Office of Student Affairs
A professional staff headed by the vice president for student affairs directs a variety of services and programs designed to complement the academic experience and to provide personalized support toward the student’s individual development. Included are the following:
Center for Community Service. The Center for Community Service promotes civic responsibility and enhances the educational process through active participation in community service programs and academic service-learning experiences.
The center assists students and faculty in integrating service-learning into the academic experience, develops collaborative partnerships with community agencies and service organizations, and establishes and promotes community service opportunities for individuals, groups, and classes.
The Center for Community Service is located in Gengras Student Union (room 209).
Office of Residential Life. The University housing facilities are designed and staffed to provide a community experience that will support and enrich the academic pursuits of the students. In each residential area there is a full-time professional who is the administrator for the area. This staff member supervises the support staff of trained undergraduate and graduate resident assistants and resident directors. The administrative office is staffed by a director of residential life, an associate director, and two assistant directors. The Office of Residential Life is under the direction of the vice president of student affairs and dean of students. The staff is available for counsel, advice, and information.
A Residence Hall Association provides a self-governance program within the system and an active schedule of social and educational programming.
For further information about the physical facilities of the residential areas, see Campus Facilities .
Health Services. Health Services are available on campus for all full-time undergraduate students and for those part-time students paying the Health Services fee. Students are required to submit an immunization form prior to their arrival on campus.
The University of Hartford and Connecticut state law require that all matriculating students enrolled who were born after 12/31/56 must be protected against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Immunization records showing proof of two doses of measles (the first administered on/after 1/1/69 and on/after the first birthday and the second on/after 1/1/80), one dose of rubella (administered after the first birthday) and one dose of mumps (administered after the first birthday) are required to be sent to Health Services. (Those students born after 1980 still must show proof of two doses.) The disease history is not acceptable. Laboratory evidence of an immune titer is acceptable. MMR vaccines are available at Health Services.
These medical immunization forms are essential, and students not in compliance will not be allowed to register for classes after the first semester. In addition, residential students are required to submit documentation of immunization against meningococcal infection.
The physicians in Health Services see patients on campus by appointment and are on call at all times when Health Services is open during the fall and spring semesters while classes are in session. During these times, Health Services is staffed on site by nurse practitioners and staff nurses to handle medical problems. The University has excellent arrangements with nearby hospitals and physicians to provide for more serious emergencies and extended care.
University Physical Therapy, LLC, a private-practice corporation, located in the Health Services area, is open to the public and the University community for referrals. The clinic is also used by degree candidates in physical therapy for their integrated clinical experiences.
Health Insurance. The Health Services fee includes an accident insurance policy. For further information, please contact the current agent, Willis of Connecticut, LLC, at 800.624.4184, ext. 45391, or 860.756.7391. Insurance claim forms are available at Health Services. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all claims. A health insurance policy covering medical and surgical hospitalization is available to students on an optional basis. It is strongly urged that students not fully covered provide themselves with this coverage at the low student rate. Details are available in the Office of Student Affairs. Full-time international undergraduate students are required to carry the University of Hartford accident and sickness insurance while enrolled at the University.
Counseling and Psychological Services offers a variety of psychological services to students at the University of Hartford. Short-term individual, couples, and group counseling are available for students who need and want help with personal, social, academic and emotional problems. For those students who require specialized or long-term services, the Counseling and Psychological Services staff can arrange appropriate referrals to other professional agencies off campus.
All counseling is confidential. Appointments are made by calling or stopping by the Counseling and Psychological Services office in Gengras Student Union, room 313.
Connections Health Education and Wellness Center. Located in room 116 on the lower level of University Commons, is Connections Health Education and Wellness Center, a comprehensive health promotion service for the University of Hartford campus community. The center offers programming and presentations on a wide variety of issues pertinent to students at this stage of their development, as well as health and wellness resources, an extensive library of books and professional journals, and an informative, user-friendly website: www.hartford.edu/wellness. In its role as a drop-in center where students can access information, talk with a professional, or find support from a peer, the center promotes a holistic living and learning atmosphere that is fun, comfortable, and informative for students, faculty, and staff.
Women and Gender Resource Center. The University of Hartford Women and Gender Resource Center is located on the first level of the Gengras Student Union. The mission of the center is to promote an atmosphere of empowerment through education, activism, and advocacy, as well as to foster a community equitable for all people. This mission is accomplished through campus and community outreach, educational programming and resources, and providing a safe, supportive, and accessible space for both women and men. The Women and Gender Resource Center encourages and facilitates student involvement with the local community by providing students an opportunity to supplement their academic knowledge with practical experience and to develop a sense of civic responsibility. The center is home to an extensive resource library with a collection of books, periodicals, and Web resources to provide current information on a variety of issues relevant to student life.
