By Dixie Reid

August 23, 2021

The countdown is on for nearly 3,000 Sacramento State students who will move into campus housing for the fall semester. Move-In Days, taking place Thursday and Friday, Aug. 26-27, mark a move toward normalcy for the University, which will continue to require members of the on-campus community to take specific COVID-19 safety measures. Classes begin Aug. 30.

“I’m looking forward to having students back in our residence halls,” said Samuel N. Jones, executive director of University Housing Services. “There is so much value in living on campus. Our residents have higher GPAs than other students, and we help them improve their study skills and give them the steps to become more independent.”

The seven North Village residence halls will be near capacity, with 96% of the 2,088 beds filled.

More than 500 students will become the first residents of Hornet Commons, the apartment complex at the south entrance to campus. In addition, approximately 300 students will live at the Upper Eastside Lofts, the only affiliated off-campus housing for Sac State students, at 65^th Street and Folsom Boulevard.

As part of Sac State’s COVID-19 safety measures, students will move into campus housing across two days instead of the usual one, with North Village and Upper Eastside Lofts residents moving in Thursday and Hornet Commons residents moving in on Friday.

“We decided this year to do two days to get students in as safely and seamlessly as possible with the Delta variant of the coronavirus,” Jones said.

 

Move-In-Day 2021

Student Organizations and Leadership (SOAL) has organized a team of student volunteers to help incoming residents.

“They will welcome Hornets and their families, assist them with the heavy lifting, and serve as resources for the students about getting involved on campus,” said SOAL Director Nicki Croly.

“Student Organizations and Leadership has a long-standing history of coordinating current Hornets who are involved with student clubs to help with Move-In Day,” she said. “It’s a way to show through service the type of campus community we foster here. It’s our way of saying, ‘Welcome to the hive.’”

“There is so much value in living on campus. Our residents have higher GPAs than other students, and we help them improve their study skills and give them the steps to become more independent.” - Samuel N. Jones, executive director of University Housing Services

All students and University employees planning to access campus or any campus programs must certify by Monday, Sept. 13, either that they’ve been vaccinated to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or qualify for a religious or medical exemption.

Students who will live in North Village housing but haven’t yet certified their vaccination status or gone through the exemption process must self-test for COVID-19 at the Leslie and Anita Harper Alumni Center before they can check in.

Student Health Services will assist with the self-testing, as well as administer COVID-19 and flu vaccines Thursday at the Alumni Center and Friday in the Terrace Suite at The WELL.

The University has scheduled multiple activities to welcome new and returning students. At 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27,  Hornet Athletics will host Sacramento State Fan Fest, at Hornet Stadium. The free event will have student-athletes from such programs as football, baseball, track and field, softball, soccer, and rowing on hand for a meet-and-greet and autograph session.

In addition, Sacramento State's Parents and Families Program hosts a virtual family lounge from noon-1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, and a virtual family reception – featuring remarks from University President Robert S. Nelsen and Provost Steve Perez – from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.

“During non-COVID years, these are in-person events where we have a chance to meet parents, family members, supporters, and friends of students moving in on campus and begin to build the relationship.” said Haley Myers Dillon, director of the Parents and Families Program. “We can do that virtually, too.”