University departments/units and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) may reserve space defined as general assignment classrooms in CIF for events in compliance with related policies in the Campus Administrative Manual and the Student Code. External parties have limited reservation opportunities during break periods and require completion of a Facility Use Agreement. Review the information below including the reservation policies for full details.
University organizations (a college, department, division, or other academic administrative unit) should use this event request form available through the Ad Astra scheduling application to submit a departmental request for CIF. University organizations should not submit requests on behalf of RSOs or external organizations.
Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), when registered and in compliance, are afforded the university benefit of reserving spaces on campus and should submit an event registration request via OneIllinois. The Student Org. Development & Administration (SODA) office provides initial event approval and routes the request to CIF facility management for space assignment depending on availability. If fees apply, the event registration must be accompanied with an approved payment request with an accurate estimate of the rental fees. Learn more about the event registration process by clicking here. RSOs are not allowed to have a university organization submit a request on their behalf.
External parties should contact the CIF facility manager at cif-facilitymanager@illinois.edu.
For class schedule inquiries, instructors or units should speak to your Department Scheduler or email Catalog Management & Section Scheduling (CMSS).
Rental Fees
View a comprehensive list of classrooms, Tier designations, room specs, etc. at this link. Fees were updated July 1, 2026.
University Organizations (Departments & RSO’s)
| ≤ 2 hours; No food/drink | ≤ 2 hours; With food/drink | Additional hours | Applicable Rooms | |
| Tier 1 (< 45 seats) | No Charge* / $50 | $75 | $25 / hour | 0018, 0036, 2018, 2025, 2036, 3018, 3038, 4018, 4036 |
| Tier 2 (45 – 115 seats) | $100 | $150 | $50 / hour | 1035, 2039, 3025, 4025, 4031, 4035, 4039 |
| Tier 3 (> 115 seats) | $150 | $200 | $75 / hour | 0027/1025, 0035, 2035, 3031, 3039, 4029, Mon. Study Steps |
External Organizations
External organization have limited reservation opportunities during break periods and require completion of a Facility Use Agreement. Contact the facility manager for more information about fees and availability.
Facility Reservation Policies (Updated July 2026)
Reservation Opportunities
The Facility Scheduling and Logistics (FSL) unit within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration has event scheduling oversight for classrooms in CIF.
University departments/units and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) may reserve space defined as general assignment classrooms in CIF for events in compliance with related policies in the Campus Administrative Manual and the Student Code. External parties have limited reservation opportunities during break periods and require completion of a Facility Use Agreement.
University classes have priority over other events. During the first 3 weeks of the semester, FSL may cancel or change event reservations if necessitated by late additions or revisions in class scheduling as defined in the Student Code § 2-505.
Reservation requests are accepted from departments up to 12 months in advance. Event registrations for RSOs are subject to Student Org. Development & Administration (SODA) policies. Requests for space through University Conference and Event Services may be considered more than 12 months in advance for events held during university break periods, with approval from the Associate Vice Chancellor of Administration.
Reservations are processed on the following timeline:
Reservation Period Processing Start Date
Fall Semester (through Dec 31) June 1
Exception: Fall Final Exam Days Mid-October
Spring Semester (Jan 1 through commencement) November 1
Exception: Spring Final Exam Days Mid-March
Summer (including Welcome Week) March 1
Additional restrictions apply on Reading Day and dates of final exams to not interfere with exams and study opportunities for students:
Departments
- Exam reviews for published classes may be scheduled on Reading Day and the weekend during finals, subject to space availability.
- Exam reviews requested on final exam days will only be scheduled between exams with a 30-minute buffer if there is an exam in the same room afterwards.
- Event requests other than exam reviews on Reading Day must end by 1:00pm.
- On final exam days, non-exam events will be approved if they do not interfere with exams in adjacent classrooms (including the floors above or below) or impact exams scheduled after the event.
RSO’s
- RSO events on Reading Day must end by 1:00pm. Events shall be a recognition or celebratory style event. “Study Hour” or comparable events will not be scheduled.
