Scheduling Distribution Goal

1. Departments will schedule all multiple lecture and laboratory sections so that student course enrollments will be distributed approximately equally between mornings and afternoons and between the different meeting patterns (TTH vs. MWF). Departments will also limit classes scheduled during peak hours to 50%. Once departments reach the maximum of courses to be taught during peak hours, the remaining courses should be redistributed across non-peak hours.
2. Departments/colleges will have the ability to schedule in rooms they manage first. After this, the Registrar's office will utilize all available classrooms to assist other departments in need of space.
3. Departments must strictly adhere to the approved standard set of time patterns when scheduling course offerings.
4. Because the regular standard meeting lengths for three hour courses are in 50- and 75-minute time blocks, courses offered during non-standard times should be offered in multiples of these times to avoid end times that preclude students from registering for courses that may follow the standard section. For example, one non-standard time on Tuesday and another section at the same time on Thursday.
5. Classroom enrollment and room capacities should be based on the actual enrollment trends over the past few years to ensure a realistic estimate of room needs and proper seat and room assignments. Room capacities will be reviewed each semester by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with the colleges and departments to ensure that actual instructional capacities for each room are assessed.
6. Departments should strive for 80% seat occupancy. For example, the number of students enrolled in a class divided by the instructional seating capacity of the room that class is in should be greater than or equal to 80%.
7. Peak hours are between 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM Monday through Friday. Departments should strive to provide students a variety of options of course offerings throughout the scheduling week by utilizing non-peak hours. The importance of maintaining the existing course schedule M-F is to allow for courses to be spread more evenly throughout the week. Not only will this be necessary to accommodate significant course demand in response to projected enrollment increases but it will also provide students with greater flexibility when building schedules and further optimize classroom utilization.

Reminders and Expectations

1. Consecutively taught courses are not guaranteed to meet in the same classroom.
2. For faculty members with approved documentation from UAB Employee Relations, the Registrar’s Office will make appropriate accommodations in regards to classroom assignments to coincide with Employee Relations specifications.
3. The addition and removal of classroom furniture is prohibited.
4. Classroom furniture arrangements are to be restored to their original state after each class.