MUW campus preparations for the start of school

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi University for Women students are gearing up to head to campus, and work crews are hard at work getting ready to welcome them back.

We all know what it takes to get students back in the swing of things; finalizing class schedule, ordering books, and of course going through the infamous move in day.

What does it take for a campus to be ready to welcome students back? I spent the day here asking that question.

Director Of MUW Campus relations Dave Haffly says he and his staff are anxiously awaiting the return of thousands of students this week.

It takes quite a bit of work to get residence halls in tip-top shape.

“It’s been a number of just touch up paint jobs, replacing outlets that maybe broken or covers, fixing air conditioning systems.

Haffly walks from building to building to make sure they are inspected.

What does it take to get them ready for everybody to return?

“Make sure all the systems work. The professors that teach in that building are comfortable. The practice rooms are all ready. The doors and lights and air conditioning and heating are all working properly. Plus just normal cleaning painting that type of thing,”said Haffly.

Jimmy Rice is MUW’s Ground supervisor. He says giving the best first impression goes from inside out.

“We’re making preparations for the students to return be getting all of our mowing done pruning getting beds weed free spraying for weeds and stuff like that spring crack weeds just doing cleanup work because appearances everything,”said Rice.

Crews worked through the summer to prepare.

“Some things are hard to do when the campus is crowded with students but we get a lot of stuff out-of-the-way before the students get back it makes their travel easy and it makes it easy for the employees too,”said Rice.

Haffly says this is the time of year many workers look forward to.

“Oh it is exciting of course move-in day is this Saturday and a number of our faculty and staff people will be assisting the students in to moving into the resident halls,”said Haffly.

The maintenance crew has completed 1,200 work orders since graduation in May preparing for the new school year.