2010-2011 Academic Catalog 
    
    Dec 13, 2024  
2010-2011 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Student Resources



Housing

Clark University provides housing for approximately 1,500 undergraduate students in eight residence halls and 14 houses. All first- and second-year students are required to live in University housing unless they are commuting from home. Residential Life and Housing staff are available to assist students with a variety of personal and academic concerns. The staff strive to create a living-and-learning environment through social, recreational and educational programs. Dodd Hall is designated as an all-women residence hall. The remaining eight halls are coeducational. All residence halls are smoke free. There are three residence halls designated exclusively for first-year students. Special-interest housing opportunities include a substance-free house (called Wellness House), quiet house, and year-round house.

New student assignments are mailed by mid-July. Each year, returning students participate in the room selection process in April to select their rooms. Approximately, one-third of Clark students commute from home or live in private apartments in the immediate neighborhood. A limited listing of available apartments is compiled by and available at the Office of Residential Life and Housing.

Office of Intercultural Affairs

The Office of Intercultural Affairs (OIA) develops and implements educational and co-curricular programs designed to heighten cultural awareness, appreciation of cultural diversity, and interncultural understanding for all students. The OIA also provides programs specifically to serve the needs of international students, researchers, and faculty through immigration advising and cultural adjustment programs. The OIA staff advises more than 500 international students, faculty, scholars and their dependents from over 80 countries on matters relating to immigration as well as academic, social, financial and personal concerns related to daily life in the United States.

Academic Advancement

Clark University provides enhanced services for the ALANA community. At Clark University this acronym represents students of African, Latino/a, Asian, and Native American descent. The director of Academic Advancement assists students in the development and implementation of their academic and career goals. ALANA and first generation college students are invited to attend the ACE (Academic Clark Excellence) Summer Institute which runs prior to first year orientation. The ACE Summer Institute is designed to prepare them for the rigorous Clark experience and includes academic course previews, building a mentor network around leadership and academic relations, developing personal and social relationships with peers and understanding the community climate of Clark. ALANA students are also invited to participate in the Millennium Leadership Conference November 7, 8, 9, 2008, a conference focusing on addressing the leadership development of ALANA students.

Army and Air Force ROTC

Clark University students may participate in Army and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. U.S. citizens, who are physically qualified, earn their degree from Clark University and satisfactorily complete the ROTC program, will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army or Air Force. Students may request an educational delay of active duty in order to attend graduate school. First-year and sophomore students can compete for two- and three-year scholarships, which are primarily based on academic performance and major. Students interested in Army ROTC should contact the Military Service Department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Students interested in Air Force ROTC should contact the Department of Aerospace Studies at WPI.

Health Services

The Clark University Health Service is a primary-care outpatient clinic that provides on-campus health care to full-time matriculated undergraduate students. It is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and support staff. The clinic, located at 501 Park Avenue, is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is always a physician on call when Health Service is closed.

Students may make an appointment at Health Service with a clinician for diagnosis, treatment, follow-up or counseling regarding health problems. Gynecological and contraceptive services are available.

Massachusetts law requires all full- and part-time students to enroll in a qualifying student health-insurance plan offered by the University or another health-insurance plan with comparable coverage. Failure to submit proof of comparable coverage will result in a student being automatically enrolled in the Clark plan and charged accordingly. In compliance with state law, students may not register for classes until they are enrolled in an insurance plan.

Dean of Students Office

The Dean of Students Office is concerned with the well-being of students living and learning in a community of scholars and works to maximize the quality of student life at Clark. The staff coordinates services related to housing, residential life, intercultural-student services, international-student services, new-student orientation, wellness, health services, student activities, personal counseling and judicial affairs.

The deans are available to meet with students on the wide variety of issues that they encounter during their time at Clark. The Dean of Students Office publishes a student handbook (Synergy), which outlines student support services and the Code of Student Conduct.

Career Services

The Career Services Office provides services and programs to assist students in making informed decisions regarding their career choices. Our professional staff offers assistance in career and graduate-school planning and in the internship and full-time job search. The following services and resources are available:

Career Advising ­ Staff is available to meet with students who want to discuss their choice of major and/or career and graduate-school plans. Career advising helps students clarify their goals, preferences, skills and interests.

