The following is an overview of the classroom assignment and optimization process used by the Registrar’s Office to assign central classrooms each semester. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible about how we assign classrooms so that instructors and administrators have a better understanding of why we assign the rooms we do.

Which kinds of classes are included in the optimization process?

Historically, we have conducted the optimization process under the assumption that only lecture, seminar, and discussion sections require central classrooms. Other types of classes, such as laboratories or practicums, are generally scheduled in department-controlled space or do not need classrooms at all. While those assumptions are still true in most cases, we will now use the Room field in CLSS to determine which classes to include. To indicate that a class requires a central classroom, set the Room field to “General Assignment Room.” In addition, it is important to finalize room assignments or choose “Pending Department Room Assignment” for any classes that will be held in department-controlled space.

Step 1: Manual classroom assignments for all ADA accommodations

There is no way to automate assignments for ADA accommodations while also protecting instructors’ privacy, so these assignments are made manually by the Scheduling staff. Again, please have your faculty reach out to Ryan Bangham in HR to make any necessary ADA accommodations.

Step 2: Configuring the optimizer

The EMS Classroom Optimizer is a tool that uses an algorithm to quicky and efficiently assign classrooms to thousands of classes while respecting certain weighted criteria. Before we run the optimizer, we update any sections with room requirements specified in CLSS and make any updates to department building preferences. We then tell the optimizer how to weight different criteria when making room assignments using the following weights listed in the order in which they are ranked:

1. Enrollment Capacity: Our highest priority is ensuring that we find classrooms for every class that needs one. We try to closely match enrollment capacity to room capacity to maximize seat utilization and to ensure that undersized classes in oversized classrooms do not displace larger classes.
2. Room Requirements: These are instructional requirements reported to us by departments via CLSS. It is important that only requirements be listed in CLSS rather than preferences. Setting too many requirements can be risky; the optimizer will only assign classrooms that meet ALL requirements.
3. Back-to-Back Instructors: This ensures that instructors are kept in the same classroom (or at least building) to the extent possible. If instructors teach back-to-back at peak times, this is not always feasible, particularly if one or more of the classes is large.
4. Adherence to Standard Meeting Pattern: While deans may approve exceptions to the university’s standard meeting pattern policy, those classes that conform to the standard meeting patterns will be prioritized over non-standard classes in order to maximize classroom utilization.
5. Departmental Preferences: Once the above criteria are met, the optimizer will try to assign classes to rooms only in the buildings or areas preferred by the department.

Step 3: Optimizing large classrooms

Because large classrooms – those with capacities of 100 or more – are so scarce, we run the optimizer for all large classes in a single batch. We do try to honor departmental preferences, but this is not possible for many large classes. For some departments, the buildings they identify as their top choices simply do not have classrooms large enough to accommodate their largest classes, so honoring those preferences is simply impossible.

Step 4: Optimizing in batches to honor departmental preferences

Rather than attempting to assign all classrooms in a single optimizer run, we run the optimizer in batches so that we can better match each department to its first, second, and third preferences. For example, if three departments have indicated that MCHU is their first choice for room assignments, we will do an optimizer run with only those departments and MCHU as the only building option. We will lock in any assignments the optimizer was able to make, and any sections that remain unassigned will be moved back into the pool of classes to be assigned.

Step 4a: Optimizing discussion sections

Because discussions almost always meet just once per week, we don’t include them in the optimization process until after the other class types have been optimized. We’ve found that including the discussions with the classes that meet more frequently has led to inefficient classroom assignments.

Step 5: Optimize all remaining unassigned classes

Once we’ve gone through the preferences building by building and department by department, any unassigned classes will be included in one final run of the optimizer to assign them to any available central classrooms. If there are still unassigned classes after that, we will attempt to manually assign them and, if there are no rooms available, we will notify departments.

Step 6: Publish classroom assignments, activate EMS Room Seek

Once the room assignment process is complete, we will publish the results so that room assignments are visible in EMS, CLSS, and Student Admin. EMS Room Seek will also become available for departments who wish to make any changes to their classroom assignments.

