Computer Labs: Reservation Policy

Purpose

The Division of Technology Services (DoTS) utilizes the following lab reservation polices for its computer labs to ensure fair access to faculty using labs for instructional purposes, open access to students, and compliance with University of Wisconsin System guidelines for general computer access labs.

Procedures

• To reserve DoTS managed computer labs:
  • For a single or limited number of class periods
    • To reserve a lab, complete our computer lab reservation request form.  Reservations can be made for a single or limited number of class periods.
    • Make reservations well in advance for orientations, workshops, or a single or limited number of class periods. At least one-week advance notice is recommended. Requests are accepted on a first-come first-served basis. Use of the labs without a reservation is not permitted.
    • Faculty are urged to avoid scheduling required lab sessions during peak demand periods (such as the last two weeks of the term) whenever possible.
    • UW System policy requires Extension and non-credit courses to be scheduled at off-peak times. This typically means evenings, weekends, or break periods when classes are not in session.
  • For an entire term
    • Reservations for an entire term are permitted in labs designated as "computer classrooms". Since these labs are considered classrooms, they are scheduled by the dean's offices in cooperation with the registrar. To request one of these rooms for your class for the entire term, make a regular classroom request through your college dean's office during the time period designated for making your class scheduling requests.
• Notify DoTS for reservation cancellations
  • It is essential to make computer labs available for instruction or general student use as much as possible. Whether your reservation is for the entire term or for one or two class sessions, please notify DoTS as soon as you know that you will not need a lab reservation. We will then open the lab for general or instructional use for that time period.
  • When a class is scheduled to meet for an entire term in a DoTS lab, we automatically include the time designated in the class schedule for the final exam. If the exam time is not required, the instructor should notify DoTS to cancel the lab reservation so that the lab can be made available to others.
• Coordinating lab software requests with DoTS
  • For more information about what software is available check out our knowledge base article on lab software.
  • To request lab software, please visit our lab software request page.

Additional Information

• Labs available for reservation
  • Some of the computer labs that DoTS operates are available for scheduling classes while others are available only for general access. Please see the Computer Labs knowledge base article for the lab locations, number of machines, platform, type of equipment and software that is available in each of them.
  • DoTS also supports various departmental, discipline specific or special purpose labs around campus. See the Computer Labs knowledge base article for more information about these as well. An additional general access computer facility is located in 130 Walker Wyman Education Building.
• Alternatives to using computer labs
  • If a computer is required only for an instructor's presentation, using technology enhanced classrooms (TECs) may be a good alternative.