The Urban Education Summer Bridge Program

(1)

The Urban Education

Summer Bridge Program

(2)

Student Agreement and Information Guide—Page 1 This page intentionally left blank

(3)

Student Agreement and Information Guide—Page 2

Additional Application Requirements

When the Urban Education Program accepts a prospective student after their interview, the following steps are required:

• Once accepted, inform Westfield State University that you accept the offer of admission and pay all

necessary non-refundable deposits (U.S. dollars only) by the May 15, 2021 Candidate's Reply Date. If you

fail to notify the Office of Admissions by May 15, 2021 of your intention to enroll, the offer of admission will

be withdrawn automatically

o $75 deposit for the Urban Education Program commuter

o $150 deposit for the Urban Education Program residential student •_{Register for New Student Orientation starting}_{May 3, 2021}

• Return all completed Summer Bridge Program forms by Friday, June 18, 2021

•_{Return other WSU accepted student packet information before}_{July 1, 2021} • Return all Health Services forms and health records by July 1, 2021

o For more information about the required health forms visit https://www.westfield.ma.edu/student-life/health-services/required-health-forms-eligibility

• COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate: Students who will have an on-campus presence are mandated to become fully vaccinated with an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine prior to the start of the academic year in September. For more information visit WSU’s Health Services at: https://www.westfield.ma.edu/student-life/health-services

In addition, all students are strongly encouraged to attend New Student Orientation before the start of the

Summer Bridge Program (Tuesday, July 6, 2021). Given the circumstance regarding COVID-19, New Student Orientation will be a hybrid experience (in-person and virtual) this summer. Students are encouraged to check their WSU email for important updates regarding NSO. For more information about NSO, visit

www.westfield.ma.edu/student-life/new-student-orientation/first-year-orientation

The Summer Bridge Program

Mission Statement: Our mission is to foster academic excellence, leadership, meaningful academic and social

connections, and personal development in students to create a foundation for movement towards graduation.

Description: The Summer Bridge Program will consist of a six-week experience, open to a select cohort of

prospective first-year students who have the preparedness to successfully complete a college course (earn up to six credits). The three major components of the Summer Bridge Program include academics, campus resources, and social development. The program will connect students to essential campus resources including Financial Aid, Career Center, and other essential campus constituents. Program students will receive ongoing personal,

(5)

academic, and career advising after the completion of the Summer Bridge Program. Additionally, the program will provide students with opportunities for leadership development and campus engagement. These program

services continue throughout the student's educational career at Westfield State University.

The Summer Bridge Program provides an opportunity for prospective students to transition into college with an early support system with their cohort, student leaders, alumni, and Urban Education Program staff. Participants become familiar with campus, are introduced to support services, and attend courses that have a strong

emphasis on critical thinking and analytical skills.

Summer Bridge Program Requirements

The Urban Education Summer Bridge Program begins during the summer after graduation from high school.

First-year students that are accepted to the University on a conditional basis must successfully complete the program to gain full matriculation for the academic year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

the Summer Bridge Program will be virtual and will take place over a span of six (6) weeks. The first day of class starts Tuesday, July 6, 2021 and the Summer Bridge Program will conclude on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Successful completion of the Summer Bridge Program is based on the following requirements:

•_{Earn a letter grade of “C” or higher in each Summer Bridge Program course—a total grade point} average (GPA) of a 2.0

• Successful completion of ALL classes, student engagement activities, and seminars •_{Positive faculty and staff recommendations}

• Demonstrate academic progress, positive attitude, and leadership ability •_{Other supplemental assessment of college readiness and maturity}

The Urban Education Summer Bridge Program is compliant with the WSU grade point system listed below: A….4.0 B….3.0 C….2.0 D….1.0

A‑….3.7 B‑….2.7 C‑….1.7 D-….0.7 B+…3.3 C+…2.3 D+…1.3 F….0.0

The cumulative grade point average (GPA) at Westfield State University begins during the Summer Bridge Program for participants who met general admission standards for acceptance into Westfield State

University. The grade and GPA earned in the course(s) during the Summer Bridge Program will be counted towards the cumulative GPA established at Westfield State University.

