Just two days ago, students returning to University housing for the spring semester were caught in the rush of last-minute details that inevitably occurs at this time every year, when there is less than a day to move in before the start of classes. This year students were permitted to move in on Monday because of the Georgetown-Villanova basketball game. Normally, the Housing Department’s spring semester policy keeps student residences closed until the Tuesday immediately before Wednesday classes. This concentrates the crowding and confusion of back-to-school bustle, and leaves students with little time to put their houses in order before shouldering their workload. This policy should be revised to allow returning as early as the Sunday before classes.
Travel alone takes up a large enough chunk of time before the resumption of class to make additional tasks like buying books, grocery shopping and setting up furniture difficult to fit into a single day, let alone half of one. That doesn’t even account for the annual barbarian invasion of the bookstore each January. This move-in chaos is much worse for students returning from abroad.
Other schools, like New York University, allow students access to their University-owned housing throughout the entire period of the winter break. While such a situation is ideal, Georgetown does not even need to go that far to dramatically ease the weight of resuming to school. Just a few days would do.
Housing currently allows early move-in on a case-by-case request basis but this tactic is not easy or well publicized, so requests are inconsistently awarded or inexplicably denied. Students should not have to ask to be allowed into residences, especially when they already pay steep rent. The expense of cleaning and maintaining buildings that would otherwise stand nearly empty for a definite period is a factor, to be sure. But the extra time would ease the workload for campus employees. For example, students won’t demand service at the bookstore on the same day. And while it is true that moving in earlier also means more time for students to party, and some irresponsible students will take advantage of this, the extra time for all is worth it.
Easing this tough transition for Georgetown students is a no-brainer for the administration. Opening the doors earlier would make everyone’s lives easier.
