Student Affairs
The Division of Student Affairs works in partnership with faculty, staff, students, and the community to facilitate student success, engagement, and leadership development at Shepherd University.
The division continuously improves the quality and scope of its programs and services to enable Shepherd students to be successful citizens in the global community through its core values of learning, engagement, success, service, and satisfaction.
The Division of Student Affairs includes professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate students working together across 20 departments and functions focused on developing students’ capacity to learn and lead.
Becoming a Student at Shepherd University
Shepherd conducts a two-phase program to help students make a successful transition from high school, home, or work to university life. Phase one consists of a one-day (transfers and readmits) or a two-day (first year) summer Advisement and Registration program which gives new students an opportunity to meet with faculty, discuss their academic program, and schedule classes for the fall semester. Phase two of the program is Orientation held in August. This program is different from Advisement and Registration, as it provides the opportunity for students to meet their academic advisor and is designed to educate students about services and resources available to support their success. Because Shepherd feels that orientation is important whether the student is newly graduated from high school, entering the university from the world of work, or returning to school as a nontraditional student, all new and returning students accepted for admission in the fall semester are required to attend. Shepherd offers nontraditional-aged students programming specifically designed to meet their needs. All new students are required to pay the one-time Student Services Fee. Dates for the summer program are announced to newly admitted students early in the spring. The university also conducts a similar program in January for new, transfer, and readmitted students.
Residence Life
At Shepherd University, residence hall life is considered an important part of the overall educational mission of the university. Because learning does not end in the classroom, the experience of living in a residence hall plays an important role in affecting the development of the whole student. The residence life staff works together to create a living environment which assists students in fostering their intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual development and general well-being. In order to promote this holistic development of the student, all full-time students are required to live on campus. Exceptions to the policy are explained in the Shepherd University Student Handbook.
Activities and programs are planned and carried out for the benefit of residents, providing them with opportunities to learn to live comfortably with roommates and as community members. A major value of the experience is learning to live without infringing upon the rights of others. To this end, the residence halls have specific standards developed by the staff and residents to assist in group living and citizenship education.
By accepting a room reservation in a residence hall, students agree that they will follow the rules and regulations found in the Shepherd University Student Handbook and will not conduct themselves in any way that will infringe upon the rights and privileges of other individuals or the residence community.
Rooms are furnished with single beds, dressers, desks, and chairs. Students must supply linens, pillows, blankets, bedspreads, mattress covers, and accessories to suit their tastes. Additional suggestions and a list of prohibited items are sent to students and are posted online at www.shepherd.edu/residencelife/moving-in-moving-out.
Dining Services
Shepherd operates a station-style dining facility located between Kenamond and Turner halls. The Dining Hall offers a variety of entrees including grill items, theme bars, cook-to-order entrees, pizza and pasta, and home-style meals. Vegetarian and vegan items along with salads and desserts are available. All residence hall students are required to participate in the board plan. At the Student Center, dining services also has the Ram’s Den, a made-to-order retail outlet, and the Fireside Bistro, a gourmet coffee and deli shop. The Wellness Center hosts the Wellness Café which features made-to-order sandwiches, healthy drinks, and fresh fruit. All food service locations are available to residence hall and commuter students. Commuter meal plans are available. For more information, call 304-876-5149. Dining services also enlists the services of a registered dietician who is available to consult with students about their dietary concerns.
Student Health Services
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Health services are available to all undergraduate students at Shepherd University–full-time, part-time, resident, or commuter. The Health Center is located on the ground floor of Gardiner Hall on East Campus. The Health Center is directed and staffed by nurses, with registered nurses and an advanced practice registered nurse (NP) offering an integrated approach to address the physical and emotional well-being of students. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students are seen by appointment only, although urgent care is accommodated as needed, and walk-ins may be worked in if the daily schedule permits. The Health Center offers a self-care station with over-the-counter medication for self-care of minor ailments or injuries, and basic-level care for common complaints such as flu, sprains, strains, colds, seasonal allergies, and minor injuries. State-sponsored family planning services are also available. Emergency services, x-rays, and other advanced diagnostic services are not available.
All students must submit a completed health record prior to matriculation. A complete immunization record is required in accordance with West Virginia law. Immunization against bacterial meningitis is required for all students entering the residential halls. A physician’s or religious leader’s statement is required for those claiming exemption from state immunization requirements. A basic physical examination is also required. These requirements apply as well to students transferring to Shepherd University.
Expenses incurred by emergency or medical care outside the Health Center basic care, such as lab work, x-rays, ambulance transport, or hospitalization, are the responsibility of the student. Health insurance is recommended but is neither required nor offered by the Health Center or the university. In cases of severe illness, it is advisable that personal physicians treat students at home. Health Center staff do not make visits to the residence halls. Special health services are available to eligible veterans at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg.