Students that did not meet general admission standards as published by the Office of Admissions, and who were accepted to participate in the Urban Education Program as a special admissions opportunity, will be

(6)

reviewed by the Urban Education Program staff for approval to matriculate after successful completion of the Summer Bridge Program.

If a student does not successfully complete the Summer Bridge Program and is not recommended for matriculation into Westfield State University, an appeal may be submitted in writingwithin three (3) days of

notification to Aaliyah Mercer (amercer@westfield.ma.edu) Admission Counselor in the Office of

Admission, Nicole West (nwest@westfield.ma.edu) Assistant Director of Academic Retention, and Shannon Green (sgreen@westfield.ma.edu) the Associate Dean of Students. Students will be notified of their status within three (3) business days. If a decision cannot be made, the Executive Director of Student Success and Engagement or the Provost may be consulted to make the final decision.

Summer Bridge Program Dates:

• Summer Bridge Classes Begin: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 • Conclusion of Summer Bridge: Friday, August 13, 2021

Summer Bridge Program Student Schedule (Monday-Thursday):

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM First class

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM First-year Success Seminar 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch break

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Study hall

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Student engagement

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Peer Counselor meetings (Every Tuesday)

All participants are required to follow the Summer Bridge Program schedule. Successful completion of the Summer Bridge Program is contingent upon active participation in all courses and events listed above.

Academic Policies and Guidelines

The purpose of these policies and guidelinesare to set expectations for academic excellence by the Urban Education Program, and to establish and maintain a suitable learning environment. Due to the special nature of the Summer Bridge Program, participants will be required to adhere to the policies and guidelines outlined in this document including, but not limited to, Westfield State University’s Academic Policies and Division of Student Affairs Student Handbook. The policies and Student Handbook can be found on

http://catalog.westfield.ma.edu/ under Academic Policies and Student Handbook on the right-hand side.

(7)

rules and policies will result in actions or sanctions that may remove the participant from the Summer Bridge Program.

While the remote learning environment may feel different, the rules for student conduct in this environment are the same as they are for in-person courses. The Academic Honesty Policy covers both in-person and online courses.

The academic policies and guidelines for Summer Bridge Program are the following:

• _{Academic Participation: Due to the remote learning format, there is a firm expectation of academic} excellence demonstrated throughout the Summer Bridge Program. Participants are required to be active daily through the University’s online learning management system (PLATO) and other online formats during the Summer Bridge Program. If you have never logged onto PLATO, you may do that here to review tutorials, help, and access to online resources. For steps to help login into PLATO, click here.

• _{Mandatory Attendance: Attendance by participants is expected and required to all class sessions,} seminars, workshops, tutorial sessions and advisor meetings that are scheduled during the Summer Bridge Program. Because attendance to class is mandatory, there are NO excused absences from

classes. Any absence, even an “excused absence,” may impact one continuing in the Summer Bridge Program and matriculation to the University.

• _{No Tardiness: It is expected that all students arrive to class on time and submit assignments in a timely} manner. Any tardiness to class, seminar, office hour, or group meeting is unacceptable.

• _{Appropriate Classroom Behavior: It is expected that all students will behave in an appropriate manner as} to not cause any disruption in the educational process. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. If asked to leave a class, a student may be counted as absent.

o Disruptive behavior may include, but not limited to: use of inappropriate language, obscenities or disparaging comments directed at an individual or group, unsolicited talking during class, using or activating unapproved mobile devices, and failing to comply with the reasonable request of a University faculty member.

o Recording others without consent is a violation of Massachusetts General Law and University policy. This means that you may not record classes, group meetings, office hours, or organized gatherings, whether on-line or in person, without knowledge and consent of all parties. Any student in violation of this policy will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct so that the appropriate action may be determined.

