Classroom Scheduling Policies

The Office of the University Registrar is responsible for managing the utilization of university classrooms at all of Mason’s campuses. The priority for the Office of the University Registrar is to maintain efficient use of classrooms while also working to meet the needs of all university departments that require use of classrooms.

Policy for all credit-bearing courses (including contract courses):
Effective Fall 2011, courses that are scheduled in Mason-owned spaces (includes university classrooms and department-owned spaces) must have start and end dates that fall within the established Fall, Spring, or Summer semester dates. Academic calendars for Fall and Spring are approved by the Faculty Senate and are posted online at Academic Calendars .

First Tier: Regular Academic Credit Courses

Regular academic credit courses are defined as those that are open for general registration to any admitted student who meets the required criteria to take the course.

The Academic Scheduling team collaborates with academic departments to produce the Schedule of Classes each semester. This process begins approximately one year in advance of the future semester. All academic classrooms must be available to accommodate the courses that are requested.

Second Tier: Contract and Non-credit/CEU Courses

After all first-tier courses have been assigned classrooms during the initial schedule production for a given term, the Academic Scheduling team staff will assign classrooms for contract and non-credit/CEU courses. University classrooms will only be assigned to these courses once the request is received by the Scheduling staff via CourseLeaf CLSS.

Third Tier: Ad-Hoc Reservations

The Office of the University Registrar must assure that courses have been scheduled in university classrooms before allowing the scheduling of ad-hoc reservations within of the start and end date for the term.

  • The Academic Scheduling team schedules classrooms for course-related events by academic departments such as study/help sessions, group meetings, etc. Requests must be associated with a specific course and must be submitted by the instructor of record for the course or the department scheduling coordinator. A maximum of six reservations may be requested per section.
  • The Office of Events Management schedules classrooms for non-course related events such as meetings, conferences, workshops, etc.

After the last day to add until the last day of classes for a semester, ad-hoc requests or events can be scheduled in university classrooms based on availability.  Events cannot be scheduled in university classrooms on reading days or during the final examination period.

Exceptions

  • On Sundays only during the Fall and Spring semester, requests for university classrooms can be submitted and scheduled before the last day to add for the semester.
  • On the Arlington campus, university classrooms may also be scheduled Monday through Friday before 4:30pm.

In addition, other exceptions to this policy must be reviewed and approved by the Academic Scheduling Manager in advance and will depend upon our ability to meet academic course needs around the event request.