The primary goal of the Office of the Registrar is to maximize courses, staff, and teaching spaces while reducing operating costs to be fiscally efficient and environmentally responsible. This focus is especially imperative in these fiscally challenged years ahead. Following standard set scheduling patterns with compatible start and ending times, the overall schedule fits together with less conflict in a consistent and equitable manner. In order to achieve these goals, revised scheduling policies and procedures have been established by Classroom Scheduling and approved by The Office of the Provost. The scheduling regulations apply to those colleges who utilize university classrooms from the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Education, and Engineering, and Tippie College of Business. Use of scheduling regulations permits efficient exercise of available classroom space as well as provides an orderly framework for instructional planning to reduce course concentration. Use of standard time blocks also allow students greater flexibility and opportunity in scheduling classes offered by different departments or colleges. 

Please select from one of the two Standardized Time-Blocks below:

Campus Benefits to Approved Class Meeting Times:

  • Standardized evening class times reduce class scheduling overlaps and in number of classroom facilities required allowing for reduced energy consumption in academic buildings.
  • Expands standard class time options for course offerings to maximize registration opportunities for both traditional and non-traditional students in both daytime and evening sessions.
  • Raises university classroom utilization efficiencies for continued enrollment increases.
  • 7:30 a.m. MWF class time slot was identified with 10% utilization of the university classroom capacity. Time slot remains available by departmental request.
  • 8:30 a.m. MWF is the official start time across all university classrooms.
  • 11 of 15 MWF classroom size categories (14–400) or 73% make greater usage of available classrooms when compared to the old class time structure.
  • TTh class time slot (12:30-1:45 p.m.) offers a scheduling option within the coveted “prime time”. 221 class time periods requiring no additional building funds to create classroom space are available utilizing this time slot. It is assumed standard TTh 75-minute class times will be used.
  • TTh class start times begin on either the hour or half-hour by increasing TTh class pass times to 15 minutes. In doing so, provides more intuitive class schedules for students and faculty.
  • 10 of 15 TTh classroom size categories (14–400) or 67% make greater usage of available classrooms when compared to the old class structure.
  • Midterm Evening Examination slots offer a 2 hour or a 1 ½ hour testing time slots.

Exceptions to Standardized Time-Block Model

All classes must follow the standard time-block model. If a department needs to appeal these class meeting times, the department chair, DEO, or ADA should complete the online Non-Standard Class Time Exception Request form for review. Any deviation from the specified start and end times must be approved by the departmental DEO and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE), who will make the final decision. Courses scheduled outside the standard time-block model will be adjusted administratively by Classroom Scheduling. Due to the impact on student registration opportunities and classroom resources, few exceptions will be granted.

Exclusions to the Standard Time-Block Model (Fall and Spring Semesters)

  • Undergraduate-level courses numbered below 5000 (or below 6000 for College of Engineering courses) can meet over 2 hours in a university classroom if the class starts at (1) 5:30 p.m. on M/W/F, (2) 5:00 p.m. on T/Th, or (3) on the half hour 6:30 p.m. or later.
  • Graduate-level courses numbered 5000 and above (or 6000 and above for College of Engineering courses) can meet over 2 hours in a university classroom if the start time conforms to the standard class start time schedules.

Scheduling Exceptions and Replication - New for Fall 2025

Two new fields have been added within Offerings Planner which will facilitate Classroom Scheduling's ability to maintain approved scheduling exceptions. The new fields are "Scheduling Exception Start" and "Scheduling Exception End." After a non-standard class time exception request is approved, Classroom Scheduling will utilize these fields to indicate when the exception begins and if there is an end session for that exception. Many approved exceptions are only approved for one session.

Please note: If the Scheduling Exception End field shows an end session, this section WILL NOT automatically replicate for the next “like session” (fall to fall/spring to spring). Consequently, each individual section will need to be manually created with an approved standard class time, or you will need to reapply for a non-standard class time exception using the Non-Standard Class Time Exception Request form. If no end session shows in the Scheduling Exception End field, the section will replicate in the future as approved by Classroom Scheduling.