Notes from the Class Dean – 8/24/20

Greetings!

I hope this message finds you doing well and getting ready for the start of a new academic year. So many emails are swirling around, and I hate to add to the wave of messages you’ve already received, but I have some reminders and updates that may be useful as you prepare to begin the Fall 2020 semester.

Requests for Remote Study and Leaves of Absence

I am still processing requests for remote study and leaves of absence. Please be mindful of prorated charges for room, board, and related fees if you spend any time on campus between August 24th and August 30th. You may incur additional prorated charges as outlined on the Student Accounts website if you request to pursue either of these options starting on August 31st. Please contact Student Accounts for more details.

Requests to Pursue Remote Study

You may email me directly if you want to pursue remote study (i.e. remote status) for the Fall 2020 semester. Note: remote study status is defined as attending courses entirely online from home or another location outside of the Wesleyan campus, Middletown, CT and the U.S. (if the student has been granted an F-1 visa to study at Wesleyan). Additionally, students who are placed on “remote status” will not be permitted to visit campus at any point during the Fall 2020 semester.

In light of this, remember to confirm where you plan to study remotely when you email me a request to pursue this option.

Leaves of Absence

You may access more information about taking a leave of absence here. You should speak with your faculty advisor(s), OISA if you’re an international student, and financial aid, if applicable. I’m also happy to speak with you about any plans you have to take leave; feel free to schedule an appointment.

Note that you need to submit an official request for leave through WesPortal before I can move forward with finalizing your plans to take time off this fall. Additionally, I can still process non-medical leave until September 11th (i.e. the end of the drop/add period), but you may still be responsible for prorated charges for tuition, room, and board.

Enrollment

Starting on Sunday, August 24, at 8:30 a.m. EDT you are required to enroll in the University. To enroll, login to WesPortal, click through the yellow alert banner at the top of the page, then click on the “Enroll Me” button. Please be aware that you will not be able to participate in drop/add until you have enrolled in the University. You must enroll in the University by Friday, September 11, at 5:00p.m. You must do this regardless of whether you will attend classes in-person or remotely this fall.

In addition to enrolling, you must resolve any holds in your list of Action Items. To access your list, go to:

WesPortal > Enrollment Checklist & Addresses > Hold/Enroll

Instruction on how to resolve each action item are provided on the page. Many action items can be resolved with a simple click of the mouse.

All action items must be resolved by Friday, September 4, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Please be aware that you will still be able to participate in drop/add even if you have unresolved action items (as long as you have already enrolled in the University using the “Enroll Me” button).

Academic Preparation

Please consult with your faculty advisors if you have any questions about requirements for your major/minors/certificate programs. You’re welcome to get on my schedule with any questions about general requirements for your degree and resources to help you successfully complete the fall semester. Remember, your Credit Analysis Report (CAR) and GenEd Report are also useful tools to help you plan for this academic year. You may access both reports through WesPortal.

Drop/Add

The drop/add period begins today, Monday, August 24th, and runs through Friday, September 11th. Classes begin next Monday, August 31st, so you have a full week to modify your schedule before you start attending your courses. Continue to submit your POI requests, and contact those instructors about getting access to the first session of any classes in which you are not currently enrolled.

Move-In and the Community Agreement

Please adhere to the guidelines communicated to you concerning move-in; the Community Agreement and coordinating Moodle;  and COVID-19 testing. Kieran Duffy of Residential Life sent an email on August 21st to help students prepare for moving in this week. I reposted it on our class blog for your convenience.  You may access it here.

Additionally, I just received the following update from Dean Whaley as it relates to the Community Agreement/Moodle:

“The Moodle has been reopened until classes begin so students can complete it at their convenience.  It will speed up the check-in process if they complete it and acknowledge the associated code of conduct prior to arrival.  If they do not have the chance to complete this prior to arrival, Res Life will have paper copies for them to review and sign when they pick up their keys.”

