In 1936 Lakeside became a state institution, and today it is run cooperatively by Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Iowa through the Iowa State Board of Regents. Lakeside's 140-acre campus is located on the west shore of West Okoboji Lake. The entire shoreline of Little Miller s Bay is Lakeside Laboratory property, and the bay and adjacent uplands and wetlands are used as a natural classroom in Lakeside courses. Course enrollments are usually limited to 8 to 10 students. Weather permitting, students in all Lakeside courses normally spend at least part of each day doing fieldwork either as part of their class work or working on individual or group projects.
Regular courses last either three or four weeks.
There are also a variety of shorter courses and courses for teachers that typically last only one or two weeks. The summer session is divided into three terms. At the end of the third term is the Adult Nature Weekend, an enjoyable and relaxing way for anyone interested in natural history to learn more about the prairies, forests, wetlands, and lakes of northwest Iowa. Both undergraduate and graduate courses can be taken for credit through all three Iowa regents universities. Students from regents universities should consult the general catalog of their institution and their advisors to determine how these credits may be used in various degree programs.