During his 36 years at West Virginia University, Jeff Haught has witnessed significant shifts in what students bring with them and how they set up their living spaces across the Morgantown Campus at the start of new academic years.
Changes to and the popularity of technology are the most noticeable differences for Haught, a Fairmont native and current assistant director of Facilities Management, who has helped prepare the University for the residence hall move-in period every year since 1991.
“Students didn’t bring a TV in 1991,” he said. “Students didn’t bring cell phones. Most of them didn’t have computers. Video game systems were very limited in 1991. It may have been ‘Space Invaders’ or ‘Pong,’ something like that.”
Haught recalls setting up lounges in residence halls across campus so students could watch television or maybe even the latest popular movie that had been released on VHS if a VCR was available.
“They were a source of massive entertainment, I can tell you that,” Haught said with a laugh, recalling watch party gatherings of 50 or more students. “Things could get rambunctious in the public areas. It was just a different time.”
Today’s students, Haught said, tend to spend more time in their individual spaces, whether that be residence halls or University apartments.
Creating the best possible living spaces for students is the goal for Haught and his team, and the work starts earlier than most expect.
Beginning in January, plans are put into motion for spring move-outs, which Haught calls the “turnover” period.
“We have thousands of rooms, including apartments, townhouses, efficiency apartments and other spaces,” he said. “We work with the WVU Maintenance crew, and custodial staff and operations unit, to plan and strategize because labor is a hot commodity.”
In May, once the semester ends and students are moved out, Haught’s team goes through every room and every space to detail them. That includes cleaning carpets, painting, stripping and waxing floors, scrubbing baseboards, cleaning lights, washing windows, replacing furniture and more.
Living spaces are ready come August when students move in, and according to Haught, one thing he’s learned over the years is that rooms need to look their best during move-in weekend.
“It’s when mom and dad are there,” he said. “After mom and dad leave Morgantown and go back home, anything can happen. All the posters go up, all the decorations, clothes go on the floor, all that sort of thing, but for three or four hours, it has to be perfect. I’m a parent, so I understand that. They want to leave their student in a clean and comfortable environment, and for many, this is the first time that student’s been away from home.”
Welcome Week runs Aug. 14-22. The main residence hall move-in days —with students and their families arriving during designated time slots — are Thursday (Aug. 14), Friday (Aug. 15) and Saturday (Aug. 16).
When move-in officially begins, Haught is there to help anywhere he’s needed, but once the fall semester is underway, his team falls in line. Operations at the Mountainlair are also under Haught’s leadership.
“Although it seems like a busy time, once classes start, it’s a more typical schedule and back to normal. Students are in their rooms and we get in a routine,” he said.
“Campus service workers start to meet the students and make connections, understanding them and finding out where they’re from, answering questions, giving advice if they’re homesick. Once we get through the first couple weeks of classes, things settle.”
