It’s another record year for students living on campus at Colorado State University, which means a busy week for staff, especially those working in Housing & Dining Services.

Dining halls open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, when about 2,200 students are expected to move in to their on-campus accommodations. Thursday will see nearly twice that number, and by the start of classes on Monday, Aug. 20, a total of 8,100 students will be settled into the University Housing units – both residence halls and University apartments. That represents approximately a third of the residential instructional enrollment expected this semester.

“Move In is always a busy time, and we hope that by having more students, including many of the Residential Learning Communities, get in on Wednesday, we can help alleviate some of the traffic congestion,” said Tonie Miyamoto, director of communications and sustainability for Housing & Dining.

Faculty and staff are also asked to use alternative transportation or park in non-move-in lots on the east side of campus or remote lots on Aug. 15-16. The university’s interactive Move In map shows all the routes students will be following to get to their residence halls as well as designated parking lots across campus. Move In will be utilizing the Harmony, Prospect, and Mulberry exits off I-25, so traffic will be busy throughout town.

Recycling efforts

In addition to increased traffic, Move In Week always produces increased trash, especially cardboard boxes, styrofoam packaging, and plastic thin film wrapping. Housing & Dining staff help students dispose of these items correctly so they can be recycled, diverting literally tons of waste from the local landfill.

Not all of the students living in University Housing are first-year students. The addition of on-campus apartment living at Aggie Village and other social and academic benefits has brought many upperclassmen back to on-campus living. And the newly streamlined University Housing operation within Housing & Dining makes returning to campus that much easier.

It’s all part of welcoming students and their families into the Ram Family.

“We couldn’t make Move In as smooth as we have in the past without the hundreds of student and staff volunteers who do everything from carrying belongings into halls and providing directions to managing waste collection,” Miyamoto said. “It’s their commitment to helping and welcoming students and their families that creates such a positive first impression of CSU, and is a part of everything we do.”