The University's new plan to help smooth over the complicated process of move-in day seems to have worked.
Acting Dean of Students Kirsten Compary said the new system has worked so well, they plan on keeping the process for the future.
The system USD used for move-in day was completely redone in May, to make the process less complicated for incoming students and their families.
Jeffery Baylor, associate vice president of enrollment and student services, is behind the switch, which he has implemented in other universities in previous years.
Instead of having everyone check in at the residence halls, they checked in at the DakotaDome. At the Dome, students received their check-in packets, which included items such as their key and Coyote Card.
Students then drove to residence halls and moved in. They received help from more than 175 student volunteers, who helped unload cars and move items into the students' dorm rooms.
Compary said there were many more student volunteers helping with move-in day compared to past years.
"We made more of a concerted effort to not only ask student and Greek organizations for help, but to keep asking them again and again," Compary said. "The sororities have been back for a week now and they have actually been mandated to help us today, and that isn't something that has happened in the past."
University officials also asked students who live two hours away from campus to check in from 8 to 11 a.m. Students who live farther than two hours away were asked to check in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Compary said one thing they plan to change for next year's move-in day is to divide the time when students of certain distances can check in into more specific times.
"We would like to manage the time better next year because early in the process we had cars waiting in line all the way back to Highway 50," Compary said.
Another change to move-in day is the actual day the students can move in. In the past, move-in day has been on Sunday, but this year the university moved the day to Saturday to coordinate with USD's first football game of the season.
Compary said they wanted a lot of students at the first football game.
"We knew if the residence halls weren't open then there wouldn't be a lot of students at the game," Compary said. "We will have to look at the football schedule in the future to plan when move-in day will be so we can maximize how many students we get to the opening football game."
The university also gave every family who checked in Saturday two free tickets for the football game against St. Ambrose. They also received two tickets for the tailgating party before the game.
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