(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) It's a move-in day like no other. Missouri Western is preparing to welcome students back to campus this year, but that welcome is a little different this time around thanks to COVID-19.

Staff say they want to make it known that they're doing everything they can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for their students.

The university is utilizing a different method to check in to dorms this year to maintain social distancing measures by having families stay in their cars.

This process also helps keep traffic in the dorms more controlled, reducing the chances of overcrowding.

Staff also say their campus community feels confident about how the university is responding to COVID-19.

“Our students and parents are very appreciative of the precautions,” Dr. Hannah Piechowski, Missouri Western Associate Vice President for Student Affairs said. “We’ve been giving every student a Griffon mask which I know that they love and they’ve asked for multiple of them. We have a lot of questions from parents and students about cleaning and sanitizing and physical distancing and how things will happen in the classroom and in the residence halls.”

The university is welcoming just over 1,000 students back to campus this year.