FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – This week approximately 4,500 University of Arkansas students are moving into the 12 residence halls on campus. The university housing department coordinates the annual move-in, getting help from the transit and parking department as well as a host of volunteers. This year students, and in many cases their parents, are getting help from close to 350 volunteers from across the campus and community, including Chancellor G. David Gearhart, who helped students on Sunday and Tuesday morning.

“I had a great time,” he said. “It’s a good way to meet students and their parents and to show them we’re serious when we say “Students First.”

Chancellor G. David Gearhart

This year campus groups that supplied volunteers included Sigma Pi, Alpha Gamma Rho, Zeta Phi Beta, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, the Baptist Campus Ministry, University Baptist Church, the LINK, the Council of Religious Organizations, the Lead Hogs, university relations, the Center for Leadership and Engagement, Pre-College Programs, the Dean of Students office, the Arkansas Union, the Multicultural Center and the Residents’ Interhall Congress.

“It takes a lot of planning and a lot of cooperation for ‘Move-in Week’ to be a success, and this year it is going very smoothly,” said Randy Alexander, director of housing. “We schedule building move-ins according to zones and odd and even floors in order to avoid having thousands of cars arrive at the same time. Students and parents have learned that if they check-in during their assigned times they will have a much smoother experience. We received several compliments; they appreciate the planning that goes into this experience. It’s more than getting the boxes from the cars to the rooms in an efficient manner. It’s a very important way to help students feel welcome in their new community and support parents during what can be an emotional transition.”

Members of the Fayetteville High School Band and the Greenland cheerleading squad also served as paid volunteers, as part of an annual fundraiser for their organizations.