Lawrence’s college campuses will be abuzz with activity again Thursday and Friday as University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University students make their way into town.
Here’s some basic info for those we’re welcoming to town — and for locals who want to avoid the traffic.
Coming into town:
Kansas Highway 10 coming into Lawrence from the east is under construction. A stretch of the highway near De Soto is down to one lane in both directions. (The lane closure is a shorter distance of the highway than last year’s, however.)
A long stretch of East 23rd Street is down to one lane in both directions from approximately O’Connell Road east to just west of Haskell Avenue, near Haskell’s campus. That work is expected to continue through December. (You can keep an eye on construction projects around Lawrence through this map on the city’s website and by signing up for weekly traffic updates via lawrenceks.org/subscriptions.)
The weather is expected to be toasty. As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Topeka forecast shows sunny skies for the next several days. Thursday has a forecasted high of 87°, and Friday is expected to see a high of 91°. Saturday could see a high of 102°, and high temperatures are expected to linger in the upper 90s and low 100s.
On the hill:
Both the big move-in days will see KU students moving into halls all over campus. That means traffic is going to be heavy in a few hot spots.
Traffic around Daisy Hill is expected to be heaviest from about 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on move-in days, according to a KU news release. The busiest intersections will likely be 15th and Iowa streets and 23rd Street and Naismith Drive, according to the release.
There will also likely be increased traffic at 11th and Louisiana streets when residents move into GSP and Corbin halls, and at 19th Street and Ousdahl Road and Ellis Drive, the entrances to Downs Hall and Stouffer Place apartments.
On Thursday, Aug. 17, residents of Hashinger, Naismith, Self, and Templin Halls, all scholarship halls, and new/first-year residents in Stouffer Place move in, according to the university’s website. On Friday, Aug. 18, residents of Corbin, Downs, Ellsworth, GSP, Lewis and Oswald Halls move in.
The university has detailed move-in maps and instructions for each residence hall available at housing.ku.edu/move-instructions. Scroll down and click on your hall for detailed info.
KU’s Native American Initiatives and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are holding a sunrise blessing at 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21 at Ascher Plaza at the Kansas Union. All are welcome to start the new year with a blessing led by Manny King, Northern Cheyenne and Navajo.
Here’s a map of campus (click here to open it in a new window):
KU-campus-map-rAnd here’s a link to KU’s 2023-24 academic calendars.
At Haskell:
Thursday morning will kick off with an opening blessing program, opening prayer and Haskell Color Guard at 8:15 a.m. at Tecumseh, according to Haskell’s fall 2023 orientation guide. The program is open to all students.
New students arrive and check in from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, at Tecumseh. Haskell Welcome, open to all students, is at 3:30 p.m. at Stidham Union.
Transfer students and readmitted students check in from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Tecumseh. There will be a resource fair from 2 to 4 p.m. in Tommaney Library followed by TGIF (4 to 6 p.m.) and a flow party (8 to 10 p.m.) at the gazebo yard.
Many more events are planned for Saturday, including a semester celebration from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Powwow Grounds.
Continuing students check in from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20 in the Regents Room at Navarre Hall. From 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday will be Cultural Night at Stidham, open to all students, and classes start Monday.
Here’s a map of campus (click here to open it in a new window):
Haskell-mapAnd here’s a link to Haskell’s 2023-24 academic calendar.
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We wish all incoming students and their families a happy, healthy and successful year. Don’t forget to register to vote!
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