Why Academic Affairs Is Taking a New Approach to Course Scheduling—and What It Means for Students

Mitzi M. Montoya, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost

At a research university like the University of Utah, class scheduling may not seem like the most exciting issue on the table. But it’s one that directly impacts student success—and it’s something we now have the data and are building the tools to address.

Over the last year, the Office of Academic Affairs conducted an analysis of when courses are scheduled across campus. We found that the majority of courses are scheduled between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Meanwhile, early morning hours, late afternoons and Mondays and Fridays are significantly underused. In fact, Monday/Wednesday/Friday course formats are often bypassed altogether.

This uneven distribution of classes is a problem that holds us back and negatively impacts our students. Here’s why:

• It leads to bottlenecks. Students can’t take all their required classes if they’re scheduled at the same time. When courses compete for the same slots, students are forced to delay graduation—not because they’re unmotivated, but because the schedule won’t allow it.
• It limits flexibility for students with diverse needs. While some students may prefer or perform best late morning and around midday, not all thrive on that same schedule. Working students, commuters and caregivers often need more flexibility to build a schedule that fits their lives. When courses are concentrated in the same narrow time block, it disproportionately affects students managing the most outside responsibilities.
• It increases debt and decreases value. The U’s four- and six-year graduation rates (34% and 64%, respectively) are lower than our Association of American Universities (AAU) peers. Improving these rates matters—not only for student success, but also for affordability. The longer it takes students to graduate, the more likely they are to take on additional debt and postpone entering the workforce. While not every student aims to finish in four or even six years, no student should be held back because of inefficient course offerings or scheduling practices.
• It exacerbates space problems. When everyone is on campus at the same time, demand for classrooms, campus services and parking peaks—and that has real consequences for institutional resources. For example, building a new parking structure to relieve overcrowding can cost upwards of $10 million—resources that could otherwise support student success initiatives or hiring more faculty. More efficient scheduling helps us avoid those trade-offs.

Put simply, smarter scheduling supports student success, strengthens academic outcomes and helps us use our resources more wisely. That’s why we’re making changes.

What’s Changing and When

We know course scheduling is complex, and meaningful change takes time, coordination and clear information. Over the past year, we’ve talked with deans about the need for more intentional scheduling, and many academic leaders have asked for support in helping shift longstanding patterns.

In response, in June 2025, Academic Affairs introduced deans, associate deans and department chairs to new course scheduling guidelines. We also previewed for deans an early version of the interactive dashboard to gather initial feedback. These visual tools will make it easier to see how classes are distributed across the week and throughout the day, helping units identify bottlenecks and track progress toward the new scheduling goals.

The new guidelines, designed to improve students’ ability to access the courses they need when they need them, will be phased in beginning Spring 2026. Departments will be asked to distribute their course schedules more evenly throughout the day: no more than 50% of classes may be scheduled during primetime hours (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), with the remaining 50% scheduled outside of those peak hours.

In Fall 2026 and beyond, scheduling expectations will also apply by day of the week. No more than 30% of classes should be scheduled during primetime on Monday/Wednesday/Friday, and no more than 30% during primetime on Tuesday/Thursday. At least 40% of courses must be scheduled outside of primetime hours.

To help departments meet these expectations, Academic Affairs has launched the new interactive dashboards for deans, department chairs and scheduling staff. Deans and chairs received an email with access details, and technical support is available for those who have questions or need help using the dashboards. Our aim is to make the planning process more transparent and manageable, so departments can make informed adjustments that support their students, faculty and instructional teams.

Scheduling and MAP

While the new scheduling guidelines set shared expectations, each department will determine how best to meet them. Department chairs are responsible for course scheduling, and implementation may look different across campus depending on unit needs. Academic Affairs is providing support and tools to guide planning, but for questions about how the expectations are carried out, conversations should start at the department level.

These scheduling changes are one part of a broader effort to use our resources more wisely and improve student outcomes. As an initiative within Mission-Aligned Planning (MAP), this work reflects our commitment to aligning daily operations—like course scheduling—with long-term goals around student success, affordability and institutional sustainability. Smarter scheduling isn’t just a logistical fix; it’s a strategic investment in our mission.