Space Allocation and Management

University Classroom Governing Committee - The Learning Spaces Executive Team, sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, provides specific recommendations regarding learning space proposals, projects, and programs that support campus learning spaces. The committee analyzes needs, defines project deliverables, identifies resources, forms sub-teams as needed, approves additions to and removals from the central classroom pool, and communicates with the campus, providing direction to the Office of the Registrar, Classroom Scheduling and the Office of Teaching, Learning & Technology. 

Management of Instructional Spaces - Consistent with the recommendations of Ad Astra Information Systems resulting from TIER@Iowa and guided by the Postsecondary Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual (FICM) in 2018, all instructional space officially classified as "Classroom" or FICM code “110” resides under the scheduling control and management of the Office of the Registrar, Classroom Scheduling. In some circumstances, shared scheduling/management may occur with colleges/departments. 

Architectural Guidelines

The guiding principles for the planning and design of classrooms/instructional spaces in new construction or major renovations should provide our faculty and students with comfortable and accessible learning environments to meet the changing needs of teaching and learning in support of our core academic mission. New classroom design should:

• be comfortable, flexible, technology-rich, learning spaces for undergraduate and graduate student populations facilitated by a centralized scheduling policy
• be based on current published classroom design standards

• be created with seating capacity ranges suited for the home departments and multi-discipline assignments

• ensure inclusivity for enhanced collaboration and accessibility in function and features

• provide flexible configurations to adapt to individual section needs throughout the teaching day

• be located near one another to create cohesion, community, and easy access to all users

The following information articulates descriptions, sizes, utilization guidelines, and layouts for the various types of instructional spaces at the University of Iowa to ensure the proper amount of space per seat/student. The information below has been vetted and approved by the Classroom Renovation Committee, a sub-committee of the Learning Spaces Executive Team.

Seminar

A classroom that is used primarily for small group instruction. Seating is predominantly at tables, depending on location, where students face each other to engage in discussion.

Auditorium

Classrooms with a sloped floor or stadium seating. Desks are usually fixed tablet arm theater chairs facing the teaching area, some featuring raised teaching platforms. All contain lecterns or lectern/desks with fully embedded technology. Design to include lobby or gathering area adjacent to space for circulation and seating.

Classroom Computer

Classrooms that are equipped with either desktop or laptop computers for all students. These rooms are not tied to a specific subject or discipline by equipment in the room or the configuration of the space. These classrooms may be set with the computers in rows or with the computers along the perimeter with rows of desks in the center. All contain lecterns or lectern/desks with fully embedded technology.

Lecture

A classroom that is used primarily for instruction and is not tied to a specific subject or discipline by equipment in the room or the configuration of the space. Large capacities are made up of tiered floor or furnished with active learning furnishings at varied heights to improve sight lines approved by Classroom Scheduling. Desks are typically fixed tables and chairs that cannot be rearranged in different configurations. All contain lecterns or lectern/desks with fully embedded technology.

Multipurpose

A classroom that is used primarily for instruction and is not tied to a specific subject or discipline by equipment in the room or the configuration of the space. Desks are typically tablet arm chairs or moveable tables and chairs that can be rearranged in different configurations to match an instructional pedagogy. All contain lecterns or lectern/desks with fully embedded technology. 

TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage)

Active-learning classrooms with round tables that seat nine students with three computers at each table. These technology-rich rooms provide central switching stations that faculty members and students can use to project images from classroom laptops to LCD screens

TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage) - Flex

Active-learning classrooms that seat students in groups of five to seven with furniture that provides a flexible switch between individual and group work. Laptops are not provided in these rooms.

TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage) - Flex – Plus

Active-learning classrooms that seat students in groups of six with furniture that provides a flexible switch between individual and group work. Laptops are provided at either a 1:1 or 1:3 student ratio.

TILE (Transform, Interact, Learn, Engage) – Lite

Active-learning classrooms that are technology light (no provided laptops, additional monitors, or extra technology). Seating is at movable tablet-arm chairs that cluster around power pods to form groups of six, enabling different types of active-learning.

Study Space

A room used by individuals to study at their convenience and not restricted to a particular subject or discipline by contained equipment.  These spaces are defined as individual and collaborative. Individual study is available on an unscheduled basis. Collaborative study space is centrally scheduled initially and thereafter on an unscheduled basis for the remaining hours. Space is furnished with equipment and infrastructure to support individual and group work.