Following the Academic Calendar Task Force, which completed its work and recommendations in Spring 2015, the Classroom and Academic Scheduling Task Force was commissioned in October 2015 by Rafael Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Steve Swant, executive vice president for Administration and Finance. 

The task force was charged to conduct a comprehensive review of Georgia Tech's classroom and academic processes, procedures, and protocols to determine a path forward that balances the needs of our students and faculty with our existing campus resources. This path will address the institution's growing enrollment and geographically expanding campus. 

The complete task force recommendations will assist students in planning their academic careers, better utilize campus resources, and increase coordination of the classroom-scheduling function among academic and administrative units.​

Recommendation #1 - New Daily Scheduling Template - Implemented Fall 2017

  • Adopt a new daily classroom scheduling template and associated policies that define allowable times for scheduling of individual courses at Georgia Tech, incorporating 15-minutes breaks between classes.
  • Establish a standard scheduling parameters for Standard 3-Lecture-Hour Time Blocks, Other Lecture-Only Courses, Friday Flexible Block, Laboratory Course Scheduling, and Policy Guidelines for Exceptions. Read more on the Registrar Office's page
  • Increase the percentage of two-day standard time blocks. 

 

Note: The steam whistle schedule will be adjusted to fit into the new template, as follows:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:50 a.m. 9:55 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:05 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 4:15 pm. 5:45 p.m. 9:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 1:15 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 8:50 a.m. 9:55 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:05 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 9:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 1:15  p.m. 2:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 8:50 a.m. 9:55 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:05 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 2:45 p.m.

Recommendation #2 - Policies, Procedures, and Best Practices

  • Develop policies, procedures, and best practices strategy that includes the establishment of “anchor classes” that will have priority for scheduling and room assignment, to be followed by subsequent scheduling by academic units on a term-by-term basis.
  • Establish best practices uses for Banner.
  • Standardize processes in scheduling and registration among the academic units for consistency in expectations regarding wait lists, permits, overloads, and other special permissions.
  • Develop a registration preview in Banner before the start of registration.
  • Establish a central portal to projected schedules, registration instructions, and related information.
  • Improve the quality (completeness and accuracy) of unit-level project schedules and class offerings. 

Recommendation #3 - Instructional and Class Scheduling Subcommittee of the IUCC & IGCC

  • Establish a permanent, joint subcommittee of the Institute Graduate Curriculum Committee (IGCC) and the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (IUCC) to act on matters related to class and instructional scheduling; provide an oversight and coordination role in these processes; and develop policies, procedures, and recommendations for both short- and long-term academic class scheduling and planning.

Recommendation #4 - Organizational Realignment - Implemented January 2017

  • Combine the academic class scheduling functions performed by the Registrar’s office with the classroom scheduling function done by Capital Planning & Space Management (CPSM) and place that merged class scheduling function in the Registrar’s office.  

Recommendation #5 - Resources and Technology - IMPLEMENTED JANUARY 2017

  • Conduct a technology audit and review and make a strategic investment in technology that supports class scheduling, registration, and related analytics.
  • Maximize the utility of DegreeWorks and Banner.
  • Further explore the relationship between Banner and Event Management System (EMS).