Check out Virtual Orientation and Campus Resources!
Enroll in this Orientation course on Moodle. Learn more about campus and Potsdam community resources as you get ready to join the Clarkson Family!Meet Your Orientation Leaders!
Follow the Office of Student Life on Instagram @clarksonu.osl to see our orientation leaders spotlights, student organization spotlights, for tips on adjusting to campus, and to get updates about our regular events.
Upcoming Events:
- Orientation will be here before you know it! Find the full orientation schedule at https://www.clarkson.edu/orientation.
- Move-in Day: Take a look at your move-in date based on your assigned Residence Hall!
- Thursday, August 18th: 9am-12pm
Springboard Orientation Attendees who have a confirmation email of their attendance - Monday, August 22nd: 9am-12pm
CUOC Pre-Orientation Attendees who have a confirmation email of their attendance - Tuesday, August 23rd: 9am-12pm
All other Pre-Orientation Attendees who have a confirmation email of their attendance - Tuesday, August 23rd: 8am-12pm Honors Students
- Meet in front of Reynolds House for move-in, additional instructions to follow
- Wednesday, August 24th: 8am-12pm
The Clarkson School Students who live in Newell or Ormsby Houses- Meet in front Price Hall for move-in, additional instructions to follow
- Thursday, August 25th 9am-5pm
Donohue, Brooks, and Cubley Houses- Student volunteers will be available to assist with moving your belongings to your room!
- Friday, August 26th 9am-3pm:
Reynolds and Ross Houses- Student volunteers will be available to assist with moving your belongings to your room!
- Friday, August 26th 9am-12pm:
Transfer Student Move-in- Check in at the Cheel Campus Center lobby. Pull right up to the loop in front of the main entrance and head inside to pick up your keys.
- Thursday, August 18th: 9am-12pm
- Convocation, featuring ReVoiced, is Friday, August 26th at 4:30pm in Cheel Arena. Convocation and the Van Sickle Endowed Lectureship are events that officially welcome new students to the academic year as well as connect students to a common performance, reading or speaker. Learn more about common conversations and the common reading book here. Convocation is where you get a FREE class of 2026 shirt and a surprise gift!
Ways to Get Connected
- Get connected early! Consider joining one of the Pre-Orientation experiences hosted by student clubs and organizations on campus. These trips are your opportunity to connect with like-minded students and get connected with the Clarkson community before the school year begins. To see more information and learn what organizations are hosting trips, please visit Slate for more information and to sign-up before July 31st or before all spots are filled. Attendees will receive additional information in early August.
- Reimagine yourself at Clarkson by viewing all of our clubs and organizations on campus. You can do so by logging into Knightlife.clarkson.edu with your Clarkson credentials to request more information about the different student organizations.
- Sign up for rowing practice with the Clarkson Crew Team during Orientation! You can sign up for the following dates/times by clicking this link. You can learn more about the team by visiting https://knightlife.clarkson.edu/organization/clarksoncrew or email the coach, Boris Jukic at bjukic@clarkson.edu. You will be required to pass a swim and treading water test prior to participating in rowing.
- Friday, August 26 8-10:30am
- Saturday, August 27 7:15-9am
- Sunday, August 28 8-11am
- You should have received an email regarding our Office of Alumni Relations annual Send Off Picnics! Remember to RSVP for an event near you using your Golden Knight Gateway.
- Getting connected with your cohort by joining the Clarkson University Class of 2026 page on Instagram @clarkson_2026.
Campus Housing
- Rooms in first year housing are between 180 sq. feet and 245 sq. feet. (14’x14′ to 16’x16′).
- Beds can be raised up to 4 ft on their own. Should you want your bed lofted, you will need to purchase and assemble your own lofting materials, we do not allow bunked beds. Don’t forget to bring a mallet!
- Please view these short videos which explain more about what to expect for first year student housing and Move-In Day.
- Please visit the Residence Life website for more information about your residence hall experience including a packlist list of what to bring/not bring.
- Review our Fire Safety Guidelines and what to leave at home, here.
- Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are a residential environment where students with similar interests live together and participate in programs that cater to their academic, social, and personal needs. All first-year students are housed within an LLC. Students living in these communities have the opportunity to partake in experiences with their peers and interact with dedicated staff members who work to make the community a success, while enjoying the benefits of being part of a diverse community that shares personal, social and scholarly interests. View the full description of each LLC here!
- Each First Year floor also participates in the First Year Cup (FYC). This initiative encourages and rewards students for attending events on campus which fall into the FYC calendar. The winning floor receives prizes related to housing opportunities and personalized swag. Examples of events may include: hockey games, intramural sports participation, career fair, international fair, guest speakers, diversity initiatives, fun events hosted by OSL, and more.
- Housing assignments are available through “Housing Information” in MyCU on July 15th. Your roommate’s contact information will be available prior to arrival at Clarkson. You are encouraged to connect with your roommate before arrival to campus, although it is not a requirement.
- Students will not be able to switch rooms within the first two weeks of the semester and there is limited ability to switch rooms throughout the semester. The Residence Life office staff will need to approve any and all room switch requests which will only happen after mediation with an RA and additional attempts to work through any housing concerns.
- Students who have an open bed(s) in their residential room expect it to be filled at any time by the Residence Life Office. Students can make specific requests for people to move in if both parties agree.
- Dining Services has a variety of meal plans to choose to accommodate your needs! Learn about how to manage your food allergies, the various meal plan options, the different ways they can be used on campus, and sign up for your meal plan today! If needed, meal plans can be changed during the first two weeks of each semester.
- Questions about housing? Contact Residence Life at reslife@clarkson.edu or 315-268-6642.
- Follow Our Instagram @clarksonreslife for events and updates!
- Note: If you are a Clarkson School, you will be housed in Price Hall and can contact Connor Coleman at cocoleman@clarkson.edu with any questions.
Floor Themes:
Cultural Cuisine – Brooks 1
Movie Fanatics – Brooks 2
STEM Ed – Brooks 3
Ignite Innovation – Brooks 4
ROTC – Cubley 1
The Golden Gamers Floor – Cubley 2
Pit Crew – Cubley 3
Women in Science and Engineering – Cubley 4
Creative Minds – Reynolds 1
Honors – Reynolds 2
Pre-Health Professionals – Reynolds 3
Gender Inclusive – Reynolds 4
Outdoor Enthusiasts – Ross 1
Go Knights – Ross 2
Men in Science and Engineering – Ross 3
Men in Business – Ross 4
First Robotics – Donahue 1
Office of Accessibility Services
In order to assure equal access for students with disabilities, Clarkson University’s Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) provides reasonable accommodations to qualified students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
We review eligibility and provide reasonable accommodations, educate and advocate for an accessible and hospitable learning environment, and promote responsibility and self-advocacy on the part of the individuals we serve. Learn more about our services here!
Computer Recommendations
Clarkson strongly encourages all students to bring a laptop with them to campus. Visit the Student Technology Resources to learn about laptop recommendations and information about technology on campus. If you’re in need of a temporary device, students can also utilize the Technology Loaner Pool and connect with OIT on loan eligibility, device availability, and arrange for pickup or delivery.
Textbook Recommendations
Once you receive your class schedule, you can start buying materials for your courses. To help you get settled more quickly during your orientation, pre-order your textbooks at the Clarkson University Bookstore.