Dates and Deadlines

Schedule Submission Deadline: February 12

All schedules should be submitted by departments and approved by their dean’s offices by Monday, Feb. 12 so that we can migrate the schedule data to Student Admin and begin the classroom assignment process. Please work with your dean’s office to determine when your schedule should be submitted for their review so that it can be reviewed and approved by the February 12 deadline. Note: Any schedule not submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the Feb. 12 deadline may be excluded from the classroom assignment process. This will mean that those departments will need to use EMS Room Seek after the Room Assignment Phase to find classrooms for their classes.

Use Validate to Review All Outstanding Errors and Submit Your Schedule

When you are ready to submit your schedule, you can do so by clicking the “Validate” button at the top of the screen:

Clicking that will also show you any errors in your sections that are outstanding. Please note that all errors will need to be resolved before you will be able to submit your schedule. The error messages should include all the information you need to resolve them but, if you have any questions, please let us know.

Room Assignment Phase

Once all departmental schedules have been submitted and ready to be bridged to the Student Administration System, we will move lock the Fall 2024 term in CLSS. During this phase, you will be able to view your schedules in CLSS, but no schedule changes will be permitted while the classroom optimization is in progress. We expect this process to take approximately 5 to 7 business days.

Room Assignment Checklist

The checklist below lists the steps departments should take to ensure that the Registrar’s Office has complete and accurate information about their schedule before the start of the Classroom Assignment Process.

1. Work with HR on all ADA Accommodations

The Registrar’s Office can only make accommodations that have been approved by Human Resources. If any of your faculty will require an ADA accommodation, they should contact Ryan Bangham from HR as soon as possible. We will be working with Ryan in the next couple weeks to get an up-to-date list of all approved accommodations for instructors assigned to teach spring classes.

2. Use General Assignment Room for classes that require a centrally scheduled classroom…

The “General Assignment Room” option in CLSS is how we will determine which classes need to be assigned to a centrally scheduled classroom, so please be sure that this option is selected for every class for which a classroom must be assigned by the Registrar’s Office.

To see a list of all the classes in your department that have indicated a need for a General Assignment Room, click the “View By” button near the top of the screen and select “Room.” This will give you a breakdown of all classes with this option as well as classes assigned to department-controlled spaces if you have assigned those.

3. …but not for those that don’t!

In addition to identifying the classes that need central classrooms, it is EQUALLY important to identify all classes that DO NOT. For any classes that will be assigned to department-controlled space, please select the space from the Room dropdown prior to submitting your department’s schedule. If you know a class will be assigned to a department-controlled space but do not yet know which one, please select the “Pending Department Room Assignment” option.

4. Finalize all instructor assignments as much as possible

The classroom optimization process is the best opportunity for us to ensure that instructors teaching back-to-back classes are assigned to the same room (or at least the same building). This is one of the most heavily weighted factors we build into the optimization process. Once classroom assignments have been made, we will lose a great deal of scheduling flexibility, so it’s important that instructor information is as accurate as it can be when you submit your department’s schedule.

5. Double check combined sections

If you have combined any sections with other departments, please be sure that the “Rm Cap Request” field under Combined Section Enrollment in CLSS is accurate and accounts for the total combined enrollment capacity for all combined sections. This is the value that will be used to determine the necessary classroom size, so it is important that it is accurate. The department that controls the Parent section of the class will need to update this field if it is inaccurate.

6. Identify any REQUIRED room features in CLSS if applicable.

If an instructor requires specific instructional features to teach their class, such as moveable seats or an instructor-facing camera, schedulers these should be added under Room Features.

IMPORTANT: Please be sure to only specify strict room requirements at this stage of the process. The optimizer will only assign a classroom to your class if the room meets every requirement you have listed, including capacity. Adding room features that aren’t essential could result in your class not being assigned a classroom.