PROCEDURE FOR RESOLVING ROOM BOOKING CONFLICTS

Approving Authority:	Manager, Buildings & Property Division
Establishment Date:	July 2005
Date Last Amendment:	July 2005
Nature of Amendment:
Date Last Reviewed:
Publication Reference:
Contact Officer:	Mr Graham Dickson

First principle- any conflict created by desire to use a room/theatre on midweek mornings is not acceptable. One party (normally the second party) must simply pick another time. These priorities would only be used to resolve conflicts where all parties can demonstrate there is no other timeslot/room available.

Procedure for resolving room booking conflicts
To use: Start at the first priority. If after examining the priority it is considered equal (or very close to equal) then move to the next until the conflict is resolved. Faculties unable to resolve a conflict after examining these priorities must refer the matter to the Manager of the Buildings and Property Division. The Infrastructure Committee has the ultimate authority over the use of teaching space.

1	Numbers	Large classes outrank small classes (the logic is if the smaller class moves, less students are inconvenienced). This difference must be reasonably substantial and can only be a consideration for intra faculty bookings otherwise priority 2 supersedes.
2	Specialised Equipment	Classes that need access to special equipment in a room outrank classes that don’t.
3	Timetabling	Classes that need to be held in relation to another class outrank classes that don’t.
4	Access	Classes that are booked as part of a pattern that includes special “outside normal times” classes outrank classes that don’t.
5	Location	The occupants of a building outrank staff wishing to book space from other buildings/faculties.
6	Location to Other Rooms	Classes that need to be in close proximity to another room or building take priority over those that don’t.
7	Purpose	The function of the event is important. Lectures outrank tutorials. Purpose built rooms such as labs would obviously give priority to their designated purpose.
8	Scheduling	Classes that meet every week outrank those that meet intermittently and larger classes outrank smaller ones.
9	Support Needs	Classes that require the support of a technician or other general staff member of the University outrank those that don’t.
10	First In	Earlier bookings outrank later bookings. Note: Overriding bookings without the permission of the first party is not acceptable. There should be a limited need for overrides. If the first party is agreeable they should cancel their booking and then the second party can book the room in the normal method.
11	University Business	University business outranks any outside activities and teaching outranks administrative activity.

Examples
A large class will outrank a small class even if the small class needs to use equipment in the room.
A nursing class set up as a study pattern which allows students to consecutively attend 2 or 3 lectures, including those in the evening, would outrank another similarly sized “normal” nursing topic.