I have to work out the days and times for our department’s courses for next year, based on the preferences of my colleagues. Of course, I have colleagues who teach at the same times, on the same days, in the same rooms every year, because “IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY AND THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GOING TO STAY!” (How nice that the study of philosophy has taught us all to question our presuppositions.) This makes it harder to accommodate colleagues who might have a legitimate reason to want a particular schedule (like childcare, or the need to coordinate a multidisciplinary course with another department or program).
Today, the utter absurdity of this task was driven home to me when I had to redo the entire schedule because I noticed the fine print in the “Scheduling Formula” that states…College regulations forbid offering 75 minute, 100-level courses during the 10:30-11:45 time slot on Mondays and Wednesdays or on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Somebody shoot me. Please.
