Academic Support Center
Academic Commons, Goddard Library, first floor
The Office for Academic Support helps all students achieve their full academic potential through subject area specific and success tutoring, Writing Center consulting, and academic coaching.
Tutoring
The Academic Support Center provides one-on-one peer tutoring in a variety of subjects. Frequently used tutoring services include support for Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, Game Design, and Psychology. Additionally, we provide Peer Success Tutoring, which assists students with academic skills that apply to all academic disciplines. Peer Success Tutors help students improve their time management, organization, and study skills. Tutoring services can be booked through https://clarku.mywconline.net/. Appointments can be in person or online.
Writing Center Consulting
The Writing Center assists students with writing in every discipline in the university, and will help with writing at any stage - whether a student writer is brainstorming ideas, writing a first draft, or editing a final version. Students can get help starting projects, organizing their thoughts, revising drafts, and working with citations, and will improve the mechanics of their written English and learn to avoid plagiarism. Students can bring writing for any class, in any discipline, as well as cover letters, résumés, and personal statements. Students can schedule a Writing Center appointment (in person or online) at https://clarku.mywconline.com .
Academic Coaching
In addition to our tutoring and writing center student staff, the Academic Support Center has professional staff members who provide students with academic coaching. Academic coaching can include defining academic goals, making short-term and long-term academic success plans, developing study, organization, and reading skills, providing advocacy with faculty and other staff, and much more. To learn more about our professional staff and book appointments, visit clarku.edu/offices/academic-support/meet-the-staff/.
Athletics and Recreation
The Department of Athletics and Recreation provides students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to gain a sense of physical well-being through various forms of activity. Because everyone has a different approach to achieving their own level of personal fitness, Clark Athletics and Recreation offers both individual and team activities, at varying levels of competition, in four structured forms of recreation: intercollegiate athletics, club sports, intramural athletics, and wellness activities.
Intercollegiate Athletics
Clark’s 17 intercollegiate varsity teams compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Locally, Clark competes in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), which also includes Babson College, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, United States Coast Guard Academy, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Men’s varsity sports are baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. Women’s varsity sports are basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball.
Club Sports
Club sports offers members of the Clark University community the opportunity to participate in non-Varsity intercollegiate athletic competition and formalized group instruction. Club Sports are recognized student organizations that establish their own leadership, structure, membership requirements, competition schedules, dues, and fundraising events. The clubs provide social, competitive, instructional, and safe environments based on the common interests of the participating members. Club offerings include basketball, equestrian, golf, ice hockey, soccer, quadball, squash, ultimate frisbee, volleyball. Students should visit engage.clarku.edu to learn more about club offerings and events.
Intramural Athletics
Clark’s intramural program gives students the chance to participate in organized physical activities without the demands of varsity intercollegiate athletics - but with the same enjoyment and achievement. Clark students supervise all activities.
Clark Alert
Clark ALERT is Clark University’s emergency notification system, which uses a variety of methods to contact students, faculty, and staff, including:
- Text messages (SMS) to mobile devices
- Voice calls to mobile phones and off-campus phone numbers.
- E-mails to Clark and non-Clark addresses
It is important that students verify and keep their contact information updated to receive these important announcements/alerts.
Clark OneCard
The Clark OneCard is your official University identification and should be carried with you at all times. The OneCard looks like an ordinary University ID, but it’s much more than that. The OneCard acts as a key to a number of services on campus including access to residential and academic buildings, athletic facilities, Dolan Field House, Dana Commons, Goddard Library, meal plans, and the CashCard Program.
When the OneCard is used as a CashCard -comparable to a debit card- it can be used on and off campus. On-campus services and amenities include Clark Dining Hall, Higgins Bistro, Clark on-line bookstore, the Clark Campus Store, and university printing. A list of off-campus venues where the CashCard is accepted can be found on the OneCard webpage: https://www.clarku.edu/offices/onecard-cashcard/.
In order to request a OneCard, visit https://www.clarku.edu/offices/onecard-cashcard/. Most FAQ’s can be found on our webpage. A missing or damaged OneCard should be reported to University Police or the OneCard office as soon as possible. A fee is charged to replace lost or damaged cards.
Community Engagement and Volunteering
The Community Engagement and Volunteering Office supports Clark’s commitment to the community by connecting students with local organizations for community-based learning courses, volunteerism, and internships.
The Community-Based Student Employment (CBSE) program is also coordinated through the CEV Office. The CBSE program partners with organizations from the local Worcester community to offer paid, part-time jobs for undergraduate students. The program aims to strengthen campus-community partnerships by supporting positions that address the needs of community partners while providing Clark students with valuable work experience and a deeper understanding of the neighborhood. To apply for these positions, you must receive a work-study award
English as a Second Language: American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI)
If English is not your first language and you would like to study Academic English, or you need additional language support in your Clark classes, you should contact ALCI. ALCI offers a variety of programs, services, and noncredit ESL classes in five levels of instruction. Undergraduates may be required to take Expository Writing for Nonnative Speakers of English (ESL 0155 for credit), which is taught by an English as a Second Language professional.
