TWIN CITIES

GENERAL PURPOSE CLASSROOM

SUPPLY, DEMAND & UTILIZATION

UPDATE

FALL SEMESTER 2002

Office of Classroom Management

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INTRODUCTION

This presentation provides data on classroom resources, courses taught in classrooms and overviews key scheduling issues

Ongoing classroom supply, demand and utilization issues are discussed along with progress and implications for the future

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BACKGROUND

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TWO TYPES OF CLASSROOMS

General Purpose classrooms are designed to meet the teaching and learning needs of a broad range of academic programs and to support the entire university community– Also called “central classrooms”– Centrally managed and funded

Departmental classrooms are designed to meet the specific and more specialized needs of a given department or program.– Examples: studios, special use classrooms– Departmentally managed and funded

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GENERAL PURPOSE CLASSROOMS

A critical teaching and learning resource

– East Bank: 200 rooms 14,967 seats in 40 buildings– West Bank: 71 rooms 6,027 seats in 7 buildings– St. Paul: 32 rooms 2,525 seats in 15 buildings

– TOTAL: 303 rooms 23,519 seats in 62 buildings

Sizes range from small seminar rooms to large auditoria

Approx 300,000 SF

Version 4.0

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DEPARTMENTAL CLASSROOMS

224 departmental classrooms 341 labs

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SCHEDULING POLICY

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KEY SCHEDULING DOCUMENTS

Policy on Classes, Schedules, and Final Examinations for Semesters.

Twin Cities Campus Assembly Supplemental Policy of the University Senate Policy on Classes, Schedules, and Final Examinations for Seminars.

Schedule for the Twin Cities Campus.

Provost Approved Policies Governing University Centrally Scheduled Classrooms.

Four Key Documents:

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‘A’ TIME: 50 minute class period may be used any weekday (subject to supplemental policy)

‘B’ TIME: 75 minute class period is restricted to Tuesday and/or Thursday class meetings only

PEAK TIME: 0900 - 1400 (Period II - VI)DAY: 0800 - 1700 (Period I - VIII)

STANDARD WEEK: Monday - Friday

BASIC DEFINITIONS

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STANDARD CLASS MEETING TIMES

MTWThF TTh MTWThF TTh

"A" Time "B" Time "A" Time "B" Time

50 Minute 75 Minute 50 Minute 75 Minute

0730 - 0820 (optional)

I 0800 - 0850 0830 - 0920

II 0905 - 0955 0815 - 0930 0935 - 1025 0845 - 1000

III 1010 - 1100 0945 - 1100 1040 - 1130 1015 - 1130

IV 1115 - 1205 1145 - 1235

V 1220 - 1310 1115 - 1230 1250 - 1340 1145 - 1300

VI 1325 - 1415 1245 - 1400 1355 - 1445 1315 - 1430

VII 1430 - 1520 1500 - 1550

VIII 1535 - 1625 1430 - 1545 1605 - 1655 1500 - 1615

Minneapolis Saint Paul

PEAK

PEAK

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BASIC POLICY – STANDARD HOURS

Standard Meeting Times:

All classes must start at a standard beginning time. Departments will be required to change times not

meeting the standard time module.- Standard time modules are based on:

‘A’ times (50 minute) and ‘B’ times (75 minute) in accordance with

Senate Approved Policy. Classes follow the Senate Policy regarding hours per

credit.

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BASIC POLICY – PEAK TIME

Special Considerations during Peak Time of Day:

Peak Time = 0900 - 1400 hours (Period II -VI)- Highest demand- Period of time with most severe classroom shortage- Special policies/guidelines apply

Provost Approved Scheduling Guidelines:- Departments can have no more than 60% of initial

course offerings in Peak Time.

Senate Approved Policies:- More strict provisions apply during peak time

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BASIC POLICY – EXEMPTIONS

Special Policy for Grad/Prof Course Sections:

6xxx to 8xxx course sections during Non-Peak hours may be taught at Non-Standard Times

6xxx to 8xxx course sections during Peak hours must be taught at Standard Times

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BASIC POLICY - EXEMPTIONS

Course Sections beginning at or after 1700 hours are exempt from standard time requirement

Course Sections occurring on Saturday &/or Sunday are exempt from standard time requirement

Additional Policies/Issues applying to all sections:

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STANDARD CLASS HOURS

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WHY HAVE STANDARD CLASS HOURS ?