- RSOs may not reserve space on final exam days or during the weekend of final exams.
Event reservations are scheduled to start on the hour or half hour and end 20 or 50 minutes after the hour to allow transition time for egress and entry to rooms between events and classes. Reservations are limited to the posted building hours unless an exception has been granted by facility management.
The individual(s) requesting the space and/or listed as a secondary contact on the request form will be considered the event sponsor. The event sponsor is responsible for all guests, serves as the primary representative for the event and is responsible for communicating all applicable policies to the group. If the designated sponsor will not be in attendance, an alternate representative must be identified and approved by facility management prior to the event.
Facility Policies
CIF classrooms are general assignment and may be reserved within the posted building hours. Building hours may be adjusted to accommodate an event outside posted building hours but additional fees may apply. View the hours of operation at the CIF website: cif.illinois.edu.
Activities must not substantially and materially disrupt, impair, or interfere with the following:
- The teaching, study, research, or administration of the University
- The authorized use of University Property, including meetings of university students, faculty, staff, administrators, or guests
- The rights and privileges of other University Community Members
Activities must comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, be contained within the designated reserved space, and must not block or obstruct any walkway, building, entrance, or exit.
Classrooms are provided with furniture set up as designed for instruction. Furniture is not allowed to be moved without prior approval from facility management. Seating capacity may not be exceeded unless an approved custom layout permits an increased capacity.
Supplementary audio systems are not permitted due to the sound impact they can have on adjacent areas of the building.
Tabling is permitted only in conjunction with an event held in a reservable space and must be located immediately adjacent to the reserved space.
The activities and items listed below are not permitted:
- Wet paints, glue, liquids, and chemicals that could spill, stain, or damage surfaces
- Helium balloons, glitter, confetti, or other decorations that include excessive clean-up
- Pumpkin carving, gingerbread house making, and comparable crafting activities
- Slime making, expanding foam experiments, and comparable experimental activities
- Additional restrictions may apply on a case-by-case basis
Submitting a Request
University organizations (a college, department, division, or other academic administrative unit) should use this event request form available through the Ad Astra scheduling application to submit a departmental request for CIF. University organizations should not submit requests on behalf of RSOs or external organizations.
Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), when registered and in compliance, are afforded the university benefit of reserving spaces on campus and should submit an event registration request via OneIllinois. The Student Org. Development & Administration (SODA) office provides initial event approval and routes the request to CIF facility management for space assignment depending on availability. If fees apply, the event registration must be accompanied with an approved payment request with an accurate estimate of the rental fees. Learn more about the event registration process by clicking here. RSOs are not allowed to have a university organization submit a request on their behalf.
External parties should contact the CIF facility manager at cif-facilitymanager@illinois.edu.
Pricing Structure
Rental fees are associated with CIF room reservations. The fee structure is available here. Rental fees are not prorated. The total time reserved and billed includes all setup and teardown time. Rental rates are for consecutive use in a single day.
Fees will be waived for most instruction-related activities associated with published classes including mid-term exams, exam reviews, alternative location at the published class time, and office hours. (Office hours are reserved for classes in CIF, scheduled immediately before or after a class, and between 8am and 4pm as availability allows.)
Cancellation Policy
The event sponsor must notify cif-facilitymanager@illinois.edu of any event cancellation prior to the scheduled event date. Cancellations made less than 72 hours before the scheduled start time will be subject to a late cancellation fee equal to 50% of the estimated rental fees. Failure to cancel an event will result in an invoice for 100% of the estimated rental fees.
Contracts / Payments
For University organizations, other than the request form and associated confirmation, there is no additional paperwork associated with reservations. The confirmation will include an estimate of applicable fees. Within 30 days after the event, University organizations will be sent a copy of an invoice, and the CIF business office will process the journal voucher using the CFOP provided on the request form.
For RSOs, the approved event registration from SODA followed by the event summary email from the facility shall serve as the event confirmation unless a Facility Use Agreement (FUA) is required due to risk factors (more info below). The event summary will include an estimate of any applicable fees. Within 30 days after the event, an invoice will be sent to the Student Org Finance Center (SOFC). SOFC will process the journal voucher with the RSO account and provide confirmation when completed.
