Starting in the fall of 2018, the University of Iowa will no longer require first-year students living in its residence halls to join a Living Learning Community (LLC). Rather, the UI will offer a new residential program that includes opt-in LLCs and supports new students as they transition to college.

“Students broaden their horizons as they learn about campus resources, make new friends, and discover Iowa traditions,” says Lena Hill, the UI’s interim chief diversity officer and associate vice president. “Our residential programming will encourage students to choose to take advantage of everything the UI offers as they embark upon their own unique Hawkeye journey.”

The UI discovered a number of unintended challenges associated with the universal LLC model. Some of the most significant included inconsistent academic content and the fact that some students weren’t committed to the LLC in which they were living, resulting in a varied student experience. The number of LLCs offered in 2018–19 will be pared from 28 to 18.

LLCs provide proven benefits to students, including strong academic performance and higher retention and engagement, says Virginia Ibrahim-Olin, University Housing and Dining’s assistant director for contracts and assignments. But roughly 97 percent of the first-year class at the UI elects to live on campus, and LLCs may not be the right fit for everyone.

“It is time to take a step back from the all-LLC model and see how we can better serve our students,” says Ibrahim-Olin. “We want to offer students the best experience we can. Students who want to dive deep and have their living experience connected to learning can opt into one of 18 LLCs. In addition, we will offer the option of a more traditional hall experience for other students.”

Beyond the changes to the LLC model, first-year students who are invited to participate in the University Honors Program can choose to live in Honors House, which is similar to an LLC but does not have a specific course (or courses) in common. Instead, students who choose this housing option will take a first-year seminar as part of Honors Program requirements and will live among peers who identify with honors-level academics but who have diverse academic and personal interests.

“Living in campus housing should be a transformative experience for Hawkeyes who live there,” says Von Stange, assistant vice president for student life and senior director of University Housing and Dining. “Regardless of where students live—in an LLC, Honors, or a traditional residential model—the focus may be different but the experiences they share and the relationships they foster will be similar and exciting.”

Other housing assignment changes for fall 2018:

• The application period for new students will open in early October, and current students will reapply in January. 
• Students will be able to choose specific residence hall rooms. This will be done in three phases, the first for returning residents, the second for students requesting an LLC or Honors House, and the third for all other new students.
• Returning students will select their rooms in February; new students will select rooms in an LLC or Honors House in May, and all other rooms in June. 
• New students who wish to join an LLC or Honors House should submit their preferences by May 1, 2018.
• Roommate requests for new students who want to join an LLC will be due on May 1, 2018.