This class and classroom scheduling protocol helps students get the courses they need to graduate by reducing scheduling conflicts. For faculty, it optimizes access to instructional technology and facilities.

 

Unless otherwise noted, the policies below apply to all classes scheduled in both general purpose and departmental classroom spaces.

Oregon State University Scheduling Zones

 

Monday
20%
Tuesday
20%
Wednesday
20%
Thursday
20%
Friday
20%
Zone 1
20%
08:00 - 09:50 08:00 - 09:50 08:00 - 09:50 08:00 - 09:50 08:00 - 09:50
Zone 2
20%
10:00 - 11:50 10:00 - 11:50 10:00 - 11:50 10:00 - 11:50 10:00 - 11:50
Zone 3
20%
12:00 - 13:50 12:00 - 13:50 12:00 - 13:50 12:00 - 13:50 12:00 - 13:50
Zone 4
20%
14:00 - 15:50 14:00 - 15:50 14:00 - 15:50 14:00 - 15:50 14:00 - 15:50
Zone 5
20%
16:00 + 16:00 + 16:00 + 16:00 + 16:00 +

Ideal zone distribution includes spreading out classes throughout the instructional day and the instructional week.

Percentages indicate maximum number of classes a department may schedule in each zone.

Scheduling Zone

 Percent

Time

Zone 1

20 percent

08:00–09:50

Zone 2

20 percent

10:00–11:50

Zone 3

20 percent

12:00–13:50

Zone 4

20 percent

14:00–15:50

Zone 5

20 percent

1600 and later

Click here for examples of standard meeting patterns.

Departments should not expect that faculty members will be assigned the same space on a continuing basis.

The Office of the Registrar coordinates all class scheduling and room assignments with departmental schedulers who, in turn, coordinate with their instructional faculty members. Academic departments should do the following:

  1. Determine class offerings and submit schedule information no later than the specified deadlines.
  2. Notify the Schedule Desk of section changes or cancellations immediately.
  3. Enter and maintain in Banner instructor information and maximum enrollment of all sections offered by the department.

 

  1. Classes that meet two days per week for one hour and 20 minutes must meet on TR; or in zones 1 or 5 only on MW/WF/MF.
  2. Classes must begin on the first hour of the zone with the exception of TR Zones 1 and 5, which may start at 8:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m.
  3. Classes that meet for longer than two hours (110 minutes) per session must be scheduled in Zone 5, or on Friday.
  4. Classes meeting for 4 contact hours should not meet for three-day meeting patterns (i.e. MWF).
  5. Class meeting times may not cross time zones. Departments may cross time zones when scheduling 500- or 600-level graduate classes that meet for longer than two hours per session if they use their own department-controlled classroom.
  6. Each department must distribute its classes across all five days of the week (approximately 20 percent per day) and across the full class day (according to the percentages defined for each zone). Each class day has five zones. All classes must comply with the zones whether they are assigned to general purpose classrooms or departmental classrooms.
  7. Non-credit sections (those sections that have zero credit) are scheduled after all credit-bearing sections are assigned rooms.
  8. Use of classroom facilities for non-academic events must be approved and assigned by the Schedule Desk.

 

Three-credit or four-credit lectures that meet for three hours per week can be scheduled in any zone if they are taught on MWF.

Three-credit or four-credit lectures that meet three hours per week on MW, WF, or MF will only be scheduled in Zones 1 or 5.

Four-credit lectures that meet for four hours per week can be scheduled in any zone if they are taught on TR, MW, MF, or WF.

Four-credit lectures that meet four hours per week on MWF will only be scheduled in Zone 5.

 

Because of the demand for classrooms in the middle of the instructional day, it will not be possible to schedule sections that meet one day a week except in Zone 5 or on Friday.

If a department can schedule additional sections of similar course capacity with "complementary" day and time schedules in the same time slot on different days, then we may be able to accommodate requests for one-day-a-week meetings. If, for example, one three-credit course is scheduled into a room on M at 10:00--11:50, then a different section can schedule its meeting from 10:00–11:50 on W or WF in the same room.

 

Fridays are often used for department meetings, instructor office hours, research responsibilities, or other tasks related to instructional work. However, Friday is primarily an instructional day and the zone percentages specifically take Friday into account, asking for 20 percent of sections for each day.

Please make use of Friday as an instructional day. The increased use of Friday for class sections makes more effective and efficient use of classrooms.

 

The zone percentages were established for two reasons—to assure student access to classes, and to ease the difficulty in assigning rooms. Though the zone percentages are applied regardless of whether the sections are scheduled in general purpose or departmental classrooms, if you can schedule sections in departmental rooms, which will alleviate some of the pressures on assigning GP classrooms.

Using departmental rooms is not an option for all departments, and departments may not be able to assign all sections to departmental rooms; however, if you are able to assign sections to departmental rooms, please do so.