Virtual Resources

Definitions of Course Formats/Instruction Modes for Fall 2020

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Definitions of Instruction Modes:

In-person only = Intend to hold the class in-person on campus until Thanksgiving, remotely after Thanksgiving, and cannot accept any online students who would participate remotely.

In-person with remote students = Intend to hold the class in-person on campus until Thanksgiving, remotely after Thanksgiving, and will accept students who are unable to participate in-person and need to participate remotely.

Online only = Intend to hold the course online for the entire semester.

Hybrid in-person only = Intend to offer a course that will include some in-person sessions and some sessions online until Thanksgiving, fully online after Thanksgiving, and cannot accept any students who would not be able to participate in the in-person sessions.

Hybrid with remote students = Intend to offer a course that will include some in-person sessions and some sessions online until Thanksgiving, fully online after Thanksgiving, and will accept students who are unable to participate in-person and need to participate in all sessions remotely.

You may access this listing from the Office of the Registrar here.

Notes from the Class Dean – 7/22

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Dear members of the Class of 2021,

I hope you are doing well as you consider your plans for the fall semester. I also want to take this time to draw your attention to information and resources that may be helpful.

WEBINARS

The university will host several webinars and town halls before the start of the fall semester. Several of you have asked me about testing, and a webinar is scheduled to address your questions and concerns on Thursday, July 23rd (see details below). A webinar for the arts at Wesleyan is scheduled for today, July 22nd at 2:00pm, EST.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Testing
2 p.m. ET
Webinar ID: 939 7310 4846
Password: 222623
Find your local number

You may find a complete list of the webinars on the Town Halls/Webinars page of the Reactivating Campus website.

COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT

Prof. Kolcio announced a new course that may be of interest as you contemplate modifications to your Fall 2020 schedule.

“CSPL/CGST480 ENGAGED PROJECTS is  a 1-credit course in which students design a semester-long project around a topic of their choice that engages the broader public. EPs respond to this critical moment in history by empowering students to connect their academic pursuits to what is happening in the world around them; they deepen student learning and self-reflection, ease the undeniable challenges of online and hybrid learning, and introduce students to their own agency and positionality in society.”

More background is here and here.

GRADING MODES FOR FALL 2020

Students have asked me about grading modes and whether the full range of grading options will be available for their courses this fall. Currently, grading modes for courses are not based upon the format(s) in which they are offered and they are up to the discretion of each instructor. Some courses are still letter graded only, credit/no credit only (CR/U), or students have the option to choose between the two by the posted deadline (i.e. student option). It’s my understanding that the deadline to choose a mode (with the student option) will not be the end of classes as it was for the spring, but the change of grading mode deadline, which is usually two weeks after the end of the drop/add period.

I do know there are ongoing conversations within our division of Academic Affairs about grading modes for the fall, but I have not been apprised of any modifications to the policy as of now. Additionally, changes will most likely still be up to the discretion of instructors, but there is a push to encourage them to offer letter grading and the CR/U option to students. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee that each instructor will adopt the full range of grading options for each course. More definitive details are forthcoming.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE VS. DEFERRALS

This is a quick reminder that returning students (i.e. sophomores, juniors, and seniors) are not eligible for deferrals as the university currently defines them. Incoming first-year students may request deferrals for their enrollment at Wesleyan. Returning students may request leaves of absence. This may seem like the university is splitting hairs, but clarifying the terminology will help minimize confusion, especially as it relates to how we process these requests.

Returning students may request to take a leave of absence (which effectively terminates course registration and housing assignments) by August 30th to avoid prorated charges for the Fall 2020 semester; these charges (i.e. tuition, room, board, fees) commence on August 31st. Requests to take a leave of absence are not official unless you submit them through the appropriate form in WesPortal. F-1 visa holders should also consult with my colleagues in the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) if you plan to take a leave of absence to discuss the potential impact on your visa status, eligibility for CPT/OPT, etc.

Students may access more information about taking a leave of absence here.

BILLING QUESTIONS & FINANCIAL AID

Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts offered a joint webinar earlier this week to discuss questions that students and their families have about financial aid packages, costs for the Fall 2020 semester (and beyond), and financial aid. I’ve also fielded questions about billing, costs, and financial aid packages, and I will do my best to provide support where I can to help you address your concerns. However, I’m limited in how (and if) I can address specific questions about billing and financial aid packaging for any given semester. I don’t have access to information on each student’s account (e.g. balances, credits), and I can’t confirm whether a student will receive a material refund given their financial aid packaging for this academic year. The last thing I want to do is create or add to any confusion, and it’s important that I defer to my colleagues in the appropriate finance units to work with you to resolve issues/concerns in these areas.

