More than 590 members of an anticipated 1,200-student University of Colorado at Colorado Springs freshman class will have high-level help when they move in Aug. 17.
Beginning at 9 a.m., Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak, assisted by campus vice chancellors, faculty leaders and directors of key administrative departments, will be on hand to lift boxes, hold doors, and answer questions from students and parents.
“We know that this is a time of tremendous excitement for everyone,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “We want to do everything possible to assist whether it is grabbing a box from the back of a van, holding a door, or answering questions about the university’s expectations or services.”
Ralph Giese, director, Residence Life, said the 597-bed Summit Village is at capacity, primarily with new UCCS freshmen. The 303-bed Alpine Village, generally reserved for sophomore, junior and senior students is also full. For both complexes, Residence Life is maintaining wait-lists in the event of last-minute cancellations.
“We are doing everything possible to help students find housing on or near campus,” Giese said.
While new students can move in throughout the day Aug. 17, Giese anticipates peak traffic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. as students anxious to begin their college careers arrive. At 4:30 p.m. Aug. 18, students will attend opening convocation featuring comments by Gene Abrams, professor, Mathematics, followed by a barbecue for students and parents. Convocation will be in the Gallogly Events Center with the barbecue on the University Center upper plaza.
Abrams will share insights from the book “The Last Lecture” written by the late Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Pausch died in July 2008 from pancreatic cancer.
“The Last Lecture” is part of a collection of readings used in Freshman Seminar which begins Aug. 19. The seminar is a nationally recognized program designed to introduce students to UCCS and the greater Colorado Springs community. Classes begin Aug. 23.
While official figures will not be available until mid-September, UCCS enrollment is expected to exceed last year’s record enrollment of 8,464 students.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 34 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 8,500 students annually.