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center is located on the ground floor of Gardiner Hall and accessed through the Health Center. The Counseling Center is staffed by full-time licensed professionals and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the Health Center at 304-876-5161. Please visit www.shepherd.edu/counseling for additional information about our staff and services. If you want to take the online screenings, the keyword is Rambler.
Free confidential counseling for individuals and groups is available on campus to all students. Referrals to outside agencies for more extensive or comprehensive services are also available; however, Shepherd University will not assume the cost for these outside services.
Student Community Services and Service Learning
The Office of Student Community Services and Service Learning, located in Student Center 216, is committed to providing beneficial, educational, and memorable community outreach experiences for students by assisting and coordinating individual and group opportunities for service. The staff offers support to students and faculty for service learning projects to enhance the learning opportunities at Shepherd by assisting with the integration of service into the classroom curriculum. The office also helps coordinate opportunities for all academic and social organizations, resident assistants, and staff. Local and out-of-town Alternative Spring Break trips are planned each year that give students the option of spending their spring break volunteering outside their immediate community. Students who wish to volunteer can view a list of nonprofit agencies and opportunities on the Office of Student Community Service website www.shepherd.edu/communityservice/.
Services for Students With Disabilities
In accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Shepherd University is committed to fulfilling its ethical and legal responsibilities to ensure equal opportunity for all students. In addition, the university prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual on the basis of her/his disability. A person with a disability is generally defined as any individual who 1) has a physical or mental impairment, 2) has a record of such impairment, or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment, and the impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities such as self-care, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, or learning. Disabilities can include, but are not limited to, mobility impairment, visual or hearing impairments, systemic (medical) conditions, psychological disorders (as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition), and learning impairments.
Students with disabilities at Shepherd University have the right to:
- Equal access to curricular and co-curricular programs across campus, including academic courses, student services, employment, and student activities;
- Reasonable and appropriate accommodations;
- Information available in a timely manner and in an accessible format;
- Expect all disability-related information will be treated confidentially by all university employees; and
- Appeal any disability-related accommodation decision.
Students with disabilities also must act as self-advocates. In order to obtain disability-related accommodations, students are responsible for completing all necessary forms and providing all requested documentation to the appropriate disability service provider (listed below) in accordance with posted deadlines. At a minimum, the documentation must be from an appropriate and authorized professional (e.g., physician, clinical psychologist), it must be timely, and it must verify the nature of the disability, the functional limitations it imposes, and the need for specific accommodations. The university will not be liable for any costs associated with obtaining such documentation.
All accommodations will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Please note that the university has an obligation to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations to ensure that students with disabilities have access to all campus programs, services, and functions. However, if the university can provide an accommodation that is equally as effective as the one requested by the student but is less expensive or less extensive, the university is not required to provide the more expensive or extensive one.
Please direct all accommodation inquiries to the coordinator for disability support services/ADA coordinator at 304-876-5689. Students who wish to appeal an accommodation decision should contact the vice president for student affairs at 304-876-5214.
Students also can go to the following website for additional information www.shepherd.edu/disability.
The mission of the Office of Student Success is to provide services to help students be successful at Shepherd University. This mission is fulfilled by:
- Helping students identify appropriate resources to address individual needs.
- Leading through best practices by establishing university programs and services that promote student learning and development, assist students in developing strategies for academic and personal success, and help students connect with the university community.
- Implementing strategies to improve the graduation and program completion rates.
The Office of Student Success understands that success is defined by more than a student simply returning each semester. Office staff work with students who are struggling academically, socially, and behaviorally on an individual basis to aid them to a timely graduation.
The Office of Student Success is located in the Student Affairs suite in the Student Center and can be reached via email at retention@shepherd.edu or via telephone at 304-261-6031 or 304-876-5453.
Multicultural Student Affairs
The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs was established in 1989 as a department in the within the Division of Student Affairs. The primary mission of this office is to help prepare all Shepherd University students to live, learn, work, and succeed in a diverse society. Therefore, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs embraces all students and endeavors to create awareness, appreciation, and action around issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, national origin, and religion through programs, speakers, lecture series, and community service. The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs administers the Multicultural Leadership Scholarship program and provides support and guidance to student organizations that promote the needs of under-represented populations such as Allies, Sistaz, and the International Student Union.
Commuters
Shepherd welcomes its substantial commuter population, composed of both traditional and nontraditional age students. The Office of Commuter Engagement, located in the Student Center, serves to provide information, services, and programs which enhance the experiences and support the success of all students, particularly those whose place of residence is beyond campus boundaries. Look for programs such as Good Morning Commuter during finals week. The program offers free breakfast, lunch, scantron sheets, and bluebooks. Check the bulletin board in the Ram’s Den for current events including concerts, lectures, and special programs.
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