Post-publication timetable changes
Essential timetable changes
Schools may only request essential changes to the timetable once it has been published. Essential changes include:
- sickness absence
- access requirements as a result of a disability (for either staff or students)
- adjustments as a result of a Tailored Adjustment Plan
- family leave
- changes to contractual working patterns
- external meetings of national or University strategic importance e.g. TEF, REF, PSRB or Government panels
All other changes are detrimental to students’ ability to plan their studies and other commitments; they will therefore not be accommodated.
Where Schools feel that there is a compelling reason to make a change to the published timetable not captured by the above list, staff are invited to seek authorisation by writing to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education & Student Experience) with supporting evidence, where appropriate. For example, where requests are demonstrably driven by in module feedback from students, evidence must be presented. In the absence of the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education & Student Experience), the Chair of CILT may be contacted.
Making alternative arrangements for modules
Module deliverers are responsible for liaising with the module convenor and making alternative arrangements for their modules and any modules on which they deliver content if they are not able to deliver the content in the timetabled slot. For planned absences, this should be done by making arrangements with a collaborator to swap sessions or deliver different material; this may require approval by a Head of Department or Head of School. For short-term unplanned absences e.g. sickness, travel disruption etc., module deliverers may contact the Timetabling & Room Booking Team to have their session re-arranged; where this does not create clashes for students, a new slot will be provided. If a clash-free slot is not able to be provided, module deliverers will be responsible for providing materials to the cohort in an alternative manner. These measures are in place so as to cause minimal disruption to students’ timetables. Where such a change has been made, module deliverers are responsible for notifying students that there has been a change to their timetable.
Heads of School are responsible for ensuring that alternative deliverers are found to deliver scheduled teaching and learning sessions when the original deliverer is unable to attend due to planned or longer-term unplanned absence.
Making alternative arrangements for activities in large lecture theatres
Where teaching and learning sessions are delivered in large lecture theatres, it is often not possible to find a new clash-free slot for delivery of the session and, in these cases, Heads of School are responsible for ensuring that delivery of the session is arranged in the extant slot, or that materials are provided to the cohort in an alternative manner. These measures are in place so as to cause minimal impact to students’ timetables.