‘The timetabler’ at RMIT

When we first employed students (2011) to work alongside learning advisors in our centrally located drop in, one of the Maths students took on the job of timetabler. He designed an elaborate timetable based on the availability of fifteen students (SLAs). The timetable was built around the idea of flexibility, allowing students to pull out at even the last minute in case of study needs etc. Students were sent the timetable and could put in a query to indicate if they wanted to be replaced. In those days there wasn’t a choice of mentoring positions for students at the university; as a result, the positions were highly valued and students were always keen to take any extra hours on offer.

I always worried that when the timetabler graduated, this process would collapse but by then it was ingrained! The need for this flexible, weekly, versatile document and role had grown into a well-defined position and he passed it on to another student.

This time, the timetabler was an engineering student. He put his own mark on the role. It became more important that the timetabler had good people skills, as well as organisational skills! The role was informal, yet the position required reliability, accuracy and understanding. I met with the timetabler from time to time, and questions to discuss included:

• were the times distributed evenly?
• could some students help a little more?
• where did we need more support?
• when were we providing too many SLAs?
• how could we include the other campuses on the timetable?

Before this student graduated, he took on an ‘apprentice’ timetabler. This was another Engineering student. He in turn put his stamp on the role. I met with him once per fortnight. Sometimes he wanted to discuss the way he communicated with students. He took a slightly more authoritarian approach to the role and learned a lot about being gentle and firm.

When we began this year, we had to start all over again. During last year the SLA program was downsized and almost went out of existence. Then we had a reprieve in March. The one remaining SLA was an Industrial Design student. I hesitated to ask him to take on the role of timetabler. (Only an Engineering or Maths student could do the timetable!) The timetable has taken on a lighter, brighter note. Facilitated by WhatsApp the SLAs flow seamlessly across the week and now service three RMIT campuses in a role that continues to grow.

Written by Elizabeth McKenzie, RMIT