Bearcats Move Back to Campus Aug. 20-21

An impressive display of furniture, pillows, laundry baskets and clothes will wind around the University of Cincinnati’s campus

Aug. 20-21

, as students move into the residence halls. Hundreds of UC volunteers also will be on hand to offer directions, moving carts and a welcome back to campus.

Residence Hall Openings

(Peak crowds expected between 10 a.m. and noon)

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m

. – Calhoun Hall, Dabney Hall, Morgens Hall, Schneider Hall, Stratford Heights Complex and Turner Hall

Thursday, Aug. 21, 10 a.m.

– Daniels Hall, Siddall Hall, University Park Apartments, Campus Park Apartments

View a Map of West Campus

Fall semester begins at UC on Aug. 25.

UC Housing and Food Services reports demand for on-campus housing reached a record high this fall, partly because of the booming incoming freshman class as well as demand from upperclassmen wanting to live on campus. Adding to the housing crunch, the 224-bed portion of the Campus Recreation Center, which opened in 2005, was converted this summer into temporary office space for faculty and staff affected by renovations getting underway on Teachers College.

To serve the demand for campus housing, UC Housing and Food Services purchased a two-year block lease at University Park Apartments, providing 400 beds, and also purchased a 233-bed block lease at Campus Park Apartments (formerly Sterling Manor). Additional block leases at the off-campus University Edge Apartments added 34 beds; 28 beds were added with leases purchased at Stetson Square Apartments; and an additional 102 beds were purchased through Uptown rental properties. In addition, reorganization of space in four houses in the Stratford Heights Complex opened another 32 beds. Similar summer conversions will eventually open an additional 100 beds at Stratford Heights Complex over the next two years.

The larger freshman class also led to a 12 percent increase of students who purchased residential meal plans. As a result, UC Food Services is expanding its meal plan exchange with “grab ‘n’ go” combo meals at Quick Mick’s Café. Weekend brunch hours also will be expanded at CenterCourt Dining Center.

Hundreds of faculty, staff and administrators will assist the move back to the residence halls as part of the 14th annual Helping Hands program. An additional 400 upperclassmen will assist the move as part of the Resident Education and Development’s Hall Opening Team (HOT). Those student volunteers got to move back to campus a week early to help fellow students move in to the residence halls.

Other Residence Hall Updates

Daniels Hall

– Summer upgrades in the 12-floor residence hall included lighting improvements, shower head replacements, and upgrades on drains and ventilation in nine shower rooms – the first major shower replacement project in the residence hall, which opened in 1967. In addition, an HVAC replacement affected two floors in the residence hall.

Calhoun Hall

– Calhoun Hall began a comprehensive roof replacement this summer at a cost of close to $1 million. The 12-floor residence hall houses nearly 800 students and opened in 1967. Additional upgrades involved the replacement of window seals on the south and west sides of the building – a total of about 200 windows. Installation of a vandal-resistant mechanical limit to window openings in Calhoun and Siddall halls led to improvements on more than 600 windows.

Stratford Heights Complex

– The Stratford Heights Complex has 19 themed houses in addition to the 152-bed Tower Hall. Summer structural repairs included ceiling upgrades, updates on all deck railings and deck stairs, as well as construction on three porches. The Stratford Heights Complex opened in 2005.

Creating UC’s Third Century: A Focused, Sustained Investment in People

Expanded Living and Learning Communities: UC Emphasizes Opportunity for All Students

TAP House

– UC has approximately 25 themed student housing communities among its residence hall floors and the Stratford Heights Complex. Among those dwellers in the Stratford Heights Complex are students in UC’s Transition and Access Program (TAP).

TAP is a non-degree, four-year program for students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities that provides opportunities to engage in the college experience. A total of 29 students are now in the program and all will live in the TAP House this fall. “The program emphasizes academics, vocational skills and independent living,” says program director Heidi Brett Mendez, an adjunct professor of education. “We had huge milestones for the students after the house opened last fall.  Students mastered independent living skills that included managing their schedules, getting along with a roommate, cleaning a bathroom and remembering their keys.

“As early as Christmas break last year, I was getting feedback from parents who were amazed that their children were doing their own laundry over their break,” says Mendez. Program staff includes a graduate assistant (GA) and two resident assistants (RA) who are special education majors, plus two other UC students serving as RAs. UC’s TAP program gained national attention when it was featured on the FOX TV series, “Glee,” last fall. The “Glee” character, Becky, a student with Down syndrome, decided she wanted to join UC’s TAP Program.

Gen-1 House

– UC’s living and learning community for first-generation, Pell-eligible college students has garnered national attention for building on the success of a student population at high risk for dropping out of college. The Gen-1 Community is now spread through three buildings in the Stratford Heights Complex and will have 90 students living there this fall. Plus, an additional 32 students, now juniors and seniors, will serve as active participants in the non-residential component of the Gen-1 program.

UC Housing