Efficient and effective use of classroom space

  • “The schedule should reflect an efficient and effective use of the classrooms available, of the five working-days available per week, and of the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 9:50 p.m.” (all quotes are drawn from the Faculty Senate meeting minutes linked below)
  • Schedule courses throughout the day.  
  • Schedule courses throughout the week.  
  • Plan for an equitable distribution of courses in and MWF and TT time slots.
  • Contact academicdeans@pugetsound.edu to discuss changing the duration of labs.

One-day-per-week, three-hour classes

  • These are limited to 300- and 400-level courses and graduate courses.
  • These are allowed only when the course is not the only section of a course required by the major.
  • Starting times are 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00 p.m. Note that 2:00 is not an approved starting time.

Common Period: Wednesdays, Noon-1:30 p.m. 

  • “Departments should avoid scheduling classes during this time so that as many faculty members as possible are available to participate in the affairs of governance that concern the whole community.”
  • If classes must be scheduled between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. during the Common Period,  they should only be scheduled with these criteria in mind:
    • The course schedule necessitates the use of the slot.
    • When possible, courses in this slot should be staffed by instructors who do not have voting rights.
    • If faculty members must be scheduled in this slot, they should be scheduled on a rotating basis (from semester to semester), to ensure that no faculty member is routinely disenfranchised.

4:00 p.m. (or later) Time Periods

  • Should only be used for courses that are either (1) not required for a major or (2) for which there are multiple sections, one or more of which end before 4:00 p.m.
  • This includes courses that start prior to 4:00 p.m. and cross into this time period (e.g., 3:30 - 4:50 p.m.)

Course Enrollment Limits

  • Most 100-level courses have a limit of 28.
  • First-year seminars have a limit of 17.
  • Connections 200-400 level have a limit of 22. Team-taught Connections courses enrollment must support two teaching units, and must be approved in advance by the ADO.
  • Contact academicdeans@pugetsound.edu if you have questions about enrollment limits.

Approved Time Periods

MWF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 1:00 – 1:501
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

1The Common Period is 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.  Departments should avoid scheduling classes during this time as outlined in guideline 1 on the next page.

TT

  • 8:00 – 9:20
  • 9:30 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 12:20
  • 12:30 – 1:50
  • 2:00 – 3:20
  • 3:30 – 4:50

MW/WF/MF

  • 12:00 – 1:20 (MF only)
  • 2:00 – 3:20
  • 3:30 – 4:50
  • 4:00 – 5:20
  • (5:00 – 6:20, 6:00 – 7:20 also available) 

MTTF/MTWT/MTWF/MWTF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 12:00 – 12:50 (MTTF only)
  • 1:00 – 1:50 (MTTF only)
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

Four-day-per-week courses beginning at 9:00, 12:00, or 3:00 will have Tuesday and/or Thursday session(s) adjusted to fit within the closest 80-minute time period (see the upper-right box above).

MTWTF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

Five-day-per-week courses beginning at 9:00 or 3:00 will have Tuesday and Thursday sessions adjusted to fit within the closest 80-minute time period (see the box above).

 

Further Resources

  • The original approved scheduling guidelines from November 12, 2007 can be found in the archived Faculty Senate Minutes.
  • The amendment to include the common period can be found in the March 28, 2016 archived Faculty Senate Minutes.
  • Further Discussion on the common period can be found in the September 26, 2016 archived Faculty Senate Minutes.

Guidelines for Determining Activity vs. Academic Credit

  1. The defining elements of activity-credit courses are (a) learning through engagement/participation, and (b) engagement/participation assessed as completed, not according to the degree of skill or competency attained. 
  2. The defining elements of Academic courses are (a) an engagement with disciplinary/interdisciplinary content, and (b) a requirement for a level of skill or competency as demonstrated by one or more assessment techniques linked to  student learning outcomes, not only participation and engagement.
  3. When in doubt about whether a course should be activity or academic, academic credit should generally be the default.  Activity courses are always P/F.
  4. The determination of activity vs. academic credit is made by departments/programs, rather than by the Curriculum Committee.