AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University is preparing for next week's student move-in with COVID-19 rules in place and lower numbers in it's residence halls.
"It was just four years ago we were serving close to 13,000 students. We expect around 9,700 hundred this year, using all double and single rooms" says ISU Residence Director Pete Englin.
He says mandatory COVID-19 testing before students move in is among the long list of COVID-19 guidelines in residence halls.
"We're going to do some really extraordinary things in our buildings. We're requiring face masks, we've got sanitation available, and we're going to set up the physical distancing. We're going to set up a culture where that's honored" Englin says.
He says they've also spread out the move-in process across nearly two weeks, with limited numbers of students and their families in the residence halls at one time.
Englin says the university is preparing for students who might test positive for COVID-19 while on campus.
He says they'll use a team of mitigation specialists and special isolation rooms in the residence halls.
"We'll transport the student to the new location along with all the needed items for their time in isolation. We're proving meals, we've put microwaves and refrigerators in every one of these rooms--they'll be in a room by themselves" Englin says.
Classes at Iowa State are scheduled to start August 17th.