UNH Students Arrive Beginning Friday, August 25th

As the University of New Hampshire and Durham communities ready themselves for the beginning of a new academic year, the Durham Police Department would like to share the upcoming scenario for the “move-in” days occurring this week.  Working with UNH, Durham PD has implemented a number of successful strategies to address the arrival of the approximately 14,000 students that  will begin classes on Monday, August 28th.  

Off-campus apartments have begun to experience significant activity as students move-in prior to school opening.  The move-in period at Orion, Madbury Commons, Henderson’s, and other downtown properties will not conflict with Freshmen move-in day, which is this Friday, August 25th. This past year there have been daily move-ins occurring versus simultaneous move-ins that were experienced when all the downtown construction was completed in 2015.  Many of the residents of these properties actually never moved out of their apartments but physically left for summer jobs, often returning on weekends throughout the summer.  Numerous athletic team members, Resident Assistants (RAs), and others that have pre-UNH opening activities they must attend have been circulating throughout the community over the past two weeks. 

As previously stated, on Friday, August 25th, approximately 3,100+/- freshmen, assisted by their parents and siblings, will move into dormitories. As residents are aware, move-in days that coincide with the work week are somewhat of a “perfect storm” scenario for the police as the downtown will be busy with open businesses, commercial deliveries, and routine traffic.  The challenging peak hours are expected to occur between the hours of 6AM and 3PM with Durham’s roadway infrastructure slowing as parents, unfamiliar with the roadways, attempt to drop off their children at the appropriate dormitory.  Foot traffic in the downtown will once again be extraordinary as families seek lunch and to acquire those items they forgot to pack!  While the upper-class students are instructed to arrive on Saturday and Sunday, with classes beginning on Monday, August 28th, it is anticipated that significant numbers will be moving-in on Saturday, as well as Sunday, further exacerbating the strains upon Durham’s infrastructure and police staff.   Residents should know that Durham and UNH police officers will be assigned to key locations to assist in providing directions to dorms, as well as business locations that are unfamiliar to the new Wildcats. 

For additional information or concerns, please contact the Durham Police Department at 603-868-2324 or email Police Chief David Kurz at dkurz@ci.durham.nh.us