Bulletin News

08/21/2011 

Students begin returning to SUNY Cortland on Friday, Aug. 26. In all, College officials expect approximately 7,350 students to be enrolled for the fall semester. Classes begin on Monday, Aug. 29.

On Aug. 26, the campus will open its 16 residence halls and the West Campus Apartments to approximately 100 new residential students who did not attend the summer orientation program as well as the remaining new residential students.

Returning residential students will move in Saturday, Aug. 27, through Sunday, Aug. 28. Between Friday and Sunday, access will be limited on Prospect Terrace and from Graham Avenue to Neubig Road, which winds past the SUNY Cortland residence halls to the Broadway intersection. Traffic will proceed one-way, in a westerly, downhill direction from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. during this time. On Friday, university police will limit traffic solely to freshman or transfer students moving into the residences. Neubig Road will be closed to traffic from 5 a.m.-8:30 a.m. during all three move-in days.

Parents or guardians who are helping their new or returning student move into a residence hall should approach from Graham Avenue, quickly unload their vehicle, and proceed immediately to the Park Center and Professional Studies Building parking lots. Bus service will be available between the parking lots, Corey Union and the residence halls. Faculty, staff and others with business on the campus are encouraged to park at Park Center and Studio West and use the bus service.

Faculty and staff are invited to join the Welcome Team that helps new students move into the residence halls from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. There are two shifts each day: 8 a.m.-noon and noon-4 p.m. Volunteers can choose to sign up for one or two shifts. To sign up today, faculty and staff may log in to their online myRedDragon account, select the Faculty/Staff tab and look for the Welcoming Team Signup link on the lower left. Volunteers will receive a “Dragon Haller” t-shirt for making the move-in process welcoming and easy.

On campus, facility changes are apparent, noted Jeff Lallas, director of facilities planning, design and construction. Among the student residences, the 60-year-old Cheney Hall received its first major renovation starting in December, and is expected to reopen in time for fall occupation. Over the summer, energy efficient windows were installed in the Miller Building. That facility is getting a heating, ventilation and energy conservation upgrade. The total project will  be complete by the end of September. Construction of the first phase of the Bowers Hall renovation and addition project will be under way in the middle of the fall semester. The work in the Bowers Hall parking lot is the tip of that iceberg, and involves the relocation of the underground utilities. Although not nearly as visible, the campus-wide satellite boiler project will begin in October and will take approximately two years to complete. The high-efficiency boilers installed in each building will replace the College’s aging and less efficient central steam plant.

SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum will provide his annual opening address to the College’s faculty and staff at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, in the Corey Union Function Room. Later, senior administrators will introduce new faculty and staff members and report on their respective areas. Subsequently, a panel will focus on the Middle States reaccreditation process.

Marking the start of another academic year, the Fall 2011 Academic Convocation begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28, in the Park Center Alumni Arena. The hour-long ceremony is designed for all first-year and new transfer students. All SUNY Cortland faculty and professional staff are encouraged to attend.

Welcome Week will offer a number of events geared to help new students connect with the campus community and assist them in their transition and adjustment to college life, from Saturday, Aug. 28, through Tuesday, Sept. 7.

For more information about Welcome Week events, contact Campus Activities and Corey Union at (607) 753-2322.