Scheduling a New Class
- Elysia Gallinaro
- Tanya Pompilio
Overview
This procedure provides the steps for scheduling a new class in the system. Use the Schedule New Course panel group to schedule courses.
Use the Basic Data panel to define basic class data such as sections, campus location, component, and class type.
Use the Class Meeting Pattern/Instructor panel to enter the class meeting times, days, facility, and the instructor(s).
Use the Class Enrollment Control panel to define the class status, capacities, and consent.
Use the Reserve Capacity panel to hold spaces for a specific group of students within a section.
Use the Class Notes panel to link class notes to specific class sections.
The Exams panel is not used by the University of Waterloo.
For information on modifying an already scheduled class, refer to the procedure Modifying Class Data
Business Process
If a course has not been scheduled for a current term, it must be created using this procedure. This will be the case for all additional courses that must be added for a future term if they were not offered in the term from which the prior term copy was created. Once the data for new courses has been saved, all modifications are handled using the Schedule of Classes panel group.
PeopleSoft Navigation
Curriculum Management → Schedule of Classes → Schedule New Course
On the Schedule New Course, Find an Existing Value dialog box, in the Academic Institution field, accept the default of UWATR.
In the Term field, type the appropriate term code or select if from the look up list.
From the Subject Area look up list, select the appropriate subject area code.
In the Catalog Nbr field, type the appropriate catalog number.
Click the Search button or press Enter.
You’ll notice the Catalog Nbr at the very top and alongside it will be the Course Title (field unlabeled). This title can be different from the title that appears on the Schedule of Classes but must go through SUC (via the faculties’ Calendar Rep) unless it is a typographical fix which can be sent to sarecord@uwaterloo.ca).
From the Session look up list, select the appropriate session for the class offering.
The valid sessions are:
1: Regular
PCS: Course Selection Session
The Start/End Date fields default from the session you entered.
These dates default from the Session Table panel. You can override them if necessary.
Verify that the Schedule Print check box is selected.
In the Class Section field, type the appropriate section number.
To record class sections, use the following conventions, where XX equals the section number.
0XX: Primary Meet (usually LEC)
1XX: Secondary Meet
2XX: Tertiary Meet
From the Component look up list, select the applicable component.
NOTE: It is imperative to schedule all the components in the Component look up list. You can have multiple components and sections within a course offering.
If a component is not to be scheduled for a specific term, it must be deleted from the Class Component panel in the Class Associations panel group. For specific instructions, refer to the procedure, Deleting a Component or Class Section
Should a component requested for an undergrad course not be available in the catalog, first run this query to see if it’s ever been offered before: UW_RS_SCH_SOC_ANY_TERM_NP
If it hasn’t schedule it for the term letting the rep know that it will only be one term, if they will want it again in the future then the Scheduling Rep must contact their Calendar Representative.
That person will decide whether to send a request for addition to sarecord@uwaterloo.ca or whether to move it through certain committees for approval.
Adding the component for one term only is fine but check to ensure they have not used the component in the past 3 like terms or so before adding it if you don’t have catalog rep approval for such already.
Should the Calendar Rep decide it needs to go through the proper channels before it is scheduled, Scheduling staff must refuse addition of that component to the Schedule of Classes.
Grad procedure for component additions differs. As of Summer 2015, the steps taken are:
Scheduling adds it for the term in question no questions asked of the department.
Scheduling copies grad scheduling inbox at gscheduling@uwaterloo.ca on the “Done” email to the Scheduling Rep so that they know when to add the component to the catalog if they wish to.
Grad Office adds the component to the catalog without need for approval through any committee. GSPA will update us should this procedure change due to any decisions made at SGRC.
From the Class Type drop-down list, select the desired value for the section.
Valid values are Enrollment and Non-Enrollment.
Use the class type of Enrollment to indicate which section is the primary section at enrolment. A course can have only one component with the class type of Enrollment.
Use the class type of Non-Enrollment for all secondary meetings.
Only the Finance Office uses the Add Fee button.
In the Associated Class field, either accept the default of 1 or change it as necessary.
For more information on class associations, refer to the procedure, Modify Class Information.
From the Campus look up list, select the applicable campus.
When you press Tab to move out from the Campus field, the Location field defaults.
In the Location field, either accept the default or change it as necessary.
Campus/Location on online (081) sections – for PCS the only option is to enter these as ONLN for Campus and ONLINE for Location. Otherwise, Systems will get import errors.
Leave the Course Administrator field blank unless it is a CEL 081 offering in which case choose number 10000010.
In the Academic Organization field, either accept the default or change it as necessary.
NOTE: This field value defaults from the Course Catalog. The academic organization refers to the organization offering the class.
If a class topic is required on the section click on the magnifying glass icon next to Course Topic ID. See if the topic being requested already exists. If it does, select the matching topic. If it does not and the course is indeed a topics course*: email sarecord@uwaterloo.ca to request an undergrad topic addition. Or email gscheduling@uwaterloo.ca to request a missing grad topic for addition to the catalog. *topics course definitions page: https://uwaterloo.ca/academic-calendar-curriculum-management-resources/undergraduate-specific-processes/course-considerations#topic-courses-repeat
NOTES: Topic titles may come into Scheduling with 30 characters or more contained in the title. We must ask the Scheduling Rep to shorten that title to 30 characters or less including whitespace or shorten if for them by removing vowels/providing short forms on certain words etc. If the section receiving a topic has a secondary component related to it, ensure the secondary component has the matching topic title added to it as well. Long forms of the topic title can also be submitted (and will appear on the transcript). These have to be 50 characters or less including whitespace.