RSOs hosting an event identified as high risk shall be required to complete an FUA and provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI). Risk factors that may require an FUA include but are not limited to high-profile guests or speakers, outside speakers/artists, use of a contracted vendor, career fairs, temporary stage/sound/lighting equipment provided by an outside vendor, occurring outside the posted building hours, or general potential of high risk. Event registrations for high-risk events that require a facility use agreement take additional time to process. Submitting the request well in advance of the event date will help ensure there is sufficient time to complete the review and approval process. Requests submitted without sufficient processing time may not be approved.
Reservations by External parties require: (1) establishment as a University vendor, (2) execution of a Facility Use Agreement (FUA); and (3) the submission of a certificate of insurance listing the “Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois” as an additional insured as defined in the FUA.
Guests
Attendees are the responsibility of the event sponsor. The Protection of Minors policy applies if the event is designed to include minors. More information about the Protection of Minors policy is linked in the Campus Resources section.
Staffing
CIF staff may assist with basic event preparations. More extensive event set-ups or pre-approved custom layouts may incur staffing fees at $25/hour. If Facilities & Services is needed to provide additional equipment or services, the host is responsible for the fees incurred.
Technology Services provides on-site audiovisual special event support and training. Support services include assistance setting up Zoom / Teams meetings, connecting devices to the AV system, testing equipment, and troubleshooting issues. For more information, contact Technology Services at (217) 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu. Fees may apply. CIF staff do not provide AV Tech Support.
CIF does not provide security, ushers, ticket takers, etc. For high profile speakers or VIP guest appearances, the U of I Police Department (UIPD) can provide officer support for a fee. The host is responsible for contacting UIPD directly.
Food/Beverages
Food and beverages are permitted in CIF space when identified on the request form and approved in the event confirmation. No glass containers are allowed. Banquet tables and additional trash cans are provided for events with food or drink but should be requested along with any other arrangements needed to accommodate food service.
Groups hosting events with food or drink should review the Guidelines for Temporary Food Service within the F&S Division of Safety and Compliance website. Public events providing food prepared in a facility that is not inspected by the health department or prepared by individuals not certified in food service are required to complete the food service request form.
Espresso Royale R&D Lab is located on the 1st floor east end and vending machines are located on the west end of the lower level.
The Coca-Cola Company is the official beverage sponsor of the University of Illinois. Only products of the Coca-Cola Company may be served.
Catering Information
For events with formal catering, University Catering is the preferred caterer and can be contacted at (217) 333-0126 or universitycatering@illinois.edu. Vendors in America To Go are permitted. Espresso Royal is available to provide food and drink for events as well. Contact office@espressoroyalecu.com. Other caterers and food vendors are required to comply with university policy including having proper certifications, licenses, and insurance.
Decorations / Signage
Decorations, signage, props, etc. must be preapproved by facility management. All decorations must be free standing. Adhesive tapes or substances are not allowed without prior approval by facility management. Additional restrictions may apply.
Decorations and signage must be contained to the room or area reserved and spaces directly adjacent (signage outside the room door for example). Decorations and signage in other parts of the building such as entryways or corridors are not allowed without prior approval by facility management. Decorations and signage must be removed immediately following an event.
Flyers: Hard copy flyers may be posted on the corkboard at the water fountain recesses. The following policies apply:
- One flyer permitted in each water fountain recess.
- No larger than 8.5” x 11”.
- Clearly identifiable as promoting a university affiliated event or entity.
- Dated with an event date or posted for no longer than 2 weeks if not dated.
- Flyers without a date are allowed to be posted on 2 separate instances for 2 weeks each semester.
- Flyers that don’t meet the policies will be removed.
- Individuals must not remove, cover, or tamper with materials posted by another person or organization, pursuant to CAM Policy FO-82.
