructors.

See Late Changes for additional information.

Pre-Optimization

During the Section Build phase of schedule production, rooms categorized as Prioritized or Restricted may be assigned to sections directly in GET.

Optimization

Information regarding optimization in CollegeNET 25Live will be published soon.

Post-Optimization

During the Department Review phase of schedule production, any rooms that remain available following the Optimization phase may be assigned directly in GET.

Enrollment and Room Capacity

Enrollment limits reflect the total number of students expected to enroll and are finalized during schedule production.

Setting enrollment limits to facilitate preferred room assignments or to control status of the course section (i.e., whether it is open or closed) is not permitted.

Room capacities may not be exceeded. See Classrooms policy in Faculty Handbook Chapter V: Instructional Policies for additional information.

Course sections with enrollment or enrollment limits that exceed capacity of the assigned room may be suppressed from the published Schedule of Classes and enrollment and subject to adjustment based on room availability.

Note that room capacities are set by state standards based on assignable square footage and under the oversight of the state fire marshal. The standard furniture in the room conforms to that capacity; tables and chairs moved in or out of a classroom by students or employees do not affect the official capacity of the room.

Changing Room Assignments

Room assignments are finalized during schedule production.

Once the Schedule of Classes is published, a room assignment may only be changed to correct University error or accommodate a change in enrollment demand. Requests for change require associate dean approval, must be coordinated with Academic Services via SMF, and will be subject to room availability. The department and college are responsible for communicating with the affected students and instructors.

See Late Changes for additional information.

Room Accessibility

Instructors should notify their department scheduler as soon as possible if access to or within the room is determined to be an obstacle as indicated in the Notification of Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Requests for reasonable accommodation should be addressed to the Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the campus office assigned with responsibility for ADA compliance, and the Office for Students with Disabilities if the accommodation concerns an enrolled student. These offices will contact Academic Services if the accommodation involves a course scheduling (i.e., room assignment) change, at which point Academic Services will coordinate further with the associate dean.

Use and Entry

University space is provided primarily for the use of instructional programs but may be used for activities of an educational nature and closely related to the mission of the University. Scheduling priority is generally granted to instructional programs followed by intercollegiate and extended education programs, University sponsored activities and activities intended for the campus audience. See Administrative Procedure 505 for additional information.

Instructional space containing standard equipment will be accessible during instructional hours and need not be locked when vacated. Windows and doors to these rooms should be closed and lights turned off when vacated. Facilities Services may be contacted to coordinate entry if a room is locked during instructional hours.

Instructional space containing special equipment may have special entry requirements such as One Card, key, alarm, or Omnilock. Windows and doors to these rooms must be locked when vacated.

Contact the Golden Eagle One Card Office to coordinate access to rooms that require One Card entry. Rooms that require key entry may require coordination with the building administrator. See Administrative Procedure 503 Appendix 8.2 for a list of designated building administrators. Alarms are set according to schedule and should not impact activities during normal instructional hours.

Equipment and Maintenance

TBD

Technology and Software

TBD

Space Change Requests

Requests to change instructional space must be submitted to the Office of Planning and Budget for review by the Academic Affairs Space Advisory Group. Requests should be submitted with consideration of schedule production, enrollment, and instruction timelines.

Well Being Classrooms

See Well Being Classrooms for information.

Room Types and Categories

TBD

Hiding Sections

The published Schedule of Classes is a public record. As such, various Cal State LA offices and off campus institutions refer to it as a means of validating course offerings. All course sections being offered must be viewable.

Hiding offered course sections from the published Schedule of Classes may not be used as a method for managing enrollment. Manage enrollment by utilizing the appropriate methods, which include enrollment requirements (i.e., prerequisites and corequisites, section restrictions), department or instructor add consent requirements, and shadow sections.  

Late Changes

Course sections must be finalized during schedule production.

Changes requested after the Schedule of Classes is published are considered late and are not guaranteed.

See below for guidelines regarding some of the most requested late changes:

• Class meetings may be changed to correct University error. See Changing Class Meetings.
• Room assignments may be changed to correct University error or accommodate a change in enrollment demand. See Changing Room Assignments.
• Enrollment limits may be increased to correct University error or accommodate a change in enrollment demand. Enrollment limits may not be decreased.
• Enrollment requirements (i.e., prerequisites and corequisites, section restrictions) may not be changed
• Department or instructor add consent requirements may be removed but not added
• Course section units may not be changed
• Course sections must be cancelled no later than 3 weeks before the first day of instruction. See Cancellations.

