The 2017-18 academic year isn’t over quite yet, but Queen’s is already encouraging students, staff, faculty and the near-campus community to think ahead to the 2018 fall term.

The university is introducing several changes to the fall term schedule, including changes to residence move-in day and the first day of classes.

More than 4,500 students will be moving in to their residence on the Saturday of Labour Day weekend, Sept. 1, 2018, instead of the usual Sunday.

Thousands of upper-year students living in the near-campus community are also expected to arrive in town over that weekend. With so many people moving around the campus area on the Saturday, the impact on local traffic will be significant.

“We are working closely with our municipal community partners to plan for the increase in traffic on the Saturday, ensuring new students know what to do and where to go when they arrive, and making the community aware of changes to the first-week schedule,” says Ann Tierney, Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs. “Our goal is a smooth weekend for everyone, as we welcome our students to Queen’s and the Kingston community.”

The changes also include starting classes on the first Thursday in September and are the result of the introduction of a fall break into the academic calendar. Following the residence move-in day and welcome to campus on Saturday and Sunday, faculty-specific orientation activities will take place Monday, Sept. 3 through Wednesday, Sept. 5. Regular classes will run Thursday and Friday, and will be followed by continued faculty-specific and university orientation events throughout the weekend.  There are several varsity games and campus activities scheduled all week.

Advancing move-in by one day, and starting classes the following Thursday, retains six days of orientation activities, has minimal impact on sessional dates, offers a new four-day break in late October, during a high-stress period in the term, and maintains pre-exam study days in December.

Reducing the time between move-in and the start of classes is also consistent with the recommendations of a working group that reviewed undergraduate orientation and developed a shared vision for an inclusive and accessible welcome to Queen’s.

 “We will be communicating with our students, faculty, staff and the community over the summer to ensure they have accurate and timely information around the changes being introduced this September to move-in and orientation week,” Tierney adds.

Information for new students can be found at the Queen’s University Residences and Housing webpage.  This page will be updated throughout the summer. 

* An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the fall term break would take place in Novermber. The fall term break will take place in late October.