Class of 2025 – First Week of Classes

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Greetings, Members of the Class of 2025!

My hope is that your first week of classes has been enjoyable and you are excited for the remainder of the semester. As many of you recall from last year, I often send emails with information I believe you will find important (similar to the email I sent last week welcoming you back to campus).

Last year I sent weekly communications; however, during your sophomore year, I will send less frequent emails. You have completed at least one semester navigating Wesleyan and/or the college experience, so I do not want to crowd your inbox with the same type of content shared last year. This is not to say you won’t still need assistance from me or others on campus. In fact, the sophomore year may create even more questions than you’ve asked before; however, I imagine your questions will be more focused on your academic and personal goals. For these types of questions, please schedule a meeting with me or your liberal arts advisor. Additionally, our Academic Peer Advisors are a great resource for conversation.

I want to share with you the link to our university’s academic calendar which outlines important dates for you to mark down (e.g.: drop/add ends 9/16; grading mode deadline closes 9/30, etc.). The Student Academic Resources office created a nicely organized calendar you can download here. You can also access an electronic version you can import into your google calendar here (select ‘add the dates to your Google Calendar’ on the bottom right side of the webpage). If you wish to pick up a physical copy of this calendar, please stop by my office.

Sending you lots of luck as you get settled into the routines of this semester.

Take care! Dean Dunn

Eco to Go Program

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Dear students,

Wesleyan’s Eco to Go program is expanding its partnership with reUser to make it easier for you to reUse takeout packaging on campus. This fall, you will be able to get your food in reUsable packaging from not only Summies but also Usdan Marketplace! Whenever you need to take food out from the dining hall, you’ll be able to use a durable takeout container that can be dropped off, cleaned, and put back into use. These containers have been linked to the reUser platform for quick drop-off and pick-up through the reUser mobile app. 

You can download the reUser app from the Google Play or Apple App stores via the links below. Please make sure to sign up with your wesleyan.edu email. If you have already downloaded the reUser app, please make sure it is updated to the most recent version before the start of the school year. Check out this helpful video and guide to get started.

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.reuser.classic 

Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reuser/id1580396047

We welcome your feedback! If there is something you would like to see or something we could do to improve your experience, please reach out to James directly at James@reuser.app

We look forward to reUsing together!

Cheers,

The reUser Team

Want to Create a New Club?

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We hope you are excited to explore your interests and find ways to get involved at Wes! If you check out WesNest, you will see all the active student groups on campus and can connect with people through similar interests.

If you’re interested in creating a new group, the New Group Registration Period is now open on WesNest as well. Navigate to “Organizations” and click on the button “Register an Organization” on your left-hand side. There will be a blue button on the bottom of the page to “Register a New Organization.” Follow the instructions on the form and be prepared to submit information about the mission of your group, why it is different than other groups on campus, and a roster of your members.

The NEW GROUP registration period is from September 5th, 2022 at 8:30am until October 28th, 2022 at 11:45pm.

For more information about registering a student group, check out our website. Contact involvement@wesleyan.edu with any questions.

Wes Speed Friending (9/7 at 6pm)

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Think speed dating – but you’re finding friends! Finding it hard to meet new friends and make connections? Looking for ways to be more social this semester?

Check out Speed Friending for fun icebreakers, great conversation, new friends, and free pizza!

Image Description: Text reads “Wes Speed Friending September 7th @6:00PM North College Lobby. Come for the pizza, stay for the connection.”

Enroll Me and Drop Add (8/29 – 9/16)

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Drop/Add begins Monday, August 29 and closes on Friday, September 16. 

Please review the Drop/Add process information available on the Registrar’s website. You must first click the “Enroll Me” button in WesPortal before you can participate in Drop/Add.

Our Senior Associate Registrar, Karri Van Blarcom, has created a helpful video guide about the Drop/Add process. Check it out to prepare for Drop/Add.

 

Xtra Mile Free Shuttle

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Dear Students,

Getting around a new city can be a daunting task—frequently incoming students opt to pay for an Uber instead of braving the bus system. The Wesleyan Sustainability Office has introduced WesPass to make travel affordable and easy. WesPass allows students to ride the Xtramile shuttle service and Middletown Area Transit (MAT) buses for free. Just show the driver your WesID when boarding and you’ll be good to go. 

XtraMile Shuttle

The new FREE XtraMile on-demand shuttle service works to get you around Middletown on your schedule.  Just log into the app and click where you want to go. The shuttle will pick you up where you are, take you to your destination, and bring you back to campus.  It’s that easy!  Xtramile currently has 17 stops within central Middletown, including: Big Lots/Chipotle, Price Chopper, CVS/Aldi, Goodwill, and several places on/around campus and on Main Street, including the bookstore. A current map of stops is available at estuarytransit.org/xtramile.  XtraMile runs Monday through Wednesday 12 – 8 PM, and Thursday through Saturday 12 – 10 PM.  Download the TransLoc app in the Apple or Google Play stores to get started.  Don’t have a smartphone? Call the dispatch center at 860-346-0212.  This pilot program will run through the fall semester. 