Alyssa Corvi is the Financial Aid liaison for the Class of 2021 and can assist you in answering specific questions about your aid. However, I encourage you to allow at least a couple of business days for her to respond as the volume of inquiries has increased dramatically since the end of last semester.

I’ve also received specific questions about billing and the Residential Comprehensive Fee (RCF), and the information provided by my colleague in Student Accounts may offer more clarity:

Residential Comprehensive Fee

  • On-Campus (…the full RCF will be charged whether your courses are in-person, online or a hybrid.)
  • Off campus/Commuter (…if approved [by Res Life] to be off-campus, a 60% credit will be applied to your student account for the housing portion of the RCF. A request for a meal plan exemption must be submitted to Michelle Myers-Brown in dining services.
  • Remote (…fully remote, from home, no on-campus services utilized, no RCF charges)

Questions about your bill can be addressed to Student Accounts, but I encourage you to check your student account online for updates before any outreach. As Student Accounts and Financial Aid learn of official changes in the statuses of student plans (e.g. transitions to remote learning or off-campus status; leaves of absence), accounts will be adjusted accordingly. It could take 3-5 business days from the time a student submits a request to change their status for their account/financial aid package to reflect the change. I know this entire process can be stressful and frustrating, but I encourage you to be patient and to keep checking your student account online for updates.

My apologies for the length of this email, but hopefully, the information provided above is helpful. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Wishing you and your families good health,

Dean Leathers

Move-In Timeslot Sign Up Available Now

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The following is a message from Residential Life.

Please use the following link to access the tool for signing up for a timeslot for the move-in process.
A few important notes:
  • Please only sign up for 1 timeslot
  • Incoming first-year students will have housing assignments visible by the end of the day tomorrow, July 22nd, and can use that information to sign up for the appropriate move in event.
    • Please do not sign up for a timeslot without a room assignment.
  • Students traveling from NY, NJ, or New England states should sign up for the later dates if possible in order to leave the earlier dates open for students traveling from farther away.
Additional information about the move-in process can be found on our FAQ page here: Residential Life Fall 2020 Opening FAQ

 

Best,
Kieran

Kieran J. Duffy ( He, Him pronouns)
Assistant Director of Residential Life
Wesleyan University
237 High Street
Middletown, CT 06459
(860) 685-3429

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

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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

Update for Move-In Plans for Fall 2020 – Zoom Webinar on 7/21

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This is a message from Dean Fran Koerting, Director of Residential Life.

Dear students,

One part of the current testing plan is for all undergraduate students to be tested upon arriving to campus, followed by a self-quarantine in their student residence until they meet the following criteria: Students who are from New York, New Jersey and New England until they receive a negative test result, and all other students, including those coming from another country, until they receive two negative test results (which will likely mean a seven day quarantine).  These students can shorten their quarantine period by having a test done on their own within 72 hours prior to coming to campus and bringing proof of the negative result to campus, which will be considered their first of two negative results.

Therefore, Residential Life is adapting its arrival and move in plan as follows:  All undergraduate students may sign up for a day and timeslot between August 24 through August 30.  The number of timeslots is limited by hour and location in order to facilitate physical distancing as students are moving in.  We ask that students who will only require one negative test result sign up for the latter half of the week, leaving the earlier days for students who need two rounds of testing.  Students living in program houses, wood frame houses and apartments (other than Fauver, Low and High Rise) do not need to sign up for a day and timeslot, but should plan to arrive between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on one of those days.  Any student whose travel plans have them arriving after 7:00 p.m. should email reslife@wesleyan.edu  and we will leave their keys at Public Safety for them.

We are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, July 21 at noon to review the move-in process and answer questions students might have related to housing.  The link is listed below.  The platform for move-in sign-ups will be available on Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m., following the webinar.   If flight arrangements need to be made prior to this time, students may email reslife@wesleyan.edu with the day and time they anticipate arriving on campus and we will reserve that timeslot for them.

Since the sign-ups are based on residence, we hope to have housing assignments for first year and transfer students completed by Wednesday, July 22, so that they may begin making their travel plans.  We are working on assignments for students who do not yet have one and for those who have requested changes.  These students will be able to see their assignment in their WesPortal on August 7, and should wait to sign up for a timeslot until then.

Students who live within a few hours driving distance of campus may drop off their belongings the weekend of August 22-23.  They will be given access to their residence, but will not receive their key until they return the following weekend.  More details regarding this option will be sent next month.

Webinar information: Residential Life:  Move in and Reactivation of Campus
Jul 21, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/92524848848?pwd=SXRtTDk0VzlsdThyNTErWVpCajFEUT09
Password: 597042

We hope you are able to join us next Tuesday.  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns.  We look forward to welcoming those of you who are able to be on campus this fall.  If you are not able to be on campus this fall, please notify us as soon as possible so that we can finalize housing assignments for those who do not yet have one.

