University students to move in, inundate communities this weekend, next week

IOWA CITY — Within a matter of days, college and university communities across the state will experience the annual population swell of students returning to campus for another academic year.

Residence hall move-in dates across Iowa’s public universities begin as early as Friday — like for Iowa State University students participating in sorority recruitment — and continue through the weekend and into next week, all leading to a fall semester start in less than two weeks on Aug. 26.

The University of Iowa has the earliest new-student move-in dates of the three this Saturday through Monday — inviting in July its thousands of anticipated freshmen to sign up online for a move-in time over the Aug. 17-19 weekend. Returning UI students living in the halls can move in Saturday, Aug. 24.

Iowa State is opening its residence halls and apartments for sorority-bound students this Friday — when sorority recruitment check-in and orientation begins, launching into a full week of welcome, visit, and preference events.

All ISU campus apartments will open for student move-in Saturday, with new-to-ISU students who’ve been assigned even-numbered residence hall rooms moving in Tuesday and those in odd numbered rooms moving in Wednesday. Returning students can move into their designated ISU halls Thursday, Aug. 22.

And the University of Northern Iowa — which houses about half the number UI does and a third of the number at Iowa State — won’t start its new-student move-in until Wednesday, Aug. 21, with returning students moving in Aug. 23.

“Due to limited space around the halls, we also ask that you do not bring trailers during move-in,” according to detailed move-in instructions the University of Iowa issued to its thousands of families planning to inundate Iowa City this weekend. “If it is essential for you to bring a trailer/camper/box truck/any other extra-large vehicle, you must wait to arrive until after 5 p.m. on your designated move-in day.”

Private colleges across the state and Eastern Iowa region also are welcoming back students this week and next, including Cedar Rapids’ Coe College and Mount Mercy University. Coe’s new-student move-in and convocation is Saturday, Aug. 17, as is Mount Mercy’s.

Expected numbers

Although the colleges and universities aren’t yet reporting specific numbers of anticipated students living on campus or moving back to their respective communities this fall, the University of Iowa — for one — told its governing Board of Regents it expects a “slightly larger incoming freshman class than the previous year,” when 5,064 new students showed up.

“An entering class of 5,100 new first-time students from high school is planned for fall 2024,” according to a UI Housing and Dining report from earlier this year.

Its projected on-campus housing occupancy for the upcoming year, according to a recent budget report, is 99 percent — with 6,435 new and returning students filling most of its 6,465 capacity.

Based on Iowa State’s enrollment and returning-contract projections, that campus is anticipating an occupancy of 10,258, or about 97 percent of its 10,566 capacity. And UNI plans to welcome its largest crop of residence hall occupants this fall at 3,200 — representing a 10 percent increase from 2023 and filling about 89 percent of its 3,594 capacity, according to regent documents.

UNI has six traditional residence halls, three apartments or apartment-style halls, and one suite-style dorm. Iowa State has 20 residence halls and three apartment buildings; and UI was supposed to have nine residence halls before deciding to keep open its Mayflower Hall, which it had wanted to sell due to its unpopularity.

  Buy Photo

“UI announced in February 2023 plans to pursue a sale of Mayflower Hall,” according to board documents. “However, due to strong interest from both incoming and returning students seeking the on-campus residential experience, Mayflower Hall will continue to be utilized.”

Traffic congestion

Each campus has different rules for students as they arrive this week and next — including UI instructions to keep one person with a vehicle at all times while their student unloads. Iowa State similarly asks students to take no more than 90 minutes to unload at their residence hall before moving their vehicle to long-term parking.

The constant flow of traffic has for years compelled administrators to urge those not involved with the move-in mayhem to steer clear.

“The residence department suggests that faculty and staff avoid areas where move-in congestion may occur,” ISU officials said in a statement Monday.

Paring down the larger vehicles and trailers crowding local streets, and alleviating the prospect for congestion on residence hall elevators and stairs, the University of Iowa has issued a list of items and appliances not to bring — a list that also addresses safety and compliance concerns.

Students aren’t to bring into the halls things like space heaters, air fryers, electric grills — and they can rent items like mini fridges and futons.

  Buy Photo

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com