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Workshop: Timetabling

Workshop: Timetabling. Student Rep Conference 2008 Timetabling Unit. First Activity of the workshop: Questionnaire. Please take a few minutes to complete the Timetabling Questionnaire. We want to know what do you think about your timetables, so we can improve our service to you.

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Workshop: Timetabling

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  1. Workshop: Timetabling Student Rep Conference 2008 Timetabling Unit

  2. First Activity of the workshop: Questionnaire Please take a few minutes to complete the Timetabling Questionnaire. We want to know what do you think about your timetables, so we can improve our service to you.

  3. You might recognise this flyer that was handed out during enrolment…

  4. General overview: • The Timetabling Unit is part of Student Support and Information Systems (SSIS). • Our objective is to produce workable and equitable timetables for the Faculties, considering the student body and lecturers availability within our limited space and resources. • We produce timetables for Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Further Education (FE), Professional and other short courses.

  5. General Overview • Timetables are required for approximately 7.575 teaching events at Derby Campus (KR/BM/MS) and around 1698 at Buxton Campus. • All these sessions have to be allocated into: • 115 classrooms and lecture theatre space and 155 specialist rooms at Derby (KR/BM/MS); and • 41 classrooms and lecture theatre space and 56 specialist rooms at Buxton.

  6. From information gathered through previous campaigns, we learnt that students wanted some improvements to their timetables, such as Wednesday afternoons free for activities like sports and societies, a reduction in the number of changes to their timetables or enough notice given for those who work or need to arrange childcare … • The University decided to take a new rules approach to timetabling that would be student focussed, equitable and use university resources more efficiently. • Consequently a University Timetable Group was created and together with representatives and in consultation with UDSU, it was decided to set up a Timetabling Project agreed by Executive and University Senior Management that would aim to solve these issues.

  7. This Timetabling Project has established challenging but essential rules that will help us achieve… • an early release of timetables so you can plan your life around your studies; • minimizing the number of changes to published timetables; • the best use of our space and resources.

  8. Now lets have a go at some timetabling exercises…

  9. Answers to exercise 1…

  10. Tuesday 9-11am or Thursday 4-6pm

  11. Answer to exercise 2: • First: if we consider the rooms capacity: you will need 3 sessions Second: rooms and students are available for Monday evening, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Third: then consider the lecturers availability: - the Module Leader is only available for two possible slots Monday evening (6-9pm) and Thursday afternoon (1-4pm); - the second lecturer is available for a session on Friday morning (10-1pm).

  12. Now that you had an insight into the complexity involved in timetabling, we want to tell you about some other issues that affect our work: • Staff constraints Our academic body must have a balanced working week that not only has to fit within their personal availability and other teaching commitments, it also has to allow necessary time for them to engage in research, so they can enrich their service to you.

  13. Other issues… • Expansion and Resource Development When the University engages in projects such us constructing new buildings or extending the car park, it must first consider costs vs. benefits aspects of each operation. For example if additional teaching space is urgently required, taking into consideration that obtaining planning permission can take a few years, the University could seek an immediate solution such us renting the space. Even though this option might seem cheaper, it will be more costly in the long run as this is only a temporary solution.

  14. Other issues… • Projects like the Refenestration which the University is carrying on at Britannia Mill and Kedleston Road sites might be seen as disruptive by some students and staff, but this is necessary work that must be undertaken to maintain our buildings in good conditions and to improve our provision to current and future students.

  15. What’s next… • For the Phase 1 of the Timetabling Project, the 0809 timetables were shaped using a rule based approach to allocate staff and resources. The signed off for the 0809 timetables was mid July. • The University Executive has directed that the Timetabling Project Phase 2 should deliver a draft 2009/10 timetable by the end of December 2008 and a finalised timetable in March 2009. The timetable for 0910 will be based on the previous 0809 timetable. This way your timetable will be available four months earlier.

  16. Finally, do you have any questions about timetables…

  17. Thanks for attending this session. Timetabling Unit

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