Campus Updates

Diplomas/Mailing Addresses, Transcripts, Commencement Photos and Middletown Cash Refunds – 6/4

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Greetings!

I hope you’re enjoying the summer and looking forward to the next leg of your journey. There are still some lingering questions and loose ends to tie up; hopefully, the information below is helpful.

Diplomas, Diploma Addresses and Official Transcripts

Any changes to diploma mailing addresses are due to Tracey Stanley in the Registrar’s Office by 4:30pm, EST today, June 4th. Include your name, WesID and your new address in any correspondence with Ms. Stanley about updating your diploma mailing address. Future inquiries about your mailing address and changes should be directed to Ms. Stanley. The Registrar’s Office staff is working with a vendor to mail diplomas this month; you should receive them by July 5th if not earlier.

Official transcripts with your degree conferral date are available now. You may request an official transcript through the Registrar’s Office and the National Student Clearinghouse. You may also request Enrollment and/or Degree Verification through the Registrar’s Office. Additionally, employers may call the National Student Clearinghouse at (703) 742- 4200 to verify degree completion.

Employers can verify degrees by calling this number.

Commencement Photos and Follow Up

Wesleyan partnered with GradTrak® Graduation Images and professional photographers  to take a candid photograph of each graduate present at the ceremony. You will receive a free passport-sized digital proof of these photos on an order card within 5 to 7 days following the ceremony. Questions may be emailed to service@gradtrak.com.

You may order online at www.gradimages.com or call (800) 261-2576. To pre-register your permanent email address and receive a $5.00 coupon towards a purchase of $25.00, please visit www.gradimages.com and click on Pre-Event Registration. You may add contact information for up to six additional relatives and/or friends. GradTrak® will never sell or share the address/email information provided to them.

Middletown Cash Refunds

Contact Cathy-Lee Rizza at the WesCard Office (wescard@wesleyan.edu) to make the initial request for a refund of your Middletown Cash (note: points are not eligible for refunds). She will help you close your Middletown Cash account, and your balance minus a $25.00 administrative fee will be transferred to your student account. You will then need to fill out a refund request form on the front page of the student accounts website.

I will be working most of the summer, so feel free to reach out with any other questions or concerns. I’m also preparing to welcome the Class of 2025 this fall, so you will most likely see some changes to my outgoing messages.

Have a wonderful summer!
Dean Leathers

Tanesha A. Leathers, PhD (she/her/hers)
Dean for the Class of 2025
Interim Dean for the Class of 2022, Li-Ro
Congratulations to the Class of 2021!
Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT 06459

Public Health Update – 5/21

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To the Wesleyan community:

The more we know about the COVID-19 vaccines, the better equipped we are to make informed decisions. I know many of you have questions and the topic raises strong feelings among some.

After more than 35 years as a physician, I critically evaluate scientific studies, keep an open mind to new theories, and stay up-to-date about the medical issues I face regularly in college health. I feel confident in assuring you that vaccines are one of the most important ways (if not the most important way) to control and at times eliminate infectious diseases. Few of us recall the days of the iron lung for polio patients, children dying from the whooping cough, or the sequelae of brain inflammation caused by a number of childhood diseases. Those days are over thanks to vaccines.

I would like to dispel some common myths about the COVID-19 vaccines.

  1. The current vaccines are too new and have not passed the test of time. It takes years for the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to approve a pharmaceutical. These vaccines were approved in a few months.

In reality, the studies that led to approval were well designed, enrolled many people (tens of thousands), and were closely monitored. The rare complication of thrombotic thrombocytopenia occurred in fewer than one in a million people. Rare instances of complications such as this would not be seen with a medication that went through years of an FDA approval process until the medication was in general use. And frankly, the pandemic that was devastating the world warranted a rapid and thorough process of approval. This is much different than, let’s say, the 10th cholesterol medication being evaluated for release on the market.

The technology for the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines (those made by Pfizer and Moderna) started in the early 1990s, with initial research focusing on rabies, Zika, and cytomegalovirus. The adenoviral vector technology dates back to the 1970s. Research focused on Ebola and cancer treatments. There was a great deal of scientific bench work done prior to the pandemic.

  1. The current vaccines approved in the U.S. use brand-new technologies that have not passed the test of time.

Phase Three studies included many folks. The efficacy and safety profiles appear to be extremely promising.

  1. We do not yet know the long-term effects of taking these vaccines. How do we know what will happen in years to decades?

Side effects and complications from vaccines traditionally occur in the short-term, whether we are looking at allergic reactions, contracting the disease (which only occurs with live vaccines and does not apply to COVID vaccines), the rare Guillain-Barre syndrome, or most recently the extremely rare thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome. No long-term sequelae have been identified with the advent of modern vaccines, predating the 1950s to our current vaccines.

