Classroom Scheduling

Scheduling classrooms for courses and final exams.

Scheduling classrooms for courses and final exams.

Each semester, as part of the section-building process, the Registrar’s Office schedules credit-bearing courses into General Purpose (GP) classrooms. Room assignments are made available to instructors through myUVM during different periods throughout the year.

Term Scheduling Timeline

  • Fall semester room assignments in late March
  • Spring semester room assignments in late October
  • Summer room assignments in late January

Please note that any late section additions, room changes, or meeting pattern change requests will be handled after the announcement to faculty. This is done to ensure that sections that did not get a room in the original scheduling cycle are not competing for space with sections that were added later.

How to Review Your Classroom Assignment

  1. Go to the Schedule of Course Page
     
  2. Instructors will then choose a Term and enter their Last Name in the Instructor Field and click the Search Button
    SOC Choose Term and enter last name
  3. A new menu will appear with matching search results, choose a course to view information for. A new menu will open to the right containing the course’s information.
     
  4. Room information will be under the Meeting Info section. If the meeting info indicates “Varies by section“, instructors should scroll down within this menu, from the All Sections listing instructors should choose their section.     SOC Choose a course
    SOC Choose a section
  5. The currently open Course Information menu will refresh with chosen Section Information. Course section room assignment will be located under the Meeting Info section.

    SOC: View Section Meeting Info

All classroom change requests must be submitted using the Room Change Request form. The form will be directed to your Chair/Dean's Office.

The Deans' Offices will only forward requests to the Registrar's Office that fit one of the following criteria:

  1. Disability issues with regard to either a faculty member or a student
  2. Media needs not clearly outlined during the course building process
  3. Increased capacity needs due to student enrollment demand
  4. A compelling other circumstance in the judgment of the Dean's Office

The Process

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Sections in Banner are brought into EMS, the campus scheduling software. In EMS, sections can have a requirement or a preference that is based on information entered in BANNER. EMS first places sections in rooms that are marked as pre-assignments, which are determined by Associate Deans. It then places sections based on a ranking system that takes into account classroom types and preferences requested.

We encourage faculty to be involved in the departmental schedule building process to ensure that their preferences are captured for each section. The system will attempt to place sections in a room of their preference OR a room that has similar features that is size appropriate.

EMS uses an optimization algorithm to maximize the number of sections that can be scheduled. Scheduling across the day though all meeting patterns will afford you the best chance of receiving a highly desired room.

Course Distribution Reports

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To help facilitate the building of an efficient schedule, our office has created a Course Distribution Report that is available to Deans and Chairs. We encourage the use of this throughout the section building process. Referring to this report will help inform your choice of meeting patterns, appropriate class sizes and, if used effectively, help reduce the number of sections that are not able to be scheduled during the run.

Final Exams

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Final exams are scheduled based on a matrix that changes each term. The Registrar’s Office only schedules final exams for sections that meet in general purpose classrooms. If a section does not meet in a General Purpose classroom, it is assumed to follow the matrix and the exam will be held in the same room the section met in during the term. Final exams are scheduled using the following guidelines:

  • Scheduled final exams will be 2:45 hours in length.
  • Sections are assigned using a matrix, which changes from term to term.
  • Continuing and Distance Education sections that are cross-listed with day division sections have the final exam with the day division section during the final exam period.
  • Labs and sections that do not meet for the entire semester are defined as modular sections. These sections have their final exam on the last day of class.

Access the official final exam policy in the UVM Catalogue. 

General Purpose Classrooms

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The Registrar’s Office only schedules General Purpose (GP) classrooms. 

Until all credit-bearing sections have been scheduled in a given semester, only the Registrar’s Office can schedule in General Purpose classrooms. Once all credit-bearing sections have been scheduled, GP classrooms are released to University Event Services (UES) for event scheduling. You may request a GP room for a one-time event (e.g., mid-term exam or review) during an academic semester via the EMS Portal.

Approximate release dates for scheduling GP classrooms

  • May 1 - Fall
  • December 1 - Spring
  • Late February/Early March - Summer

During the final examination period (including reading days), the Registrar’s Office reviews and schedules all requests for GP spaces in order to ensure that the event is not disruptive to students taking exams. If you need to reserve a GP room during the final examination period, please enter your request in the EMS Portal.

Requesting a Room Change

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All General Purpose classroom change requests must be directed to the appropriate Dean’s Office via the Room Change Request form.

Classroom change requests should only be made to address the following concerns:

  • ADA issues affecting either a faculty member or a student.
  • Media needs not clearly outlined during the section-building process.
  • Increased capacity needs due to high student enrollment demand.
  • Other compelling circumstances based on the judgment of the Dean’s Office.

Resources

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