From 50 to 200+ Sections: How the University of Niagara Falls Canada Scales Their Growth Using Coursedog

The Challenge 

Manual Processes and Limited Visibility Made Scheduling Accuracy Hard to Guarantee 

The University of Niagara Falls Canada is a young institution that has grown quickly. Early on, it became clear that manual scheduling processes required significant time and careful oversight as the institution grew. As enrollment increased and section counts climbed, the team could no longer ignore the limits of their existing approach. 

The process was time-consuming at every step. Creating a single section required navigating multiple screens, manually entering meeting patterns in the SIS, and then going back to verify that everything had been entered correctly. Without a centralized view, those checks were repetitive and exhausting. Even with careful manual checks, the team had to invest significant time to ensure accuracy. 

“Before Coursedog, our processes were accurate but required a lot of manual verification across spreadsheets and the SIS. With everything now centralized, creating a section takes just a few minutes and we can review all details in one place.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

Without Filters or Real Time Visibility, Errors Were Hard to Catch and Harder to Prove 

Beyond the time burden, the team lacked the filtering and visibility tools needed to confidently manage last minute changes. If a faculty member needed to be replaced mid cycle, the scheduling team had no quick way to identify all affected sections, assess instructor load, or make updates in one place. 

“With Coursedog’s filters, I can quickly see which sections are affected when an instructor changes. It helps streamline what we were doing manually and makes the process more efficient.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

The previous process did not give the scheduling team the same level of real-time visibility that Coursedog can provide. For a team responsible for nearly 3,000 students, 150+ faculty and staff, and every classroom on campus, that visibility is essential. 

“Our team has always prioritized accuracy. Coursedog adds an extra layer of validation that helps us catch operational issues earlier in the process.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

The Solution 

A Centralized Platform Built for Scale 

When the University of Niagara Falls Canada implemented Coursedog Academic Scheduling, the immediate value was clarity. The team could build, review, and update schedules from a single visual interface instead of switching between spreadsheets, SIS screens, and manual checklists. 

“Starting a new term is much smoother now. The rollover gives us a strong starting point, and we can make updates quickly and confidently.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer

Initially in 2024, the university was planning roughly 50 sections per term. Today, that number has grown to 200+ sections, a 4x increase, managed by the same two-person team. 

Automated Validation Eliminated the Guesswork and Errors 

Coursedog surfaces issues that the SIS would normally accept, such as incorrect times, AM/PM mix ups, or double-booked rooms. The team configured room conflicts to be treated as errors rather than warnings, ensuring no double-booked rooms reach production. 

“Coursedog gives us feedback and transparency… we’re able to catch issues earlier and implement the correct data before the schedule goes live.” – Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

50 Days Saved Annually and a Team That Can Plan Ahead 

By eliminating manual checks and redundant verification, the team saves approximately 50 days of work each year. These time savings allow the team to commit to reliable timelines for other departments. 

“We save about 1–2 hours a day because we no longer need to repeat manual checks. That time now goes toward supporting departments and planning proactively.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

Greater Visibility Supports a More Flexible, Student-Centered Schedule 

As the university has grown, so has its ongoing commitment to building schedules that give students real flexibility. 

“Our institution prioritizes flexibility for students and more options for them. With Coursedog’s section calendar view, we can visualize the full week and ensure students have flexible options throughout the day.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

That same visibility supports smarter room utilization. By monitoring live enrollment data alongside section and room capacity, the team can identify when a section is outgrowing its assigned space and reassign rooms as demand changes. 

“We can monitor enrollment and room capacity in real time with Coursedog, which helps us make informed adjustments and maintain strong room utilization.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

A Two-Person Team the Whole Campus Trusts 

The registrar, department heads, and academic leadership rely on scheduling reports knowing the data is accurate and system validated in Coursedog. 

“Our reports now come from a consistent system, which adds reliability and trust across the institution.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer 

Looking Ahead 

The University of Niagara Falls Canada built its scheduling operation on a strong foundation, and Coursedog enhances that foundation as the institution grows. Whether that means adding programs, expanding into new buildings, or continuing to scale section volume, the team knows the process can carry them there without adding headcount or absorbing additional risk. 

“Coursedog supports the operational backbone that helps each academic term run smoothly.” - Aashwin Bansal, Scheduling Officer