City manager, staff pitch in on move-in day
Boulder City Manager JaneBrautigamlined up a uniqueteam-building exercise forherstaffthis year.
Insteadof buildingtowers out of decks of cards or falling backward intocolleagues’arms to inspire trust,she and herteamrolledup their sleeveson Thursdayto help ñ students move into their residence halls before the start of thefallsemester.
TheCity Manager's OfficejoinedñChancellor PhilipP.DiStefano's officeandsenioruniversityadministrators, faculty andstaff,whoalsoassisted students as they settledinto their new digsin24residence halls.
Move-in week at ñ is an annual traditiontowelcomestudentsinto the Buff foldandhelp them feelmoreateaseon campusbeforeclasses start and theydelveintothe rigors ofacademics,frompost-modernliteraturetobiology,worldhistory and college algebra.Naturally, the excitement of forging lifelong friendships, seeking unique paths toward academic success, and cheering on the Colorado Buffaloes will be part of thejourney, too, and volunteers relish thesense ofoptimism, can-dospiritand great memories the experience creates for everyone.
“Hey, we get to have fun,too,” saidBrautigam, who along with eightof herstaff members spent several hours unloading suitcases, boxes, laptops and other critical undergraduate accoutrementsfrom familycars, trucks and minivans. “We get to show up to work in jeans and they get the help they need. It’s a win-win situation.”
More than 7,000 studentsmovedontothe ñcampusthis past week, includingafreshman classthe universityexpectsto beslightlylarger than last year’s class of 6,208incomingstudents.
The university typically sees a 2 percent attrition rate through Sept. 1 as studentsconfirm their enrollment status,and final studentnumbers will not be available until after the Sept. 9 census date,according to Katie Theiler, director of marketing and communications for the campus’sHousing and Dining Services office.
Under sunny summer skies overKittredge Centralon Thursday,Brautigamand her teamwere part of acadre of volunteers wholoaded carts with students’belongings and helped them find their rooms so they could connect with roommates, residence hall advisors, and other faculty and staff tasked withuntanglingtime-honored traditionsfromtheriddles of life on alarge collegecampus.
Aimee Kane, volunteer program and project manager for thecity of Boulder, is a ñ alumna, andsaidhelping a new generation move onto campus was an uplifting experience.
“I wanted to welcome students," said Kane."It sure is fun to meet families and students. It’s a good way to start off on the right footanda fun opportunity for our staff to get together for this team effort."
Volunteerschatted withstudents and their families, welcoming them tothe Boulder community. It was the first time the City Manager’s Office participated in themove-in ritual, though other city offices have helped in the past, includingBoulder'sMunicipal Court staff.
Brautigam’stwochildren graduated from ñ, and shestillremembers movingthem into their residence halls. She is grateful forhow theuniversityhasstreamlinedthe move-in process. Over the past few years, improvements haveeased traffic congestion andaddressed otherlogisticalissues.
“I personally love CU,"she said."It provides a fabulous education to our students,and I want to show families that the city is welcoming their children to our community and that we hope they’ll be a wonderful contribution tothecity of Boulder.”