  1. The vaccines can affect fertility.

There is no scientific evidence that the vaccines affect fertility and no scientific theory that would link the mechanisms of action with the messenger RNA or the viral vector vaccines to any physiological effect on fertility. While there are some reports of menstrual irregularities following vaccination, we know there are many physiological and psychological stressors that can temporarily affect the menstrual cycle.

  1. The vaccines can alter our DNA.

None of the approved vaccines alters our DNA. Their actions do not affect DNA at all.

  1. Nano particles can be (and are) injected into our bodies. Mass vaccination will essentially effect the takeover of the human race.

This is not true.

I have no doubt that you all understand the importance of becoming educated about the vaccines, considering carefully the sources of information. To date, there have been 163 million cases of COVID and 3.4 million deaths from the disease worldwide. There have been 33 million cases and 583,000 deaths in the U.S.  It’s no surprise that as vaccine rates are climbing, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID are decreasing.

Please get vaccinated. Students, once you are fully vaccinated, you must upload your information to the Davison Health Center. Faculty and staff, once you are fully vaccinated, we encourage you to share your information via WesPortal.

And to you students graduating, members of the Class of 2021, my congratulations and best wishes for all your future endeavors!

Tom McLarney, MD

Vaccine Side Effects

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To the Wesleyan community:

As previously announced, the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will be administered to our students on April 24-25 with the second dose on May 15-16.

We encourage everyone to take advantage of the vaccine. It is safe and effective, and has been shown to keep people out of the hospital. The vaccine may cause side effects, which means that our immune system is responding appropriately. The types, level, and duration of side effects can vary from one individual to another and do not indicate the degree of immune response.

You will most likely experience a sore arm, redness, and/or swelling at the injection site that may last a day or two. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises individuals not to ‘’pre-medicate’’ with anti-inflammatory agents just prior to receiving the vaccine. There is a concern that pre-medicating may inhibit our immune system response.

You may also experience fatigue, headache, muscle aches, chills, fever, and/or nausea, which may last one or two days and prevent you from attending work or classes. Supportive measures such as rest, adequate hydration, cool compress at the injection site, Tylenol or Ibuprofen can help ease discomfort.

During this period of campus-wide immunization, we would ask for flexibility for community members who have been vaccinated. Specifically, we request that those who miss a day or two of classes or work not be required to get documentation from a healthcare provider. Because symptoms are similar to those that we screen for at the testing site, we recommend that anyone who has had a COVID-19 vaccine in the past 48 hours and has these symptoms receive a test.

If you are concerned about or experience any post vaccination symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider (staff and faculty) or the Davison Health Center (students):

  • Increasing arm redness after 48 hours
  • Shortness of breath
  • Severe chest or abdominal pain
  • Significant lightheadedness or fainting
  • Mental status changes

None of the messenger RNA vaccines including the Pfizer vaccine have been associated with the rare blood clotting phenomena known as Vaccine Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT).

Most experts agree that one is fully immunized at two weeks following the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Until we achieve campus herd immunity, we will still need to adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines.

Anyone who has had COVID should receive a vaccine as soon as possible after release from isolation. Initially, the recommendation was to wait 90 days (natural immunity could be expected to provide protection for at least that long). This recommendation was based on the concern that there was not enough vaccine available for the general population, but supply is no longer an issue.

Wishing you all wellness and safety,

Tom McLarney, MD

Important Commencement Updates – 4/20

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Dear Wesleyan community,

We are all excited and eager to celebrate the 189th Commencement and the accomplished and persevering Class of 2021 in person next month. I write to share important details and updates about Commencement. Our condensed Commencement exercises will take place on Andrus Field beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, rain or shine. Graduates and guests will be in a celebratory mood, but we must adhere to all COVID-19 safety precautions—wearing masks and maintaining appropriate distance.

Other important updates:

–All graduating students—including remote students, December 2020 completions, and graduate degree candidates—may participate in Commencement. Diplomas will be mailed to all graduates after Commencement. December completions and graduating seniors who are studying remotely are permitted to return for Commencement day or may opt to stay on campus Tuesday, May 25, through noon Thursday, May 27. Graduates planning to return to campus for Commencement should inform the University by April 30 by completing the Commencement Plans form.

–While the University would prefer to welcome more guests to campus, we are limiting our numbers to two guests per graduate to ensure the safety of all of our attendees. Graduates will be asked to register themselves and their two guests through the University Box Office. A separate email with the registration link will be sent when registration opens the week of April 26. Registrations are nontransferable.

–All guests should be vaccinated or have received a negative PCR test result three to five days prior to arriving on campus. Guests will enter through designated areas near Andrus Field, and contactless guest check-in will be outside the Usdan University Center.