For more information about ALCI classes and/or programs, email ALCI@clarku.edu.
The CEV Office also coordinates co-curricular programming on and off campus that help students develop knowledge and skills for socially responsible, global citizenship, by fostering ongoing engagement with the Main South community and Worcester as a city.
Health Services
Clark University Health Service provides on-campus medical care to undergraduate and graduate 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 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, during the academic year. Health Services operates by appointment only, students should call 508-793-7467 to schedule. There is a physician on call when Health Services is closed year-round.
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.
When visiting Health Services, undergraduate students have no office visit fee, but may have fees for other billable services. While graduate students may use health services on a fee-for-service basis including the office visit itself.
Housing
On-campus housing is available for undergraduate and graduate students through the Office of Residential Life & Housing.
Clark University can provide housing for approximately 1,650 undergraduate and graduate students in eight residence halls and 11 houses. All students are required to live in University housing for their first four semesters unless they are commuting from home within the Worcester city limits or receive an exemption from Residential Life & Housing. Residential Life & Housing professional and student staff are available to assist students with a variety of personal, social, and academic concerns. The staff strive to create a living-and-learning environment through social, recreational and educational events and initiatives.
Seven of the residence halls are coeducational by room, floor, or wing. Dodd Hall is a mixed-year community that welcomes all students who identify as women and/or gender identify within the trans* umbrella. There are four residence halls focused on the First Year Experience - Wright, Bullock, Dana, and Hughes. Blackstone, Maywood Hall, and Johnson Sanford Center are upper-class student residence halls. In addition to residence halls upper-class students also have access to apartment and suite style living options in a variety of houses on campus including the Affinity House.
New student assignments are typically finalized and communicated to first-year and transfer students in late July. Each year, returning students participate in the room selection process in March/April to select their rooms for the upcoming academic year. Approximately, one-third of students commute from home or live in private apartments in the immediate neighborhood.
There is limited availability for graduate student housing on campus. Priority is given to graduate students who are signing up for a 10-month contract and who complete their housing requests by June 1, 2023 for the Fall semester and November 1, 2023 for the Spring semester.
Room keys and mailbox combinations are issued to students upon arrival at Clark. Fees are charged for the replacement of keys that are lost during the year. It is mandatory to return room keys before leaving campus at the end of the academic year.
Identity, Student Engagement, and Access (ISEA)
The Office of Identity, Student Engagement, and Access (ISEA) enhances access to community and resources for students to ensure they know they belong and can thrive during their time at Clark. Our team empowers students holistically by providing access to cultural capital and resources to communities that have been systematically and historically underserved. Our space seeks to honor the advocacy, activism, and legacy of the students, staff, and faculty who have come before us, making this space and community possible. Through intentional mentoring, identity-center experiences, and spaces that build community, we advocate for and empower students to find their voice and provide support as they actualize their potential.
ISEA currently supports students who identify as:
- Students of African American/Black, Latine/Latinx, Asian/Desi-American, Pacific Islander, Native/Indigenous, and Multiracial descent
- Students in the LGBTQIA+ community, exploring their identity as it relates to gender and sexuality, and larger gender diverse population
- First-generation college students whose parents/guardians did not complete a bachelor’s degree (does not include siblings)
- Student populations who may need support and new resourced initiatives may expand over time
International Center
The International Center at Corner House provides services for outbound and inbound students, scholars, and employees. We provide programs and support to people from around the world as they seek to achieve their academic and professional goals. We collaborate closely with our colleagues in Clark’s schools, departments, and administrative offices to ensure that our students, scholars, and employees have extraordinary experiences. The International Center includes four different offices: American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI), International Programs, and the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), and the Office of Study Abroad and Away. While each office has its own specialization, everyone who works in the International Center is committed to supporting the needs of the international community at Clark.
The programs and services the International Center provide are centered on enhancing the international education at Clark. We organize programs and facilitate international opportunities that create connections across the world and across campus, create spaces to ask questions, and support cultural adjustment in Worcester as well as abroad. The American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI) provides academic support for students for whom English is not their first language who are interested in further developing their English skills.
The International Programs office is responsible for establishing and maintaining international agreements such as exchange agreements, direct enroll programs, and bilateral agreements. The International Programs office also provides support and advising for visiting international students, who are studying for one or two semesters.
The International Student and Scholars Office (ISSO) serves the needs of international students, researchers, and faculty through immigration advising and document processing. The ISSO advises more than 1,000 international students, faculty, scholars and their dependents from over 80 countries.
