SACRAO 2012The New Pony Express: Following the Paperless
Trail
University of Cincinnati
UC, continued•4-year public urban research university
•2 regional colleges
•12 colleges in total, including College of Medicine and
College of Law
•Fall enrollment – 42,421 students
Semester conversion from 4 quarters to 3 semesters
beginning Fall 2012, August 27th
Semester conversion
•Re-envisioned curriculum – not
just calendar/ course conversion
•New course number convention
•Necessitated substantial
changes to the Schedule of
Classes format
Schedule of Classes (SOC)
The Past
•Summer 2005 & Autumn 2005
– the last printing of a schedule
of classes paper document
•Approximately 100-page
newsprint document
•40,000 copies typically printed
for an Autumn edition
Current SOCSearch by
college/discipline
Search by course/class
characteristics
Current SOC
•Flat file from homegrown SIS (UniverSIS) which is
used by web interface
•2005 – 2008 mainframe flat file refreshed twice/week
upon request
•2009 – automated refresh occurs nightly
•Class enrollment is always returned in real time with
a web service
New SOC•New needs rising from semester conversion changes
15ENGL101 ENGL1001
Class attributes, general education requirements,
campus
•“While the hood is up…”
Class format: DL only, hybrids, disparate meeting
dates
Prerequisites, alternate title, professor email, free text
space
Make data more transparent
More frequent updates of the SOC (real time?)
New SOC•What SOC formats are students accustomed to?
•Ohio schools
•The Ohio State University, Miami University, University of Toledo, Kent State
University
•Many use their SIS’s (Banner, Peoplesoft, etc.) SOC template
•Common Query format
•Students can select and search on the characteristics of classes that they
need, rather than navigating a course bulletin-type format
•Allows for more flexibility in searching for classes
•Ease of use for new students, transfers, visiting students
Basics•Term/Session (Flex!)
•Discipline•Level
•Day/Time (broad, no ranges)•Keyword
•Chose not to do an open/closed search
Trends in Scheduling
•DL only
•Class format
UC-Specific Items
•Campus
•Offering College
•Attributes
•Gen Ed
A wealth of information to display to students
How to fit it all in without being overwhelming?
Clickable links, pop-up’s and hovers!
Clickable links
•Use as many links as possible – serves as the SOC’s legend without
taking up space
Pop-up’s
•Provide a lot of information in a small amount of space that the student can
access at will.
Hovers
•Even without clicking on something,
the student alerted to further content
Items of note•Email link for professors•Physical address for building location (more off-campus classes)•Link to campus maps•Ability to display hybrids and disparate meeting dates clearly and accurately•Prerequisite icons•Alternate titles•Free text space
New SOC
CQL tables rather than flat file
•Allow for minimal added stress on SIS
•Updates every 30 minutes
Class enrollment information continues to be real time with a web service
SOC also interfaces with:
•University Bookstore link (Follett’s)
•Syllabi provided by Blackboard link
New Schedule of Classes goes live for 2012 Fall Semester on March 12th!