–Guests will be seated together in groupings of two. All groupings will be spaced to ensure proper social distancing. Guest access to campus will be for Commencement day only. (Other Commencement-related events and activities will be virtual or limited to graduates.)

–For those who cannot attend in person, the Commencement ceremony will be live streamed on the Commencement 2021 website and Wesleyan Facebook page beginning at 11:00 a.m. on May 26.

For more information about Commencement please visit the Commencement 2021 website or email rc@wesleyan.edu.

Finally, these plans are subject to change if conditions warrant. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in making sure we all can mark this milestone safely. We are really looking forward to this!

Sincerely,

Mike Whaley

Vice President for Student Affairs

Notes from the Class Dean – 4/15

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Dear members of the class of 2021,

I hope this message finds you doing well. We’re entering the final month of the semester, and I know many of you are anxious for more information to help you prepare for what is to come. The following information should help you finish up required paperwork as we look towards the end of May. I anticipate that you will receive more announcements about commencement from university leadership sometime next week.

Major/Minor/Certificate Certification Forms

This is a final reminder to complete your major/minor/certificate certification forms if you haven’t already done so. You may access instructions here. Class Deans and the Registrar’s Office staff use information provided on these forms to help confirm whether graduation candidates will be cleared for their degrees at the end of the semester.

Honors Thesis Registration/Uploads

Honors candidates may upload their thesis submissions starting at 8:00am, EST on April 20th; the link for thesis submissions will close at 4:00pm, EST on April 21st.

Diploma Name and Address

This Sunday, April 18th is the deadline to submit the name that should be reflected on your diploma. Also submit the correct mailing address for the Registrar to send your diploma when it’s ready; you may submit this information through the Diploma Name and Address link in WesPortal as well. Note: undergraduate students will not receive their diplomas at commencement. The Registrar will mail diplomas for students who have completed all degree requirements and have been cleared to receive their diplomas (i.e. do not have any holds).

Diploma Holds

Students planning to graduate in May must have a student account in good standing to receive their diploma. Please contact the Student Accounts Office with questions. Additionally, eligible graduates with disciplinary holds will not receive their diplomas until those holds are removed. You may contact the Dean of Students Office with any questions.

Upon Completion Policy

I only had two students attend the Upon Completion Q & A I hosted on April 8th, and I didn’t receive many questions for the session. I’ll take that to mean that my clarifying email about the upon completion policy was helpful! You may access the content from that email here.

Change of Grading Mode

The Registrar sent out confirmation that the change of grading mode deadline is 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 by 5pm EST is the deadline to withdraw from full semester and/or 4th quarter courses. Check with your faculty advisor(s), Credit Analysis Report, and Gen Ed Report (where applicable) before you request to withdraw from any courses.

2021 Commencement Regalia Updates

  • Pre-ordered caps and gowns will not be delivered to the WRJJ Bookstore until mid-May.
  • You must call Oak Hall (not the bookstore) if you wish to make a change to your order: 800-456-7623. Please tell Oak Hall that you are a Wesleyan University student from Middletown, CT and need to make a change. You’ll need to give them your order number.

Don’t forget the following resources for the final stretch of the semester:

Academic Peer Advisors (APAs)

Accessibility Services

CAPS (remember CAPS offers an after-hours service you may access with the same phone number for business hours: 860-685-2910)

Digital Learning Resources

Gordon Career Center (Check out Cardinals Helping Cardinals)

Math Workshop

Office of Religious & Spiritual Life

Peer Tutoring

Scientific Computing and Informatics Center (SCIC)

Student Academic Resources including Academic Support Services

WesNest (see WesPortal)

WesWell

Writing Workshop

Take gentle care,
Dean Leathers

UPDATE: Wesleyan/CHC Vaccine Clinic for Students

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Dear students,

I write with an update regarding the University’s partnership with the Community Health Center (CHC) to host vaccine clinics on April 24 and 25. Due to the Federal Drug Administration’s current review of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, CHC will now administer the two-dose Pfizer vaccine.

Students who choose to be vaccinated at this clinic will receive the first dose on their originally scheduled date and the second on May 15 or 16, three weeks after the initial dose. Parking Lot V at 75 Vine Street will serve as our walk-through vaccination site. All Wesleyan students—both undergraduate and graduate—enrolled in the spring 2021 semester and studying on campus may receive the vaccine.

If you have already registered, you do not need to register again. However, if you registered and have been vaccinated at another location, please cancel your appointment. For students who need to cancel or modify their appointment, you may do so by using your confirmation email (CHCvaccineclinic). Please make any changes to your vaccine appointment by Friday, April 16.

Please note that students who are studying remotely are not eligible to receive the vaccine at this clinic. In addition, students who have already been vaccinated or who are in isolation or quarantine at the time of the clinic will not be vaccinated at this clinic.

