Student Life
-
Dean of Students Office
First Floor, North College
In support of the University’s academic mission, the dean of students office oversees a variety of services and programs relating to students’ co-curricular experience. Included in this area are the Office of Residential Life and the Office of the Davison Health Center (Health Service, Health Education, WesWELL, and Behavioral Health) as well as the Usdan Center, the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development and the Office of University Events and Scheduling. Working closely with the dean of students, administrative staff from these areas oversee a variety of programs, experiences, services and leadership opportunities that support and complement students’ academic experience. The Dean of Students and the assistant director of student life, advise the Student Judicial Board; you may want to consult with the dean on matters related to the student judicial system. This office is also a resource for students who are unsure about how to resolve an issue or problem.
Richard T. Culliton, dean of students: 685-2627
Karen Karpa, administrative assistant: 685-2775
For more information, please visit the web site: http://www.wesleyan.edu/studentservices/ -
Residential Life
Lower Level, North College
Working in partnership with students and collaboratively with other members of the Wesleyan community, the Office of Residential Life strives to provide a safe and supportive residential environment that complements and extends students’ educational experience. Student-centered programs and services are developed and implemented with an emphasis on holistic individual and community development, student leadership, individual responsibility, advocacy of academic inquiry; and freedom of thought, opinion, and expression in the spirit of mutual respect. These are the hallmarks of the Wesleyan residential experience and provide the essential foundation for a high-quality liberal education within a diverse and dynamic community.
The residence halls, apartments, and houses of Wesleyan University are places where students celebrate the uniqueness and dignity inherent in each individual, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, class, ability, or age. The mission of Residential Life calls for students to stand up and speak out for social justice, empowerment, respect, and acceptance of all people. Residential Life actively promotes a community that is free from harassment, where differences are celebrated, and independent opinions are supported and respected. When community members are hurt or threatened by others, swift action will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.
Residence Facilities
The Office of Residential Life oversees all the programmatic aspects of undergraduate University housing. Wesleyan offers a wide variety of living options, including traditional residence halls, apartments, program housing, and unfurnished houses in proximity to the University. Each housing option is differentiated by type of living arrangement, class standing of residents, and program/services.
For more information, please visit the Residential Life Web site:
Most residential areas are administered by staff members who are trained to provide a positive living-learning experience for resident students.
Head Residents (HRs): HRs are experienced student residential staff members who are specifically trained to deal effectively with issues of student life and residence hall administration. Each HR supervises a staff of resident advisors or house managers who are responsible for the quality of life in their assigned residential area, where they reside. If a resident experiences a problem or concern that requires more skilled intervention, an HR will provide the necessary assistance.
Resident Advisors (RAs): The RAs are students chosen for their leadership and interpersonal skills. Living in residential areas with residents, RAs provide a variety of services, including program implementation, conflict mediation, policy enforcement, and resource and referral. RAs work with residents to foster a community of respect and responsibility.
Questions or concerns should be addressed to the RA, who can help identify solutions and/or appropriate resources.
House Managers (HMs): A student house manager is available in each of the program housing living options and plays a similar role to that of the RA in the traditional residence hall. HMs are trained to serve as resource and referral persons, help mediate conflicts between house members, and ensure that members of the house work collaboratively on programming related to the house mission.
Community Advisors (CA's): Community Advisors are responsible for assisting the students who live in the apartments and wood frame houses. They play an important role in community development, programming, communication, administration and resource and referral.
Resident Student Organizations
In an effort to provide residential students with the opportunity to contribute to and learn through serving in their community, unit councils have been established in each staffed residential area. Each council is elected by the residents of that area and is active in policy development within the area. The council also plans and/or sponsors functions of interest to the residents.
For more information, contact your resident advisor, head resident, or area coordinator.
Room Assignments
Room assignments for new students are made by the Office of Residential Life prior to the start of the semester. New students are required to submit their preferences. Every effort is made to assign students according to their stated preferences. Room assignments for current resident students are determined each spring according to a lottery system developed by the Office of Residential Life.
For detailed information pertaining to the room selection process, please contact the Office of Residential Life or visit the office's Web site: www.wesleyan.edu/reslife.
Room Changes
A room freeze is in effect for the first two weeks of each semester. The third and fourth weeks of the semester are designated as a room-change period. Residents who wish to request a change in room assignment may do so during this time by obtaining a room-change form from any residential life staff member or from the Office of Residential Life. Students are required to follow the procedures outlined on the form to request the change.
Period of Occupancy
Housing is offered to students when the University is in session. Unless otherwise specified, students must leave University housing on the last day of the fall or spring semester examination period and on the last class day prior to scheduled recess periods.
University housing is closed during some scheduled vacation periods. Students for whom this presents a hardship should notify the Office of Residential Life at least one month in advance. Attempts will be made to provide alternate housing options for these students, but no guarantee can be made. Students who need to enter housing temporarily due to an emergency should contact the Office of Residential Life during normal business hours to arrange for access and an escort.
