Residence Hall move-in week shortened

By Charles Chen

Daily Staff Reporter

Students planning on living in University residence halls for the 2000-2001 academic year will be able to move in beginning Wednesday, Aug. 30, shortening Move-In Week by one day from previous years.

Christian Garcia, an assistant director for the Office of New Student Programs, said ONSP and University Housing made the change in response to feedback from students.

Garcia said students expressed concern that "the period between move-in and the start of classes was too long."

While the move-in date has been pushed ahead, the staggered move-in program will still take place, with freshmen moving in Aug. 30 and 31 and returning students on Sept. 1.

Housing Public Affairs and Marketing Adviser Dana Fair said the staggered move-in program began in 1995 to alleviate the problem the previous year when "all students came on the same day during a nasty rain storm."

University Housing has been trying to accommodate students by spreading out the move-in among residence halls to several days.

"We didn't want for two halls next to each other to be having move-in on the same day," Fair said. "It lessens the traffic in the streets and is a better opportunity for students to move in because of less worry."

Students said they have found the move-in program to be helpful in their arrival at their residence halls.

LSA freshman Hillary Oosse said, "The good thing about moving in was the parking. They cleared off the streets pretty well."

As Housing works to improve the three-day move-in process, they are also making accommodations for students who must arrive on campus before their scheduled move-in date.

"A student may move in to their residence hall early only under an extraordinary situation," Fair said. "We want to accommodate students if there is no way for someone to move in during the week."

University Housing is also offering an early arrival program, in which both male and female students may stay in Betsy Barbour Residence Hall from Aug. 20 to 24. The program is mainly for international students who need to arrive before their scheduled date, but is open to other students as well.

"International students have a special situation because they're coming from another country," Senior Housing Adviser Doug White said.

The extra time allows for students to attend orientation programs and workshops on adjusting to U.S. life and look for off-campus housing if necessary, without having to worry about travel arrangement conflicts, White said.

International Student Move-in for residence halls is scheduled for Aug. 24.

Returning students living both on- and off-campus who are interested in providing assistance with move-in may join the "300 Students & A Cart Committee," formerly known as the Welcoming Committee.

Participants will assist during the move-in program by "welcoming arriving students and helping their moving process by unloading vehicles and moving stuff to rooms," Fair explained.

Applications to participate on the committee are currently available at residence hall front desks and are due by Monday.