The University is developing a computer program that will help departments meet new course scheduling model mandates, once they are finalized and approved.
The provost's Task Force on Course Scheduling has been working on new guidelines for scheduling courses since Fall 2002. Although members of the task force zeroed in on a general model by the start of Fall 2003, Vice Provost for Academic and Administrative Services Judith Ruderman said the model is still being tweaked based on continued input from students and faculty.
Ruderman said the computer program will help departments meet the requirements of the new model, which will determine how many classes can be scheduled at particular times. Instead of having to juggle percentages and time slots, the program will tell departments "where they are good and where they need to go back to the drawing board," she said.
Ruderman said the program should help ensure a smooth transition from the current scheduling model to the new one, which should be ready for implementation by fall 2004.
"With the new schedule, in order to spread classes out throughout the day and week there are certain mandates," Ruderman said. "A department can only program up to a certain percentage of its courses on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for instance. The program basically enables you to feed in a course schedule and be told immediately whether the schedule has met the mandates."
Edna Andrews, chair of the task force and chair of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature, said the program will be very user-friendly.
So far, the program, which will eventually be used across all departments, has been tested in the departments of Chemistry, Economics and Slavic Languages and Literature.
"We wanted to test it with both big and small departments to see if it makes things any easier," Andrews said. The program will not be completed, however, until the new scheduling model is finalized, with all of its specific guidelines.
The model the task force is currently considering features a "more robust" Friday schedule, more courses that meet twice a week and a later start to the day.
"On Fridays there will be a lesser percentage of discussion sections and a greater percentage of regular faculty teaching Wednesday-Friday, two-day-a-week classes," Ruderman said. "Friday classes won't be dramatically different in number, but more different in kind."
In addition, the model in consideration begins at 8:30 a.m. for 75-minute classes and 8:45 a.m. for 50-minute classes--later than the current 8 a.m. start to the day.
The task force will be engaged in further discussions about the scheduling model, at least through the end of November, Ruderman said.
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