For more information: www.wesleyan.edu/reslife
For questions: reslife@wesleyan.edu
-
Student Life Facilities
Student Life Facilities is responsible for all aspects of facility maintenance and custodial services in the buildings where students live and dine. This office attempts to provide a clean, safe, and comfortable environment in order to support and enhance the Wesleyan educational experience.
For more information, please visit the Student Life Web site:
-
Dining Services
Wesleyan dining programs offer a wide array of foods from which to choose. Information about meal plans, service locations, hours and menus, is available at http://www.cafebonappetit.com/wesleyan. Your participation and constructive comments are always appreciated. Please call dining services at 860-685-FOOD.
Student meal plans are intended to be used during the academic year when classes are in session. During Thanksgiving break and semester intersession, dining locations will be closed. For all other breaks, some locations may remain open with limited hours and services. Please be reminded, only points and cash are accepted during such breaks. Break schedules will be posted in advance of the recess.
-
Wesleyan Station (Post Office)
First Floor, Usdan University Center, 45 Wyllys Avenue
The Wesleyan community may purchase stamps, mail letters, and ship parcels at the postal sales window. Certified, registered, insured, and express mail shipping services, including UPS Next Day and 2nd Day, are also available. During the school year, students may pick up parcels at the package window.
Unclaimed mail and parcels will be held for 30 days for pickup; anything not picked up within 30 days will be returned to sender. A Wesleyan ID is required to pick up mail or parcels from the window.
Students are reminded that mailboxes are shared, and all mail should be addressed to the student’s full name and address (box number, Usdan University Center, 45 Wyllys Ave., Middletown, CT 06459) to ensure proper delivery. There is no mail delivery to dorms.
For more information, please visit the Wes Station web site: http://www.wesleyan.edu/wesstation/
-
Usdan University Center
The Usdan University Center offers students a multifunctional facility with diverse services. These include a ride board, daily video bulletin board, campus events board, e-mail station, information center, video game and pinball room, recreation equipment, meeting rooms, multipurpose room with large screen TV, and lounges throughout. The Campus Center is also home for important campus agencies that include the Center for the Arts Box Office, three distinct dining facilities, and Wesleyan Station, Wesleyan’s own postal service station.
For more information, please visit the Usdan University Center Web site:
-
Student Activities and Leadership Development
Usdan University Center, First Floor
A Wesleyan University education goes well beyond the classroom experience. The education of the whole student is realized with involvement in political, social and cultural organizations that encourage individual creativity and develop skills that maximize the student’s potential. The Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development is committed to students in a variety of ways:
- Advising student organizations in event management
- Organizing leadership training seminars
- Promoting events that recognize and celebrate the ethnicity, culture, religious, and sexual orientation of the student body
- Encouraging students to take leadership roles that will enable them to explore their interests
- Facilitating educational and social programs among students, faculty, and administrators
Don’t hesitate to stop by the office and introduce yourself. Let’s work and grow together, and together let’s help to make your Wesleyan experience unforgettable.
Reserving Space for Events
If you are planning a meeting, conference, reception, or other special event, the University's Events & Scheduling office can assist you in a number of ways. It provides information about facilities, room sizes, and seating capacities and can suggest an appropriate space for your event. The office acts as a liaison with the Physical Plant staff, Campus Dining, Audio-Visual Department specialists, and Public Safety. It can arrange custodial service, for the Physical Plant movers to deliver equipment for your event, for rental items (such as chairs or tables) to be ordered, and for signs to be made and posted. It can also suggest parking options, security needs, and arrange for rooms to be opened and locked after your event.
To ensure a successful event, advance planning is essential. Facilities are reserved on a first-come basis; there is a tremendous demand for space on the Wesleyan campus. Please call the Events & Scheduling Office as soon as you know about an upcoming event. If you are unfamiliar with a facility, the office will be glad to arrange a visit and to discuss possible set-ups. Although there is no rental charge for University-sponsored events, please remember that it is necessary to have an account number for Physical Plant or Public Safety billing. The office can help you avoid possible conflicts for audience and support services by informing you of other events that have been scheduled on a given date. If you submit a written copy by the enclosed publication deadline, the office can also list your event in Wesleyan Weekly .
Contact - Events & Scheduling Office:
Cheryl-Ann Hagner, Director, 685-4780
Brandi Cahill, Assistant Director, 685-3762
Occupancy Limits
The Middletown Fire Department has established occupancy limits for on-campus buildings. Please contact the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development at 685-2467 to get the occupancy limit on the facility that you are interested in utilizing.
For more information, please visit the Student Activities and Leadership Development web site: http://www.wesleyan.edu/stuact/
-
Office of Religious and Spiritual Life
169 High Street
The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life conducts regular worship services and help develop a variety of religious, spiritual, educational, cultural, and social programs. Students are encouraged to participate actively in the creation and implementation of these programs. The chaplains are counselors, available to students for discussion of personal concerns ranging from religious/spiritual and social issues to academic and vocational matters.
