Note: The principles on this page apply to each semester.

Efficient and effective use of classroom space

  • “The schedule should reflect an efficient and effective use of the classrooms available, of the five working-days available per week, and of the hours from 8:00 a.m. to 9:50 p.m.” (all quotes are drawn from the Faculty Senate meeting minutes linked below)
  • Schedule courses throughout the day.  
  • Schedule courses throughout the week.  
  • Plan for an equitable distribution of courses in and MWF and TT time slots.
  • Contact associateprovosts@pugetsound.edu to discuss changing the duration of labs.

One-day-per-week, three-hour classes

  • These are limited to 300- and 400-level courses and graduate courses.
  • These are allowed only when the course is not the only section of a course required by the major.
  • Starting times are 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00 p.m. Note that 2:00 is not an approved starting time.

Common Period: Wednesdays, Noon-1:30 p.m. 

  • “Departments should avoid scheduling classes during this time so that as many faculty members as possible are available to participate in the affairs of governance that concern the whole community.”
  • If classes must be scheduled between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. during the Common Period,  they should only be scheduled with these criteria in mind:
    • The course schedule necessitates the use of the slot.
    • When possible, courses in this slot should be staffed by instructors who do not have voting rights.
    • If faculty members must be scheduled in this slot, they should be scheduled on a rotating basis (from semester to semester), to ensure that no faculty member is routinely disenfranchised.

4:00 p.m. (or later) Time Periods

  • Should only be used for courses that are either (1) not required for a major or (2) for which there are multiple sections, one or more of which end before 4:00 p.m.
  • This includes courses that start prior to 4:00 p.m. and cross into this time period (e.g., 3:30 - 4:50 p.m.)

Course Enrollment Limits

  • Most 100-level courses have a limit of 28.
  • First-year seminars have a limit of 17.
  • Connections 200-400 level have a limit of 22. Team-taught Connections courses enrollment must support two teaching units, and must be approved in advance by the ADO.
  • Contact associateprovosts@pugetsound.edu if you have questions about enrollment limits.

Approved Time Periods

MWF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 1:00 – 1:501
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

1The Common Period is 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.  Departments should avoid scheduling classes during this time as outlined in the "Common Period" section above.

TT

  • 8:00 – 9:20
  • 9:30 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 12:20
  • 12:30 – 1:50
  • 2:00 – 3:20
  • 3:30 – 4:50

MW/WF/MF

  • 12:00 – 1:20 (MF only)
  • 2:00 – 3:20
  • 3:30 – 4:50
  • 4:00 – 5:20
  • (5:00 – 6:20, 6:00 – 7:20 also available) 

MTTF/MTWT/MTWF/MWTF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 12:00 – 12:50 (MTTF only)
  • 1:00 – 1:50 (MTTF only)
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

Four-day-per-week courses beginning at 9:00, 12:00, or 3:00 will have Tuesday and/or Thursday session(s) adjusted to fit within the closest 80-minute time period (see the upper-right box above).

MTWTF

  • 8:00 – 8:50
  • 9:00 – 9:50
  • 10:00 – 10:50
  • 11:00 – 11:50
  • 2:00 – 2:50
  • 3:00 – 3:50
  • 4:00 – 4:50

Five-day-per-week courses beginning at 9:00 or 3:00 will have Tuesday and Thursday sessions adjusted to fit within the closest 80-minute time period (see the box above).

 

 

Guidelines for Determining Activity vs. Academic Credit

  1. The defining elements of activity-credit courses are (a) learning through engagement/participation, and (b) engagement/participation assessed as completed, not according to the degree of skill or competency attained. 
  2. The defining elements of Academic courses are (a) an engagement with disciplinary/interdisciplinary content, and (b) a requirement for a level of skill or competency as demonstrated by one or more assessment techniques linked to  student learning outcomes, not only participation and engagement.
  3. When in doubt about whether a course should be activity or academic, academic credit should generally be the default.  Activity courses are always P/F.
  4. The determination of activity vs. academic credit is made by departments/programs, rather than by the Curriculum Committee.

Further Resources

  • The original approved scheduling guidelines from November 12, 2007 can be found in the archived Faculty Senate Minutes.
  • The amendment to include the common period can be found in the March 28, 2016 archived Faculty Senate Minutes.
  • Further Discussion on the common period can be found in the September 26, 2016 archived Faculty Senate Minutes.