Right now, we're using OOo Spreadsheet for this. What we have is the timeline on the horizontal axis. Then we would make horizontal bargraphs for representing the duration of a given course. The vertical axis is for professors.
For example, most courses are about 3 weeks long, and later in the year, that professor offers another 3 week course.

Any ideas on what can be used to do this, without the cumbersome OOo Spreadsheet deal we got right now.

We use Ubuntu 8.04 on our desktops and servers.

Sounds like common, everyday project management. www.google.com/linux is your friend. Just search for 'project management'.

You could do it like that (and given that I already know the apps, maybe I would do it like that - it would be more comfortable than using a spreadsheet) but I have a suspicion that there is something more specialised that exists.

If you do use a project management app, ensure that you can define and view resources. Some apps only let you create tasks and if you can't check resource allocations you can't easily check if you have double allocated a single resource, be it a person or something else.

Something like this perhaps?

Or, point your browser at www.google.com/linux and search for 'resource schedulingt'.

For JUST a schedule with bars indicating time ranges a GANTT CHART is probably what you are looking for. Gantt Project could do that using a web interface.Screenshot of Gantt Chart


If you want something more, take a look at schoolforge


Claroline
Claroline is a Web Based Course Management System. It allows teachers (professors, lecturers...) to create and administer course websites through a browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, FireFox, Mozilla, ...).
* Publish documents in any format (PDF, HTML, Office, Video...).
* Run public or private discussion forums.
* Manage a list of links.
* Create student groups.
* Compose exercises.
* Structure an agenda with tasks and deadlines.
* Make announcements (also via e-mail).
* Have students submit papers.
* Consult statistics of frequenting and success in the exercises.


ClaSS
ClaSS is the ClaSS Student System.
A complete student tracking, reporting and information management system. ClaSS extends the reach of traditional systems by using the latest in web-application methodologies to include the whole school community. ClaSS aims to be the ubiquitous classroom information assistant for schools.


FET
FET is open source free software for automatically scheduling the timetable of a school, high-school or university. It uses a fast and efficient timetabling algorithm. It is licensed under GNU/GPL

Focus/SIS
Focus/SIS is an incredibly powerful tool for managing student data. Focus/SIS has been implemented by many K-12 districts, private schools, and colleges around the nation as their solution to manage their burgeoning student data and share that data with all the stockholders of the school or district.
Focus/SIS is a project that aims to fulfill all the data needs of private schools, school districts, and colleges in the United States and around the world. It is built upon free, enterprise-level technologies, like Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, and PHP.


etc...

THANK YOU! That is EXACTLY what I'm looking for! :-)