Parents will be pulling into Potsdam this weekend for Clarkson University's commencement Sunday, but the north country will really be full of families next weekend, when St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton all hold their graduations.
The colleges say they always take jam-packed accommodations into consideration when planning the big day.
"We're very cognizant of that being an issue — people stay as far as 100 miles away," said Deidre L. Kelly, spokeswoman for SUNY Potsdam. "A lot of hotels book up far in advance, so we make reservations for our commencement speakers and honorees at the Clarkson Inn more than a year ahead of time."
The colleges all advise parents to book rooms as soon as they can, and they make on-campus housing available to families once undergraduate students have left residence halls for the summer.
"We've even had a few RVs here on campus," SUNY Canton spokesman Gregory E. Kie said. "It happens every year, and while it's difficult, we haven't seen it as a problem yet."
Colleges set their academic calendars — and their graduation dates — years ahead of time. And it's not unusual for multiple ceremonies to take place on the same weekend.
SLU spokeswoman Macreena A. Doyle pointed out that the colleges also pack area hotels and businesses when students move in, for family weekends and for alumni reunions.
"It's not at all unusual for motels in Ogdensburg and beyond to be filled up on these big weekends, as well as the B&Bs scattered all over the area," she said.
Ms. Kelly said the colleges do work together to avoid having two graduations on one day in Potsdam or Canton. She said the dormitories SUNY Potsdam opens to families are always filled.
Mr. Kie said SUNY Canton sends parents a list of hotels and motels in a 60-mile radius months in advance.
Some locals avoid the congestion by packing up to go to a camp or a summer home, and renting out their house for the weekend, Ms. Doyle said.
"Many people in the community rent rooms in their homes or their entire homes," the SLU spokeswoman said. "There'll be a lot of people. Anybody driving through the village (of Canton) will definitely notice the difference."
