Q&A Series: New Students Assigned Move-In Slot, While Upperclassmen Will Select Arrival Time

Representatives from the Marist Admissions Office and Housing & Residential Life hosted a comprehensive session regarding drop-off and move-in. For both procedures, students and a maximum of two helpers must follow CDC guidelines, wearing masks inside all buildings and outside when social distancing is not possible. 

Dean of Admission Kenton Rinehart said he hopes this set-up will create a less stressful move-in process for families. 

“Our goal is really simple: we want it to be safe, healthy for everyone … we are going to be following, adhering and often exceeding [New York State] guidelines in what we’re doing as a part of our move-in,” Rinehart said. 

Most of the session’s information applied to students from non-restricted states, as students from international and domestic high-risk areas will follow an entirely separate move-in procedure. 

Drop-off dates: 

Freshmen & New Transfer Students: Aug. 10 - Aug. 18 

Returning Students: Aug. 10 - Aug. 16

Move-in dates: 

Freshmen & New Transfer Students: Aug. 19 - Aug. 23 

Returning Students: Aug. 17 - Aug. 23

The college will offer an optional drop-off time slot for families from non-restricted states to allow more time to transport belongings to rooms. Rinehart said that each time slot will allow approximately 50 people to sign up, reducing capacity on campus to facilitate social distancing. 

Freshmen and new transfer students will be notified about their assigned move-in time during the week of Aug. 3. Rinehart said the team hopes to assign new students the same move-in date and time slot as their roommate so that the families can meet. If students cannot make assigned time, or would prefer not move in at the same time as their roommate, they can contact Milena Carrese, senior assistant director for the Admissions Office. 

New and returning students can choose their preferred drop-off time through their MyMarist account. Returning students will be able to select both a drop-off and move-in time. As of Tuesday morning, only drop-off times for freshman and new transfer students were available for selection. 

For both drop-off and move-in, families will have two hours to complete each. Students do not need to present a negative COVID-19 test to drop-off belongings, but will need to show a negative PCR COVID-19 test to arrive on campus for the semester. The panelists encouraged new students to take advantage of being on campus to pick up their Marist ID card and pick up textbooks at the Marist Bookstore. 

The drop-off system aims to provide families with more flexibility, Rinehart said, adding that families will be able to pull up closer to residence halls. Some carts will be available, and elevator use will be extremely limited –– reserved for large items and family members who may need assistance, and holding only one person at a time due to CDC guidelines. The usual tradition of upperclassmen helping families move in will change, but there will still be helpers on campus. 

Carrese said that there will be further information for students about dropping off and moving in, such as where to obtain dorm keys. Carrese also encouraged students to start shipping packages to their on-campus mailbox, as the college will deliver packages to their housing assignment ahead of time. They must ensure their packages arrive by Aug. 17 in order to have them by the start of classes on Aug. 24. Packages must include the students first and last name, housing assignment, and MSC number (if students do not have this number yet, the other identifying information will suffice). 

This option does not apply to students staying in Conklin Hall off-campus. Students living in Conklin during the semester also cannot drop-off belongings prior to move-in, as students in quarantine will not move out until Aug. 16. Sarah English, director of Housing & Residential Life, said that the building will be cleaned and disinfected to prepare for students living in Conklin Hall to move in starting Aug. 18. 

Students quarantining in Conklin are encouraged to move-in between Aug. 1-3. If they will be living at Marist during the semester, they will be able to drop-off their belongings on campus prior to starting their quarantine in Conklin Hall, as long as they do so before Aug. 10. Parents who want to drop-off more items during the drop-off days will not be allowed into the residence halls if they have not quarantined, Rinehart said. A shuttle will be provided to take students to the off-campus quarantine housing. 

Any student from a restricted state who cannot arrive between Aug. 1-3 or who will not be quarantining in Conklin Hall must provide their quarantine plan. Otherwise, they will not be able to move into Marist housing. 

“We are rapidly revolutionizing pretty much everything we do as an institution to try to make sure that we are as safe and as healthy and as efficient as we possibly can,” Rinehart said.

Source: Sydney Kysar