Happy Fall!

Fall is here and though today’s weather is less than ideal, I look forward to cooler autumn days. I’ve seen many of you outside my office window, eating lunch or studying with peers; your conversations are filled with excitement and laughter – it’s such a delight to hear!

Your class schedule is in full swing so I imagine you are navigating ways to balance classes, course work, student clubs and orgs, perhaps even a part-time job or varsity sport. Don’t forget we have many resources on campus to help you with this balance – if you aren’t sure where to turn, reach out to me and I’ll point you in the right direction.

As always there is a lot happening on campus. WesNest has a great calendar of events to peruse if you’re looking for activities to participate in. Though not an exhaustive list, here are a few approaching events that caught my interest so I wanted to share with you.

  • Wesleyan Film Series featuring Beasts of the Southern Wilde on 9/24, Summer of Soul on 9/25 and Sherlock Junior on 9/26.
  • Various Wes Athletic competitions, including our first home football game tomorrow, Saturday 9/25 at 1pm on Andrus field
  • 2021 Dance Showcase: See Wesleyan’s student dance groups perform their choreography at the annual fall dance showcase on 9/25 at 8pm (Excley Science Center patio)
  • College of Film and the Moving Image Information Session: Tuesday at 8pm in the Goldsmith Family Cinema
  • First Year Workshop: How to Study On Campus presented by the Academic Peer Advisors on 9/30 at 12pm in Usdan 108.

Have a great weekend!

Dean Dunn

Student Ombuds

This semester we are launching a Student Ombuds program at Wesleyan, which is an initiative inspired and informed by student voices.

The Student Ombuds are available to talk with students about your concerns related to experiences in the classroom, with your athletic team, or within other parts of your academic and campus life at Wesleyan.  Each Ombud serves as a neutral and confidential peer resource focused on empowering students to successfully navigate the institution and advocate for yourselves in moments of conflict. 

Here’s just a few of the ways Student Ombuds can offer support:

  • Serve as a private, confidential thought partner for students considering options for resolving an issue
  • 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 observed patterns of concern to university leadership

The Student Ombuds partner with and are supported by Dr. April Ruiz, Dean for Academic Equity, Inclusion, & Success.

Students can connect with any of the individual Ombuds they wish, or they can email studentombud@wesleyan.edu to reach out to the full team and to be assigned to any Ombud whose availability matches theirs.

Our Student Ombuds stand ready to support you throughout the academic year.