Student Success

drone shot of the Portland skyline

Integrated Course Scheduling for Departments (Ad Astra Implementation)

Program Status: Implementation

The Ad Astra Course Scheduling software uses data to optimize and streamline scheduling, offering real-time insights and creating efficiencies by eliminating manual and time-consuming processes. This software will provide staff and academic units with dynamic data and improved digital tools to support class scheduling. The system offers real-time class registration monitoring for academic programs, identifying courses that need additional sections or courses to consider for cancellation, making it easier for departments to meet student needs and demands.

Accomplished

  • Solidified sequencing of implementation.
  • The project team worked with 3 departments to pilot the Fall 26 term draft processing in Essential Scheduling
  • The project team is outlining major milestones, dependencies, and a feasible timeline to communicate and train campus schedulers on registration monitoring for the Fall 2026
  • The project team completed training with Ad Astra

In Progress

  • Working with the vendor to add functionality to cross-list courses in Ad Astra. In the interim, the project team has a workaround in place to meet this need.
  • Developing a communication and training plan for academic leaders and department schedulers to understand the functionality and insights available through registration monitoring.
  • RO will publish pilot department Fall 26 schedules using Essential Scheduling. 

Project Health

  • Clarity on the long-term maintenance of the technology solution(s), including adequate resources to support the software.
  • Long-term gains in efficiency will be realized with a well-trained scheduling staff at the academic department or school/college level. The organization of this work within schools and colleges is still unknown.
  • Inadequate staffing, personnel turnover, or inconsistent staffing practices can impact the full articulation of this product. The University will need to ensure that academic departments, schools, and colleges have staff members who are fully trained, understand the product, and have the capacity to analyze, synthesize,  and act on the data.
  • Potential for miscommunication of the capabilities of this tool and overreach in its impact on the University. The tool provides data, but analysis and action rest with academic departments.

Project Team

Executive Sponsors: Ryan Bass, Shelly Chabon
Leads: Nicolle DuPont, Karenna Wait
Project Managers: Pamela Bock (OSS), Francesca Leaf (OIT)
Team: Adam Lutzow, Tuyet Nguyen, Michael Mitchell, JD Knapp, Katherine Barich, Andrea Garrity (Ad Hoc), Francesca Leaf, Matayla Lewis, Loni Elliott
Collaborators: Academic Scheduling Specialists