(8)

o Students with a documented disability have a right to reasonable accommodations to address those documented disabilities and need to plan their reasonable accommodations with their Disability Services or their Learning Disabilities Program advisor. For more information on our accommodations recording policy, see the document link here.

• _{Using Campus Support Services: All Summer Bridge Program participants have access to online tutoring} through PLATO under Student Resources. The Reading and Writing Center will provide student support through remote means. Please sign up for an appointment via the website. Finally, please note that the

Counseling Center support remains available for students who are experiencing challenges or would like stress management resources, including a relaxation coaching session. If you would like to set up a phone or video appointment with a counselor, please call the main number at 413-572-5790 for scheduling options.

Academic Honesty Policy

Participants in the Summer Bridge Program are expected to have high standards of integrity. As outlined in the Academic Honesty Policy, any student who violates academic honesty is subject to dismissal from the Summer Bridge Program. Academic honesty, a necessary foundation of a learning community, is expected of all students. We have a non-tolerance policy which means violations of this policy are unacceptable and are subject to academic penalties, including failure of the course. A record of the violation is submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs; repeated violations may result in suspension or dismissal from the University. Violations of academic honesty include cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and submission of papers for credit in two or more courses.

Participants must familiarize themselves with the Academic Honesty Policy of Westfield State University, as they must abide by this policy for the duration of the program. The policy can be found at the following link:

http://www.westfield.ma.edu/images/uploads/policies/1020Academic_Honesty.pdf

Participants must familiarize themselves with the Student Handbook of Westfield State University, as they must abide by Student Conduct Regulations including, but not limited to, the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy, Residence Hall Policy, Sexual Violence Policy and Investigation and Resolution Procedures, and Investigation and

Resolution Procedures for Complaints of Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, Sexual Violence, Sexual Harassment, Gender-Based Harassment, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking and Retaliation.

The Student Conduct Resolution can be found at the following link:http://catalog.westfield.ma.edu/ under Student Handbook on the right-hand side.

(9)

Conduct Procedures, Actions and Sanctions

Procedures: Participants accused of behavioral violations as outlined in the Student Handbook Student Conduct

Regulations or in the Summer Bridge Program Student Agreement and Handbook will have the following process afforded to them:

1) Participants will receive a written letter (Notice of Charges) outlining alleged violation and a time to meet with the University’s Associate Dean of Student Success and/or the Director of the Urban Education Program.

2) In the meeting with the Associate Dean of Student Success and/or the Urban Education Program staff, the accused participant will have the opportunity to be heard by sharing information and facts relevant to the incident or behavior in question. The Associate Dean of Student Success and/or the Urban Education Program staff will also share any information that they have with the accused participant.

3) The accused participant may be supported through the process by one support person of their choice, if they so choose, but the support person may not represent the student in any way to the Associate Dean of Student Success or the Urban Education Program staff.

4) Final decisions will be made by the Associate Dean of Student Success as to whether to hold the accused participant accountable and what level of sanction (if any) to be imposed.

Sanctions: The following sanctions may be imposed by the Associate Dean of Student Success and/or the

Urban Education Program staff based on the severity of the incident and/or past offenses:

1. Warning: Participant receives a verbal or written warning indicating that future similar behavior will

jeopardize their standing in the Summer Bridge Program.

2. Probation: Participant’s parent or legal guardian will be notified of the violation, and also means that any

further proven violations of any nature would result in dismissal from the Program.

3. Suspension/Dismissal: Participant’s parent or legal guardian will be notified of the violation, and the

participant will be immediately dismissed from the program. The participant will then be ineligible for acceptance to the University in the fall. This information will be forwarded to the Office of Admission. Educational or community service requirements may also be added to the above sanctions.

