Enrollment Management & Student Affairs
The mission of the Office of AccessAbility Services is to ensure educational equity for students with documented disabilities by providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations and services. The primary goal of AccessAbility Services is to ensure equal access to programs and activities at Western Connecticut State University. AccessAbility Services calls upon the entire community to facilitate and advocate for the best university environment possible for individuals with disabilities. The AccessAbility Services staff work collaboratively with the university community to accomplish this mission.
Qualified students with documented disabilities who are in need of disability services or reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact AccessAbility Services immediately. The university respects a student’s right to disclose or not to disclose a disability; however, the university is not responsible for providing services or accommodations for students who do not disclose a disability to AccessAbility Services. Students must complete an Accommodation Intake Form and provide appropriate documentation in order to receive services. Communication of a disability to other sources does not serve as a substitute for official notification to AccessAbility Services.
For additional information, contact Elisabeth Werling Morel, AccessAbility Services Director. AccessAbility Services is located in Haas Library 406 and can be reached at (203) 837-8225 (voice), (203) 837-3235 (TTY) or by email at aas@wcsu.edu. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of AccessAbility Services with questions or concerns. Additional information about AccessAbility Services is available at AccessAbility Services. AccessAbility Services is available online.
Discrimination in programs and services due to a disability is prohibited at Western Connecticut State University and is a violation of state and federal law. To file a complaint of discrimination because of a disability, contact Fred Cratty, Chief Diversity Officer, University Hall 115, at (203) 837-8277 or http://ode@wcsu.edu. Please note that the discrimination complaint procedure does not replace and is not a substitute for other established university procedures such as judicial, grade appeal, housing, public safety or other such policies and procedures. Students with disabilities are held to the same standards and must follow established policies and procedures as other students at Western Connecticut State University.
The Center for Student Involvement
| Dennis Leszko, Director of the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) | |
| Midtown Student Center 227 | |
| Phone: (203) 837-3954 |
The Center for Student Involvement (CSI) is the main point of contact for students wanting to form a new club or organization and those currently involved with one. CSI is where student organizations register and receive information and support. The CSI staff advises in the operation of more than 70 student organizations, including the Student Government Association, and Program Activities Council, and provides assistance with leadership development, university policies, and event planning. The CSI staff also coordinates programs, events, and activities on campus organized by and for students.
Clubs and Organizations
| Student Government Association (SGA) | Student Center, Room 215 |
The SGA is the official voice of the student body. It appoints student representatives to university committees, allocates the student activities fee to student organizations, and protects student rights. If you are interested in serving your fellow students, stop by the office.
| Fraternity and Sorority Life Council | Student Center, Room 219 |
This is the governing body for all social Greek letter organizations. For information concerning any Greek organization, just call or stop by.
| Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) | |
The IRHA is the governing body for each of the Residence Hall Councils. Representatives are elected from each residence hall.
| Program Activities Council (PAC) | Student Center, Room 219 |
PAC is the main programming board for student activities. Throughout the semester, PAC organizes various trips, game shows, comedians, movies, and more for your entertainment pleasure. If you have an interest in advertising or planning campus events, concerts, and shows, then stop by the office to join or attend a meeting.
| Student Veterans Organization (SVO) | |
| Student Center, Room 208 |
The SVO is a club established in 2009 to acknowledge the needs of WCSU’s veterans who wish to better integrate into the university community. Officially recognized and endorsed by the Student Government Association, the SVO is comprised of student veterans who wish to support and serve other veterans – at WCSU and abroad – in a number of ways.
| WXCI Campus Radio | Phone: (203) 837-8387 |
| Student Center, Room 213 | |
91.7 WXCI is a student-run college radio station located on the Midtown campus. Since its inception in 1973, WXCI has remained the second largest college station in Connecticut, pumping 3,000 watts of power through its transmitter.
Other Student Organizations
For a complete list of student organizations, visit CSI Website.
Counseling Services
The Counseling Services provide individual and group counseling in a safe, confidential and supportive environment. Counseling is provided to help students address personal, interpersonal and academic concerns. In addition, a wide range of services including outreach, psycho-educational workshops, training and consultation are offered to students, administration, faculty and staff
Services are available to all matriculated undergraduate and graduate students at Western Connecticut State University. Students can call Counseling Services at (203) 837-8690 or stop by the Student Health & Wellness Center in Newbury Hall, to make an appointment. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. In case of a mental health crisis outside of regular business hours, call campus police at (203) 837-9300 or dial 911.
Health Services
The Health Services office, located in the Student Health & Wellness Center in Newbury Hall, provides students with acute/episodic care and health education when classes are in session. It is staffed by a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, and an administrative assistant. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Appointments are required. Changes in hours are reported to the Office of the Dean of Student Success and Engagement, University Police, and the Office of Housing and Residence Life.
There is no charge for office visits at Health Services. Any prescription medications disepensed at Health Services are the student’s responsibility and will be added to the tuition bill citing only a Health Services fee. Alternately, if a prescription medication is ordered students may elect to use any pharmacy to fill the order (and use insurance coverage if applicable).
