Boulder City Manager Jane听Brautigam听lined up a unique听team-building exercise for听her听staff听this year.听
Instead听of building听towers out of decks of cards or falling backward into听colleagues鈥櫶齛rms to inspire trust,听she and her听team听rolled听up their sleeves听on Thursday听to help University of Colorado Boulder students move into their residence halls before the start of the听fall听semester.听
The听City Manager's Office听joined听CU Boulder听Chancellor Philip听P.听DiStefano's office听and听senior听university听administrators, faculty and听staff,听who听also听assisted students as they settled听into their new digs听in听24听residence halls.听
Move-in week at CU Boulder is an annual tradition听to听welcome听students听into the Buff fold听and听help them feel听more听at听ease听on campus听before听classes start and they听delve听into听the rigors of听academics,听from听post-modern听literature听to听biology,听world听history and college algebra.听Naturally, the excitement of forging lifelong friendships, seeking unique paths toward academic success, and cheering on the Colorado Buffaloes will be part of the听journey, too, and volunteers relish the听sense of听optimism, can-do听spirit听and great memories the experience creates for everyone.听
鈥淗ey, we get to have fun,听too,鈥� said听Brautigam, who along with eight听of her听staff members spent several hours unloading suitcases, boxes, laptops and other critical undergraduate accoutrements听from family听cars, trucks and minivans. 鈥淲e get to show up to work in jeans and they get the help they need. It鈥檚 a win-win situation.鈥澨�
More than 7,000 students听moved听onto听the CU Boulder听campus听this past week, including听a听freshman class听the university听expects听to be听slightly听larger than last year鈥檚 class of 6,208听incoming听students.听
The university typically sees a 2 percent attrition rate through Sept. 1 as students听confirm their enrollment status,听and final student听numbers will not be available until after the Sept. 9 census date,听according to Katie Theiler, director of marketing and communications for the campus鈥檚听Housing and Dining Services office.听
Under sunny summer skies over听Kittredge Central听on Thursday,听Brautigam听and her team听were part of a听cadre of volunteers who听loaded carts with students鈥櫶齜elongings and helped them find their rooms so they could connect with roommates, residence hall advisors, and other faculty and staff tasked with听untangling听time-honored traditions听from听the听riddles of life on a听large college听campus.听
Aimee Kane, volunteer program and project manager for the听city of Boulder, is a CU Boulder alumna, and听said听helping a new generation move onto campus was an uplifting experience.听
鈥淚 wanted to welcome students," said Kane.听"It sure is fun to meet families and students. It鈥檚 a good way to start off on the right foot听and听a fun opportunity for our staff to get together for this team effort."听
Volunteers听chatted with听students and their families, welcoming them to听the Boulder community. It was the first time the City Manager鈥檚 Office participated in the听move-in ritual, though other city offices have helped in the past, including听Boulder's听Municipal Court staff.听
Brautigam鈥檚听two听children graduated from CU Boulder, and she听still听remembers moving听them into their residence halls. She is grateful for听how the听university听has听streamlined听the move-in process. Over the past few years, improvements have听eased traffic congestion and听addressed other听logistical听issues.听
鈥淚 personally love CU,"听she said.听"It provides a fabulous education to our students,听and I want to show families that the city is welcoming their children to our community and that we hope they鈥檒l be a wonderful contribution to听the听city of Boulder.鈥澨�
