Thousands of ASU students move into campus residence halls

Classes begin Aug. 18

ASU’s brief summer lull is over and the grand entrance begins, as thousands of students return to the Arizona State University campus residence halls Aug. 13-15 to unload their belongings, connect with friends and gear up for a new school year.

Amid banners, balloons and 105-degree heat, ASU staff will whisk more than 9,000 students through Tempe’s streamlined check-in process in just two days. Tempe campus check-in is Aug. 13 and 14 in Wells Fargo Arena, with a new group of students scheduled every half-hour. Almost 3,000 students move in at the other three campuses Aug. 14 and 15.

Students will have completed their paperwork electronically, arriving with a preprinted “Fast Pass” with a barcode which can be scanned in order to get their room and mailbox keys. In most cases, students and their families will then proceed in their vehicles through designated waiting lines, where helpful staff will unload their belongings and transport them to the students’ rooms.

By Monday night – once clothes have been hung up, computers unpacked and goodbyes have been said – welcome week activities kick off with the annual Tiki Luau. Students will enjoy free food, entertainment and water rides from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sparky's Lawn (Behind Alpha Drive). Classes on all ASU campuses begin on Aug. 18.

Students living on the Tempe campus will have 13 residence halls and three apartment-style facilities, with Manzanita Hall closed for renovation until Fall 2013. Ocotillo Hall, an older complex on Apache Boulevard, has been torn down to make room for The Villas at Vista del Sol, a 400-bed complex with a mix of townhomes and apartments built by American Campus Communities, scheduled to open in August 2012.

The Polytechnic campus offers six halls and three villages of houses for 1,100 students. West and Downtown campuses each have one residence hall complex, housing 400 and 1,200 students, respectively. New halls are under construction at West and Polytechnic, with completion scheduled for Fall 2012. 

ASU expects freshmen to live on campus, with most living within a residential college that links the residential experience to their academic major, promoting academic excellence, personal development and campus engagement.  Being close to classes, educational resources, dining facilities and campus activities helps students get involved on campus, develop better study habits and engage more in life at ASU.  Studies show that students who live on campus typically make a successful transition, returning after freshman year and persisting to graduation at a higher rate.  The Tempe campus has nine residential colleges, with another 14 located at the other campuses.

Key welcome events for all students take place Aug. 16 on the Tempe campus. They include college assemblies, a Sun Devil Welcome by ASU President Michael Crow, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Wells Fargo Arena, whitewashing the “A” on Tempe Butte, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and a Fall Welcome Concert with hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco and special guest singer Jason Derulo, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Wells Fargo.

West campus will host freshmen at Camp Solera, a two-night interactive experience in Las Casas Hall on Aug. 13-14. Other West welcome events that week include a kick-off barbecue, carnival and Sun Devil Sun Down Luau. 

Polytechnic campus will host a Passport to Student Life event, an on-campus employment fair and a comedy night, Aug. 17-19. Tempe’s Passport to ASU event is Aug. 17 in the Memorial Union. Downtown campus offers sketch comedy and slam poetry at the Sheraton Hotel Aug. 17, with a concert and carnival later in the week.

In an effort to promote sustainability, ASU provided students their housing information in electronic format this year rather than the traditional printed packet. Welcome events will emphasize recyclable materials and sustainable practices, and volunteers will help break down students’ packing boxes and remove them to recycling centers.

To increase safety and security, ASU has partnered with Valley Metro Light Rail to send information about light rail safety to incoming and returning students. Additionally, mandatory safety and security educational programs for students living in the residence halls will run the first two weeks of school and will include presentations from ASU Police, ASU Safety Escort Service, ASU Parking and Transit Service, Valley Metro and University Housing.

For more information, visit ASU 2011 Fall Welcome activities http://students.asu.edu/fallwelcome.