We have a waiting list on which students can list themselves when they cannot find a vacancy on one of the weekly schedules. As you can see (see blank sample sheet [please link to wait list.doc]), we ask for information about identity, times desired, size of project, and means of 'phone and e-mail communication. As you work with students and this list, try to ensure that for each student we get all this information-we wouldn't ask for it if we didn't want it, and having it helps us do a better job. Please use spare time to e-mail students with incomplete entries to get the missing info.

The basic idea is to take names from this list and place them into vacancies that appear on our weekly schedules. Here's a step-by-step procedure:

1. You start with a vacancy on one of the weekly schedules, probably the result of a cancellation. Remember, some of the staff want to be notified of cancellations as they occur.

2. Find the first name on the waiting list for which a requested time fits the vacancy.

3. Put the name into the slot on the weekly schedule and write the instructor's initials in the little "staff use" column on the list next to the student's name.

4. E-mail the student, offering the appointment; if time is short use the phone, and there's nothing wrong with doing both.

5. A student who replies will either accept or decline the offer. If it's accept, forward the reply to the assigned staff member and put a check mark to the right of that student's name on the weekly schedule. If it's decline, forward that reply also and immediately yellow THAT DAY'S WAITING LIST ENTRY (AND ONLY THAT DAY'S) for the student who has just declined. Then cross the student's name off the weekly schedule and cross the instructor's initials off the "staff use" column. Return to step 2 and repeat the process.

We use a system of color coding to indicate the final disposition of all waiting list entries.

Make this determination either when the student has completed an appointment, or when it becomes no longer possible for the student to get an appointment. This color coding system is as follows:

GREEN-the student was offered an appointment and completed it.
YELLOW-an appointment was offered but the student declined.
ORANGE-an appointment was offered and accepted but the student failed to appear.
RED-the student was never offered an appointment.