Dear T-Bird Parents & Families,

We are excited to welcome your student to the T-Bird Nation. We wanted to make you aware of a few things as they prepare to come to campus. SUU’s goal is to keep campus open for face to face classes. We are asking all visitors, students, faculty, and staff to help us accomplish this goal. 

If you are visiting campus, faculty, staff, students, and all visitors are required to wear face coverings on university campuses across Utah, as mandated by the Governor’s Executive Order. You will be required to wear face masks inside all campus buildings at all times.

In order to accomplish our goal, the Thunder U schedule has been adjusted. Thunder U is required for incoming Freshman and transfer students to SUU. You will find the new robust Thunder U schedule attached below. As a reminder, Tuesday, September 8th is required for all incoming students. Thursday, September 3rd through Monday, September 7th is optional for students who have already moved in. Thunder U Check-In this year will take place just outside The Nest entrance (map attached below).

To maintain social distancing guidelines, all Parent Info Sessions and Parent Reception has been canceled. In it's place, we encourage you to check out our new Online Parent Orientation. We will still be holding Parent Open Houses available in the Starlight Room of the Student Center from 10 AM - 4 PM Thursday, September 3rd thru Saturday, September 5th and 10 AM - 2 PM Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, September 6th, 7th and 8th. Please stop by with any questions, to pick up some Parent and Family swag, and to leave a postcard love note for your student (we deliver these the 3rd week of school when student motivation starts to dip a little). It is also a great place to make friends with other parents and learn more about Parent and Family Services. All incoming parents and family will be checked in when at Parent Open House for contact tracing purposes. 

Thursday, Friday or Saturday, September 3rd, 4th or 5th is on campus Move-in Day. Check out the information below for your student's specific date and time. All campus parking lots will be free and open to everyone on Move-in Day.  

We encourage families to say their last goodbyes and give their last hugs Monday night before bed, because students check in for their action-packed day of Thunder U Orientation at 8 AM on Monday, September 8th. Families who are still in the area on Tuesday may be able to get a picture of their student and high five them on Friday at New Student Induction at 3:30 PM in the America First Event Center, or during the Carter Carillon Bell Tower Tradition at 4:30 PM. If families would like to attend, we will have seating available in the top of Section G and H of the America First Event Center for New Student Induction. For the Bell Tower Tradition, families can line the sidewalk outside the Business building and the Geosciences building, the student body will greet your student in front of the bell tower, and faculty and staff will welcome them after exiting the bell tower. A live feed will also be available of both events on our SUU Facebook page so families can watch from home.

We will be attending Thunder U with your student, and will post pictures and updates on our Parent and Family Services Instagram and Facebook accounts throughout the weekend if you would like to follow along.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

SUU Parent & Family Services


Thunder U Check-In

Just outside the Nest Tuesday, September 8th
We understand this is a unique year and not all families can come to campus. We want to make your student's transition to campus as comfortable as possible. If you're not able to accompany your student to campus, we have you covered. Here is a checklist of things you and your student may need:

  • The New Student Checklist- Every new student should check, and double-check this! Even if your student is a returning student, there is a lot of information on the page that you might find beneficial.
  • Check class schedule. A lot of changes have happened in the last few months. Classes will be taught in three different modalities; in person, hybrid and online. Make sure your student knows how each class will be taught. This can be found in their portal.
  • Housing- has your student secured housing? suu.edu/housing
  • Financial- Financial Wellness at SUU can assist in everything from completing the FAFSA, scholarships, learning to budget and overcoming financial hardships to stay in school. https://www.suu.edu/financialwellness/. Also, the SUU Career Center to help your student find and apply for jobs. Now is the time to be looking for an on campus job.
  • FERPA- The Family Education Right-to-Privacy Act is a law designed to keep your personal information safe. It means that no one…not parents, not siblings, not spouses…will have access to your students information without written consent. The Financial Aid Office takes this law very seriously and will not release your student's information to anyone unless you sign a release of information form. Read about it here. Release of Information form here.
  • Update your student on the SUU COVID plan and President Wyatt's email to campus and the Q&A by our President and Vice Presidents to answer all of your questions on campus.
  • Parent & Family Services Orientation- Can't join us in person? We have you covered. To help parents understand their students' new home, we have prepared an online orientation just for parents and families. This explains several aspects of SUU and helping your student through information and videos.
Move-in day reminders from
On-Campus Housing
Housing Check-ins
Thur, Sept. 3, 2020 1pm-8pm
3rd floors:
  • Eccles A300, B300, C300
  • Cedar North 1300, Cedar South 2300
  • Founders 300
Fri, Sept. 4, 2020 8am-6pm
2nd & 4th floors:
  • Eccles A200, B200, C200, C400
  • Cedar North 1200, Cedar South 2200
  • Founders 200 & 400
Sat, Sept. 5, 2020 8am-6pm
PT & 1st floors:
  • Ponderosa Terrace (PT) apartments 1-9
  • Eccles B100, C100
  • Cedar North 1100, Cedar South 2100
  • Founders 100

All on-campus rooms are furnished. Additional furniture must be pre-approved before moving those items into the residence halls.

Questions about On-Campus housing? Please reach out to housing@suu.edu.

Still looking for housing? Check out our list of available Off-Campus Housing options at suu.edu/housing.
Didn't get to see graduation?

Watch this amazing 2020 Graduation recap video

Purchase or see commencement pictures at this website.

Commencement spark story can be seen here.
Stay connected!
parents@suu.edu | Southern Utah University | (435) 865-8752