Significantly fewer freshmen moved into their dorms during this year’s Aug. 16 move-in day than last year.
“We are used to 10 or 15 not showing up per building,” Housing and Residence Life Director Stephanie McBrayer said. “This year for some buildings it was 20 to 35 freshmen.”
Previous move-in days have been known for their long lines and scurrying volunteers. But this year, freshman Kaitlyn Soley pulled her car right up to the door.
“There were a lot of people standing around waiting to unload stuff and there wasn’t anybody there,” she said.
The Student Orientation Staff noticed the difference, as well.
“I worked at Arkansas and Bear [halls], and we had long breaks with no cars,” SOS member Amber Breaux said. “It was the slowest move-in day I have seen.”
Motives vary for the lack of arriving freshmen on UCA’s official move-in day. McBrayer said some students came in later that week closer to classes starting and that several freshmen gave previous consent of their late arrival, being family or military reasons.
Although freshmen move-in day is not mandatory, Breaux said doing so is more time efficient.
“It makes it easy for students to move in,” she said. “We carry all their stuff and get it done quickly. They should definitely give it a chance.”
Breaux said during her freshman move-in day at UCA, SOS members helped her carry her stuff and made her move more comfortable.
McBrayer said despite a low-turnout this year, move-in day will remain a tradition.
“We want the freshman to get here and to participate in Welcome Week activities,” she said. “We will continue to promote as much as possible and continue with marketing efforts.”
UCA Housing is at 98 percent occupancy this year. Residential Halls house 2,587 students (mostly freshmen) and 1,086 upperclassmen live in student apartments.
McBrayer said that students who did not show up on move-in day and did not provide previous reason had until last Thursday to claim their spot.
