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WESLEYAN STUDENT OMBUDS

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WESLEYAN STUDENT OMBUDS
2024-2025 Academic Year

** This is a paid student job open to all students regardless of work study eligibility **
Basic Position Overview 

The Wesleyan Student Ombuds Program (link) was informed and inspired by student voices and began in Fall 2021.

The Student Ombuds serve as neutral and confidential* resources and thought partners for students who are considering their options for addressing an issue, especially in situations where there are power and positionality differences. The Ombuds can support students who are experiencing or observing unfair treatment, communication breakdown, microaggressions, or other challenging interpersonal matters, particularly when the other party is in a position of power in relation to the student (e.g., a professor, coach, or supervisor). Although separate from the University’s Ombudsperson (link) for staff and faculty, these Student Ombuds use similar conflict resolution and restorative justice practices. Student Ombuds provide information about resources, offer perspective, and advise students as they explore and navigate their options for resolving concerns.

Each cohort of Student Ombuds is selected to represent various academic areas of the institution (i.e., each academic division and Athletics), and to represent a range of perspectives, connections, and lived experiences.

Each Student Ombud earns $17/hour for their work, with between 2 and 5 hours of work each week. As 2024-2025 will be the fourth year of this program, the next cohort of Student Ombuds will play a role in continuing to shape the program and its future. 

Student Ombuds report to Dr. April Ruiz, Dean for Academic Equity, Inclusion, & Success 


Duties include: 

  • Serve as a confidential*, neutral thought partner for students considering their options for resolving an issue, especially when the other party is in a position of power in relation to the student (for example, a professor, coach, or supervisor)
  • Hold a safe and supportive conversational space, simply listening and serving as an impartial sounding board
  • Provide insight on managing challenging conversations
  • Share information about campus resources
  • Explain institutional policies and processes, including those regarding how to make a formal complaint to the University
  • Communicate any patterns of concern to university leadership

*The Student Ombuds stand with survivors of sexual misconduct, though they do not serve as a confidential resource for these matters.

FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE POSITION AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS, VISIT THIS LINK.

*** DEADLINE: SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH ***

Please direct any questions to 

Fulbright for Teaching English Abroad – Info Session & Alumni Insights, Wednesday April 3 12:15-1:15pm, Fisk 201

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Learn about the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Program with special guest Margalit Katz ’22 (they/them). Margalit will Zoom in from Mexico to talk about their experience teaching English there. We will also cover the basics of the Fulbright program and how to apply to Fulbright through Wesleyan.

What is Fulbright? Fulbright U.S. Student Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. in one of 140+ countries. During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. US citizens and nationals eligible to apply for the Fulbright US Student program beginning in junior spring.

Students from all majors and all class years are welcome to attend. Lunch will be served so please RSVP via WesNest to help us with the head count.

Can’t make it to this session in person? Email fellowships@wesleyan.edu to be connected to future Fulbright alumni events and additional resources on applying.

Class of 2025 Graduation – 424 days to go!

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Greetings, Class of 2025

If you can believe it, you will soon select courses for your senior fall semester! Fall 2024 course registration begins 4/2.

For some of you, the fall is your last semester at Wes; for others, you have two more semesters to go. Regardless of your graduation date, you must complete Wesleyan’s graduation requirements to earn your degree. To ensure you will complete graduation requirements, you must be familiar with your major certification form(s) and your credit analysis report – both found on WesPortal. 

The credit analysis report will outline your progress towards completion of Wesleyan’s four graduation requirements, which are as follows:

  • Completion of a major (managed through your major certification form)
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 74.00
  • Minimum number of semesters in residence (six semesters for most students, four or five if a junior or sophomore transfer)
  • 32 earned credits without oversubscription

What is oversubscription? Though Wesleyan has few graduation requirements, one requires students to earn 32 useable credits. Some credits earned are unusable if they do not fall within Wesleyan’s academic regulations, resulting in what is called oversubscription. Your credit analysis will tell you if you are oversubscribed in any category. 

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to know and understand these regulations. You are responsible for ensuring you complete all graduation requirements prior to your graduation date. Prior to course registration next week, you should look at your major certification form(s) and credit analysis report to ensure 1) you are taking the correct courses to complete your major(s) and 2) you are enrolling in credits that will count towards your degree (and not enrolling in credits that will violate oversubscription rules). 

If you have any questions or concerns about this email or anything related to your academic career at Wesleyan, please talk directly with your faculty advisor or schedule an appointment with me as soon as possible. 

I am so excited to see you folks walk across the stage at graduation next year – you are so close. Keep up the amazing work!