If our medical staff refers a student to a specialist, an urgent care, radiology, laboratory diagnostics or the local emergency department at Danbury Hospital, the student’s health insurance plan would apply, including all applicable co-pays and co-insurances. WCSU Health Services cannot guarantee benefits and eligibility at the time services are rendered.
Immunizations
All students must complete the Connecticut State University Student Health Service Form. This form includes proof of two measles, two mumps, two rubella, and two varicella immunizations. In lieu of the immunization records, the lab results of positive titers (blood test) may be submitted. All residents living in on-campus housing are required to show proof of having received a dose of the meningococcal conjugate (A,C,Y&-135) immunization. This vaccine is required to have been administered within 5 years of the first day of classes and submitted to Health Services before a room assignment from Resident Life.
The University will only permit immunization exemptions for medical reasons in accordance with the Connecticut State Law.
The medical exemption waiver form is available for download at www.wcsu.edu/healthservices/onlineforms/
“New religious exemptions are no longer accepted, however exemptions documented prior to April 2021 will be honored and proof of that documentation must be submitted to WCSU”. Exemptions subject the individual to exclusion from campus in the event of an outbreak of disease for which immunizations are required.
Some academic programs may require additional immunizations or examinations prior to the student’s participation in an internship or other assignment. Please refer to individual department for additional requirements.
For immunization availably, please contact your health care provider or local health department.
The Department of Housing and Residence Life offers its residents an integrated program known as CULTURE™, which stands for “Creating Undergraduate Learning Through Unique Residential Experiences.”
The CULTURE™ program is designed to help students excel academically and provides myriad opportunities for community and leadership development. Students who live on campus are expected to participate in and support their living and learning environments.
Once you have decided to live on campus, it is essential to find the residence hall that best suits your needs. There are six halls at WCSU: three on the Midtown campus and three on Westside.
Residence Halls
Midtown
The three residence halls on the Midtown campus are all traditional-style residence halls. Newbury, Litchfield, and Fairfield halls are coeducational.
Rooms have basic cable, and students may access the Internet (wired and wireless) through the campus program.
Most Midtown rooms accommodate two students. Beds, desks, chairs, and dressers are provided, and roommates may enhance the decor with items such as drapes, bedspreads, rugs, and lamps. Linens are not provided, so students must supply their mattress pads, pillows, sheets, towels, and pillowcases. All beds are regular twin size.
Westside
Centennial Hall
Centennial Hall is a suite-style hall with furnished suites that typically have a living room, two bedrooms and toilet, shower, and sink rooms. Kitchens are not provided in this residence hall, and residents are required to participate in the Platinum Dining plan.
Typically, four students share a suite. Basic cable and Internet access (wired and wireless) through the campus service is provided. Study lounges are located on each floor, and a large multi-purpose area is located on the ground floor. There is a parking garage at the rear of the building.
Centennial Hall is scheduled to be offline for the 2023-24 academic year.
Grasso Hall
Grasso Hall is an apartment-style, upper-class residence hall. Each apartment is furnished and has two bedrooms, a living/dining room, a kitchen, and a bathroom and is provided with basic cable service and access to the Internet (wired and wireless) via the campus provider.
Traditionally, four students live in each apartment — two students per bedroom. While Grasso students are usually very involved in academic and campus life, they still maintain an active hall council, which provides a variety of social and educational events throughout the year.
Pinney Hall *Offline for the 2024-2025 Academic Year
A 430-person apartment-style building for upper-class students, Pinney Hall has five-person apartments that include three furnished bedrooms, two bathrooms, a furnished living and dining area, a full-sized kitchen, and a balcony. In addition, there are two-story floor lounges spaced throughout the building, as well as a fitness center. All apartments are provided with basic cable service and access to the Internet (wired and wireless) via the campus provider.
Application for On-Campus Housing
When students are accepted to the university, they may apply for housing after paying their $250 non-refundable housing deposit at www.wcsu.edu/ezpay. Approximately 6 hours later, or when they receive an email confirming their deposit from Housing@wcsu.edu, they may complete an online application on the Housing Portal. Only full-time, matriculated students are eligible to live in on-campus housing. The confirmation email is only sent to your WCSU email account.
Commuter students who have not lived on campus previously may also apply to live on campus for the following semester and will be placed as space allows. Applications are available once the non-refundable $250 housing deposit has been paid (www.wcsu.edu/ezpay), and students then complete the housing application available on the Housing Portal.
Students who become on-campus residents must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and meet the guidelines for satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible for on-campus housing. First-year students typically live on the Midtown campus. Returning students usually live on the Westside, their placement determined by room selection and eligibility for a building based on age, credits earned, and Priority Points. Because of the overall demand for on-campus housing, students are encouraged to apply early for housing.
Meal Plans
All students living on campus are required to be on a meal plan.
In Fairfield, Litchfield, and Newbury, residents can select from the Diamond, Ultimate, or the Platinum Wolves plan when signing up in the Housing Portal before the start of the semester. Residents can make changes to their selected wolves plan at any time before the start of the semester. The default meal plan for midtown is the Ultimate Wolves plan.