Sincerely,

Fran Koerting
Associate Dean/Director of Residential Life

Wesleyan Financial Aid and Student Accounts Virtual Q&A on 7/20

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The following is a message from Admissions, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid.

 

Dear students and families,

I hope that you and your loved ones remain well during these challenging times.

In an effort to keep you well-informed, Director of Financial Aid Bob Coughlin, Director of Student Accounts Robert Mirabal, and I invite you to attend a live webinar this Monday, July 20, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time). This session will address concerns we’re hearing from students and families in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will speak to how to manage student accounts.

During the session, Bob and Robert will also respond to questions you may have pertaining to their respective areas. We encourage you to submit questions in advance.Please also note that both students and family members may use the same link to access the webinar.

Financial Aid and Student Account Q&A
Monday, July 20, 2020
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
Access via Zoom

Webinar ID: 916 9414 1689

Password: 553090

Find your local number: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/u/adD1wg6oqi

We look forward to visiting with you soon.

Best regards,

Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez ‘96
Vice President and Dean of Admission & Financial Aid

Bob Coughlin, Director of Financial Aid

Robert Mirabal, Director of Student Accounts

Reactivating Campus in Fall – A Message from President Michael Roth

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President Roth sent the following message to the campus community on July 8, 2020. I have posted it on our class blog for your convenience.

Wishing you good health,

Dean Leathers

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Dear friends,

As promised in my June message, I am writing now with more specificity concerning our plans to reactivate campus in late August. Since our first priority is the health and safety of our community members, these plans may have to be adjusted in response to changing public health conditions. Whatever these challenging conditions may be, we intend to provide an excellent educational experience (on campus or remotely).

We have developed a robust set of resources on our website about our campus reactivation, including information on instruction and campus life, health and safety, and returning to work on campus. Here are some highlights:

We will begin fall classes on August 31 (one week earlier than initially scheduled), with the possibility of finishing the semester online after Thanksgiving (there will be no traditional fall break). Students will be asked to avoid large gatherings in the weeks before coming to campus and to take increasing precautions, in addition to wearing masks and social distancing. Students who are able to get tested will be encouraged to determine that they are negative for Covid-19 within 48 hours of traveling to campus. Everyone on campus will be tested shortly after arrival, and there will be frequent testing on a regular basis thereafter. Those on campus who test positive for Covid-19 will be provided with supportive isolation until they are no longer contagious. Students who test positive will be able to continue their coursework remotely.

Faculty have been given the choice as to whether they will teach their classes in person, remotely, or in some combination. It is likely that many students will have a portion of their instruction online, whether they return to campus or not. While some staff members will continue to work remotely, there will be a presence of staff on campus.  Apart from the commuting of employees (who will be tested for the virus), we expect little travel to campus.  There will be no program of intercollegiate sports or club sports, but we do plan to have safe athletic training on campus.

Despite the economic challenges we are all contending with, Wesleyan remains firmly committed to both enrolling a socio-economically diverse student body and meeting the full demonstrated need of our financial aid students. Given new regulations from Washington, Wesleyan is particularly concerned about our international students, and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that they can continue to make academic progress in Fall 2020.

Please consult the website for detailed information most relevant to your own circumstances, and feel free to reach out to the appropriate department with your questions. We will continually update this site with more information as it becomes available. We will send out another community message in August, or sooner depending on the public health trajectory. Obviously, we are very concerned about the recent surge in cases in the South and West and are monitoring the situation closely. Our plans may have to change.

We believe in the value of an on-campus education, and the basic steps we need to take are clear. The simple act of wearing a mask consistently reduces the likelihood of transmission. Masks combined with rigorous testing, tracing and supportive isolation will make our campus safer. I look forward to a fall semester in which we take good care of one another and continue to excel in learning together.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Roth

President

SEVP Fall 2020 Guidance Zoom Q&A Sessions for F-1 Students

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As many of you are aware of, on July 6, 2020, Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued new guidance regarding online courses and the fall semester for students in F-1 status. On July 7, 2020, additional information was issued in Frequently Asked Questions for Fall 2020.

The Office of International Student Affairs  (OISA) has scheduled two Zoom sessions to answer all your questions. Please submit your questions here by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday, July 12, 2020. OISA will review your questions and answer them during the sessions.

Zoom Session #1

Thursday, July 16, 2020, 3:00-4:00 pm EDT

Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/99890137466?pwd=WXBOejMzLy9odzA3TUx2Ync1Smlqdz09                                                                                 Meeting ID: 998 9013 7466; Password: 628900

Zoom Session #2

Friday, July 17, 2020, 9:30 to 10:30 am EDT

Meeting ID: 978 2927 5633; Password: 039128

 

Both Zoom sessions will be recorded. If you are not able to join, please email oisa@wesleyan.edu.