All across the world, budding new students and their families are making their final preparations for their journey to The U: checking CaneLink for final to-do items, packing an extra pair of flip-flops and sun glasses, and double-checking that their bedding fits a twin XL bed. Like the newest members of the ‘Canes family, the Department of Housing & Residential Life has also been busy this past summer revamping its Fall move-in process for incoming students.
Set to take place Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15, more than 2,000 incoming students will make their way to the Coral Gables campus and settle in at their new home in on-campus housing. And by partnering with University and Student Services, HRL hopes to bring more organization and convenience to move-in days on campus.
“USS’s ‘Cruise Ship Move-In’ will make the move-in process easier on both families and our campus,” says Richard Kenney, HRL’s associate director for housing operations and facilities. “From the time families enter campus until they reach their student’s room, we have a specific plan in place.”
On Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15 from approximately 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. move-in traffic will enter campus at the intersection of Merrick Drive and Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Traffic will then be diverted to the parking lot in front of the Watsco Center where cars will then be directed to either Stanford or Hecht Residential Colleges via Dickinson Drive or to Eaton Residential College via the new temporary access road near the new Student Housing Village construction site. Once families arrive at their residential college during their pre-assigned move-in time, a team from USS will unload the car and deliver the student’s belongings directly to their room. From their residential college, all traffic will be directed to park in Pavia and Merrick Garages. A shuttle will then take families to and from the garages and Eaton, Hecht and Stanford.
The campus community is asked to avoid the south side of campus during move-in days and park on the north side of campus. Limited parking will be available in Pavia and Merrick garages.
Specific impacts to campus traffic patterns on Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15 are:
- Avoid lot 425N
- Lot 425S will be closed to non-move-in traffic
- Dickinson Drive is only open to move-in traffic, visitors to the Herbert Wellness Center and patients of the Lennar Foundation Medical Center
- The temporary road connecting Eaton Residential College to Walsh Avenue is open only to move-in traffic
- Increased levels of traffic coming in and out of the Pavia and Merrick Garages
“We hope that by creating a structured and specific plan for move-in, campus can be better prepared for what to expect during new student move-in,” Kenney adds.
For more information about the Fall 2017 new student move-in process, visit miami.edu/housing/fallmovein.