Standard Class Hours: Improve course access Enable students to take interdisciplinary courses Improve utilization of valuable space resources Increase tuition revenue Facilitate common university-wide academics

and programs

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Non-Standard Hours

Standard Hours•Optimize university level•Optimize student scheduling•Requires fewer classrooms•Higher overall utilization•Optimize undergrad programs

•Optimize college/dept. level•Optimize individual faculty scheduling•Requires more classrooms•Lower overall utilization•Optimize grad/prof. programs

STANDARD/NON-STANDARD HOURTRADEOFFS

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WHAT IF WE DID NOT HAVE STANDARD CLASS HOURS ?

Without standard class hours, colleges, their students, their faculty, and their classrooms would exist totally within independent silos

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FM T W Th

Non-standard classes cause unused gaps in rooms, less student usage, and greater cost per square foot of usage

Even small numbers of non-standard classes have significant impact on classroom utilization & availability

NON-STANDARD HOUR SCHEDULING IMPACT

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FLEXIBILITY OF STANDARD HOUR REQUIREMENT

Recognizing the tradeoffs, our policy provides exceptions- Grad-Professional courses at non-peak times

- Evening/weekend courses

Sufficient flexibility exists to accommodate special requirements- Clinical teaching needs in AHC

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CENTRAL CLASSROOM DEMAND

DEMAND

SUPPLY

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CENTRAL CLASSROOM DEMAND

Demand is up– Semester conversion– Program growth– IMG impact

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10000

11000

12000

13000

14000

15000

Fall '98 Spring'99

Fall '99 Spring'00

Fall 00 Spring '01 Fall '01 Spring'02

Fall '02(prelim)

Num

ber o

f Sec

tions

CLASSROOM DEMAND – SECTION GROWTH

SEMESTER CONVERSION

QUARTERS SEMESTERS

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CLASSROOM DEMAND – SECTION LOADING

TOTAL NUMBER OF SECTIONS

TWIN CITIES – FALL 2002

14,186

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TWIN CITIES COURSE SECTIONS - FALL 2002 ON vs. OFF CAMPUS

5,289 (42%)

Total Sections = 14,186

Off Campus

13.8%

1,958

On Campus

86.2%

12,228

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Not in Classrooms

41.7%%5,099

In Classrooms58.3%7,129

TWIN CITIES COURSE SECTIONS - FALL 2002 ON CAMPUS

Total On Campus = 12,228

27Total In Classrooms = 7,129

Departmental Classrooms

42.3%3,016

General Purpose

Classrooms57.7%4,113

TWIN CITIES COURSE SECTIONS - FALL 2002 IN CLASSROOMS

Approximately:

300 Central Classrooms

Approximately:

220 Dept. Classrooms

340 Dept. Labs

560 Rooms

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Evening14%576

Day86%3,537

Total In General Purpose Classrooms = 4,113

TWIN CITIES COURSE SECTIONS IN GP CLASSROOMS - FALL 2002

DAY vs. EVENING

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CENTRAL CLASSROOM SUPPLY

DEMAND

SUPPLY

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CLASSROOM SUPPLY

Supply is down over the long term– Construction/renovation impact– Downward trend in number of classroom seats– Loss of large lecture halls

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CLASSROOM SUPPLY – CONSTRUCTION IMPACT

Ford/Murphy (offline Fall 99, online Spring 00)– OLD: 17 rooms, 1083 seats NEW: 14 rooms, 683 seats– Net: - 3 rooms, - 333 seats

CALA (offline Spring 00, online Fall 01/Spring 02)– OLD: 11 rooms, 1016 seats NEW: 10 rooms, 670 seats – Net: - 1 room, - 346 seats

JOML (offline Fall 99, online Fall 00 JacH & Fall 02 MCB)- OLD: 10 rooms, 1078 seats NEW: 6 rooms, 478 seats- Net: - 6 rooms, - 600 seats

Temp leased classrooms (1701 Univ) (Fall 00)– NEW: 9 rooms, 597 seats

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FUTURE CLASSROOM SUPPLY

With the completion of CALA and MCBB projects, we have most of our classrooms

on-line When the next round of construction starts in Spring

2002, we will have approx 1,000 student seats off line each year for the foreseeable future

Bottom line – classroom supply is NOT projected to increase

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SUPPLY – DEMAND – UTILIZATION IMPACT

DEMAND

SUPPLY

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SUPPLY- DEMAND IMPACT

Insufficient classroom inventory plus inefficient utilization has resulted in the unplaced course problem before each semester

Problem is most acute during peak time of day

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UNPLACED COURSES

310401 357

835 781 759465

0200400600800

1000

Fall '99 Spring'00

Fall '00 Spring'01

Fall '01 Spring'02

Fall '02

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INTERIM SOLUTION

These unplaced courses have been solved by using sub-standard spaces as classrooms and by extraordinary “hand massaging” by OCM, departments and colleges.