Middletown Area Transit (MAT) and 9-Town Transit Buses

Want to get out of the XtraMile service area?  You’ll notice MAT buses passing through campus several times a day. Wesleyan is serviced by routes 583, 584, and 590; and the downtown terminal just three blocks away is serviced by all of the MAT and 9-Town Transit routes. Popular destinations on these routes include Stop & Shop, Walmart, the Meriden Mall, Hammonasset State Park, and more. The MAT bus can also take Wesleyan students to the Meriden Train Station, where you can connect to New Haven, Hartford, Springfield, Bradley Airport, and beyond. 

To locate the bus stops on Wesleyan campus, you can view the campus map on Wesleyan’s website or this poster of nearby destinations. To view the MAT schedules, go to middletownareatransit.org and click on “bus schedules” or scroll down (below the map) and enter your starting and end destinations and the website will generate the best route for you.

Even with all of the information, if you’ve never used public transportation before, braving the bus for the first time can be scary. The Sustainability Office has created this helpful video that walks you through the process of riding the bus. WesPass allows you to navigate Middletown and beyond at no charge. This is a brilliant opportunity to both save money and to travel sustainably; we highly recommend taking advantage of it.  Please direct any questions to sustainability@wesleyan.edu. 

Sincerely,

Jen Kleindienst (Sustainability Director)

Scott Rohde (Director of Public Safety)

August Reflection

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Happy First Day of August, members of the Class of 2025!

My hope is that you are enjoying summer and getting excited to return to campus this fall. I’ve conversed recently with some of your peers about major declaration and career trajectory. If you are a student who knows exactly what you want to major in and what you want to do for a career when you graduate, that’s great! If you are a student who has no idea what you want to major in or what you want to do for a career, that’s great too! Wesleyan’s open-curriculum encourages you to explore courses in many disciplines; this course exploration can often lead students to their passion.

Reflection is an important part of any journey, so I share some questions below you may want to consider now before the hustle and bustle of the fall semester. These questions are intended to evoke personal reflection as you progress through Wesleyan. There are no right or wrong answers; however, take stock of your feelings as you navigate these questions.

Sophomore year can be both exciting and overwhelming as you approach major declaration. I encourage you to share your thoughts with those in available support networks – this may include me, your pre-major liberal arts advisor, a faculty mentor, one of our Academic Peer Advisors, your friends and/or your family.

  1. In what ways have you grown intellectually over the last 12 months?
  2. What are your academic strengths?
  3. Which classes have been most challenging, and how did you handle those challenges?
  4. Are you comfortable sharing your thoughts and ideas with peers in class?
  5. Have you taken advantage of opportunities to learn outside the classroom? What are some examples of this?
  6. Is there a topic on which you might like to do research? How did you become interested in this topic?
  7. What campus resources can you use to navigate the topics addressed in these reflection questions?

If you’d like to chat about these questions with me, I welcome it! Please schedule a zoom meeting with me here to chat more.

Sending you good vibes as we close out the summer – take care! Dean Dunn

Questions borrowed from NACADA, the global community for academic advising.

Summer Session II Classes Begin 6/27

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Summer Session II begins Monday, June 27. It is still possible to register if you submit your registration form, advisor approval and payment by noon on Wed 6/15.

Here is the link to the summer registration form – or you can use the personalized version in your Portal.

The following courses have seats available as of 6/13 at 4pm.

·       MUSC103Z Materials and Design | Instructor: Michael Weinstein-Reiman | Schedule: Tuesday through Friday, 8:30-10:35am

·       WRCT228Z/ENGL259Z The Art of the Personal Essay |  Instructor: Lauren Silber |  Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 1:10-3:15pm

·       IDEA185Z/CIS185Z Digital Media and Design I | Instructor: Chris Chenier | Schedule: Monday through Friday, 9:00-10:40am

·       WRCT201Z/EDST201Z/CGST201Z Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) | Instructor: Elizabeth Hepford | Schedule: Monday through Thursday, 3:30-5:35pm

For more information visit the Summer Session Courses page.

Waste Not! Want Not Job Opportunity

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Are you interested in sorting STUFF? Love thrifting or garage sales? Want to be part of a great team and help carry on one of Wesleyan’s greatest traditions? Then apply to volunteer for Waste Not! Waste Not is Wesleyan’s student-run fall tag sale.  Join the volunteer team to help reduce waste, avoid capitalistic consumption, and provide affordable goods to other students.

Perks include:

– free housing from Tuesday 8/30 – Sunday 9/4

– free food

– first dibs on free stuff from Waste Not and discounts on big items

– opportunity to be PAID to help with move-in cardboard collection on 8/31 (optional)

You’ll move in on Tuesday, August 30 and volunteer about 28 hours between Wednesday, August 31 and Sunday, September 4.  When you sign up for Waste Not, you’ll be required to work at all volunteer shifts and will sign an agreement noting that you’ll be charged if you do not show up on the Saturday or Sunday of the sale.  If you’re interested, fill out this form by Saturday, June 25 at 11:59 PM: https://forms.gle/7giYnxhwfAkN6GQC7. Email wesustainability@gmail.com with any questions.