Schedule and Key Dates

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26 August, Tuesday: 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.

17 September, Wednesday: LC 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.

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

  • Third-year students must confirm their intent to enroll in an LC. Those that do so are encouraged pre-register for a class by the 24 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.

The following are relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants
03 October, Friday: 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. Required information includes the proposed instructor, topic, location and purpose of travel, and interested students. This provides opportunities for the NFF Travel Grant Committee to provide early feedback and to have a sense of the number of applicants.

10 October, Friday: NFF Applicant Courses on Brightspace - relevant only for Nieves Family Foundation Travel Grant applicants

  • Groups applying for the NFF Travel Grant 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.

17 October, Friday: 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), 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 during pre-registration.
  • The NFF Travel Grant Committee will deliberate quickly, forward their recommendations to the Dean, and will notify applicants within a week of submission.

24 October, Friday: Course Information 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 charactersLC short title: Under 30 characters
Preferred time (morning, afternoon, other)Preferred classroom (with alternative)
List of students for pre-registration (name & ID)1-3 waitlisted students (for NFF classes)
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 LC learning objectives, and methods of assessment
  • 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.
  • Once faculty provide a list of pre-registered students, that list is final. Faculty are advised to ensure that students are aware that they will be pre-listed, and faculty should only submit the list when it is complete. Faculty may not submit updated lists to the Registrar.
  • 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.

07 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.

10-14 November: Registration Week

  • Scheduled registration week for Winter Block LCs as well as Spring Courses. 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.

21 November, Friday: Deadline for Various Budget Requests

  • 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).

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

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

06 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).

19 January, Monday: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

28 January, 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.

02 February, Monday: Final LC Grades due to the Registrar’s Office 1200

02 March, Monday: LC Reimbursements Due 5pm