Wesleyan Summer Grants

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Wesleyan Summer Grants provide up to $5,000 to fund summer opportunities such as internships, faculty-mentored research, entrepreneurial ventures, volunteer work, field study, creative projects, or an academic program related to your career interests and aspirations.

The first 2024 application window is open from Thursday, February 1st until Thursday, March 28th. This window is only open for studentson need-based financial aid.

The second 2024 application window will be open from Monday, April 1st until Friday, April 26th. This window will be open for all Wesleyan students.

To apply for the 2024 Wesleyan Summer Grant, you must have an approved resume on Handshake and a confirmed summer experience. If you don’t have a summer experience by the end of the first window, you are still eligible to apply in the second window. Applications not selected for funding in the first window will be considered in the second application window (you cannot reapply.)

For complete program information, including eligibility, application components, and timelines, visit the WSG webpage.

Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Prize Summer Stipend

Important to note that this grant is part of the Wesleyan Summer Grants Program and NOT additional funds. 
If a student would like to be considered, they will select this grant on the application and upload their essay. 

Essay: The Wesleyan Black Alumni Council (WBAC) honors the memory and spirit of alumni Bruce D. Hall ’77, James “Donnie” Rochester ’74, and Dwight L. Greene ’70 through a summer experience grant to support projects or research pertaining to the African American experience. Please share how your proposal aligns with this intention. (750 words maximum)

Summer 2024 Financial Aid is Open!

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The Summer Session 2024 Financial Aid application is now open!

If you would like to know how much aid you are eligible to receive for Summer Session before registration opens, please complete your aid application before noon on Thursday, March 21.

Apply via the link in your WesPortal (Courses/Summer Session). Most of the information needed will auto-fill. All you need to do is answer three short questions.

Applying for aid does not mean that you have to take a Summer Session course. It simply allows you to keep open the option of affording one if you want to take one. Summer Session tuition is $4,200 per credit.

Most courses are already listed in WesMaps – feel free to take a look! Please don’t hesitate to contact The Summer Session staff with any questions: https://www.wesleyan.edu/summer/.

Center for the Humanities – Call for Student Fellowship Applications – Due 3/28 at Noon

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Center for the Humanities – Call for Student Fellowship Applications – Due March 31st at Noon

All members of the junior class are invited to apply for a semester-long Student Fellowship at the Center for the Humanities and to attend an Open House on Thursday, February 29th at noon-1pm (95 Pearl Street, lounge) where those interested in applying can learn more about the Student Fellowship Program.  Come meet current student Fellows and learn about their projects and experiences at the Center while enjoying a pizza lunch! 

A total of eight Student Fellowships are awarded each year by the Center’s Advisory Board (four Student Fellows for each semester).  Student Fellows share an office at the Center and take part in Center events and activities. Among these events are the Center’s Monday Night Lecture series; colloquia discussions on Tuesdays, 10:30am-1:00pm; and occasional Center conferences. One course credit is awarded for the Student Fellow’s participation in the Center’s activities.

Applicants for a Student Fellowship must be planning to do a senior project (usually an Honors Thesis) on a topic relating to the Center theme for the semester or year.  The Fall 2024 theme is “Dead Reckonings” and the Spring 2025 theme is “Energy and Exhaustion”; for full theme descriptions click here. The project need not be underway at the time of the application. Student Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with Faculty Fellows, Post-Doctoral Fellows, and Visiting Research Fellows in residence at the Center. The Center also provides up to $500 in travel funding to Student Fellows for travel to archives, libraries, museums, conferences, performances and other sites necessary to the completion of their senior projects.

Applications for student fellowships are due by noon on Thursday, March 28th.  Applicants will be informed of the Center Advisory Board’s decision by Friday, April 5th, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please email Jess Fowler at jmfowler@wesleyan.edu.

For further information, see: http://wesleyan.edu/humanities/fellowships/students.html

Annual Fulbright Webinar (3/7)

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Thursday March 7, 2024 at 2pm (HYBRID: Fisk 201 or Zoom)
Register ahead to attend our annual webinar with Fulbright US Student Program alumni, national program staff, and our Fulbright advisor here at Wesleyan. It’s a great way to learn about Study/Research Grants and English Teaching Assistantships through the Fulbright US Student Program. Juniors and seniors who are US citizens or nationals are eligible to apply this year. (The application portal will open in April.)

We’ll hear from the national program staff and alumni ambassadors first, and then go into a breakout room to break down how the application process works at Wesleyan—all told probably just over an hour. If you’re unsure whether you can join live, register anyway and we can send you the recording after the fact.

Sponsored by the Office of Fellowships at the Fries Center for Global Studies.