Schedule and Key Dates

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29 August, Thursday: What is a Learning Cluster? 430-530pm, Pauling 216

  • Mandatory session for first-year students to introduce LCs, but open to all
  • Students will be provided access to LC Brightspace

11 September, Wednesday: Optional LC Meeting 1210-1250, Maathai 207

  • A brief overview and update, then questions and answers. Open to all faculty, students, and staff, recommended for new faculty

13 September, Friday: Third-Year Student Statement of Intent

  • Third-year students asked to confirm their intent to enroll in a third LC in late August, and must confirm by 13 September, so that we know how many students to plan for. Third-year students that confirm their intent to take a third LC are encouraged pre-register in a class by the 24 October deadline, whether travel or otherwise. Third-year students who do not pre-register will still be able to register for LCs during the registration period, but only after first and second-year students.

The following are relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants
07 October, Monday: NFF Statement of Intent, 5pm - relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants

  • Groups planning to apply for the NFF Travel Grant must submit the Statement of Intent Form. Requested information include the proposed instructor, topic, location and purpose of travel, and interested students. This will provide an opportunity for the NFF Travel Grant Committee to provide early feedback.

11 October, Friday: Notice of NFF Applicant Courses - relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants

  • Groups intending to apply for the NFF Travel Grant are required to post a description of their course on the LC Bulletin Board on Brightspace, sharing application instructions and selection criteria. While some students may already be associated with planning the prospective course, it is essential to ensure a transparent and fair process. Faculty should ensure that at least 6 of the 12 roster seats (and 1-3 students on the waitlist) are filled through an application process.

16 October, Wednesday (the day after Fall Break): Deadline for NFF Applications, 5pm - relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants

  • Travel grant applications must include an overview, rationale for travel, detailed budget, potential meetings and activities, list of students (w/student ID #s), and tentative syllabus
  • Students must ensure that all financial and academic holds are removed from their accounts
  • The NFF Travel Grant Committee will meet to deliberate on Friday 18 October, forward their recommendations to the Dean, and will notify applicants within a week of submission
  • All NFF grant recipients (faculty and students) are invited to meet with the LC Coordinator to discuss policies, share advice, and answer questions

24 October, Thursday: Course Information Deadline and Pre-Registration, 5pm

  • All LC faculty, including NFF awardees, must submit course details to the Registrar’s Office and LC Coordinator through the LC Registration Information Form. Required information includes:
LC long title: Under 50 characters LC short title: Under 30 characters
Preferred time (morning, afternoon, other) Preferred classroom (with alternative)
List of students for pre-registration (name & ID) Optional: 1-3 waitlisted students
Classes expecting to use over $1000 of their $2000 budget provide an outline of anticipated expenses
A draft syllabus providing the course topic, brief abstract, a sense of learning objectives and how they speak to the LC learning objectives, and methods of assessment
  • For students: All financial and academic holds must be removed, otherwise you cannot pre-register. Students associated with multiple LCs, even on waitlists, will be dropped.
  • The Office of the Registrar will enroll pre-registered students. Remaining seats will be available through the regular registration period.
  • For NFF awardees: Potential revisions or clarifications and passport information due 31 October (please use Travel Info Sheet to provide passport details); once approved and with a full roster of pre-registered students, faculty may begin to purchase tickets 

07 November, Thursday: Deadline for Supplemental Budget Requests, 5pm

  • LC courses with additional budgetary needs, primarily those involving local travel, must submit detailed budgets and an explanation of how the expenses contribute to course learning goals. Consider how the course might proceed with and without the funds. Supplementary budget requests can be for a maximum of $3500, bringing the total course budget to up to $5500.

18-22 November: Registration Week

  • Scheduled week to register for Winter Block LCs as well as Spring Courses. Students pre-registered in an LC should double-check, but do not need to register for LCs during this week. Students not pre-registered will sign up for remaining seats in the following order: Second-year students, first-year, and then remaining third-year students.

22 November, Friday: Deadline for Various Budget Requests

  • Deadline for all NFF-funded LCs to submit requests for 1) Airport Transfers and 2) Payment Office materials (i.e., cash advances and payments required from SUA purchasing director)
  • Deadline for any LC instructor to request an expense card (Janna Skye, jskye@soka.edu)

06 January, Monday: First Day of LCs, Winter Block

  • All students enrolled in an LC are expected to be on campus for the first day of class

07 January, Tuesday: Enrollment Deadline

  • Final day for students to add courses or drop them (without receiving a ‘W’)
  • Last day to shift grading to/from Pass / No Pass

20 January, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

29 January, Wednesday: End of Winter Block Classes, LC Fair

  • Learning Cluster Fair, time and location to be confirmed. All LCs are asked to participate, sharing their learning experiences with the campus community

03 February, Monday: Final LC Grades due to the Registrar’s Office (by 11:59am)