• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Meeting students' needs
• Optimising the use of teaching space
• Publishing and changing the timetable
• Starting times
• Roles and responsibilities
• Section 5 - Procedure
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Policy is effective from 3 October 2023.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) The Policy commits the University to a centralised academic timetable.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Policy applies to the academic timetable for all courses of the University conducted on campus.

Section 4 - Policy

(4) The University will have a centralised academic timetable that optimises its use of space, and ensures provision of appropriate physical teaching and learning environments for students and staff.

Meeting students' needs

(5) The academic timetable will be formulated to:

1. allow students to complete core units in a course level and to satisfy course rules
2. provide flexibility in students' choices of classes and time, where possible
3. support cross-faculty enrolments.

Optimising the use of teaching space

(6) In developing and administering the timetable, the University will seek to maximise the effective, efficient and fair use of teaching space by:

1. including all teaching areas available for delivery of award courses in the allocation of space
2. making full use of the University's core teaching hours
3. giving priority to larger classes over smaller classes, and to activities that occupy larger blocks of time over those using smaller blocks of time
4. reserving specialist teaching spaces and facilities for their designated purposes in the first instance
5. building the timetable from a zero base, to re-optimise use of space, as deemed necessary
6. monitoring the use of teaching space to ensure it is appropriate (see Space Management and Allocation procedure).

Publishing and changing the timetable

(7) The University will publish the timetable prior to each formal enrolment period, to enable students to choose their units with full timetable information.

(8) Once the timetable is published changes to dates and times will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

(9) Where possible, the timetable will remain stable and predictable from year to year.

Starting times

(10) Classes other than those of Deakin College and the Deakin University English Language Institute (DUELI) will commence on the hour and conclude 10 minutes before the scheduled finish time. Deakin College and DUELI classes will commence on the hour or the half-hour.

Roles and responsibilities

(11) The Executive Director, Infrastructure, Property and Precincts is responsible for:

1. coordinating academic timetabling on the corporate timetabling system
2. ensuring the timetable is published before each enrolment period
3. approving changes to the published timetable where multiple faculties are affected
4. conducting regular audits of teaching space use
5. in consultation with faculty general managers and the Executive Director, Student Services, deciding when to re-build the timetable from a zero base.

(12) Faculty general managers are responsible for:

1. ensuring the timely and accurate entry of information into the corporate timetabling system
2. approving changes to the published timetable relevant to their faculty
3. advising students of any major changes to the timetable.

(13) The Executive Director, Student Services is responsible for:

1. advising the Executive Director, Infrastructure, Property and Precincts regarding the timing of publication of the timetable
2. approving any major changes made to the timetable following publication.

Section 5 - Procedure

(14) There is no attendant procedure.

Section 6 - Definitions

(15) For the purpose of this Policy:

1. Core teaching hours: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 10 pm but in the case of undergraduate courses, these will normally be scheduled from 8 am to 8 pm and in the case of postgraduate courses, these will normally be scheduled using a mix of day and evening classes up to 10 pm.