Members Present: Richard Rudnicki – Co-Chair, Shannon Willoughby – Co-Chair, Bill Freese, Rob Maher, Tony Campeau, Jennisse Waters, Paul Edlund, Brad Haderlie, Wendy Guido

Proxies: Kristie Hughes (for Katie Ivester)

Members Absent: Mac Burgess, Jacqueline Frank, Finn Growney

Staff & Guests: Robert Stockdale, Carter Dorsett, Pamela Harvey

ITEM No. 1 – Approval of January 14, 2026, Meeting Minutes

The minutes from the January 14, 2026, Classroom Committee meeting were unanimously approved.

ITEM No. 2 – RECOMMENDATION – Roberts Hall 307 Change in Capacity

Robert Stockdale explained that the Office of the Registrar had received a request from an instructor to review and consider the possibility of reducing the capacity of Roberts Hall 307. Robert conveyed that the room’s tablet-arm desks with casters make it difficult for both students and instructors to navigate the space, and that an instructor previously tripped over the furniture and was injured. Robert stated that the Office of the Registrar had conducted an analysis of the room’s scheduling and recommended that the room’s capacity be reduced from 44 to 40 stations.

Tony Campeau noted that the reduction of four seats in the classroom was a start towards addressing the room’s issues, and that there had been discussions about whether seating without casters would allow for a more organized space. Tony stated that replacing the furniture with tables and chairs might provide a better experience, but it would require a greater reduction in capacity and would likely impact course scheduling for the room. Richard Rudnicki added that the use of tables and chairs would likely reduce the room’s capacity to between 32 and 36 seats and would cost about $35,000 but only $13,000 would be needed for new tablet-arm chairs. Richard mentioned that replacing the room’s furniture with a different model tablet-arm chair would not require Classroom Committee approval.

Rob Maher stated that a reduction of four stations would not be a significant change from an instructional standpoint.

Rob Maher asked how mobility impaired students were accommodated in Roberts Hall 307. Richard Rudnicki replied that the room features a height-adjustable table and a chair. Wendy Guido stated that the removal of casters would allow for a more inclusive space as students would not need to request different furniture, and it would provide more stability and organization to the room.

Bill Freese asked whether there was any instructor feedback about the chairs and whether the casters supported flexible active learning. Richard Rudnicki replied that he has never heard positive feedback about this furniture in any of the rooms that it is employed. Rob Maher commented that when he has taught in classrooms with this furniture, the chairs are always left in disarray. Tony Campeau stated that similar chairs are used in Wilson Hall where they are often rearranged into a circle to allow for group discussion, but that is typically done in courses with lower capacities. Jennisse Waters added that she has polled her past classes, and no student has preferred tablet-arm chairs.

Tony Campeau proposed that additional analysis be undertaken to understand the effects of further reducing the capacity of the room, which would allow for more area per station and would not require the purchase of new furniture.

Richard Rudnicki requested that committee members survey their students and other faculty about their classroom furniture preferences. Richard noted that Planning, Design, and Construction will add Roberts Hall furniture replacement to its project priority list for consideration during the next classroom renovation cycle.

Rob Maher motioned to approve the capacity reduction for Roberts Hall 307 from 44 stations to 40 stations.

The motion was approved unanimously.