The chaplains maintain contacts with many local places of worship and are happy to assist students with referrals to local faith communities. A listing of local places of worship may be found in The Local Community section of this handbook.
For more information, please visit the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life web site:
-
Community Service and Volunteerism
167 High Street
The Office of Community Service and Volunteerism serves as a resource for students, faculty, and staff who are interested in local volunteer and community service opportunities. Information on more than 75 social service agencies and their volunteer needs is available. Individuals can serve meals in a soup kitchen, adopt a grandparent, be a big brother or sister, tutor a Middletown child, work in a local hospital, or participate in a wide range of other service activities. Most volunteer opportunities are within walking distance of campus; however, shuttle service is available upon request. The office also provides support for service learning initiatives and student-run tutorial programs. In addition, the office has a library of resource materials for individuals and groups interested in organizing community service projects.
For more information, please visit the Community Service and Volunteerism web site:
-
Office of Public Safety
208 High Street
The Office of Public Safety is here to help you. Its orientation is service, prevention, and detection. The Public Safety staff is trained to solve problems and will assist you in any way possible. Public Safety personnel are on and around campus constantly. They are here for your benefit. Don’t hesitate to call upon them for their assistance.
The Office of Public Safety is staffed by officers and supervisors who patrol the campus on a 24-hour basis. All are trained in CPR and first aid as well as in other areas applicable to their position as officers in a University setting. Each person is equipped with a two-way radio, which keeps him/her in constant contact with the Office of Public Safety, located at 208 High Street. From this location, Public Safety has contact with the Middletown Police Department, the Middletown Fire Department, and emergency medical services.
The Office of Public Safety also enforces University regulations pertaining to the University’s Code of Non-Academic Conduct, parking control, fire safety, and academic/administration departmental rules and procedures. Every effort is made to enforce these regulations equitably and professionally.
For patrol purposes, the campus is divided into sectors that are assigned to officers in patrol vehicles, on bicycles, and on foot. Highly visible and easily recognizable, the patrol vehicles are equipped with emergency lights and red cruise lights that glow at night; telephone numbers for reporting emergencies are listed on the doors of the patrol vehicles. Officers' uniforms are likewise designed to allow ready identification.
The office works closely with the Middletown Police and Fire departments on incidents occurring on or around campus and operates in conjunction with the personnel of other local and state agencies. The Public Safety investigative captain coordinates investigations and enlists whatever outside resources are necessary to assist. We encourage you to report all incidents, whether on or near campus.
The office provides a variety of services to the community, including:
- The operation of the nighttime safety shuttle and escort service
- Parking registration for students, faculty, and staff
- Assisting campus motorists with minor motor-vehicle problems
- Coordination of fire drills in campus buildings
- Maintaining the University ’s lost-and-found department
- Operation I.D., an identification engraving program designed to discourage theft and assist in the recovery of stolen items; and registration of bicycles and other valuables on campus
For more information, please visit the Public Safety web site:
-
Women’s Resource Center
287 High Street
The Women ’s Resource Center operates as the primary source on this campus for information, literature, networking, support, and events concerning women’s issues. The center’s extensive and continually expanding library of books and periodicals is open to all students. The library houses materials on sexuality, health care, women’s history, spirituality, fiction, women of color, and many other themes.
The main goal of the Women’s Resource Center is to be an accessible vessel for raising feminist consciousness on campus.
-
Queer Resource Center
190 High Street
The Queer Resource Center (QRC) is located on the second floor of the WSA building. The QRC acts both as the physical headquarters of Queer Alliance and as a general resource for the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning community at Wesleyan. Anyone may come to borrow books, videos, or magazines from the library, and free condoms and lube are available. Student staff members and volunteers are available to answer questions and offer support during posted office hours and also by appointment.
For more information, please visit the Queer Resource Center web site:
-
Broad Street Books
45 Broad Street
Broad Street Books, the Wesleyan University bookstore, is located just off the Wesleyan campus at the intersection of Broad and William Streets. The newly renovated store offers the University and greater Middletown community a wide selection of Wesleyan imprinted clothing, gift items, stationery, and school supplies.
The trade book department with an expanded title base provides books for all ages and interests and includes university presses, children’s books, and a special section of Wesleyan University Press authors. Autographing parties, readings, and other events are an integral part of the store calendar.
Wesleyan students buy their textbooks on the lower level of the store. In addition to the open shelves that accommodate easy viewing of course materials, students can access the store Web site to buy books. The store has a text reservation system, which allows students to place an order online for the rush period of the semester and pick up books at the store. In addition, the textbook area is offering an expanded number of used books for courses.
The Red and Black café within the bookstore features a light menu consisting of soups, sandwiches, and pastries. Students may use points from the meal plan to purchase food and drinks, and take-out service is also available. The café offers a pleasant gathering place for the Middletown and Wesleyan communities.
Check the links on the Wesleyan Web site: Broad Street Books / Follett Online Bookstore for hours and other information on Broad Street Books and the café or call 860-685-7323.