Honors/Thesis Information

Please see the email I sent earlier today with the attached letter containing critical deadlines and important information for students pursuing thesis work this academic year.

Welcome back, and I will be in touch again soon!

 

Take gentle care,

Dean Leathers

OISA Drop-in Hours for F-1 Visa Students – 7/21- 7/24

The following message is from Chia-Ying Pan of the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA).

Dear International Students,

Thank you for attending the Zoom FAQ sessions last week. For those who were not able to attend, below are the links and passwords to the recorded sessions:

Zoom Session #1:
https://wesleyan.zoom.us/rec/share/3pcqCbKr_VtJSJHu4x2HXYQGBYP6aaa8gCAd_fAKn0-AX0AFge0dIKjBm9Yvsptv
Password: 3i&mu!9+

Zoom Session #2:
https://wesleyan.zoom.us/rec/share/4exFKaitxkpOac_B2m7QW74NWY_qaaa80yVM-aEIzE1_fPdmOlWTv1Bo0ZuYmrxq
Password: 4p#5@3hZ

The slides used in the Zoom sessions are attached in this email. Also, the most updated FAQs for new and returning F-1 visa holders are now published on the re-activating campus page for your reference.

Many of you asked if you can meet with me to talk further about your specific situations, below are the date/time/Zoom links for the upcoming drop-in hours. You do not need to sign up in advance. Just show up at one of the drop-in hours at the time indicated below. Please note that the time slots listed below are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). If you are in a different time zone, find out what time it is for you using a time zone convertor. Middletown, CT is in the same time zoom as New York, NY. You can put in New York in the time zone convertor since they website does not recognize Middletown, CT.

Tuesday, July 21, 2:00-3:00 pm EDT
Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/97487831814?pwd=anJUbWVxN1ZmUWFyQkRzWUNlRy9yQT09
Meeting ID: 974 8783 1814
Passcode: 782959

Wednesday, July 22, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm EDT
Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/97485159409?pwd=ZGlySk9RVlc4QWlPdGZvdHFRZjN0UT09
Meeting ID: 974 8515 9409
Passcode: 945433

Thursday, July 23, 2:00-3:00 pm EDT
Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/98223226246?pwd=azEzSEU3blpublhLMUdUMDVTTE9zQT09
Meeting ID: 982 2322 6246
Passcode: 853096

Friday, July 24, 10:00-11:00 am EDT
Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/93026947462?pwd=ZTVyRDJYamQrLy93TFdnOUVsTmNOQT09
Meeting ID: 930 2694 7462
Passcode: 819832

If we have overflow from these four group advising sessions, I will add more time slots. Both new and returning international students are welcome to attend these drop-in hours. I am committed to answer all your questions and help you make a decision that works the best for you.

Take care,
Chia-Ying

Chia-Ying Sophia Pan, M.S. Ed. | Director, International Student Services
Office of International Student Affairs | Wesleyan University
Room 024, North College | 237 High Street, Middletown, CT 06459
P. (860) 685-3031 | OISA Facebook

