SEMO SET FOR NEW TERM; UNIVERSITY CLASSES WILL BEGIN MONDAY

The annual migration is about to begin. Southeast Missouri State University students will begin moving into campus residence halls Thursday in preparation for the start of classes Monday.

Students will be greeted by a number of changes on the university campus, perhaps most noticeably the closing of Towers West residence hall and the social science building for renovations.

A new shuttle bus system will provide students transportation between outlying parking lots and interior portions of the campus.

The three, 25-passenger vans ordered will not be in place in time for the start of classes Monday because construction of them has been delayed by flooding in Missouri, university officials said.

But Kelley Transportation of Cape Girardeau, which is operating the shuttle system under a contract with the university, will make use of smaller vans for the time being.

On the administrative side, there are some new faces. Charles Kupchella, Southeast's new provost, is beginning his first full academic year at the university.

Kupchella was hired last December, but didn't assume his duties full time until May.

Also on board is Gerald McDougall, the new dean of the College of Business Administration.

Ken Dobbins is still around, but the former vice president for finance and administration now has expanded duties and a new title: executive vice president.

University officials are anticipating a decline in enrollment this fall.

Last fall, the headcount totaled 8,185 after the first day of classes. The final census of full and part-time students for the fall semester totaled more than 8,400.

"It looks like it is probably going to be down from last year," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast.

Because of the flooding in the Midwest, Southeast is offering a deferred payment plan for students victimized by the disaster.

But Wallhausen said Monday that only seven students had taken advantage of the plan.

It's uncertain what impact the flooding may have on enrollment, he said. "I don't think we've got a good handle on that at this point."

Major renovations are well under way in the Towers West high-rise dormitory, and faculty and classes in the social science building have been moved to other facilities.

Kent Library will house both faculty offices and most of the classes for the sociology and anthropology, political science and history departments.

"We're about 90 percent settled into the library as of now," Peter Bergerson, political science department chairman, said Monday.

Kent Library already housed some classrooms, which will now be utilized by the affected departments. In addition, other library space has been made into classrooms. A reading room, for example, has been converted into two classrooms, Bergerson said.

"Some of the faculty will also be teaching in other buildings, like Academic (Hall) and the Scully Building," he said.

Bergerson and other affected department chairmen and the departments' secretaries have been given available office space in the library.

Carrels in Kent Library have been converted into temporary offices for the displaced faculty members.

In all, nearly 40 faculty, clerical and graduate assistants have been relocated to the library.

"It appears we will be there for a year," said Bergerson.

But he's not complaining. He said the social science building, erected in 1902 and the oldest structure on campus is in need of major renovations.

As part of the project, professional-looking offices for the faculty will be constructed on the second floor of the building, replacing the cramped quarters in the basement.

"We were so cramped. You couldn't have a conference with a student in there one, because you did not have the privacy, and also because it was just too small," said Bergerson.

He said some students, particularly beginning freshmen, may wind up at the vacated social science building on the first day of classes. But he said the relocation of classes shouldn't cause any major disruptions for students.

With Towers West not in use this academic year, some students are being moved to other residence halls.

But it doesn't appear that will be a problem, said Paul Carr, Southeast's director of residence life. "It does not look at this point like we would be full or over full."

Some students, such as those in band or on the football team, have already returned to campus, and students are picking up their textbooks. But Carr said the real rush back to campus will begin Thursday morning.

Students can begin checking in at 10 a.m. Thursday. In past years, check-in began at 3 p.m.

Carr said the earlier start is designed to reduce the waiting for students checking in to the dorms.

As has been the case for the past three years, students will check in at the Show Me Center and then be directed to their residence halls. Check-in will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

Student volunteers will be on hand to help students unload their belongings.

Even with the earlier start, Carr expects check-in traffic to be heavy at times. "In the past, between 3 and 6 p.m. we have put a thousand people into Towers (complex) alone," he said.

Most of the students arriving on Thursday and Friday will be underclassmen, Carr said. Upperclassmen often don't return until Sunday.

"They know the system. They know where they need to go," he explained.

The university has scheduled a number of activities for the incoming students.

New this year are Friday afternoon sessions at the University Center, which offer information to beginning students on everything from "Surviving Your First Year" to stress management.

At 8 p.m. Friday, the "Great Ice Cream Pigout" will be held at the Student Recreation Center.

Southeast's fourth annual block party and carnival will be held on Normal Street Saturday, beginning at 7 p.m.

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will host its annual "Welcome Back" picnic for students from 4-6 p.m. Sunday at Capaha Park.