By this time next week, our newest Tigers will be starting Orientation and our returning Tigers will be making their way back to campus. We are excited to welcome them all home and start a new academic year at RIT! 

To strengthen and stabilize shuttle service across campus, RIT has partnered with WeDriveU, a professional transportation provider with a strong reputation for safety, punctuality and customer service. This partnership supplements existing operations and is part of our broader effort to enhance daily transit for students, faculty, and staff. Students can use a new real-time tracking app, TripShot, to see shuttle locations and estimated arrival times and can view full shuttle schedules for fall 2025 here.

RIT regrets to inform the community that Apex has chosen to discontinue its transportation partnership with the university. This decision comes despite RIT’s proactive efforts to preserve the relationship including a comprehensive offer to fully manage the shuttle service. Anyone with questions about Apex’s future transportation plans is encouraged to contact them directly at 585-565-4600.

Returning students living in RIT Housing are not required to make an appointment time to pick up their housing keys and can move in Aug. 19-23 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Aug. 24 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Students who will be living in the residence halls, Global Village, Riverknoll, Perkins Green, University Commons, Greek housing, and 175 Jefferson should pick up their key in the Housing office in Grace Watson Hall. Students living in the RIT Inn should pick up their key at the RIT Inn front desk.

Students assigned to locations with keyless entry (Baker Hall, Residence Hall A, Residence Hall B, Residence Hall C, and Global Village building 405) may proceed directly to their assignment and use their RIT ID to enter their building/room. These students must complete a self check-in upon their arrival to campus to gain access and will receive an email prior to arrival with instructions.

More information, including what to bring checklists, can be found on the Current Student Move-In website.

We are excited to open the semester with TigerFest, a weeklong festival on Aug. 24-30, that connects new and returning students to all things RIT. Students can check out the TigerFest website for events, including First Day of Classes Photos, Lighting the Way, and the Tiger Activities Fair, where students can learn about the many clubs and organizations on campus.

The Change of Major Fair is an opportunity for students to learn about the available majors on campus and the resources offered to change majors. Representatives from all nine colleges, University Advising Office, Career Counseling, Pre-medical and Pre-law advising programs and the School of Individualized Study (SOIS) will be at the fair to talk with students about their options. The Change of Major Fair is on Wednesday, September 24 from 12-2 p.m. in the SHED Atrium, A950. Students can register on CampusGroups.

Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend, a longstanding RIT tradition, is scheduled for Friday-Sunday, Oct. 17-19. This RIT tradition features events for the whole family and is a great time to visit your student. With a large schedule of events to choose from, there is something for everyone at Brick City Weekend!

Family favorite events include:

University Advancement invites RIT parents to send a good luck message to your student as they start the new academic year. By making a gift of $25 to the RIT Fund, you can leave a personal message for your student to be displayed on the Jumbo Tron located in the Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED). Your gift supports the entire RIT student body and your message reminds your student just how proud you are. The deadline to make a gift and have your message displayed is Aug. 14. 

The 2025-26 Academic Calendar includes all important dates, including breaks. Remember that, along with the academic calendar, your student should refer to their course syllabi for important dates related to their coursework.  

Mailing addresses for all campus locations can be found on the Campus Post Offices website. 

My Bus Home arranges round-trip and one-way transportation for all academic breaks in private, fully-insured motor coach buses with restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a DVD player. The buses pick up on campus and go to/from central locations in:

The estimated round-trip fares are between $245.00 and $295.00 depending on the stop and the number of students who take the bus. A one-way fare is always half of a roundtrip fare. The deadlines to reserve a spot for the upcoming breaks are:

Please visit My Bus Home for more information and to reserve seats.

Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you.

In July, we asked what is the primary thing you look for on the RIT parent website. You were split between resources to support your student's academic or social life (39%), campus event information (30%), and communications and/or contact information (24%).

Please take a moment to answer our August question.

In case you don’t follow the Parent and Family Programs Facebook page, here’s what you missed:

We're excited to see the empty walkways on campus get lively again over the coming weeks! We've missed your students so much this summer and can't wait for campus to bustle again with their return.

Sincerely,

Chelsea Petree, Ph.D.
Director, Parent and Family Programs
Rochester Institute of Technology
parents@rit.edu

rit.edu/parents

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