Digital Signage: CIF accepts digital signage submissions for university affiliated events or entities to display on 2 monitors located next to the first-floor elevators and on the videoboard. Content is displayed for up to 2 weeks on the first-floor displays and 1-2 weeks on the videoboard depending on volume of submissions. Priority for the videoboard display is given to events scheduled in CIF or organizations who have reserved space in the building. Slides must be formatted as JPEG files with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio). University organizations may email content directly to cif-facilitymanager@illinois.edu. RSOs must submit content for approval through OneIllinois by following the instructions at this link. There are no fees to display digital signage.
Advertising events on classroom dry erase boards is not permitted.
Clean-up
At the conclusion of an event, all spaces must be returned to an instructional-ready condition. This includes cleaning up all trash and spills and returning furniture to its original arrangement if moved. The host organization is responsible for placing all event-related trash in the provided receptacles. CIF staff will remove the trash from the reserved space. If additional cleaning or cleanup is required following an event, additional staffing fees may apply.
For extended duration events with high attendance, Building Service Workers may be required to assist with trash removal, cleaning, and restroom service during and after the event. Additional fees apply.
Damages
Groups are responsible for any and all damage to the requested space, facility, equipment or other University property resulting from their use of the space, including but not limited to, damage resulting from improper behavior or misuse of equipment/facilities during the event. Groups may be invoiced for costs associated with any special cleaning, maintenance, or repairs required as a result of such damage.
Special Requests / Additional Services
Prior to the date of a reservation, groups should coordinate all requests for equipment or set-up not typical of the space reserved (custom classroom arrangements, equipment rental, AV requirements, portable stage, podium, etc.). Equipment or supplies provided by CIF may incur an additional fee. UI F&S Public Functions has several items to help support events. Fees will apply for services provided by F&S. Contact facility management for more information.
CIF has additional equipment available for rent. Items are listed below. * = Fees apply:
- Block I Podium*
- 30”x72” banquet tables
- University of Illinois branded banquet table covers.*
- 36” round high-top tables with Block I branded covers*
- Black table covers for square table sets in Gather style rooms*
- Pipe & (Black) Drape
- Additional instructor stools
- Light-duty easels
- Signposts
- Dry-erase board magnets
- Desktop microphone stands
- Full-height microphone stands
- Extension cords
- Power strips
- Material handling carts
Other General Information
Accessibility
To help ensure accessibility in all events, we encourage reference to the accessibility guidelines found in the Illinois Accessibility Code. Additional information can be found with the Office for Access and Equity.
All event organizers should include requests for accommodation in their promotional and registration materials. Below is a sample statement that could be included in these materials:
“If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this program/event, please contact (name, host department) at (phone number, email). Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.”
Parking
It is essential for groups to be aware of campus parking regulations including rental spaces, meter enforcement and other restrictions. Visit the UI Parking Department for more information. It is possible that special arrangements may be made with Campus Parking for offsite or permit parking with advanced notice. Fees may apply. The facility is not responsible for parking citations.
Review of Risk
Information about building specific safety protocols is available from facility management.
Consider the need for University Police at your event by reviewing their Special Events website at this link.
Please review how the University manages fire and life safety programs and the existing building and fire code compliance functions. Campus Code Compliance & Fire Safety
Also, note that the Office of Risk Management’s efforts for the University of Illinois System encompass both strategic risk and financial operational activities. Risk Management is the insurance agent for the system, serving its universities, regional sites, Extension offices, and system offices. For more information contact the Office of Risk Management.
Certificate of Insurance
External organizations having events within the facility must provide a certificate of insurance naming the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois as an additional insured.
Campus Resources
Additional Policy Information:
- Reservation of University Property
- Expressive Activity on Campus
- Protection of Minors
- Alcohol Management
- Student Code
Student Engagement
Student Engagement is a department within Student Affairs formed to bring together a variety of units to enhance and support student involvement at Illinois. Registered Student Organization (RSO’s) are overseen by the Student Org. Development & Administration (SODA) office within Student Engagement. Find out more about engaging students at their website. University of Illinois Student Engagement.
Date Issued: December 2022
Date Revised: July 2026
Next Revision Date: July 2029