Spring 2020 Fourth (4th) Quarter Classes – Full Listing

Subject Catalog Section Description Instructor Meeting Schedule Cap Enrl Total Enroll
CSPL  262 01 Intro to Soc Entrepreneurship Kingsley,Makaela Jane …..F. 01:20PM-03:20PM, Loc:ALLB103 30 26
CSS  320 02 Jr Tut: China in Global Econ Bonin,John P. …..F. 02:00PM-04:00PM, Loc:PAC421 10 6
CSS  330 02 Jr Gov Tut: Global Trends Rutland,Peter …..F. 02:00PM-04:00PM, Loc:PAC422 10 10
CSS  340 02 Jr Hist Tut: Bombings of Japan Johnston,William D. ….R.. 02:00PM-04:00PM, Loc:PAC421 10 13
E&ES  195 01 Sophomore Field Course Ku,Timothy C.W. …..F. 01:20PM-04:10PM, Loc:SCIE405 25 14
PHED  102 01 Tennis, Intermediate Fried,Michael A .M.W.F. 10:50AM-11:40AM 15 14
PHED  104 01 Golf Potter,Christopher J. ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM 12 18
PHED  106 02 Fitness, Beginning Black,Drew .M.W.F. 08:50AM-09:40AM 19 19
PHED  107 01 Inner Game of Golf Woodworth,Mark A. ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM 12 6
PHED  118 03 Strength Training, Intro Mullen,Kate .M.W.F. 09:50AM-10:40AM 19 13
PHED  118 04 Strength Training, Intro Reilly,Joseph P. .M.W.F. 01:20PM-02:10PM 19 10
PHED  119 02 Strength Training, Advanced Mullen,Kate .M.W.F. 10:50AM-11:40AM 19 11
PHED  123 01 Lifeguard Training Solomon,Peter Gordon ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM 10 4
PHED  138 02 Indoor Cycling McKenna,Jodi .M.W.F. 08:50AM-09:40AM 19 12
PHED  139 01 Running for Fitness Reilly,Joseph P. .M.W.F. 08:50AM-09:40AM 12 9
PHED  140 01 Racketlon Kerr,Shona ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM 16 15
PHED  155 01 Plyometric Training DiCenzo,Daniel A .M.W.F. 08:50AM-09:40AM 19 18
PHED  157 01 Pickleball Meredith,Eva Bergsten ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM 19 11
PHED  159 01 Cross Training Fitness Black,Drew ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM 19 18
QAC  154 01 Working with MATLAB Thayer,Kelly Marie …W… 07:10PM-10:00PM, Loc:ALLB204 19 19
QAC  155 01 Working with Python Oleinikov,Pavel V .M….. 07:10PM-10:00PM, Loc:ALLB204 19 28
QAC  156 01 Working with R Kaparakis,Emmanuel I. ..T…. 07:10PM-10:00PM, Loc:ALLB204 19 28
QAC  311 01 Longitudinal Data Analysis Kaparakis,Emmanuel I. .M.W… 01:20PM-02:40PM, Loc:ALLB204 16 23

Notes from Your Class Dean: Working Together for the Remainder of Spring 2020

Greetings!

I hope this message finds you well as I know we are all living in strange and challenging times. Even so, I am hopeful that we will get through this together. In the spirit of hope and action, I have outlined my plans to support you in the days and weeks ahead.

Emails & Other Communication

You’re probably inundated with emails right now, and I promise that I will try my best only to send emails that apply to the majority of students in the Class of 2021. Additionally, I encourage you to check the Class of 2021 blog for other useful updates and information from different campus units. My hope is that the junior class blog will be a hub for information and resources that support you for the immediate future and beyond.

Email is the quickest way for me to get in touch with all of you, and for you to get in touch with me, but I’m open to other platforms that will help me to communicate effectively and efficiently as well (e.g. Moodle, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok). Don’t hesitate to forward along any suggestions you have! Sadly, I can’t promise I will pursue every recommendation, but any suggestion you send me will get a fair and thoughtful review.

Office Hours & One-on-One Meetings

Given that Wesleyan is implementing a distance learning model for the remainder the semester and in an effort to improve and maintain my own health, I am no longer hosting in-person drop-in hours or appointments for this academic year. However, I’m still working and accessible.

Moving forward, I will host 30-minute, virtual meetings by appointment, and I will resume my drop-in hours on a virtual platform starting March 23rd continuing through the end of the semester. Please bear with me as I pursue virtual options to meet the needs of students in the junior class.

You may schedule appointments and drop-ins through my Google calendar: https://tinyurl.com/deanleathers

All of my drop-ins and appointments will provide captions to make them more accessible and they will be hosted through Google Hangouts Meet until further notice. Additionally, all times listed are based on Eastern Standard Time (EST).

