Recently in General Classroom News Category

Classroom Support Hotline hours to change Feb 4

By epaxton on January 30, 2013 10:04 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Effective Monday February 4, the Classroom Support Hotline will be staffed
7:30 a.m to 4:00 p.m Monday through Friday. Messages left at the Hotline are monitored by an
On-Call Manager for response as appropriate after these hours. You can also
continue to report classroom issues via email at ocmhelp@umn.edu.

This change is a response to ongoing reduction of resources and staffing
within the Office of Classroom Management. Despite these challenges, we
remain committed to providing excellent service through alternate
communication methods and response systems.

If you have any questions, please call the Hotline or email classrm@umn.edu.

Using HDMI in classrooms

By epaxton on January 28, 2013 2:55 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Hoping to take advantage of the high-definition capabilities on your laptop? Use it in a classroom with HDMI connections at the instructor station. Refer to the HDMI feature instruction page for directions on how to use the connection and to find a list of classrooms with this feature.

Welcome to spring 2013!

By epaxton on January 15, 2013 8:29 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Classroom renovations and updates completed over Winter Break 2012-13
Several general purpose classrooms received environment or technology updates during winter break. Some of these updates include the following:

  • Video conferencing features were added to Humphrey 20 through a partnership with CLA.
  • Furnishing upgrades included new marker boards in Lind Hall, and Armory 202 received new student tables.
  • Technology feature upgrades were completed in selected rooms in Mechanical Engineering, Alderman Hall, and Akerman Hall.


Reminder: How to locate your classroom assignment
Room assignments for spring 2013 classes are available on the One Stop Class Schedule. Please note: room assignments are subject to change prior to the start of term. While this usually only affects a small number of classes, verify your classroom assignment before the first class meeting. If you have specific questions about your room assignment, contact your department scheduling coordinator.

Classroom technology instructions & videos
The classroom technology instructions for each building provide a list of equipment and additional features, a list of rooms that include the equipment/features, and a representative image of the instructor station in each classroom.

Orientation is available upon request for those who want to learn more about the technology features. For any questions, contact OCM Classroom Support or 612-625-1086.

OCM News Blog
Stay informed about general purpose classrooms and student study spaces by visiting the OCM News Blog. The blog provides news and information updates throughout the semester and is accessible via the OCM website or by subscribing using your favorite RSS feed/blog reader.

Contact us
OCM is available to help with any questions, concerns, or comments regarding general purpose classrooms or central student study spaces. Contact us via the Classroom Support Hotline:

The hotline is available from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Messages left at the Hotline are monitored by an On-Call Manager for response as appropriate after these hours.

Hotline call volume for fall 2012

By epaxton on January 8, 2013 3:56 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
During fall semester 2012, the Classroom Support Hotline logged 1,316 calls, resolving 33% of the issues during the call. The top three hotline topics were as follows: 60% technology, 31% facilities, and 11% scheduling.

Please respond to survey invitations

By epaxton on December 14, 2012 11:25 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
On December 5, survey invitations were sent to faculty and instructors who taught in a general purpose classroom fall semester. OCM encourages those who received the survey invitation to complete it by December 20. The survey provides OCM with valuable input on the needs, expectations, and experiences of those who teach in these classrooms. For more information, contact OCM at classrm@umn.edu.

Mini DisplayPort Adapters added to GPC over winter break

By epaxton on November 29, 2012 9:19 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Mini DisplayPort adapters will be installed and available in general purpose classrooms by the start of spring semester 2013. In rooms where there is an HDMI input cable, only Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapters will be provided. All other rooms will be installed with a Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA connection adapter. The adapters will be tethered to the laptop cable at the instructor station which should provide adequate assurance that they remain available in each classroom. Please note that only Mini DisplayPort adapters are being provided. If a device requires a different adapter, classroom users will need to provide their appropriate adapter.

Classroom Support Hotline to have reduced availability on Wednesday, Dec. 12 & Thursday, Dec. 20

By epaxton on November 29, 2012 9:18 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Classroom Support Hotline staff will be attending staff events Wednesday, December 12 from 8 a.m.-12 noon and Thursday, December 20 from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Messages left on the Hotline voicemail will be monitored (and responded to as necessary) while the Hotline staff are away.

The Classroom Support Hotline operates at 612-625-1086.

Lind Hall Technology Lifecycle Renewal

By epaxton on November 29, 2012 9:17 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Lind Hall general purpose classrooms recently completed their technology updates. Features changed by adding new widescreen projectors and HDMI inputs, as well as the removal of VCRs in selected classrooms. For an updated list of room features, check the OCM website. You can learn more about the VCR/DVD retirement plan.

Holiday Hotline hours Nov. 21-23

By edlucas on November 19, 2012 11:19 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Due to the University's Thanksgiving holiday, the Classroom Support Hotline will operate the following hours on November 21-23:

Wednesday, November 21: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 22: Closed
Friday, November 23: Closed

Messages left on the Hotline voicemail will be monitored (and responded to as necessary) while the Hotline is closed. The Hotline will return to regular operating hours on Monday, November 26.

The Classroom Support Hotline operates at 612-625-1086.

Classroom Q&A: Help! The door is locked

By kugli005 on September 5, 2012 7:43 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Many classroom doors have a rigid handle that does not turn that may make the door seem locked. Very rarely are the doors to classrooms locked. To open it, simply pull or push the door, instead of turning the handle.

If you find a classroom door locked, call the Classroom Support Hotline right away at 5-1086. All general purpose classrooms are scheduled to be unlocked Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with limited rooms open on Saturdays. This schedule may be altered by events scheduled in rooms. For more information about classroom schedules, please see our FAQs.
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