(10)

Appeal Procedure: A Program participant held accountable for behavior and wishing to appeal the decisions

made by the Associate Dean of Student Success or Urban Education Program staff may submit an appeal letter in writing to the Executive Director of Student Success and Engagement who shall serve as Appeal Officer. All appeal information will be reviewed in writing only, unless otherwise determined by the Appeal Officer. Appeals will only be considered on two grounds:

1. A violation of the above procedures occurred which led to the participant not receiving a fair opportunity to be heard; or

2. Substantial new information related to the facts of the matter and not known at the time of the administrative meeting/hearing.

Note: Questions about the interpretation of any of the conduct regulations, procedures and guidelines as outlined

in this Agreement and Information handbook rest solely with the Associate Dean of Student Success and Director of the Urban Education Program.

Summer Bridge Program Required Forms

•_{New Student Orientation Registration: Check your University email for confirmation.}

• The following forms are due by Friday, June 18, 2021 o My Intent and Student Profile

o Electronic Device, Internet, and Connectivity Survey o Waiver and Request for Release of Information

o Acknowledgement of Student Agreement and Information

o Forms must be returned via e-mail to urbaned@westfield.ma.edu.

• All Westfield State University completed (e.g., health services, residential life) forms are due by July 1, 2021

Please ensure that all requested application materials are submitted before the deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

(11)

Requirements after the Summer Bridge Program

Students that successfully complete the Summer Bridge Program will earn at least three (3) credits and the $2,000 Urban Education Program Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to incoming first year

students who enroll in and successfully complete the Summer Bridge Program. The scholarship is designed to support students who are active participants in the Urban Education Program throughout their four years at Westfield State University. Active Urban Education Program scholars will receive the $2,000 scholarship per year ($1000 per semester).

Scholarship Criteria

1. Must be an incoming first-year student accepted into the Urban Education Program 2. Students must successfully complete the Summer Bridge Program

3. Students must be enrolled in the Full-Time Day Division

4. Returning Students’ eligibility for renewal will be determined by the Urban Education Program staff based on student engagement in the program

Scholarship Terms

Students will be eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of four (4) years/eight (8) semesters.

To be eligible for renewal of the Urban Education Program Scholarship, students must meet the following criteria: •_{Students must be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid}

• First-year & Sophomore Students

o Students must meet with their Urban Education Program Advisor at least three (3) times per semester

o Students must attend at least one (1) student development program hosted by the Urban Education Program staff per year

•_{Junior & Senior Students}

o Students must meet with Urban Education Program Advisor at least two (2) times per semester o Students must attend at least one (1) student development program hosted by the Urban

Education Program staff per year

For students who do not meet the criteria for renewal, they will be notified that their scholarship will not be re-awarded for the upcoming year. If a student completes the criteria required based on their class year, they will be eligible to receive the scholarship again in the following academic year.

(12)

Program services continue throughout the student's educational career at Westfield State University. The Urban Education Program provides holistic academic and personal support for each program student. We are dedicated to the growth of confident and capable individuals. We strongly encourage students to take full advantage of our program services once they have matriculated at Westfield State University.

After successful completion of the Summer Bridge Program, the student agrees to the following:

• Fully participate in the Urban Education Program after the Summer Bridge Program •_{Attend special events and workshops}

•_{Attend bi-weekly meetings with Academic Advisor for ongoing advising and support} • Participate in leadership development and student engagement

Inactivity and failure to comply may result in ineligibility for special program considerations, services, or withdrawal from the Urban Education Program.

Contact the Urban Education Program

The Urban Education Program

Scanlon Hall Rooms 248-255 Phone: 413-572-5391

E-mail: urbaned@westfield.ma.edu

Webpage: http://www.westfield.ma.edu/academics/urban-education Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanEducationProgram/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wsu_urbaned/

Robert Thornton, Director

Scanlon Hall 255 413-572-8460

rthornton@westfield.ma.edu

Omarthan Clarke, Academic Advisor

Scanlon Hall 248 413-572-5611

oclarke@westfield.ma.edu

Xandria Sotomayor, Academic Advisor

Scanlon Hall 250 413-572-8472

The Urban Education Summer Bridge Program