Centennial residents can select from the Diamond, Ultimate, or the Platinum Wolves plan in their Housing Portal. Residents can make changes to their selected wolves plan at any time before the start of the semester. The default meal plan for Centennial is the platinum wolves plan.
Grasso and Pinney residents can select from the Diamond, Ultimate, Platinum or Blue Wolves plan in their Housing Portal. Residents can make changes to their selected wolves plan at any time before the start of the semester. The default meal plan for Grasso and Pinney is the Blue Wolves Plan.
Off-Campus Housing
The Department of Housing & Residence Life does not provide access to off-campus listings.
Inter-Cultural Affairs
The Office of InterCultural Affairs serves as a resource for the university and the community in promoting an awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity. The Office of InterCultural Affairs was established in 2017 to promote and implement multicultural programming and is a positive force in the lives our diverse students at Western Connecticut State University.
Judicial Affairs
The Office of Judicial Affairs administers the student discipline process and serves as a liaison to all university departments regarding matters pertaining to student conduct. All WCSU students are expected to adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the CSCU Student Code of Conduct. Formal complaints, as well as inquiries concerning the student discipline system and student discipline records, should be directed to the Director of Judicial Affairs at (203) 837-8770.
Student Code of Conduct
The CSCU Student Code of Conduct is intended to present a clear statement of student rights and responsibilities established by the Board of Regents for Higher Education. The BOR has charged the President of the Board of Regents for Higher Education with developing procedures to protect those rights and to address the abdication of responsibilities in collaboration with the four State Universities, the twelve Community Colleges and Charter Oak State College. The Student Code describes the types of acts that are not acceptable in an academic community.
PREAMBLE
Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well-being of society. In line with this purpose, the Board of Regents for Higher Education (“BOR”) in conjunction with the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (“CSCU”) has the duty to protect the freedoms of inquiry and expression, and furthermore, has the responsibility to encourage all of its members to develop the capacity for critical judgment in their sustained and independent search for truth.
CSCU has certain self-defined institutional values. Principal among these values is respect for the safety, dignity, rights, and individuality of each member of the CSCU Community. The opportunity to live, study, and work in an institution which values diverse intellectual and cultural perspectives and encourages discussion and debate about competing ideas in an atmosphere of civility is a basic component of quality higher education.
All members of CSCU must at all times govern their social and academic interactions with tolerance and mutual respect so that the students who pass through a CSCU door are enriched by these experiences and are prepared for full and enlightened participation in a multi-cultural society. Because of the BOR’s and CSCU’s commitment to principles of pluralism, mutual respect, and civility, certain activities are not acceptable on CSCU campuses. Acts of intolerance, of hatred or violence based on race, religion, sexual orientation or expression, disability, gender, age, or ethnic background are antithetical to the BOR’s and CSCU’s fundamental principles and values. It is the BOR’s and CSCU’s responsibility to protect our students’ right to learn by establishing an environment of civility.
The disciplinary process is intended to be part of the educational mission of CSCU. Student disciplinary proceedings are not criminal proceedings and are not subject to court rules of procedure and evidence.
The complete “Student Code of Conduct” can be found in the Student Handbook, which is available on the WCSU website.
New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation is designed to meet the needs of incoming students and to answer questions they may have about WCSU and the college experience. For students entering WCSU in the fall semester, orientation consists of two programs; summer orientation and welcome weekend.
During summer orientation, students have the opportunity to meet other new students, create and get their schedule, pick up their ID, meet Orientation Leaders, and get familiar with and connected to campus life. Welcome Weekend is organized around the weekend before the semester begins. At this time, resident students move into the residence halls. Both commuter and resident students and their families are officially welcomed during WCSU’s “Entering the Gates” ceremony. Workshops are offered for both parents and students and often include special orientation programs for commuter students, transfer students, and international students. Welcome Weekend also includes social events, lectures, movies, concerts, and other activities intended to welcome students to campus.
If you would like more information about New Student Orientation, please check out the orientation website or please call (203) 837-9700.
The Substance Abuse Prevention Program (CHOICES)
The Substance Misuse Prevention Program at WCSU is called CHOICES (Cultivating Healthy Opportunities in College Environments). We believe that all students want to succeed both academically and personally and fulfill their potential during their college years. When substance misuse gets in the way, it can seriously derail those dreams.
The goal of the office is to provide confidential counseling for students experiencing problems with substance use, resources, information, and services that help students make informed and responsible decisions about the use of alcohol and/or drugs; to collaborate with student organizations, faculty, and staff in planning fun alternative activities that promote healthy lifestyle choices; and to work with students in creating positive changes on campus and to reduce underage and binge drinking.
The CHOICES program provides accurate, current information on alcohol and other drugs; conducts individual screenings and assessments for students on a voluntary or referral basis; refers students to counseling and support services on and off campus; provides support for any student concerned about someone else’s use/misuse; plans educational workshops and trainings for faculty, staff and students on overdose prevention, suicide prevention and problem gambling.
All services are confidential. We encourage all students to participate in our programs, activities, the Alcohol Task Force, and Choices Peer Educators Program. For more information, please call (203) 837-8897 to make an appointment.