Housing Preps for Fall Move-In

The campus might seem quieter during the summer months, but there is lots of activity making certain housing is ready when students return in August.  

Preparations have already been underway and will continue throughout the next month and a half to ensure the Lion’s Den residence halls and Sebastian Commons Apartments are ready for University of Arkansas – Fort Smith students to move in for the fall semester.  

Stephanie London, assistant dean of students, and resident directors Joe England (Lion’s Den) and Johnny Resendiz (Sebastian Commons) sat down to discuss how their team prepares for the next wave of students living on campus.  

Students begin their move-out in mid-May when the spring semester ends. At that point, RAs, or resident assistants, conduct final room condition reports (RCRs), and the trio is in the thick of liaising with plant operations and custodial on summer checklists. 

“We’re going through and assessing every single room, looking to see if there’s anything that needs to be additionally cleaned or something that needs fixing that maybe we didn’t catch,” London said of the summer work. 

Work can be as minor as paint touch-ups from Command Strips or as major as AC unit replacements, to ensure every room is ready for students. But preparations extend beyond where students will spend their time during the upcoming academic year. 

“RAs move in the first weekend of August, and then they go through a very intense two-week training process that includes move-in,” England said. 

During that time, RAs are trained on a variety of things including conflict management, how to conduct events, and where everything on campus is located, he added. 

When students arrive for the fall semester, RAs will have already moved into their rooms, begun planning floor programming, and will be ready to assist their residents with any questions or issues that may arise. 

Students can begin moving into their residence hall rooms or apartments from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 14, unless they are registered for Cub Camp. Those attendees have a designated move-in window during the same time two days earlier, on Aug. 12. 

England said to expect lines at the elevator and possibly some wait time to borrow a rolling bin to move items into rooms, but with dozens of student volunteers, the process is quite efficient. London cautioned that if any student is interested in moving their bed, it cannot be done without the help of an RA.  

“The RAs will keep a running list of all the rooms that need to have beds lifted, so there’s usually about four or six that will go around with our little mallets and start lifting beds,” London said.  

“They even have a dispatcher for it,” England added. “It’s an amazing thing to witness how efficiently they do it.”  

Those wondering what to bring or not to bring to their residence hall rooms or apartments can check the housing webpage to see the differences between the two spaces and to review the checklist. 

“Our website is a great resource that’s constantly getting updated,” Resendiz said. 

During move-in and shortly after, students are given their own RCRs. London encouraged using this time to check outlets as well, as they are often overlooked.  Her team will have crews on hand ready to assist if there is an issue. 

Housing applications are processed on a rolling basis, but those moving in at the start of the fall semester must be fully paid by Aug. 14. Students can use eligible financial aid to help offset or cover the cost of living on campus and their required meal plans. 

London said that sharing a residence hall room or apartment with more than one person is a way to help save some money. She said students can also start applying to live in one of the two Lion’s Den Living Learning Communities (LLCs) on Sept. 15. Applications are due in April, but those selected receive a $1,000 ($500 per semester) housing scholarship for the year of participation. LLC’s scholarships are compatible with other UAFS scholarships, including housing. 

London acknowledged that the cost of living on campus can seem daunting but stressed that it is more affordable than almost any other option in the area. It also has the added benefits of on-site washers and dryers at no charge (except for personal detergent), being steps away from classes and campus events, and having access to Residence Life Cinema, a streaming service with 1,200 titles a year that are available about a month before other platforms.