Requests for late changes require associate dean approval and must be coordinated with Academic Services via SMF. Unless specified otherwise, late changes may be requested up to the last business day before the start of instruction. Refer to the schedule production timeline for guidance on deadlines.

Late changes requested after the start of instruction may also require approval from the Office of Planning and Budget.

Course sections scheduled but not offered must be cancelled no later than 3 weeks before the first day of instruction. Cancellations that occur after this point in time may have a variety of negative consequences, including:

• Previously assigned instructors may need to be assigned to different courses, requiring new preparation with little lead time
• Previously enrolled students may be unable to find open seats in alternate courses; their study load may fall below what is required for financial aid and other services that require full time enrollment certification. See University Catalog Procedures and Regulations Study Load policy.
• Previously assigned rooms may not be suitable for reassignment to other courses and thus sit unused, contributing to an overall demonstration of poor space utilization.

For these reasons, associate deans are asked to lead their colleges in closely reviewing low enrolled courses, cancelling sections at least 3 weeks before the onset of the term. These cancellations should be done in close consultation with department chairs and with full consideration of pending registration dates, historical course demand, and other relevant analyses.

Cancellations require associate dean approval and must be coordinated with Academic Services via SMF. Refer to the schedule production timeline for guidance on cancellation deadlines.

Cancellations requested after the start of instruction may also require approval from the Office of Planning and Budget.

See Late Changes for additional information.

All scheduled final exams must utilize standard final exam times, which are as follows:

7:00 – 9:00 AM

9:30 – 11:30 AM

12:00 – 2:00 PM

2:30 – 4:30 PM

5:00 – 7:00 PM

7:30 – 9:30 PM

Significant efforts are taken during the development of the preliminary final exam schedule and final exam scheduling process to reduce the number of conflicts, but some will remain. Colleges are provided with information regarding conflicts so they may further assist their departments with addressing them as needed.

Once scheduled final exams are viewable in GET Self Service, students who identify a conflict should contact their instructors about making alternate arrangements.

Exceptions to scheduled final exams require approval of the department or division chair and the appropriate dean. Instructors who wish to request an exception and who have received approvals should contact their department scheduler for further coordination with their college and Academic Services.

Exceptions for individual students require approval of the instructor and department or division chair.

Exceptions must utilize standard final exam times to reduce conflicts and make efficient use of rooms. Exceptions are subject to room availability and deadlines as published in the schedule production timeline.

See Final Examinations policy in Faculty Handbook Chapter V: Instructional Policies for additional information.

Data Gathering

***SCHEDULE PRODUCTION BEGINS***

Section Build

Room Optimization                   

Bottleneck/Infeasible Resolution            

College Review 

Final Review     

Final Corrections          

***SCHEDULE PRODUCTION ENDS***

Late corrections and changes are limited beyond this point. Those that are permitted are subject to Chair and Associate Dean approval and must be submitted to Academic Services via SMF.

Publication and Post-Publication                        

This timeline is intended for Schedule of Classes production purposes only. It is not a comprehensive account of academic dates and deadlines. Refer to Academic Calendars and Dates & Deadlines for those related to the term, instruction, advising, enrollment, and grading. Dates, deadlines, and edit access related to Schedule of Classes production are planned as published in this timeline but subject to change based on Academic Affairs need.

The following resources are available to support Data Gathering and Schedule Production: Curriculum Resources for Faculty, Department Chairs Scheduling Toolkit, Scheduling Resources, GET Schedule Production Guide, GET Run Query, Astra Schedule, Forms

Data Gathering

*** SCHEDULE PRODUCTION BEGINS ***

Section Build

Optimization

Department Review

College Review

Final Review

Final Corrections

*** SCHEDULE PRODUCTION ENDS ***

Changes beyond this point are considered late and are not guaranteed. See Late Changes for additional information.

Publication and Post-Publication

This timeline is for Schedule of Classes production purposes only. It is not a comprehensive account of dates and deadlines (see Scheduling Toolkit, Academic Calendars, Dates & Deadlines). Information contained in this timeline is subject to change based on University needs.