Allowed Items

The following items are allowed inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. All permitted items and patrons are subject to search and will be tagged at entrance.

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC that do not exceed 12″x6″x12″.
• Clutch bags that do not exceed 4.5″x6.5″.
• Factory-sealed water bottles or empty, refillable bottles [Limit one (1), under one (1) gallon].
• Medically necessary items (includes equipment for nursing mothers and diaper bags).

Prohibited Items

The following items are NOT allowed inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Admission will be denied to anyone carrying the following items.

• Wrapped gifts or balloons.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Backpacks, purses, handbags, and/or cinch bags (Please refer to the Allowed Items for bag guidance).
• Banners and signs.
• Coolers, glass containers, backpack hydration systems, or refillable water bottles over one (1) gallon.
• Large lens cameras (6″ or more), video cameras, or tripods.
• Noisemakers, strobe lights, or any other disruptive devices.
• Outside food (unless medically indicated).
• Non-service animals.
• Strollers or car seats.
• Tobacco of any kind (including e-cigarettes).
• Umbrellas.
• Weapons of any kind.

No outside food or drinks are allowed except one sealed water bottle or empty refillable bottle per student and/or guest.

During spring ceremonies limited items will be sold at concession stands on the main concourse. Items include bottled beverages with lids and packaged food.

Please note: all transactions will be cashless. Credit, debit, and mobile pay accepted.

Beginning in fall 2024, all doors into Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be equipped with the latest technology in walk-through metal detectors that graduates and guests will need to pass through for entry. Graduates and guests will not need to empty their pockets or belongings unless instructed by arena security. Please note that steel-toed boots and hard eyeglasses cases can set off the sensors, so consider leaving those items behind if possible. The clear bag policy and all other Carver-Hawkeye Arena security policies remain in effect.

There is NO PUBLIC ELEVATOR USAGE available during commencement. Elevator policy can be found below.

Seating for guests is accessible from the upper concourse level, which is at ground level where you will enter. Guests with disabilities or limited mobility can find seating in the Feller Club Room. This room is equipped with large television screens and commencement ceremonies can be watched live from here. No food or beverage will be permitted in this room.

Guests with disabilities are also welcome to view the ceremony from the upper concourse level. Wheelchair and scooter spaces can be found in sections K – N on this level. Space is limited so we ask that guests seat themselves and two companions in this area. Guests should provide their own wheelchair if needed.

A sign language interpreter will be on-stage to interpret the ceremony.

Guests with disabilities who have a state-issued ADA parking placard or license plate will be permitted to use Lot 46, adjacent to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. From Lot 46 guests should enter through the west doors.

Please Note: Accessible parking in Lot 46 is limited to a first-come first-served basis. Once full, drop-offs will be allowed and then drivers will be directed to overflow accessible parking in Lot 75. Guests dropped off in Lot 46 should use the west doors.

The University of Iowa wants all attendees of commencement ceremonies at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to safely enjoy their experience. 

The policies described below have been reviewed by the state and campus fire prevention officials, as well as campus officials charged with accessibility for UI students and commencement guests:

• Seating at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is designed to allow emergency evacuation through the exits on the upper concourse and/or the north tunnel. Because the north tunnel may become blocked by a fire or other obstruction during an emergency, the university requires that attendees with mobility issues not be seated on or near the floor; they must be seated in the Feller Club Room or on the upper concourse level. During a fire or emergency, elevators may not function and floor-seated attendees unable to navigate stairs might not have an exit pathway. Floor seating is generally reserved for graduates, faculty, and special guests. Concourse seating is available for all other attendees.
• Attendees with disabilities or limited mobility may find seating in two places, both of which are level with the west doors entrance and do not require attendees to navigate steps or use an elevator: 
  • Attendees may find seating in the Feller Club Room for themselves and up to two companions. This room is equipped with large television screens and commencement ceremonies can be watched from here. No food or beverage will be permitted in this room.
  • Attendees are also welcome to view the ceremony from the upper concourse level. Wheelchair and scooter spaces can be found in sections K–N on the upper concourse level. The ceremony can be viewed from here or on large screens that can be found in these sections. Attendees should provide their own wheelchairs if needed. 
• During a UI commencement at the arena, elevator use may be limited to staff and special event participants, such as faculty or graduates of the commencement ceremony. This is to prevent persons with mobility issues from using the elevator to access the floor, only to be trapped there in the case of a fire or other emergency. 
• Attendees who have a Disabilities Parking Permit (plate, placard, or sticker) may park in lot 46, adjacent to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Public Safety officers will restrict entrance to this lot to only those guests with these state-issued permits. From lot 46, attendees should enter the arena through the west doors. All other attendees may use any other parking available and may enter through the south and west doors. 
• Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact the collegiate commencement coordinator of the ceremony you're planning to attend. 
• A sign language interpreter will be on stage to interpret the ceremony. 

NOTE: The tunnel leading from the wrestling facility could not be considered a 2nd exit from the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor due to constraints in constructing the tunnel. This tunnel’s primary purpose is to be a 2nd exit from the wrestling facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a Hawkeye fan who is unable to go up and down stairs, and I go to games at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena all the time. They’ve never made me sit on the concourse before. Why do I have to sit on the concourse at a commencement?

Evacuation procedures approved by the state fire marshal require attendees seated on the floor to exit the building through the north tunnel. However, because the north tunnel may be blocked by a fire or other obstruction during an emergency, procedures require trained staff to carry persons with mobility issues up the stairs to concourse exits.

At commencement events, those trained staff are not available; therefore state fire code requires that persons with mobility issues be seated on the upper concourse and that individuals be able to exit the building by traversing up the stair aisle and out to the concourse exits.

Why can’t I just use the elevator?

During a fire, state fire code requires that the elevators remain “out of service” for the safety of attendees. This is to prevent attendees from becoming trapped inside a damaged elevator.

Revised: November 2024