Syracuse University students moving into on-campus housing must check-in at Skytop Parking Lot before their move-in time, university officials said at a virtual forum Friday.

SU has staggered move-in slots throughout next week, with first-year and transfer students moving in from Aug. 17-20 and returning students arriving from Aug. 20-23. Students must sign up for a two-hour move-in slot and are only allowed to bring one guest into their dorm room to assist with the move-in process.

“We spread out move-in to take an entire week in order to slow it down and de-densify the halls as students move in,” said Amanda Nicholson, interim deputy senior vice president of enrollment and the student experience.

At the check-in station, students will verify they have completed the pre-arrival testing requirement, collect their wellness kits and SU I.D. cards and provide a saliva sample for coronavirus testing, Nicholson said. The saliva samples will then be grouped with about 20 other samples based on the student’s housing assignment for pooled testing, said Joe Hernon, director of emergency management and business continuity. Results from pooled testing will become available in 24-48 hours.

Students living off campus must go to tents set up across campus to complete a similar check-in process, though the dates for their check-in process remain unclear.

The university will also be testing students randomly throughout the semester using pooled saliva testing, Hernon said. 

The university installed HEPA filters, which can catch small particles carrying the coronavirus, in buildings that have HVAC systems, said Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. In buildings that don’t have HVAC systems, SU installed ultraviolet air purifiers.

The air conditioning systems in all SU buildings have been adjusted to refresh airflow instead of recirculating it. Bathroom ventilation systems will now run at all times instead of being turned off at night, said Ramesh Raina, professor of biology and interim vice president for research.

“The system has been in such a way that fresh air is constantly pumped into the system,” Raina said. “These are things that can help to keep the rooms clean of virus.”

SU’s dining halls have reduced seating by 40% to 60%, Nicholson said. SU has increased the number of grab-and-go options available and the quality of those options, she said. Food services will have certain boxes clearly marked for students with different allergies, she said.

“We are trying to find as many locations as we can where people could stop and eat, chill out between classes, do whatever,” Nicholson said. “Space has been quite challenging.”

Students will be allowed to take off their masks to eat, she said.

SU’s teaching tents, which will be set up on the Shaw Quadrangle through at least Oct. 16, will have some technological capabilities, said Chris Johnson, associate provost for academic affairs. Professors will be able to record lectures in the tents, though they will not be outfitted with the same equipment as other classrooms, he said.

The university will use SU I.D. cards to track students’ participation in the SU’s coronavirus testing program. Students who do not participate in testing will not be allowed to access campus buildings, Nicholson said.

“We want you here. We want you doing it right, we want you doing it safe,” Hernon said. “You comply, we’ll help you, support you, get you going.”

Published on August 15, 2020 at 6:19 am

Contact Mira: mlberenb@syr.edu