The Student Success Center (SSC), located behind B Complex across from Hawk Hall, is where students can come to arrange for one-on-one tutoring, have their questions answered, get advice, share concerns or frustrations, learn about upcoming activities, get connected with programming and leadership opportunities on campus, or just hang out in a friendly and supportive location.
The SSC staff provides the resources and support necessary for students to have a successful, enjoyable, and rewarding academic and social experience at the University. This includes connecting students with tutors, information, guidance, and referrals in such areas as study skills, academic support services, mental health and wellness, career exploration and internships, financial aid and scholarships, campus life, intramural athletics, and reminders about important deadlines. SSC staff also help students get involved in clubs and organizations so that they can become an integral part of the University community.
The Student Success Center is a drop-in center with no appointment needed. For assistance, stop by the center, call 860.768.7003, or e-mail ssc@hartford.edu. Find additional information on the SSC website, www.hartford.edu/ssc.
Career Services. Career advising and assistance in selecting a major, as well as in finding professional work, internships, and student employment are available to all full-time and part-time matriculated students, with many services also available to alumni. Early exploration of career fields is encouraged through a wide range of workshops and programs, internships, online and printed career resources, self-assessment tools, and individual sessions with career advisors.
Various programs and services exist to assist students in obtaining employment after graduation. These programs include on-campus and off-campus interviews and information sessions for students, career fairs, online job and internship databases, and seminars and workshops on practical topics, such as interviewing skills, résumé writing, and job search strategies. Many informational and employment resources are available through the Career Services website at www.hartford.edu/career. Career Services is located in Gengras Student Union, room 309.
Student Employment. Career Services also provides assistance to enrolled students seeking part-time, summer, or temporary employment to help meet their educational expenses and to gain work experience. On- and off-campus positions are listed online, through the University’s CareerBridge system at www.hartford.edu/career.
Internships. Internships and cooperative education opportunities assist students in integrating academic study with related professional training. Supervised by faculty advisors, such experiences allow students to explore career possibilities and to make informed career decisions by applying classroom learning in a workplace environment. In addition, many internships offer a stipend or salary, enabling students to help defray the cost of a college education. These learning experiences always involve three parties: the student, the employer, and the student’s internship supervisor (a faculty member designated by the student’s school or college). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that academic credit for such experiences is approved by the appropriate internship supervisor.
The Office of Career Services assists students and their academic advisors in finding internships and cooperative education opportunities that meet the requirements of participating academic programs. An online database of identified experiential education or internship opportunities is included in the University’s CareerBridge service and may be found at the Career Services website, www.hartford.edu/career.
For more information, contact Career Services at 860.768.4287, GSU 309.
International Center. The International Center provides specialized services to international students and scholars. It is also an information resource for American students.
The primary role of the International Center is to assist international students in their successful adjustment to living in a new culture. Assistance is provided through interpreting U.S. social customs, explaining the educational system, and addressing personal concerns (e.g., finances, health, schooling for dependents, housing, language, academic skills) directly or by referral to the appropriate office. The center sponsors social events; assists in organizing an annual, campus wide, international culture program; advises a number of international student groups; and provides a special section of the orientation program for international students.
Programs that strengthen international understanding are organized by the center itself or, if presented by another group, supported and promoted. The center directly assists international student groups wishing to present programs that will help the University community better understand other lands and cultures.
The center also organizes workshops and training sessions to help international students and Americans in the University community learn from one another. For a complete listing of programs and resources, please consult www.hartford.edu/intcenter.
Office of Multicultural Programs. The Office of Multicultural Programs has a commitment to promote understanding, appreciation, and respect for diversity on campus and in the community at large. It provides services and programs to help students of color realize their full academic potential. The Office of Multicultural Programs actively reaches out to African American, Asian American, Native American, West Indian, Puerto Rican, and Latino students, through programs and activities that will assist in their transition to the campus.
The Office of Multicultural Programs provides a variety of supportive services designed to help students of color adjust socially and academically to the University. These services include (a) support and general assistance in adjustment to campus life; (b) sponsoring/cosponsoring seminars and workshops covering topics pertinent to today’s University student; (c) information regarding scholarship resources available to assist in financing a student’s education; (d) ongoing contact with students and assessment of needs and concerns, with referrals made to appropriate campus resources. Students are also encouraged to form study groups and utilize tutoring services as needed.
In order to foster cross-cultural awareness, interaction, and dialogue, the office sponsors a variety of educational/cultural programs during the academic year. These programs involve faculty, students, and staff. The office advises Brothers and Sisters United, Naciones Hispanas Unidas, Caribbean American Student Association, the University of Hartford Gospel Choir, Men of Color Alliance, WSAM Radio, and the UHa Steppez. For more information, call 860.768.5122.
Orientation. The Orientation program provides incoming full-time students with a thorough introduction to the University of Hartford. For details, see Orientation Programs .
Many student leadership opportunities exist within the Orientation program, and more information may be obtained by calling 860.768.4791. |