Since opening in May 2017, the lockers in the IMU have provided people with a secure storage space away from home.

The 48 units available to all students, staff, and faculty are located in the ground floor of the IMU near the Student Legal Services office and the health and wellness center. The lockers are a free service that function by setting a one-time four-digit code.

After 11 p.m., the lockers are emptied by IMU staff and relocated to the lost and found at the Iowa House Hotel front desk.

The initiative was voted upon and funds were allocated by the University of Iowa Student Government this past spring. Alexia Sánchez, the Student Life Committee chair, worked with UISG Sen. Thomas Bowman and her committee in order to start the service. They chose the IMU because of its high traffic and central location.

Sánchez has reportedly received positive feedback from IMU personnel who work with the lockers, and UISG will see if more lockers are needed in the future.

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There is currently no data on how many people on average use the lockers.

“Although I am fortunate enough to live on campus, many people do not,” Sánchez said. “The lockers benefit those who live too far away or are highly involved on campus. It gives them the opportunity to store different sets of clothes or equipment.”

Because Ekta Nanda lives relatively far from the central campus, at Mayflower, she uses the lockers for a few hours at a time in the evenings while attending nearby club meetings.

“I like having a place to put my books, but it’s too bad I can only keep them there until 11 p.m.,” she said.

Nanda said she has heard of art students using the lockers to store their artwork between classes.

Kyle Scheer, the UISG director of student services, said the goal is making sure students are aware of the services available to them, such as the lockers in the IMU.