Course Scheduling

We bring faculty and students together for learning.

• All of the courses for Iowa State University are scheduled using scheduling software called Schedule 25 (S25).
• Our goal is to meet the needs of all our customers.
• We take into consideration all departmental preferences, not just one department or college, when we schedule all courses into general university classrooms.
• Each semester is a fresh start; general university classrooms are not carried forward from year to year.
• A request for a specific room does not guarantee that room for that course.

Courses taught in departmental rooms need to be submitted to Room Scheduling or the Kuali Course Offering Change Form (COCF) so this information may be entered. Unlike general university classroom assignments, these room assignments are carried forward from year to year and are removed only when Room Scheduling receives a Kuali COCF request of the room change or removal. Entering this room information assures accurate room information is being released to the students and assists with the scheduling of courses for the university.

When scheduling courses for students with special needs, we work closely with the Disability Resources Office. There are times when courses need to be moved to accommodate the needs of these students, and the department is always notified of this type of move.

Room Scheduling also works with departments by consulting on course changes for semesters and enforcing standard time and day combinations. If a non-standard time is used, a departmental room location must be provided.

Before you make any changes to a course, contact Room Scheduling first at roomscheduling@iastate.edu. Once permission is given, a Kuali form must be submitted and approved by Room Scheduling and the Office of the Registrar.

Generally, the university uses its classrooms very well. The large enrollment is increasing the pressure on available classrooms, and users are finding it more difficult to use classrooms that are effective in meeting faculty needs and convenient to use. Adhering to the following tenets could enhance scheduling opportunities:

1. Schedule classes more evenly throughout the day and week.
   
   Classes are crowded in the "prime time" between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. If classes were spread to the other hours of the day there would be fewer conflicts. This is especially true for large lecture sections because lecture halls are in short supply.
2. Use standard time and day combinations.
   
   Use of time/day combinations that deviate from the standard class schedules cause wasteful gaps in the use of classrooms. Classes which adhere to standard times are assigned classrooms first. Classes that deviate from the standard times are assigned classrooms last using those classrooms that are still available. The use of a non-standard day/time may result in no room being scheduled.
3. Set realistic class limits.
   
   The initial course offering class limits are used to assign classrooms. When classes don’t reach the stated limits, they are moved to accommodate classes that still need to be placed. These double moves are time-consuming and slow the process when we have limited time to respond.

We try our best to meet the needs of all our customers, to make commitments and keep them.

Standard Day and Time Combinations