Schedule and Key Dates

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02 September, Wednesday: What is a Learning Cluster? 445-530pm, Pauling 216

  • Mandatory session for first-year students, recommended for new faculty, open to the campus community.
  • Students provided access to Learning Cluster Brightspace page.

18 September, Friday: Third-Year Student Statement of Intent 5pm

  • Third-year students that intend to take a Learning Cluster must confirm their intent to enroll. Those that do so are encouraged pre-register for a class by the 28 October deadline. Third-year students who do not pre-register will still be able to register for LCs during the registration period, but after first and second-year students.

23 September, Wednesday: Learning Cluster Update 1210-1250, Maathai 207

  • A brief overview and program update, followed by questions and answers.
  • Recommended for new faculty and those considering travel grant applications. Open to the entire campus community.

The following are relevant only for SIGS & Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants
09 October, Friday: Travel Grant Statement of Intent, 5pm

  • Groups planning to apply for the NFF Travel Grant as well as SIGS travel LCs must submit a Statement of Intent. Required information includes the proposed instructor, topic, location and purpose of travel, and list students integral to early planning that intend to pre-register (but not more than six, see below). The statement of intent allows opportunities for the NFF Travel Grant Committee to have a sense of the number of applicants and provide early feedback.
  • Groups applying for the NFF Travel Grant and SIGS travel LCs must 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 course, it is essential to ensure a transparent and fair process. Faculty should ensure that at least 6 of the 12 seats (and the required 1-3 students on the waitlist) are filled through an application process, featuring diversity among students.

23 October, Friday: Travel Grant Application Deadline (SIGS & NFF), 5pm

  • Travel grant applications must include an overview, rationale for travel, detailed budget, potential meetings and activities, list of students (w/ student ID #s), 1-3 waitlisted students, and tentative syllabus.
  • Students must ensure that all financial and academic holds are removed from their accounts. This is their responsibility; it is recommended to double check just before pre-registration.
  • Students must ensure that their names are not attached to any other LC, even on a waitlist, otherwise they will be dropped from all LCs during pre-registration.
  • The NFF Travel Grant Committee will deliberate quickly, and will work to notify applicants within a week of submission.

28 October, Wednesday: Registrar Deadline: Course Information and Pre-Registration, 5pm

  • All LC faculty, including SIGS LCs and 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 charactersLC short title: Under 30 characters
Preferred time slot (morning, afternoon, other)Preferred classroom (with alternative)
List of students for pre-registration (name & ID)1-3 waitlisted students (required for all travel LCs)
A draft syllabus providing the course topic, brief abstract, a sense of learning objectives and how they speak to LC learning objectives, and methods of assessment
Classes expecting to use over $1000 of their $2000 budget provide an outline of anticipated expenses
  • Students: All financial and academic holds must be removed, otherwise you cannot pre-register. Students wishing to pre-register are expected to watch for holds carefully. 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 filled during the regular registration period (10-14 November).
  • Once faculty provide a list of pre-registered students, that list is final. Faculty should only submit the list when it is complete and may not submit updated lists to the Registrar. Faculty must ensure that students are aware that they will be pre-listed.
  • NFF awardees: Potential revisions or clarifications and a confirmation of passport information due 31 October; once approved and with a full roster of pre-registered students, faculty may purchase tickets.

06 November, Friday: Deadline for Supplemental Budget Requests, 5pm

  • LC courses with additional budgetary needs must submit a Supplementary Budget Request. Required information includes the amount requested, a description of the activity, and a breakdown of the budget. Consider how the course might proceed with and without the funds. Supplementary budget requests can be for a maximum of $3500, bringing total course budgets to up to $5500.

16-20 November: Registration Week

  • Scheduled registration week for Winter Block LCs as well as Spring semester courses. Students not pre-registered will sign up for remaining seats in the following order: Second-year, first-year, and then remaining third-year students.

27 November, Friday: Deadline for Various Budget Requests, 5pm

  • Deadline for all NFF-funded LCs to submit requests for airport transfers and payment office materials (i.e., cash advances and payments required from SUA purchasing director).
  • Deadline for LC instructors to request an expense card (Janna Skye, jskye@soka.edu).

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

  • LC students must be on campus for the first day of class.

12 January, Tuesday: Enrollment Deadline

  • Final day for students to add or drop courses (without receiving a ‘W’) or change grading bases to Pass/No Pass (with instructor approval).

18 January, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

03 February, Wednesday: LC Fair, End of Winter Block Classes

  • Learning Cluster Fair, Performing Arts Center and Black Box Theatre, 1-4pm.
  • All LCs must participate, sharing their learning experiences with the campus community.

08 February, Monday: Final LC Grades due to the Registrar’s Office

01 March, Monday: LC Reimbursements Due, 5pm