Like most UC Davis students did either last year or even three years ago, the class of 2013 moved in and settled in to the dormitories this past weekend.
First year student enrollment is slightly lower than in the past, with around 4,600 students. Of those, about 97 percent choose to live in the dorms, said Branden Petitt, associate director of Student Housing.
Compared to the class of 2010, 5,550 students chose to enroll in the 2006-2007 school year – the largest class so far in UC Davis history. This is an almost one thousand-person decrease from the 2010 class.
Because of this lower enrollment, Student Housing was able to do something they have not done in quite some time: guarantee housing for transfer students.
“It’s been several years since we could guarantee housing for transfer students; we did not have enough space for them,” said Emily Galindo, director of Student Housing.
About 340 transfer students are living in the dormitories this year. To better accommodate transfers, another 200 are living in the apartment complexes of Primero Grove, the Lexington and the Arbors that Student Housing has mastered leases with.
Student Housing has also changed the method for moving in this year, adding an extra day. In the past, move-in days were only a two-day process starting either Saturday or Sunday. Petitt said the extra Friday was added to better suit students observing the Rosh Hashanah holiday.
“The main part of [the extra day] is to help support the Jewish students who may want to observe their holiday and then move in,” said Petitt. “We found that it’s a good model for everyone because it creates a real casual environment versus just one or two days.“
Akshar Gopal is a first year undeclared major who moved in on Saturday with his roommate Daniel Lenardon, a first year majoring in civil engineering. Their room is already decorated and organized, their I.D cards ready for swiping. They said they are excited about meeting new people and socializing with their floormates on the third floor of Thompson.
On Sunday, they were watching sports with their fellow floormates, relaxing before classes begin on Thursday. As typical of dorm life, they have had the opportunity to enjoy the cuisine at the Segundo Dining Commons.
“I thought it was pretty cool. I liked the fact that it‘s not the same thing. It could get kind of old though,” said Lenardon.
Gopal said he hopes to be involved with activities on campus, specifically the Aggie Pack, and has already met this year‘s MC, Adam Darbonne. Lenardon hopes to play baseball, he said, either through Intramural sports or club teams.
Student Housing is also making efforts to maintain sustainability in the dorm halls. Dorm residents will receive stainless steel water bottles that they can fill at the new hydration stations – which have filtered and chilled water, said Petitt.
“Even this weekend I noticed so many students bringing in cases of bottled water … those bottles go to a waste site, even if they try to recycle them. But if they use our bottles, they won’t have to buy all that water.”
A hydration station already exists in Emerson Hall and eleven more will soon be available.
ANGELA RUGGIERO can be reached at features@theaggie.org
