General Information

Throughout the semester, we receive emails requesting reservations for future semesters. We wait to process events and reservations until the course schedule has mostly been finalized- as courses are more important to help students reach graduation, and it is more difficult to find semester-long reservations than single day events.
In the time between when we start receiving requests and when we process these requests, we create a 'queue' by filing away emails according to the YYS in folder in the inbox. REMEMBER: semester dates span from the first class day until the last day before the next first class day. This means that a reservation for an event on August 23^rd, 2018 would still be a summer 2018 reservation, while a reservation for an event on January 16^th 2017 would still be a fall 2018 reservation.

Timeline

Each semester, the dataset is made first, followed by the scheduling of courses. Special events are scheduled after the course catalog is close to being finalized- and reservations are typically not released until after OCS. The goal is to open the semester early enough for Student Activities to have about four weeks to process the student organization room requests before the first class day of the semester, without scheduling special requests too early- making finding rooms for courses more difficult.
Fall: Start preparing queue mid-late June. Send confirmations mid-late July.
Spring: Start preparing queue late October. Send confirmation mid-late November.
Summer: Start preparing queue early April. Send confirmations mid-late April.
For more information on specific dates, see the Room Scheduling Production calendar:
\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Production Calendars\Room Scheduling Production Calendar.xlsx

** Keep in mind that this process takes a couple of weeks from contacting priority requestors to sending out reservation confirmations. Organization is key- and going slowly and methodologically will help minimize errors.

Prep Process

1. Make a semester prep template by copying the information from the 'Semester Prep Template' section below into a new word document, save it in this folder, with the YYS in the title: \\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Semester Prep
   • Fill in any dates (semester dates, holidays, final exams, etc.)
   • Print an updated GPC list, and make sure unavailable rooms, rooms that can't have minors, and special rooms (lab rooms, computer labs, etc.) are indicated, to use when vetting requests.
2. Search the inbox (and semester folder) for any requests from departments with priority reservation status, and print any reservation requests. In Outlook, highlight printed emails in yellow, highlight amended requests in pink, and highlight acknowledgement-only of requests in gray.
   • If priority reservations have not been received, reach out to contact person, and give a deadline for response, giving users 2-7 days to respond (as time allows), using the below template.
3. Double-check the previous semester folder for any bundled requests. Sometimes requests come in for both fall and spring midterms in the same request.
   • We should already have a copy in all applicable folders at this point-this is just a safeguard.
4. Double check other semester folders for requests for the future semester that were filed incorrectly. These are typically in the room requests folders as well as the RG 750 folders.
5. Open the future semester room request folder, and starting from the bottom of the folder (earliest reservation request), start printing requests. As you go, highlight printed emails in yellow, highlight amended requests in pink, and highlight acknowledgement-only of requests in gray.
   • Work your way up through the entire folder, stopping periodically to paperclip requests together (such as multi-page emails, and emails with their room reservation request forms), and ensure that everything is printing correctly.
   • Ultimately, everything will need to be in chronological order, so organizing these requests as you go will be helpful.
   • To print a request, you can right click the original email containing the request to 'quick print' and then open any relevant attachments and print those as well.
   • If a request comes with an attached (approved) RG 750- simply write on the request that a form was received, and indicate the date of the received RG 750 form (printing is not necessary for these RG 750 forms)
   • You should, however, print any stray RG 750s that aren't obviously with a reservation request (as these will need to be looked into).
   • If a request requires a RG 750 make sure that the RG 750 has been signed and filed in the RG750 CCYYS folder in the shared Scheduling email account and make a note on the printed request that it has been received.
   • As you go, any requests or emails that were incorrectly placed in the CCYYS folder in question should be moved into their appropriate folder.
6. Everything in the CCYYS folder should be highlighted at this point, and all received reservation requests (and stray RG 750s) should be printed.
7. Go through all printed reservations, and highlight the original date the request was sent in.
   • Make sure they are in chronological order.
   • Your events should also be separated into different categories:
     1. Priority event requests
     2. Regular reservations
     3. Stray RG 750s – and requests still pending RG 750s.
8. Email contacts for any stray RG 750s and requests pending RG 750s using the below email templates.
9. Check for events with minors (using RG 750) and make sure they have not requested any 3^rd and 4^th floor rooms in WEL. Make a note on requests with minors to not schedule 3^rd and 4^th floor Welch rooms.
10. Do a cursory check to see if any requests are for special days: no class days & dead days, final exam days (if the request is for an approved event on a final exam day it should be filed in the final exam day request inbox folder), holidays, partial control rooms, rooms unavailable due to construction, etc. by using the dates listed on your template SUMMER** Pay special attention to differing sessions

• If any requests are for special days, highlight/flag the date on the printed request.
  • We will schedule any dates that are allowed. When following up with requestor confirmation, make them aware of special days reserved as requested and dates not allowed to be scheduled per the academic calendar (explain reason).

