Members Present: Richard Rudnicki – Co-Chair, Shannon Willoughby – Co-Chair, Bill Freese, Wendy Guido, Mac Burgess, Paul Edlund, Brad Haderlie

Proxies: Pamela Harvey (for Tony Campeau)

Members Absent: Rob Maher, Jennisse Waters, Jacqueline Frank, Sadie Jenkins – ASMSU Representative

Staff & Guests: Robert Stockdale

ITEM No. 1 – Approval of February 11, 2026, Meeting Minutes

The minutes from the February 11, 2026, Classroom Committee meeting were unanimously approved.

ITEM No. 2 – INFORMATIONAL – Classroom Design Standards Revision Draft Update

Robert Stockdale provided an overview of the revised Classroom Design Standards. Robert walked the Committee through the document’s guiding principles and the planning and design framework that is intended to guide the development of classroom construction. Robert explained that the new Classroom Design Standards do not utilize the average square foot per student metric used in the current design guidelines because it does not accurately reflect the student experience in a room. Robert then introduced a set of alternative factors to be used when determining a classroom’s capacity, including IBC occupancy load factor, egress and accessibility, furniture, circulation, instructional function, and screen viewing distance.

Mac Burgess asked what the IBC occupancy load factor entails. Richard Rudnicki replied that it defines the maximum capacity for a room based on its use. Richard explained that as additional design factors are applied, the capacity is reduced towards a more optimal level.

Robert Stockdale described the proposed classification system in the new Classroom Design Standards, which identifies instructional spaces based on the pedagogies that they support (Lecture, Seminar, TEAL, Flipped Learning, and Hybrid Instructions) and the room type (Flat, Seminar, Teal, Tiered, and Auditorium). Robert then introduced new standards for classroom screen visibility, acoustics, technology, and accessibility. Robert noted that assistive listening systems and live captioning service integration needs are currently being reviewed by the Office of Campus Civil Rights, Disability Services, and Academic Technology and Outreach. Lastly, Robert explained he would send out the draft Classroom Design Standards to the Classroom Committee for review and that any questions or requested edits would be addressed at the May committee meeting.

Richard Rudnicki stated that the review of the Classroom Design Standards would not be limited to the Classroom Committee but would include broader outreach. Richard asked the committee to consider what avenues would be effective for reaching relevant campus stakeholders. Brad Haderlie asked whether open discussion hours would be a reasonable option for communicating with Faculty Senate. Richard replied that open hours would be helpful for discussions and that it may be appropriate to present to Faculty Senate, as some senators may not be aware of the Classroom Design Standards and their purpose.

Richard explained that the standards were developed following research on student preferences but that faculty preferences are not as well documented. Richard requested that the committee members share the Classroom Design Standards draft widely for additional faculty input. Brad Haderlie added that the Deans Council could be asked to request input from their faculties or encourage attendance at open hours. Mac Burgess asked if each college is represented on the Classroom Committee. Richard replied that not all colleges are represented, but that there are three at-large faculty seats on the committee.

Pamela Harvey commented that the focus of pedagogy in the document should guide which faculty should be approached for feedback. Pamela offered as an example that the standards for a seminar room would be best reviewed by faculty teaching seminar-based courses.

Mac Burgess stated that it would be helpful to make new faculty members aware of the different room typologies, so they understand the options available to them. Shannon Willoughby noted that the Classroom Guidebook is included in the new faculty orientation. Robert Stockdale commented that the Guidebook will need to be updated if the new room classification system is adopted.

Brad Haderlie recommended that it may be worthwhile to investigate how the proposed room typologies could be included in the Ad Astra room scheduling platform.

Brad Haderlie asked how the Classroom Design Standards are intended to interact with other university documents, such as furniture and AV technology guidelines. Richard Rudnicki replied that the Classroom Design Standards will point to other standards that are maintained by the appropriate departments. Richard added that this approach will prevent the need for the Classroom Committee to approve changes related to product specifications.

Richard Rudnicki stated that the aim is to have the Classroom Design Standards approved in time to guide the design of the classroom renovations for summer 2027

ITEM No. 3 – OPEN DISCUSSION

Brad Haderlie proposed that the AV systems in the campus’s TEAL classrooms be considered for future upgrades. Richard Rudnicki asked Brad to provide a cost estimate for those upgrades. Richard then explained that it might be more effective to use the next round of classroom funding to make smaller-scale improvements across a number of classrooms rather than fully renovate only a few
rooms. Mac Burgess recommended that changes to TEAL classroom should be informed by feedback from instructors who use those spaces.

Tony Campeau explained that one finding of a recent accreditation report was the need to assess the quality and efficiency of instructional spaces. Tony then asked how the performance of the Classroom Design Standards would be evaluated. Richard Rudnicki noted that post-occupancy evaluations were conducted for Norm Asbjornson Hall and assessments of Romney Hall and the 2025 renovated classrooms are underway with support from University Data and Analytics. Tony replied that it may be helpful to review the classroom assessment process to identify any gaps.

Tony Campeau reported that the Office of the Registrar had received instructor feedback about the configuration and screen sizes of Norm Asbjornson Hall rooms 149 and 153.