Skip to Main Content

Electrical repairs in Hale Alakaʻi are nearing completion. Some services have returned to Hale Alaka‘i. Read more about relocations and details.

Reference

UHPA Agreement 2009-15, Article XXV Management Rights

Background and purpose

WCC’s processes for developing the Schedule of Classes and for cancelling classes have not been outlined in writing, resulting in confusion on the part of faculty, staff, and administrators as the processes have shifted over the years. Representatives from the Faculty Senate, Department Chairs, and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Office met during the 2009-10 academic year to discuss issues surrounding the two related processes. While final decisions concerning the SoC and Class Cancellations remain an administrative responsibility, the procedures listed below will guide both the development of the annual class schedules and class cancellations.

Authority

WCC Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Definitions/Categories

None

Procedures

  1. The Foundation for each new Annual Schedule of Classes will be the previous year’s schedule. Adjustments to that schedule will take into account:
    • Strength of enrollments during each class period
    • Sufficiency of evening, weekend, and online courses, as measured by student demand
    • Resolution of scheduling conflicts between math/science, business/accounting, developmental math/English, foundation, writing intensive, and diversification courses
    • Sufficiency of developmental classes in fall
    • That a sufficient number of second-level sequence courses to serve students completing first-level
    • That an appropriate number of WI courses offered
    • That classes with similar limited student audience not be offered in conflict
    • That all classes fit into class schedule matrix
    • That a sufficient number of sections are offered to meet projected enrollment demand
    • That initiatives designed to meet the College’s Strategic Goals are included
  2. Timeline and individuals responsible:
    • Early January: VCAA and appropriate Student Affairs administrators agree on projection of enrollments for ensuing year, using current fall/spring enrollment data as base.
    • Mid January: Current year schedule sent to department chairs with concerns about that schedule noted and enrollment projections provided
    • Late January/early February: Department Chairs review annual schedule with faculty
    • Mid February: Department chairs propose new annual schedule
    • Late February: DC schedule reviewed by Deans and Student Services personnel, revised if necessary, and sent back to DCs
    • Early March: DCs review annual schedule with faculty, then review as a group
    • Mid March: final schedule posted for faculty review; finalized and sent to printer no later than day before spring break
    • Early April: final schedule online and available for print distribution
  3. Class Cancellation Procedure:
    • Enrollment management must balance several competing factors, including the desire to offer more courses while at the same time ensuring that courses have sufficient enrollment. In the weeks leading up to the beginning of a semester, the deans, department chairs, and the VCAA review the class enrollment data regularly. Under normal circumstances, classes will be cancelled only for low enrollment (see below). On rare occasions it may be necessary to cancel classes for other reasons (lack of facility, lack of qualified instructor etc.)
    • Because classes differ in many ways, are offered in many disciplinary contexts, and are offered to satisfy many disparate demands, it is not possible to set a minimum enrollment cutoff for all classes. However, for classes with an enrollment cap of 20-35, typically discussions about cancellation will commence with enrollments below 10.
    • Decisions on class cancellations will only be made after consultation with Department Chairs and appropriate faculty.
    • Usually, on the Thursday before classes are to begin the Deans ask the DC’s for advice about cancelling classes with low or marginal enrollment. If cancellation is proposed, the faculty member will also be consulted.
    • When a class is cancelled, an email is sent to the department chair, the instructor, the web master, and the person working with Banner.
    • Special Considerations: In some cases, classes with very low (2-5) enrollments will receive additional scrutiny. Those include courses that exist only as a single section; courses that are the second course in a two-semester sequence; courses that are required for completion of a certificate offered by the college; and courses offered for the first time.

Timeline: See above

Exclusion: All faculty and staff are invited to review the Annual Schedule in late March, and to offer suggestions to Department Chairs, Deans, or VCs at any time during the process.

Responsibilities: WCC VCAA will review process annually with the DCs

Effective date: Fall, 2010

Revised date: April, 2010

APPLY NOW