There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll hit some bumps in the road (slow internet connectivity; delayed appointments for one reason or another; beloved siblings/children, pets or other sounds of life distracting us in the background, etc.), but I am dedicated to working through the challenges ahead to assist you as best as I can. Given that, I ask for a little grace during this season and I will be sure to extend it to you in kind.

Info Sessions & Workshops

My colleagues and I are putting our heads and resources together to offer virtual content we either initially planned to offer in person sometime this semester or have identified as a useful resource given our new normal.

On tap is a collaborative session on preparing for a thesis and the honors process, and I’ve started talks with a colleague about offering a session to give students a more robust introduction to the Zoom app/platform. Details on both are forthcoming!

I’m not sure what the future holds, but I will continue doing my best to provide you all with guidance and support as long as I serve as your class dean.

Please be safe, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns moving forward.

Take gentle care,

Dean Leathers

Services for New Week and Beyond 3/20

Dear Students,

As we all struggle to get used to Wesleyan in a distance-learning mode, we in Student Affairs wanted to provide you with an online resource guide detailing services and supports that will still be available regardless of whether you are near or far in the coming weeks.

Wishing you safe travels, good health and successful transitions.  As always, let us know how we can help.  Go Wes!

Warmly,

Dean Mike

 

Become A Wesleyan Study Abroad Ambassador! – Info Session 3/3

Introducing the Wesleyan Study Abroad Ambassador Program! This brand new program gives study abroad returnees an opportunity to share their international experiences and support their fellow students in a meaningful way.

Study Abroad Ambassadors will work closely with the Office of Study Abroad to support Wesleyan students as they navigate each phase of their study abroad experience. Ambassadors will promote international experiences and intercultural learning opportunities, offer guidance to applicants and outgoing students, and support students once they return to campus.

Because this is a new program and we want study abroad returnees to help shape it, we are holding an information / brainstorming session on Tuesday, March 3. We hope to see you there!

Study Abroad Ambassador Info Session

Tuesday, March 3 from 12-1pm

Fisk 201

Lunch will be provided – Please RSVP here

Two Health Professions Workshops– 10/8 at 12:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

Tips on Preparing for the MCAT from a STUDENT PANEL

WHEN: Monday, 8 October 2018

WHERE: Boger Hall, Room 112

TIME: 12:15 –1:15 PM

PRESENTED BY: Wesleyan Student Panel

Fellow students who have taken the MCAT will address how they prepared for the exam and then also share their application process experience (along with their medical school interview tips)

Presented by the Gordon Career Center and co-Sponsored by the American Medical Student Association, Wesleyan Chapter

 

Summer Experiences/Internships Student Panel

WHEN: Monday, 8 October 2018

WHERE: Boger Hall, Room 110

TIME: 6:15 –7:15 PM

PRESENTED BY: Wesleyan Student Panel

Six Fellow students from various class years and majors will share what they have done in the summers to help them prepare for the health professions.

Presented by the Gordon Career Center and co-Sponsored by the American Medical Student Association, Wesleyan Chapter

Pre-Registration Workshop!! Fri., Nov. 3 from 1-2 p.m.

Hello Class of 2021!

Confused about Pre-RegistrationDon’t know what classes to take? How to registerWant some snacks? Your Academic Peer Advisors (Rubye and Haley), Paul Turenne (from the Registrar’s office), and Dean Brown (your class dean) want to help as you figure out course plans for the spring semester.

We are hosting a workshop this Friday, November 3 from 1:00-2:00PM in Usdan 108Come join us for Pre-Reg tips and tricks (and treats)!  Bring your questions and concerns!

REMINDER: Pre-Registration planning for your next semester classes is open now and closes on Monday, November 13 at 5:00PM.   Before then, you must meet with your faculty advisor about your tentative course selection for discussion and approval, so make an appointment now!  Scheduling occurs on November 14