The Office of Study Abroad and Away Study Abroad and Away Office supports inbound and outbound exchange students in selecting an experience, throughout their time as an exchange student, and once Clark students return to Clark.
Research Centers and Institutes
The Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice The Adam Institute for Urban Teaching and School Practice has a special charge to develop, support, and understand teaching that puts all students, especially those who are underprepared and underrepresented, on a path to college. In meeting this goal, the Institute strives to develop and understand powerful models of urban teacher preparation, teaching practice, and college-going learning cultures. This innovative work occurs primarily in collaboration with partner schools in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood, with Clark’s Hiatt Center for Urban Education an important research partner. The work encompasses Clark’s Master of Arts in Teaching program, which is a carefully constructed gradual immersion in practice in partner schools.
Center for Geospatial Analytics (CGA) is a new center established to catalyze synergistic research that uses geospatial analytics to address pressing issues of global environmental change, particularly climate change. This new center will play an entrepreneurial role at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field by expanding into a larger and more ambitious center of excellence, building on the success of Clark Labs. Geospatial analytics is being revolutionized by the rapidly growing availability of new geospatial data from remotely sensed and in-situ measurements, and the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, new tools and software are being developed to run geospatial analytics at scale and efficiently. CGA is investing in new skills and technology to support the faculty and students who need expertise in geospatial analytics. Among other programs, CGA will also convene bootcamps and hackathons to train students with the latest advancements in geospatial analytics and empower them with tools that can enhance the impact of their research.
Clark Labs is dedicated to the research and development of geospatial technologies for effective and responsible decision making for environmental management, sustainable resource development, and equitable resource allocation. Clark Labs leverages its academic base to develop innovative and customized research tools, provide software solutions to organizations in need, and apply geospatial expertise to a range of real-world problems. This includes the development of its flagship TerrSet geospatial software products including, the IDRISI GIS and Image Processing software, the Land Change Modeler, the Habitat and Biodiversity Modeler and the Earth Trends Modeler, in wide use throughout the world. Clark Labs typically has a staff of 25-30 individuals including faculty, full-time staff, and students. It is housed in its own building with a well-developed infrastructure for geospatial computing, including capabilities for Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning applications. It also maintains a strong partnership relationship with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Esri, among others.
The George Perkins Marsh Institute is dedicated to research on one of the most fundamental questions confronting humankind: How can we sustain natural and human systems amidst profound global change? Building on Clark University’s legacy of leadership in geography, economics, risks and hazards, development and urban studies, geospatial analytics, and governance, the Institute promotes collaborative research that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries to address some of the most pressing issues facing today’s world. This work is oriented around four themes: (1) climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation, (2) local and global food security, (3) healthy and viable ecosystems, and (4) sustainable communities and livelihoods. Through research and engagement, the Institute promotes equitable and just solutions to real-world problems and works directly with practitioners to implement those solutions from local to global scales. The Institute is one of the most widely recognized centers of excellence within the University, with work supported by a broad base of external grants. This work provides hands-on research and engagement opportunities for faculty, staff and students. The Institute also supports dedicated programs for student environmental research, such as the Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) research program and the Geller Endowed Student Research Awards.
The Higgins School of Humanities enhances the intellectual and cultural life of Clark University by fostering connections between the arts and humanities (English; Language Literature and Culture; History; Philosophy; and Visual and Performing Arts) and by engaging the University across the discipline with thematic symposium programming (including the African American Intellectual Culture Series, Early Modernists Unite, the Higgins Faculty Series, and the Modern Poetry Series). Learning through the arts and humanities grounds our capacity to engage with societal complexities - by developing historical, cultural, literary, linguistic, and philosophical consciousness, and by encouraging emphatic and aesthetic ways of knowing. The School integrates co-curricular activities and classroom learning with faculty development, pedagogical innovation, and substantive research and creative work.
The Jacob Hiatt Center for Urban Education is growing a community of inquiry among youth, school- and neighborhood-based educators, and university academics and students dedicated to creating educational spaces for youth to engage the world, inquire into possibilities, and become creators of new realities. We are creating spaces where research and practice co-develop in ways that exemplify new possibilities for community-building, knowledge creation, and impact through collaborative action. Through cultivating a research-practice collective bringing together multiple participants, perspectives, and methods, we aim to build the deep human relationships, practices, and innovations needed for more equitable and meaningful education. The work of the Center encompasses the worlds of schools, local neighborhoods and national/international networks, and expanding virtual and digital spaces.
The Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise envisions a world where all adolescents and young adults are supported in developing the social and emotional skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Research shows that mental health challenges are more prevalent among 16- to 24-year-olds than any other demographic. One in seven young men in this age group experiences depression or anxiety each year. Despite this, adolescents and young adults, particularly young males, are the least likely to seek help or access professional care for mental health problems. For this reason, the Institute’s mission is to innovate in the creation and delivery of behavioral health services responsive to the needs of adolescents, young adults and their families and communities. The Institute employs a multi-pronged approach that aims to 1) equip youth and families with accurate and comprehensive information on mental health, and the behavioral health services and resources available in their communities; 2) support behavioral health practitioners by developing and delivering digital Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and behavioral health interventions that foster resiliency in youth; 3) build capacity of educators and practitioners by offering online Certification Programs for state-of-the-art Social-Emotional Learning interventions; 4) collaborate with others to maximize the reach and impact of our behavioral health care model for adolescents and young adults; and, 5) conduct cutting-edge research to advance new evidence and learning about meeting the behavioral health needs of adolescents and young adults.
The Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies is an intellectually dynamic forum for education and scholarship about the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, and other genocides around the world. Dedicated to teaching, research, and public service, the Center offers the only Ph.D. in History on Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the country, and has launched a new interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Genocide Studies. These programs train the next generation of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, scholars, teachers, museum directors and curators, and experts in nongovernmental organizations and government agencies.
Student Accessibility Services
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides support for qualified students who seek accommodations due to a documented disability. SAS reviews accommodations requests, documentation, and approves reasonable accommodations for enrolled students. SAS is located on the second floor of the Alumni and Student Engagement Center. The goal of SAS is to make sure that students with documented disabilities are afforded the opportunity to achieve their potential both in and out of the classroom by insuring equal access through reasonable and appropriate accommodations.
Disabling conditions can include, but are not limited to, sensory or mobility impairments, psychological or cognitive disabilities, traumatic brain injury, ADD/ADHD, chronic medical conditions, etc. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, Student Accessibility Services treats all materials pertaining to a student’s disability as confidential. Students requesting letters be sent to faculty for academic accommodations acknowledge that some level of disclosure may be necessary to provide the requested accommodation(s).
The process: Following registration, the appropriate Faculty members receive a memo indicating what accommodations the student requires. The student then schedules a meeting with the faculty member to discuss in greater detail how the disability impacts the particular course and its requirements.
Reasonable accommodations: Actual accommodations are arrived at through discussions with the student and SAS. Consideration is given to the disability, class structure and requirements, student preference, alternative solutions and the prevailing practice at comparable institutions. Depending on the documentation, accommodations may include:
- Extended time for exams and/or distraction-reduced environment for exams.
- Adaptive technology, use of a recording device to record a lecture, use of a word processor for note taking and/or exams.
- Note taking supports (Peers, SmartPens, etc)
- Changing the location of a class to meet accessibility needs.
From time to time SAS staff may reach out to the Faculty to talk through how an accommodation may be structured for their specific course structure and content to ensure that the accommodation is reasonable and effective.
Student responsibilities: Each semester, students need to request accommodations in a timely manner so that faculty and staff can be notified. The adjustments that the campus needs to make vary with the disability. They can range from extended testing time to hiring interpreters for a student with hearing impairment. If students wish to utilize the SAS testing center, they need to complete a test relocation form at least one week prior to the date of the exam. Both the accommodations request and test relocation form can be found on the SAS website.
Legitimacy: If a student approaches you in class and asks for classroom or testing accommodations due to any disability (and you have not been sent a letter from Student Accessibility Services), you should ask the student to contact SAS to discuss the disability and the accommodations requested.
Talking with students about disabilities: Legal guidelines state that a representative of the college or university may not ask a student if they have a disability. It is appropriate to make an announcement in class regarding accessibility services and to include instructions on your syllabus about how to contact the SAS office. Please make sure that all syllabi have up-to-date information regarding SAS.
The Division of Student Success
Your education doesn’t start and end in the classroom. At the Division of Student Success, we are here to connect, challenge, and support you across all aspects of your life, on campus and beyond - your education, health and well-being, career preparation, and co-curricular activities. The Division brings together into one area key support services provided to our students, both undergraduate and graduate students. The Division fosters synergy, responsiveness, collaboration, and integration among these units and creates a holistic, student-centered approach to student support. The Division is structurally organized and focused on five core areas: Inclusive Academic Excellence, Career Readiness, Student Engagement, Community Living, and Health & Well-Being.
University Police
The Clark University campus is served by a 13-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 Officers 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 Facilities Management maintain a network of 106 cameras and 56 indoor and outdoor emergency telephones to ensure a quick response to security concerns. The Clark University Rapid Response Squad is a student-run organization comprised of both EMTs and First Responders providing rapid medical care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, when classes are in session. Clark University, as mandated by federal law, reports annually on the security of our campus. A copy of the Campus Security Report is available here: Campus Safety Report.
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