Career-Planning Events ­ Workshops are conducted each semester on topics such as resume writing and interviewing skills as well as a variety of panel presentations on specific career fields. Job fairs and graduate-school events are also coordinated to provide students with the opportunity to network.

Career Resources ­ The Career Services Library contains information on career fields, internships, jobs and graduate study. Books and articles on specific job-search strategies are also available.

Clark Career Exploration Program ­ CCEP is a four-year comprehensive program where students discover their interests and skills, explore a variety of possible career paths and their requirements, and develop plans for internships, full-time employment, graduate and professional school. Through this program, students are encouraged to attend career workshops and create portfolios that creatively market their liberal-arts education to employers and/or graduate schools.

Internship Program ­ Career Services encourages students to participate in academic experiences in the field, allowing them to compare academic theory to actual practice while exploring various career options. Students may earn academic credit while working with many public, private and nonprofit organizations located throughout the country.

Letters of Reference Files ­ Career Services has partnered with Interfolio.com, an online letter-of-reference and credential-management service. For a small annual fee, students may have letters sent to the site where they will be housed until needed for employment or graduate school.

Prelaw Advising ­ The Prelaw Advising Program provides services to undergraduates considering careers in law and facilitates the entrance of qualified students into law school. The program, coordinated by Career Services, sponsors workshops, lectures and meetings, and provides informational materials for students. Watch appropriate bulletin boards and publications for announcements of important meetings and events. Students interested in pursuing law-school admission should contact Career Services or Professor Mark Miller in the Political Science Department.

Recruiting Program ­ Clark students can connect with employers through on-campus company presentations, resume referrals and campus interviews. Career Services currently utilizes eCampus Recruiter, a premiere Web-based recruiting system. All students are encouraged to create their profiles and register to begin their career exploration.

The Career Services Office is located on 122 Woodland Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 508-793-7258; e-mail careers@clarku.edu; or visit the Web site at www.clarku.edu/offices/career.

Community Engagement

The Community Engagement and Volunteering (CEV) Center is the first stop for students, faculty, and staff looking to get involved and “Make a Difference” in the Worcester community. By engaging in meaningful community service, students can make a positive difference in the lives of others, gain leadership skills, learn the value of civic responsibility, and experience the richness and diversity of the Worcester community.

The CEV Center maintains a comprehensive database of community agencies, volunteer needs, and service opportunities. The staff works closely with faculty to develop and implement community based learning courses. The CEV also advises and works with several student groups that are active in the Worcester community, including the Making a Difference Scholars.

Throughout the year, the CEV organizes many community oriented events and forums for the Clark community, including the Volunteer Fair, Food for Thought dialogue series, and Just Do It Day. To get involved, visit the CEV Center on the fist floor of Corner House between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, call (508) 421-3785, email cev@clarku.edu or view our Web site at www.clarku.edu/community/volunteer/.

Campus Security

The Clark University campus is served by a 12-member police force duly appointed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts department of State Police. University Police are armed and have full arrest and policing powers.

Police take an active approach to campus security, offering students, faculty and staff educational programs on how to take precautions appropriate to an urban setting. University Police and Physical Plant maintain a network of 61 indoor and outdoor emergency telephones to ensure a quick response to security concerns. An escort service is available for students from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. during the academic year within a quarter mile of the Clark campus. Clark University, as mandated by federal law, reports annually on the security of its campus. A copy of the Campus Security Report is available at Admissions House, University Police and on Clark’s Web site.

Varsity Athletics

Clark’s 17 intercollegiate varsity teams compete as a member of the Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC, and the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), which includes Babson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Springfield College, United States Coast Guard Academy, Wellesley College, Wheaton College and WPI. Clark lacrosse participates in the Pilgrim League, which consists of Babson, Lasell, MIT, Massachusetts Maritime, Norwich, Springfield, and Wheaton.

Men’s varsity sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. The women’s varsity sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. For more information view the athletics Web pages at www.clarku.edu/athletics.cfm.