1. Divide reservation requests between Scheduling team while keeping reservations in the order received.
   • Process reservations by priority then by the date we receive them.
   • In the summer, do not use the option to reserve multiple dates at once from the graphical semester calendar- as this method has scheduled rooms in conflict in the past.
2. Write down confirmation codes on each sheet- DO NOT send confirmation emails yet!
   • If the GPC requested is not available, schedule something comparable/close. If necessary, contact the person requesting the GPC for their preferences. Note that for summer orientation, requestors will need the same room on all dates of the reservation if possible.
3. Double check all confirmations against requests; swap with a coworker and double-check again.
4. Final check of past and future semester folders to make sure all emails have been accounted for.
5. Grant Level III users scheduling access in the Room Scheduling System. Email Level III users to let them know that they now have access (\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Example Notification Emails and Memos\Notify Level Three Room Viewers Semester is Open.docxx).
   • Authorization documentation for steps 17 and 18 can be found here:

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Course Scheduling\5.Training Resources and Authorizations\External Authorizations\Authorization Guide.docx
\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Training and How To's\Internal\Tasks and Jobs\Add New Users and give Levels Access in RSS.docx 

1. Notify Level IV users the semester is open for reservations (\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Example Notification Emails and Memos\Notify Room Viewers Semester is open.docx).
   • Publish in memo in Canvas.
     1. Header logo can be found here:

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Canvas\Images etc for Canvas

1. 1. 1. Use past memos as an example. Make sure memo is saved as a PDF in appropriate \\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Memos
   • Make an announcement in Room Viewer Canvas directing users to memo.
   • Send text from memo as an email to Room Schedulers listserv by emailing: room-schedulers@utlists.utexas.edu
2. Send confirmations to requestors through the Room Scheduling System.
   • Start by sending emails to any requestors whose room reservation differs from their request and follow up with confirmation email. This includes reservations with weekends and no-class days.
   • Then go through stack of papers in order, sending out reservation confirmations. If the person listed as the contact person is different than the person requesting, make sure an email is sent to both parties.

Semester Prep Template

Special Days

Check the academic calendar for special days and write them down for later reference as you schedule:

• Semester dates: 1^st class date- last day of semester (last day before the following first class date)
  • • Also document different session dates during the summer
• Dead days: date – date
• Final exam days: date-date & date-date
  • *Summer: First: date, date Second/Whole: date, date

*Note that nine-week final exam dates are treated as normal class days, and there are no restrictions on scheduling events.

• Holidays: date - date
• Spring/Winter Break: date – date
• No Class days vs Class Days

Special Rooms

Use the GPC List to list any special rooms (construction, rooms that cannot have minors, etc.)

Priority Reservations

Check to make sure we have reservation requests from priority requestors. If not, use the below template email to request that they send in their reservations to be processed.
* Note that some parties may have been contacted/scheduled during short course dataset. Talk to dataset point person*

1. ESL: Michael Smith (cc: CELTA@austin.utexas.edu)
2. University Extension: Hilary Routon and Dianne Folkerth
3. Computer Science GDC requests: Michaela Cicero (Michaela will have been contacted during dataset outreach, but should be contacted again to see if she has any additional requests)
4. Intercollegiate Athletics BEL 328 requests: Elsa Hagemeier
   • Intercollegiate athletics is control of the entire BEL building surrounding football games:
     • \\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Documentation\Semester Prep\BEL 328 Needed for Football Games- Fall Semesters.msg
     • Only applies to the fall football games (can reach out as early as summer prep for those dates)
5. Any orientations or orientation-related events. (Should be scheduled as priority- do not need to reach out)
   • A note about summer orientation: all mandatory orientation events should have already been scheduled by this point. See Summer orientation documentation for more information:

\\austin.utexas.edu\disk\reg\Registrar\Room Scheduling\Training and How To's\Internal\How-Tos\Summer Orientation.docx  

• No need to reach out to summer orientation this early out, they will send in information in early September after speaking with Truman

1. Priority campus-wide events
   • Summer to include:
     • Texas Summer: Maggie Wilhite (or Julie Nodine) Maggie may have been scheduled with dataset outreach, but should be contacted again to see if she has any additional requests)
     • Summer Bridge: Charles Lu and Rudy (Rodolfo) Jimenez (May not be taking place in 2017; confirm with dataset contact)
     • Gone to Texas: (do not need to reach out; just schedule these as priority)
   • Spring to include:
     • Explore UT- Susan Threadgill (reach out with all requests received to date attached. Once the queue has been processed, follow up with an email with all confirmation emails attached)
2. State-wide events, such as UIL - (UIL: Elisabeth Sikes)

Email Templates

Priority Reservation Template Email:

Hi ____,
I hope this email finds you well! Our office is currently preparing to process SEMESTER YEAR special reservations. (Optional: Please find attached the current room reservation requests we have for UIL). If you have any (additional) requests, please send them to us no later than 5 pm this Friday, DATE. Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions!
Final exam days for SEMESTER YEAR are _____. There are restrictions on what can be scheduled on final exam days and the no-class days preceding final exams. For more information, please view the final exam staff page. http://registrar.utexas.edu/staff/exams
(Optional: I've also copied ___ and ___ as they have also sent in reservation requests for ___ for this coming summer).
Best regards, The Scheduling Team

Missing Room Reservation Request form:

(Send this email by replying to the contacts from the original email from the Office of the Provost approving the RG 750 form)
Hi _____,
I hope this email finds you well! Your request RG 750 form was processed in ___ (see below email) but it does not look like we have received a room reservation request for this event yet. Were you interested in reserving general purpose classrooms for this event? I have attached a blank room request form to this email for your convenience. Please fill it out and return it to us via email if you are interested in reserving classrooms through our office.
Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions!
Best regards,
The Scheduling Team

Missing RG 750 form:

(Send this email by replying to the original room request email)
Hi _____,
I hope this email finds you well! Your room reservation request form was received in ___ (see below email) but it does not look like we have received an approved RG 750 form for this event. Were you still interested in reserving general purpose classrooms for this event? Please find a link to the RG 750 form below. This form will need to be filled out, approved by the Office of the Provost, and returned to our office before we will be able to reserve a room for your event.
https://utexas.app.box.com/RG750
Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions!
Best regards,
The Scheduling Team