President's Report - Wentworth Institute of Technology

1 THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
community police officer position was created to reach out to
students and Mission Hill residents with ongoing efforts to
educate and hold students accountable for their behaviors.
Students who are found responsible for inappropriate behavior
off campus are held to the same standard as if the incident took
place on campus. Sanctions, both punitive and educational, are
being imposed to assist students in learning to make better
decisions in the future.
Marlin Nabors, director of community standards, presented at
the Association for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA) International
Conference in February 2008, on the topic of bringing learning
outcomes into the discipline process. It was the first time in the
history of the ASJA conference that a program was presented
as a partnership of student discipline and student counseling.
He was also invited to make the same presentation at the
National Association for Student Personal Administrators
(NASPA). As a direct result of Nabors’ research, a learning
guide is being used during all disciplinary hearings to ensure
that learning outcomes are being highlighted.
Counseling Center
Outreach to both students and faculty from the Counseling
Center is at an all-time high due to the hiring of a full-time
disability services coordinator, who is reaching out to faculty,
offering training, and acting as a resource for designing
curriculums that appeal to different learning styles. Group
training is available to all faculty and staff, with presentations
being made at academic and department meetings.
Communication to students who benefit from regular check-ins
and additional support is underway, and technologies are
being offered to students with disabilities to improve their
learning experience.
A new coordinator for wellness education, Beth Farrow, hired in
November 2007, is revamping the alcohol and drug educational
programs, to make them more learning based, intentional,
and reflective.
Office of Student Affairs
Annamaria Wenner is involved with the creation of the Wentworth
Risk and Assessment and Prevention Team (WRAP), organized in
response to the Virginia Tech tragedy. During the academic
year, weekly meetings bring together members of student
affairs, academic affairs, athletics, public safety, and enrollment
management. They work together to identify students at risk,
determine methods of outreach to those students, and assist in
any transitions that need to be introduced to assist the student,
be that in the classroom, the residence halls, or in the community.
In the fall of 2007, Wentworth partnered with Mass College of
Pharmacy & Health Sciences (MCPHS) and MassArt to offer an
alternative recreation/fitness facility to students. A new fitness
center, run by Mike Williams, from MCPHS, was opened in
Beatty Hall and has been a great success, with the highest
percentage of students using the facility being from Wentworth.
The Colleges of the Fenway (COF) are working to identify common
needs amongst several schools for collaboration, rather than
always including the six COF schools in new endeavors.
Student Life
Jim Levesque, director of student life, reported that approximately
100 students were selected to serve in leadership positions for
the 2007-2008 academic year. The positions include resident
assistants, orientation leaders, career peers, admissions representatives,
and community standard board members, among
others. These students returned to campus in the beginning of
August to participate in a two and a half week leadership training
program. Students were trained in areas such as team building,
conflict management, critical thinking, diversity, community
building, and problem-solving. Some students who hold more
than one position around campus use this inter-campus experience
to collaborate with each other and build new skill sets.
In September 2007, Levesque was part of a larger Institute effort
which successfully secured a contract with Harvard Vanguard to offer
more comprehensive medical care for Wentworth students. Health
care facilities on campus were updated to adhere to new standards,
provide better facilities for students, and offer a higher level of care.
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