BUT Unless we change the equation, this issue will

become critical

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UNPLACED COURSE IMPLICATIONS

We are approaching the limits of central classroom’s ability to support the growth of sections and courses

If we continue to use substandard classrooms, our educational quality and reputation will suffer

If we are to avoid enrollment limits, growth caps and other restrictive measures, we must improve the scheduling and utilization of both departmental and central classrooms

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PROBLEM IS ADDITIVE

Not just a supply – demand issue

Too much slack in scheduling and inefficient classroom utilization are also major factors

In the past, we had sufficient extra classroom capacity to allow less efficient room utilization THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE!

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LONG TERM SOLUTION

OPTIONS:– Fewer classes– More classrooms– Better utilization of existing classrooms

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VIABILITY OF OPTIONS

Fewer classes- Does not support Deans’ needs

More classrooms- Desirable, but is not in current capital plan

Better utilization- We CAN improve this!

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HOW DO WE IMPROVE UTILIZATION?

Continue to improve central classroom technology (Tech Upgrade Project)

Improve overall utilization of departmental and central classrooms

Focus more on following current scheduling policy in regards to standard class hours

Departments and OCM must be smarter in planning and in scheduling

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HOW ARE WE DOING UNDER CURRENT SCHEDULING POLICY?

In Fall 2002, 21% of

day courses in GP classrooms had some type of non-standard scheduling issue

755 of 3537 sections had non-standard time, or time distribution issues

NON-STD

21%

(755)

STD

79 %

(2782)

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354

401

755

Time DistributionIssues

Time Issues

TWIN CITIES COURSE SECTIONS - FALL 2002 ISSUES

Note that a section may have both issues.

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NON-STANDARD TIME ISSUES

Variance from standard: 401 sections

Non-Standard Start Time

Non-Standard End Time

Non-Standard Start & End Times

Non-Standard day pattern

“B” time (75-min) on “A” days

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TIME DISTRIBUTION ISSUE

Variance from standard: 351 sections

No more than 60% of a departments course offerings should be in the peak time of the day

– Period II thru VI

MTWThF TTh MTWThF TTh

"A" Time "B" Time "A" Time "B" Time

50 Minute 75 Minute 50 Minute 75 Minute

0730 - 0820 (optional)

I 0800 - 0850 0830 - 0920

II 0905 - 0955 0815 - 0930 0935 - 1025 0845 - 1000

III 1010 - 1100 0945 - 1100 1040 - 1130 1015 - 1130

IV 1115 - 1205 1145 - 1235

V 1220 - 1310 1115 - 1230 1250 - 1340 1145 - 1300

VI 1325 - 1415 1245 - 1400 1355 - 1445 1315 - 1430

VII 1430 - 1520 1500 - 1550

VIII 1535 - 1625 1430 - 1545 1605 - 1655 1500 - 1615

Minneapolis Saint Paul

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ARE WE IMPROVING?

Fall Semester 2002 data indicates that we are making some progress, but we must continue to improve adhering to University standard scheduling policies and guidelines

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HOW MUCH ARE WE IMPROVING?

We are doing better in use of standard times- From 800 in Fall 00 to 400 in Fall 02

We are NOT improving in teaching outside of peak hours- From 360 sections in Fall 2000 to 350 in Fall 02

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ONGOING ACTIONS

OCM is working with colleges to address specific deviations from current scheduling policy and non-standard scheduling issues

OCM will continue to increase efforts to adhere to current scheduling policy

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OCM APPROACH TO ONGOING ACTION

Common sense action based on existing approved policy

Recognize existing special provisions for grad/prof courses

Collaborative not unilateral effort

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GOALS OF ONGOING ACTION

Reduce peak-time congestion Emphasize compliance with existing policy:

- for start & end times

- for days of week

- for 60% max in peak time Increase accuracy of departmental projected enrollment

and number of sections submitted for scheduling Continue progress in providing Tech Upgrade

classrooms REDUCE/ELIMINATE UNPLACED COURSES

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FACTS OF LIFE

We do not have the luxury of not teaching at unpopular times (Mon morning, late afternoons, on Fridays)

The current economic climate demands efficiency in classroom utilization

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QUESTIONS:

Steve FitzgeraldDirector of Classroom Management626-8677fitzg016@umn.edu

Nancy PetersonScheduling Manager625-6030n-pete@umn.edu

Credits and special recognition to those contributing to this report: Nancy Peterson, Manager, OCM Scheduling Unit Bob Quinney, Analyst, OCM Scheduling Unit