You will need to bring your Wesleyan ID card and the completed prevaccination questionnaire with you to your appointment. Because the clinic needs to prepare and plan for a specific number of vaccine doses, it is critical that you arrive promptly at your scheduled appointment time. To avoid congestion, please do not accompany your friends to their appointments if you do not have an appointment at that time. 

Wesleyan will require all students to receive the vaccine prior to returning to campus for the fall semester. Every student (with the exception of those who have approved medical or religious exemptions) will need to verify with the University that they are fully vaccinated prior to their arrival. Students can upload their vaccination record to the Davison Health Center.

Rick Culliton

Dean of Students

Chair, Pandemic Planning Committee

Job Searching During a Pandemic: Alumni Panel Discussion – Tomorrow, 4/6

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Learn from Wes 2020 grads about finding a job and transitioning to post-grad life during the pandemic. Join us on Tuesday for a virtual panel conversation between current seniors and recent alumni.
Job Searching During a Pandemic: Alumni Panel Discussion

Tue, Apr 6 7:00 pm EDT – 8:00 pm EDT

https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/events/731196

Panelists:

  • Maya Bernstein-Schalet ‘20, Journalist, Heritage Radio Network/Researcher, Belly of the Best
  • Sherly Francois ’20, Management Development Program, McMaster-Carr
  • Lucine Poturyan ’20, Conflicts Analyst, Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP
  • Zack Hersh ‘20, Legislative Aide, Colorado House of Representatives

Moderated by the GCC’s senior Peer Career Advisors Esme Lytle ’21, Brendan Joyce ’21, and Phillip Wong ’21.

Update on Wesleyan’s 189th Commencement

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Dear friends,

I am pleased to announce new details regarding Wesleyan’s 189th Commencement, which will take place in person on a new date: Wednesday, May 26. This year’s Commencement was previously planned for May 30; however, due to a number of factors, including current pandemic conditions and cancellation of an in-person Reunion weekend, we have decided to move up the date.

The University is hoping that conditions will allow for two guests per graduate to attend the ceremony. We are pursuing plans to accommodate the seniors and other graduates who have been studying remotely to return to campus for Commencement exercises.

As with all of Wesleyan’s COVID-related policies and guidelines, these plans are tentative and subject to change if conditions necessitate. The University will continue to communicate with you regarding more specific details of Commencement in the coming weeks.

I am very much looking forward to seeing our graduates on Andrus Field on May 26, and celebrating the accomplishments of the formidable Class of 2021.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Roth
President

Campus COVID Updates and Reminders

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To the campus community,

We are writing to share a number of important COVID-19 updates, in light of recent changes to the State of Connecticut’s plans.

Effective tomorrow, Connecticut’s governor has relaxed a number of restrictions across the state, including no longer requiring offices to maintain a 50 percent occupancy limit. The University will generally follow the 50 percent occupancy of offices for the time being while cabinet members will continue to guide and direct staffing for their divisions.

In addition, the governor has accelerated the state’s age-based vaccine distribution plan. As of tomorrow, all individuals aged 45 and older may schedule their appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations. Scheduling will open to all individuals aged 16 and older tentatively beginning on April 5. (Please note that this new phase starting April 5 combines the 35 to 44 age range and the 16 to 34 age range, which had previously each been scheduled during separate weeks later in the spring.) The University encourages everyone to get vaccinated when you have the chance to do so.

Even with these positive developments, we must continue to stay focused and vigilant on keeping ourselves and our campus safe. We will continue to follow our COVID-19 testing and contact tracing protocols, including twice-weekly testing for students; wearing face coverings at all times when in public; and adhering to social distancing guidelines. Please make sure you are familiar with the COVID Code of Conduct (for students) and the Community Agreement (for employees). You will find more important information on the Keep Wes Safe website, including the COVID-19 Dashboard and public health updates.

Finally, a sincere thanks to our faculty and staff for their tireless efforts toward making Wesleyan a safe place to be this academic year. Your hard work has been critical, and is very much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Lisa Brommer
Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Rick Culliton

Dean of Students
Chair, Pandemic Planning Committee

Notes from the Class Dean – 3/17

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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:

Academic Peer Advisors (APAs)

Accessibility Services

CAPS (remember CAPS offers an after-hours service you may access with the same phone number for business hours: 860-685-2910)

Digital Learning Resources

Gordon Career Center (Check out Cardinals Helping Cardinals)

Math Workshop

Office of Religious & Spiritual Life

Peer Tutoring

Scientific Computing and Informatics Center (SCIC)

Student Academic Resources including Academic Support Services

WesNest (see WesPortal)

WesWell

Writing Workshop

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/