Overview

The Digital Learning Centre is the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences' teaching facility and student support unit, and is shared by all HSS users. It serves the programs within HSS with a particular focus on language learning. The DLC Director manages the use of, and access to, its space and technology in a manner that supports the mandate of the DLC and aims to be equitable to all users.

As the number of courses partially or fully taught in the DLC increases, the potential for multiple booking requests in the same timeslot may arise. This policy document describes the procedure to be followed when booking time in the DLC, and the means invoked to resolve timetable conflicts if they should occur. To accommodate everyone requiring DLC time, this policy is meant to be, and must be, somewhat flexible; thus, included in the policy is room for negotiation between users with scheduling conflicts.

Prior to any scheduling of the DLC, the DLC Director consults with departments so as to prevent courses with heavy DLC-use from being scheduled in overlapping timeslots. The process by which DLC bookings are currently made consists of a combination of this pre-planning with a first-come, first-served booking procedure and a privileging of block over occasional bookings.

Office of Accountability:	Digital Learning Centre
Office of Administrative Responsibility	Digital Learning Centre
Approver:	Associate Dean Curriculum & Programs, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Approval Date:	March 10, 2023
Review Date:	March 10, 2026

 

Purpose

To ensure that all users and user groups are aware of the DLC bookings procedure, associated deadlines, and the process of timeslot conflict resolution.

 Policy

 Definitions

Long-Term Block Booking:	Booking the DLC in a given timeslot for the entire semester
Short-Term Block Booking:	Booking the DLC in a given timeslot for several consecutive sessions
Occasional Booking:	Booking the DLC for specific, occasional dates
Class lab:	Booking the DLC for the fourth hour in an F slot course
User:	Person or group requesting to book time in the DLC

The following guidelines have been developed for the purpose of streamlining the DLC Booking system:

1) Booking requests will be accommodated on a semester-by-semester basis only.

2) Block bookings, both long- and short-term, are scheduled on a first-come, first served basis. Users requesting block booking should submit their request to the DLC director no later than one month prior to the first day of classes in the upcoming semester. If two users attempt to block-book the same slot, the Director will facilitate a process of negotiation between the requestors with the aim of resolving the scheduling conflict.

3) A long-term booking is considered to be a commitment to use the DLC during all or most of the booked sessions. Since the DLC is the only such specialized facility in the Faculty, booking for the entire semester in a placeholder function is not permitted.

4) Requests for bookings of an occasional nature should be submitted to the DLC Director no later than two weeks prior to the first day of classes.

5) Block bookings, whether short- or long-term, will be given priority over occasional bookings. If a block booking is requested after an occasional booking request has been received for the same time slot, the Director will contact the user who made the request for an occasional booking and either facilitate a process of negotiation between the users or see whether alternate timing is possible for the user making the occasional booking.

6) In the event that a user requests DLC time for an occasional booking in a slot occupied by a block booking, the DLC director will consult with the initially booked user regarding their ability to accommodate the second request for the date(s) in question. If the scheduling cannot be adjusted to accommodate the second request, the user who first booked the DLC has priority.

7) Booking requests submitted after classes have commenced are permitted, though may not be able to be accommodated.

8) Users wishing to change a DLC booking previously made should aim to contact the Director at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled activity. If needed, the Director will do her best to accommodate a request for an alternative slot.

 

This policy and associated procedures will be published on the DLC website and disseminated to all HSS departments upon its issue date.