Click the Meetings tab.
NOTE: The Course ID, Course Offering Nbr, Academic Institution, Term, Subject Area, Catalog Nbr, Session, Class Section, Component, and Class Nbr fields default. If a room has already been scheduled for this class, the system displays the event ID.
From the Facility ID look up list, select the appropriate facility for the class.
When you press Tab to move out of the field, the Facility Description field defaults beneath the Facility ID field.
From the Pat (Pattern) look up list, select the applicable class meeting pattern (M T W R S U or any combination of these days)
When you press Tab to move out of this field, the check boxes for Meeting Days (M T W T F S U) fields default based on the specified meeting pattern entered.
In the Mtg Start field, type the time the class begins.
When you press Tab to move out of the Mtg Start field, the End Time field defaults based on the normal class duration set on the Class Meeting Pattern/Instructor panel of the Course Catalog panel group. You can change this value if necessary.
The Start/End Date will fill out automatically based on the term selected.
To code an individual class date, in the Start/End Date field, type the appropriate start and end dates.
NOTE: This is necessary for classes scheduled on odd or even weeks only
In the ID field, type the instructor’s ID (EmplID).
When you press Tab to move out of the field, the instructor’s name appears next to the ID field.
NOTE: If you do not know the ID (EmplID), you can use the look up list and search by Last Name and/or First Name.
To add an additional instructor, click the plus button after the contact box. and repeat the few steps above.
To add an additional meeting pattern for a class, click the plus button after the Start/End Date boxes. Repeat steps 20 through 32.
NOTE: If instructor information was entered for the first meeting pattern, the information defaults for the second meeting pattern. Keep the instructors name in the first meeting pattern only and delete the instructor name in all other added meetings.
The Room Characteristic field is not being used at UW.
NOTE: These values are input in Campus.
Click the Enrollment Control tab.
The Enrollment Control panel appears. The Course ID, Course Offering Nbr, Academic Institution, Term, Subject Area, Catalog Nbr, Session, Class Section, Component, and Class Nbr fields default. If a room has already been scheduled for this class, the system displays the event ID.
In the Class Status field, accept the default of Active.
In the Consent field, either accept the default or override it as necessary.
NOTE: This value defaults from the Course Catalog Data panel.
Verify that the Auto Enroll from Wait List check box is cleared, or select it if necessary.
If there are multiple components for a course and students should automatically be enrolled in specific secondary sections, in the 1st Auto Enroll Section field, type the appropriate section number.
If there are multiple components for a course and students should automatically be enrolled in specific tertiary sections, in the 2nd Auto Enroll Section field, select the appropriate section.
If there are multiple sections of a component and you want the system to automatically check availability in the next section if the current one is full, in the Resection to Section field, select the appropriate section.
NOTE: You cannot resection the last section to the first section of the course because this could cause a loop.
Verify that the Cancel if Student Enrolled check box is cleared.
NOTE: Use this check box when canceling a class section.
In the Enrollment Capacity field, type the appropriate enrolment capacity for this class.
In the Requested Room Capacity field, type the same enrolment capacity as was entered in the Enrollment Capacity field. This is important so errors are not made elsewhere in the system (especially on the combined limits panels on heldwith courses).
Leave the Minimum Enrollment Nbr field blank.
NOTE: UW does not use this field
If you have combined this section with another section, the system displays a Combined Sections button. Click on this button to open the Combined Section Detail page.
If creating a PCS (Course Selection Section) – the limit for these sections is always 9999.
Click the Reserve Cap tab.
The Class Reserve Capacity panel appears. The system generates a reserve capacity sequence number, indicating the order in which you should evaluate the requirement groups during enrollment. You can override this number if necessary. The Enrollment Total field indicates the total number of students enrolled as part of the reserve capacity group.
NOTE: Use this panel if you want to hold spaces for a specific group of students.
In the Start Date field, type an effective date for the reserve capacity.
NOTE: This date is usually entered as the first day of enrolment from the Term one year prior to the current term.
From the Requirement Group look up list, select the appropriate group for the reserve capacity.
In the Cap Enrl field, type the maximum number for enrollment in this requirement group.
To add an additional requirement group, click the plus button next to Cap Enrl. Repeat the few steps above.
Click the Notes tab.
From the Print Location drop-down list, leave the default set to After.
Verify the Even if Class Not in Schedule check box is cleared. UW does not use this field.
From the Note Nbr look up list, select the appropriate note.
When you press Tab to move out of the field, the corresponding note text appears
Click the Exam tab.
On the toolbar, click the yellow save button
The system reviews, validates, and saves the class schedule data for the class, assigning it a unique Class Nbr. The system also creates a unique Event ID record when you schedule a class.
NOTE: The class number prints in the Schedule of Classes and will be used for student enrolment.
To add an additional section to the course, return to the Basic Data panel, click in the Section field, and then press the plus button next to the Class Nbr. Next, repeat steps 6 through 58 for each additional section.
To exit the Schedule New Course panel group, on the tool bar, click the yellow Return to Search button, or click on any of the navigation points left of Schedule New Course on the navigation map above the panel group.