Timetabling

The University timetable is prepared each semester using data exported from Student One into the University corporate timetabling system Syllabus Plus. Supplementary data is collected from teaching areas and manually entered into Syllabus Plus. Each August (for the Semester 1 timetable) and February (for the Semester 2 timetable), the ATU will issue to each teaching area a timeline outlining timetable data requirements and due dates. The timetable is scheduled by the ATU and a draft is distributed to allow for comment and corrections which are processed by the ATU. The final timetable is published no later than October 31, for the Semester 1 timetable, and May 31, for the Semester 2 timetable.

The timetable produced by Syllabus Plus is imported into Student One so it can be viewed by students and staff and used for class registration.

Prior to the preparation of the timetable each semester, Syllabus Plus is configured by the Timetabling Coordinator to ensure a suitable and up-to-date environment exists for data entry and timetable scheduling. This includes the following:

Cross-checking locations and capacities with Properties
Reviewing zoning, facilities and equipment for locations
The import of timetabling data from Student One.

The ATU performs an automated scheduling process based on the parameters collected during the data collection period. This results in the generation of a draft timetable. The draft timetable will be available for review at least two weeks prior to issue of the final timetable. Teaching areas review the draft timetable to ensure that:

activity requirements have been adequately provided for all unit offerings, and are in line with initial teaching area’s requests,
all details of activities have been entered correctly, and
any clashes are reported to the Availabilities and Timetabling Unit.

Changes to the Final Timetable will be kept to a minimum and must be approved, in writing, by the Head of the teaching area (or nominee). Changes will only be considered if:

student enrolment numbers exceed the capacity of the scheduled venue, or otherwise require a change,
a unit is no longer deemed viable to run,
an allocated venue does not provide the requested specialist facilities,
there is unexpected staff turnover,
a location is a safety or health hazard, or
there is a need to accommodate reasonable adjustments for students with a disability or medical condition.

The Final Timetable will be published as follows:

Semester 1 timetable by 31 October of the preceding year
Semester 2 timetable by 31 May of the current year

In developing the timetable priority will be given to the following:

units taught across multiple courses,
large planned class sizes in descending order of planned class size,
first year units will be timetabled where possible between 9am and 5pm.
core units before elective units,
activities of longer duration before those of shorter duration,
activities with more teaching weeks before activities of fewer teaching weeks, and

regular teaching activities before ad hoc activities and non-teaching activities.