MSUM And NDSU Students Move Into Campus With New COVID-19 Restrictions

Students Start Class On Monday, August 24th.

FARGO-MOORHEAD – “I would say I’m completely nervous with you too, that means we are all in the same boat, we are here to help each other and support each other,”  Student Orientation Counselor Emily Olson said.

Families are unloading vehicles and moving their kids into the dorms for the start of a new type of school year for students at NDSU and MSUM.

Staff at both universities are running soft move-ins , allowing multiple days for students to come onto campus.

“Once they get into the room, other then obviously taking the time to sanitize the spaces right before they got here, the room is going to feel exactly like you’re just walking in,” Director of Residence Life for NDSU  Rian Nostrum said.

Dorms will be equipped with sanitizer stations on every floor and entrance as well as requiring students to wear masks and not form large groups.

Students will still have roommates but, staff say they will monitor and help provide testing if students begin to show symptoms of COVID-19.

“This is the person I am going to have the most direct contact with and so we have to have accountability to each other so when we are outside the room that we are doing the responsible thing such as wearing masks and washing our hands and social distancing,”Nostrum said.

Student resident assistants we spoke to say their job is important in helping students make the adjustments to dorm living.

“My main driver for being an RA was my freshman year. I was an RA. They helped me feel included, helped me get involved on campus, it really helped me fall in love with NDSU,” Resident Assistant for NDSU Scout Lindberg said.

At MSUM, freshman orientation is starting, Student Orientation Counselors are assigned to a group of students to do team building exercises and help make them feel comfortable on campus.

“I feel like this is going to make those students coming in more resilient, and that they will excel in all careers they pursue later in life,” Olson said.

Student organizers say although conditions are different this year, they hope the incoming students are still able to enjoy the college experience.