Architecture Studio Space & UIT Service Desk: Reid 306, Renne 115I
Description of Request
Submitted By: Royce Smith, Dean of College of Arts & Architecture; Ryan Knutson, VP Information Technology/CIO
The 2 space requests being addressed here came to space planning separately and through discussions of the needs and requests of each this mutually beneficial solution has been identified.
The College of Art and Architecture and School of Architecture have requested additional studio space to support increasing enrollment. In anticipation of their upcoming accreditation review by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) in September of 2022, the School of Architecture is seeking short-term and long-term solutions to satisfy the “Physical Resources” aspect of the accreditation process needed to demonstrate the ability of the school to accomplish its teaching mission. The NAAB review occurs every 8 years, with the last accreditation report being prepared in 2013 and the last on-site review completed in 2014. The school is tasked with expanding program enrollment and accepting all qualified students into the Environmental Design degree program, which as a result, has amounted to a doubling of the number of 2nd year students and increased their total enrollment from 182 student to 223 students. This has reduced the average area per workstation from 79.12 SF/workstation to 64.57 SF/workstation, with that amount expected to decline with the continued increase in enrollment as the remaining smaller classes matriculate. Comparable regional accredited peer schools, Idaho State University and University of Colorado-Boulder, have identified target space allocation of approximately 75 sf/student.
After touring several locations on and off-campus, it has been determined that accessibility to main campus is essential because many of the students in the program serve as graduate student teaching assistants that meet with students and are taking classes themselves.
While searching for an appropriate studio option for Architecture, University Information Technology (UIT) submitted a request to combine their phone and desktop support services into one location and identified Reid 306 as that location. Reid 306 is an open computer lab managed by UIT Student Public Computing division with 50 endpoints. The space is currently underutilized due to the ability of students and faculty to access all of the available software provided in these spaces remotely through their own computers and devices, and general shifts in lab usage. Based on data provided by UIT this lab had a usage rate of 47% in spring of 2022. Therefore, in the interest of consolidating staff on main campus and reducing their leased footprint in CFT5, UIT requested to repurpose Reid 306 for their service desk operations and relocate the open lab component into Reid 304, which is currently serving as storage and work space.
To help mitigate the loss of computer stations in Reid 306, UIT plans to create 25 endpoints in Reid 304, which would meet the need as shown in spring 2022.
When discussing concerns about the overall size of the proposed space and the allocation of space in an academic building for office and support functions several alternative options were discussed, including remaining within the Library.
The current UIT Service Desk operations are located in room 115G in Renne Library. The Innovative Learning Studio (ILS) is located in room 115I, immediately adjacent to the current Service Desk area and would provide adequate additional space to meet UIT service needs. The ILS is a long narrow room which does not create a good learning environment and it has been used more as a conference room than a classroom. After reviewing utilization data provided by the library it was determined that the ILS was used only 11% of possible hours this year, only 33% during its peak year, and an average of 25% of the time for all years with data. Given that the studio is underutilized, it is being proposed as a space solution to meet UIT needs, in turn allowing the computer lab swap in Reid 304 and Reid 306 to create Architecture Studio space.
There is opportunity to recreate an ILS type space in the library in the future that has a more functional layout. As part of updates related to the previous SMC approval for locating Research Services and CFE in the library, renovations to recreate small study spaces on the second floor will also present an opportunity for inclusion of a larger flexible space of this nature. University Services has set aside up to $100,000 in funding to support the development of this new space. In the interim room 015 or another space in the basement can be designated as the ILS to maintain EVAC funds awarded for FY23. Additionally, UIT has noted that if allocated this space they have funding available to make some improvements to the public face of the space including some enhanced seating out front which would benefit all library users.
The following spaces, 042-044 and 060B-D, in the library basement are currently vacant. These will be used in combination to support the storage and staging needs currently housed in Reid 304 and maintain proximity to the UIT Service Desk. They could also serve as a temporary ILS space until the new space can be designed and constructed.
Resolution
Date: June 24, 2022
Space Management Committee has approved the space allocations outlined herein to support Architecture Studio needs, UIT Service Desk Consolidation, and ILS considerations.