2023-2024 Undergraduate Students Update

Wilkes University notifies the campus community of emergency and crisis situations using Wilkes Alerts. These messages provide information on what is happening, what to do, and links to available additional information. The University employs text and email messaging as another technological solution for communicating swiftly and effectively with our campus community in the event of an extreme emergency on campus.

This system will be used only for emergency communication and not for general information or advertisements. While there is no charge to register a phone, your service provider may charge you a nominal fee for the airtime used for receiving these messages. Possible uses for this system will include closures and delays, community crime notifications, weather emergencies and power outages.

University faculty, staff and students Wilkes email addresses are automatically enrolled into Wilkes Alerts. Your Wilkes Alert account is accessible via the Wilkes Portal using your Wilkes username and password. Parents, guardians, and family members of students should ask their student to add their phone number and email address as their second or third contact numbers.

Once your cell phone is registered and validated, a text message will let you know that you have successfully signed up for the notifications.

In support of our emergency notification system, Wilkes University also offers a public safety app called the Wilkes Shield. This app is free to download at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Once downloaded onto your smartphone, users have the ability to make emergency calls to the University Police Department, send/ receive real time text messages on the iReport function and access campus resource information. The app also has a COVID-self assessment tool designed to assist the user in determining their health safety before coming to campus.

Those who have signed up for parking this semester will be notified by email of additional information related to when and where to pick their parking permit.

Individuals who do not pick up their permit on the assigned date may forfeit their ability to park on campus and their application will be moved to the back of the list for further consideration.

If you would like extra support in a class, take advantage of our peer tutoring. The individual tutor request form, small group, and supplemental instruction schedules will be posted online and emailed to students in selected classes.

Peer Tutoring Schedules

Students can make individual appointments with one of our learning specialists to identify and develop appropriate strategies to improve their learning. Areas of focus may include strategic time/task management, goal setting and motivation, textbook reading, note-taking, and preparing for exams.

Worried about falling behind and want to get ahead of the challenge of this semester? The Office of Academic Success has the resources and services to help you. Access online resources on the Colonels’ Bridge to the Future site on D2L.

If you have a documented disability and are in need of accommodations, please contact Katy Betnar (katy.betnar@wilkes.edu).

Students already registered with our office can contact Sandra Rendina (sandra.rendina@wilkes.edu) to renew academic accommodations for the fall. The Disability Support Services Office is located in Conyngham Hall.

For more information, please review the online documentation guidelines and related information.

Your professors have the opportunity to share any concerns they have about your performance through an early alert message. Early alert allows you to be proactive in developing new plans or approaches to your coursework. You will receive an email with the professor's concerns. A copy is also received by your advisor and the Office of Academic Success. These alerts give us the opportunity to help you continue towards your academic goals.

The beginning of the semester will be a great time to reconnect with your academic advisor! Be sure to contact them to set a meeting the first few weeks of the fall semester. Keeping your advisor informed of anything that may affect your educational plan can allow them the opportunity to support you along your academic pathway. You will also want to be sure your advisor is aware of your progress or any difficulties you are facing. They can lead you to academic support that may be helpful. Your advisor will help guide you through your college curriculum, along with providing professional and career support.

Advising Coordinators in the Office of Academic Success work as part of the team of professionals to provide advising support to advisors and students in the academic colleges and schools across campus.

If you are unable to reach your advisor, you can email the advising coordinators for additional support at advising@wilkes.edu.

The GPA Adjustment Policy is a policy and procedure for a student to request removal of substandard grades in majors/programs for which they attempted, but did not continue to pursue. Specific conditions must be met in order for the policy to be enacted.

The complete policy, its procedure and the form are available below.

GPA Adjustment Policy Request Form

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Policy Summary

1. The student must change majors/programs. This can include changing between declared majors/programs, changing from declared majors/programs to "undeclared," or changing from "undeclared" to declared majors/programs.
2. The student must receive permission from the Department Chair of the new major to invoke this policy along with the support of staff in the Office of Academic Success.
3. The student may initiate the GPA Adjustment Policy anytime during his/her current academic career. A returning student may apply the Policy to previously completed courses with no time limit.
4. The student may only apply a maximum of 18 credit hours of courses to the GPA Adjustment Policy during his/her academic career at Wilkes.
5. The student must follow the Director of Financial Aid's Federal Guidelines regarding the maximum number of acceptable credits earned each academic year and minimum GPA. This implies that the Policy may be applied more than once during his/her academic career at Wilkes as long as the student follows the Federal Guidelines and changes majors/programs a second time.

