Dear Members of the Class of 2021,
As always, I hope this email finds you doing well. I also want to congratulate you on getting to this point in your college careers. Progress doesn’t always come easy, but it’s definitely hard-fought when a global pandemic is raging in the background. Be proud of your determination and the ways that you have shown care and concern for your studies, each other, the greater Wesleyan community, and the many other communities you love and support. And as challenging as it may be, don’t forget to take a moment to relish this time during your journey.
Many of you still have questions about commencement, among a host of other things, and I will try my best to pass along information as I receive it. What follows are updates and reminders for the next few weeks.
Commencement
As of now, I don’t have any news confirming whether remote students and/or December/January completers will be allowed to participate in any in-person commencement activities . University leadership plans to communicate updates about commencement later this month. Additionally, the 2021 Reunion & Commencement website will be updated with more information as it is made available.
Ordering Regalia Online – New Deadline is March 31st
Students will have until March 31st to place their orders for regalia. You may contact Wesleyan’s RJ Julia’s Bookstore at (860) 685-3939 with any questions about this process, including receiving/picking up your orders.
Major/Minor Certification Forms
The deadline to submit your major/minor certification forms is this Friday, March 19th. You’re welcome to reach out to me, Susan Krajewski, and your faculty advisor with questions. We still have a little time to address errors in the forms after that deadline.
Spring Break
Spring Break is Tuesday, March 23rd and Wednesday, March 24th. Try to create margin for yourselves now so you can relax a little next week and work to finish up the semester in the weeks to come. Strive for balance as best you can. Of course, many of us will miss having two weeks to catch our breath, but I encourage you to make the very best of those two days off as permitted by our campus protocols. They’re hard-earned!
4th Quarter Drop/Add
The drop/add period for the 4th quarter begins on Thursday, March 25th. However, you may submit 4th quarter drop/add requests in advance by completing the 2nd/4th Drop/Add Form and emailing it to me, your instructor, and your faculty advisor. I will not send forms to the Registrar for processing without hearing from your faculty advisor and instructor. Additionally, 4th quarter classes may be added or dropped during the five working days following the first class meeting.
Honors Thesis Deadline
The honors thesis deadline is 4pm, EST, Wednesday, April 21st. All honors candidates are required to submit their thesis or essay in PDF format for binding, through WesPortal. Please contact your department for additional instructions.
Change of Grading Mode
The Registrar sent out confirmation that the change of grading mode deadline is now 5pm, EST, Thursday, April 28th. Remember, this change only impacts courses with the student option.
Withdrawing from Courses
Some of you have already opted to withdraw from a course with a “W” on your academic history/transcript. A “W” is not punitive in nature; it just means you withdrew from a course after the drop/add deadline.
You may request to withdraw from a course by completing the withdrawal form and emailing it to me, your instructor, and your faculty advisor. I will not send forms to the Registrar for processing without hearing from your faculty advisor and instructor. Wednesday, May 5th is the last day to withdraw from full semester and/or 4th quarter courses.
Finishing Well
We’re all dealing with a tremendous amount of stress right now, and we’re not done. Pace yourself, and remember that you still have access to tools and resources to help you complete your degree. Endeavor to finish well, but at the end of the day it may not matter whether you sprint, skip, walk or crawl over the finish line. Finishing is a win. 😊
Don’t forget the following resources for the final stretch:
CAPS (remember CAPS offers an after-hours service you may access with the same phone number for business hours: 860-685-2910)
Gordon Career Center (Check out Cardinals Helping Cardinals)
Office of Religious & Spiritual Life
Scientific Computing and Informatics Center (SCIC)
Student Academic Resources including Academic Support Services
WesNest (see WesPortal)
Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns. I may be delayed in my response as we head into the 4th quarter drop/add period, but I will respond.
All my best,
Dean Leathers
Class of 2021 Blog | Appointments
Keep Wes Safe: https://www.wesleyan.edu/keep-wes-safe/