University policy requires that all students living in university owned housing or participating in an intercollegiate athletic program must show proof of health insurance in addition to the completed health form before receiving keys for housing.

International students on an F or J visa must have proof of health insurance and can write to the International Office (cathylee.arcuino@wilkes.edu) for suggestions of companies that meet requirements. Wilkes University does not offer any type of student health plan. It is up to the individual to obtain health care coverage privately.

• In an effort to reduce face to face symptom assessment, all visits will be made by appointment only after answering a few questions prior to making the appointment. Please call 570-408-4730.
• Doctor's hours will remain Tuesday 9 to 11 and Wednesday 10 to 12 by appointment only.
• Telemedicine will be offered via a secure internet/HIPPA compliant system. For a telemedicine appointment call 570-408-4730. You will be instructed how to access telemedicine when you are making the appointment.
• Allergy shots and other injections, including Mantoux testing, will require an appointment. Call 570-408-4730.
• Appointments can be made between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. The office will be closed from 12 to 1 for lunch.
• For Wilkes University Counseling Center appointments, please visit the counseling center page.
• In case of an emergency, call 911.

• Carter Henritzy, President, Student Government
• Natalie Hernandez, President, Residence Hall Council
• Caleb Gething, President, Commuter Council
• Kathrine Ermeus, President, Multi-Cultural Student Coalition
• Kim Wheeler, President, Programming Board

Wilkes University is committed to providing a welcoming environment for all members of our community and to ensuring that all educational and employment decisions are based on individuals' abilities and qualifications. Wilkes University prohibits discrimination in its educational programs, employment, admissions or any activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local laws.

Consistent with this principle, Wilkes University will comply with state and federal laws such as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act or other applicable state law, Title IX, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Ethnic Intimidation Act of 1982 (P.L. 537-154) and other laws that prohibit discrimination.

As a recipient of federal financial assistance for education activities, Wilkes University is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to ensure that all of its education programs and activities do not discriminate on the basis of sex/gender, including in admissions and employment. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking are forms of sex discrimination, which are prohibited under Title IX and this policy.

All members and visitors of the Wilkes University community have the right to raise concerns or make a complaint regarding discrimination under this Policy without fear of retaliation. Inquiries about this Policy statement may be addressed to the University's Title IX Coordinator in person, by mail, by telephone, or by email, using the contact information listed below. A report may be made at any time (including during non-business hours). Anonymous complaints may also be made via the online reporting form.

Title IX Coordinator

Deputy Title IX Coordinators

Student Coordinator

Faculty & Staff Coordinator

Inquiries about Title IX may be directed to Wilkes University’s Title IX Coordinator, the Assistant Secretary, or both. The Assistant Secretary can be contacted at U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202, or (800) 421-3481. For further information on notice of non-discrimination, you can find the address and phone number of the OCR office that serves your area online external website or call 1-800-421-3481.

Information regarding graduation and persistence rates as required by the Students’ Right to Know Act is available at the Student Life and Success Dean’s Office, the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Admissions and the Athletic Director’s Office. Consistent with law, this information is disseminated according to regulations.

The Wilkes University Police Department prepares and distributes the For Your Safety Annual Safety and Security Report. This document is prepared in compliance with Act 73 of 1988 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 USC 1092(f). This report is available in hard copy format upon request during normal business hours at the Department of Public Safety, 148 S. Main St.; the Office of Admissions, Chase Hall, Reception Area; Student Life and Success Deans Office, Passan Hall, Reception Area. An electronic copy of this report is available on the University website. Additionally, daily logs and crime logs are available for review during normal business hours at the DEPARTMENT of Public Safety. Any questions regarding this report and the specific requirements of the Acts that govern its production can be addressed to the DEPARTMENT of Public Safety, ext. 4982

Please take a few moments to review the documents linked below. They provides important drug and alcohol information, including:

• Effects associated with drug and alcohol use and abuse.
• Federal, state and local laws and campus policies.
• Resources for those seeking professional help.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention

The University encourages all students to take seriously their responsibility, as citizens, to vote. Voter registration information is available online at usa.gov/register-to-vote external website. It takes only minutes to register!