Student Life and Services

The Division of Student Access, Involvement & Success provides services and programs that promote the college’s mission and academic goals. The division assists students in developing educational plans that align with their interests, goals, and abilities while empowering them to take an active role in their education and assume personal responsibility and accountability. The division is dedicated to fostering personal growth, student involvement, and wellness, and providing an environment that holistically promotes civility and diversity.

The Division is led by the Vice President and Dean of Student Access, Involvement and Success along with the Associate Dean of Student Life and the Associate Dean of Enrollment Management.

(www.sunywcc.edu/studentlife)

Student Life at Westchester Community College is committed to providing students with a supportive, engaging, healthy, equitable, and accessible environment that supports student success and retention. By offering dynamic learning opportunities, teaching life skills, and serving as advocates for the needs of our diverse student body both in and out of the classroom, Student Life will foster personal development to create socially and academically responsible and engaged individuals.

Student Advocacy

Life as a college student can be a challenging and complex time. The Office of the Associate Dean of Student Life is available to assist students as a trusted source of support, information, care, and guidance during their Westchester Community College experience. The Associate Dean’s Office will help students with identifying available campus resources, addressing reports of concern, and working to enhance and improve the overall student experience outside the classroom. 

Student Conduct

As an academic community, Westchester Community College is dedicated to upholding its educational purposes while maintaining order on campus and protecting the rights of all. Individuals who attend the college have a responsibility to uphold and build upon the values and the traditions that have served to define and to strengthen the institution over time. The college is committed to providing an effective learning and social environment for community members and extends its trust to its students to do the same. To maintain the trust extended by the college, students are expected to be exhibit personal accountability and remember that the decisions they make have an impact on the overall health of our community, and, ultimately, on the quality of their experience.

Students who breach this trust and engage in activities that are counter to the community’s values will be held accountable. The Student Code of Conduct is the document that details the values of the community, students’ rights and responsibilities, and the procedures for adjudication of alleged violations. Through a fair and transparent process, the adjudication of alleged violations of The Student Code of Conduct will be educational, not punitive, in nature. The conduct process also ensures that the well-being and safety of the greater college community and its members are protected.

Enrollment Management at Westchester Community College is a student-centered, inclusive, and data-driven division designed for student recruitment, guidance, retention, completion, and success. We provide the ultimate in quality customer service to our various constituents from each of our individual offices: Admissions, Center for Academic Counseling and Student Success, Registrar, Disabilities Services, Office of International Students, and the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Our goal is to engage students while collaborating with campus partners in support of academic quality, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

(www.gowccvikings.com)

The mission of the Athletic Department is to serve the needs of our student-athletes by providing quality athletic programs that promote athletic development and retention of athletes. The department is also committed to supporting academics and complying with the academic standards of national and regional athletic associations.

Intercollegiate Program

The college is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Region XV of the NJCAA, Bowling USBC Collegiate and the Mid-Hudson Conference. The Athletic Department offers competition in intercollegiate sports, including:

All of Westchester’s intercollegiate sports are Division III except for Baseball, Women’s Basketball and Men’s Basketball, which are Division II, and Bowling which is non-divisional/DI.

Intramural Athletics and Sports Clubs

The Athletic Department also sponsors several competitive leagues, tournaments, and sport contests throughout the year for Westchester Community College students and members of the campus community. The intramural program is conducted for and among those within the college, while the extramural program schedules sports activity between Westchester Community College and other colleges. In addition, there are ongoing athletic and recreational sports-related clubs managed by the Athletic Department.  For a complete list of intramural schedules and sports clubs, please visit www.gowccvikings.com.

Physical Education Building and Athletic Facilities

The Physical Education Building has team and general locker rooms, a fully equipped training/rehabilitation room, equipment area, offices, classrooms, and a meeting room.  Our 2,500 square foot weight-room and 2,200 square foot fitness center are equipped with state-of-the-art cardiovascular equipment, resistive weight training equipment and free weight area. Additional facilities include a swimming pool with six lanes as well as a four-meter diving board, softball and baseball facilities, tennis courts, and a cross-country course and track.

(www.sunywcc.edu/academiccounseling)

The Center for Academic Counseling and Student Success provides a variety of services in order to aid student success. Personal, career, and educational goals are identified and discussed through one-on-one counseling. Academic Counselors are available days and evenings, on campus and at extension locations. Our goal is to increase student success and assist students in:

• Developing educational plans
• Selecting and scheduling courses
• Assessing abilities and interests
• Addressing personal concerns
• Career planning and job placement
• Attending to any special needs
• Helping with financial assistance

Counseling services emphasize the promotion of personal and interpersonal growth. Through individual or group counseling sessions and specialized workshops, the counseling staff teaches skills that increase self-awareness and promote effective crisis-coping, decision-making, and meaningful communication, all of which will enhance the student’s experience at the college and throughout life.

Career and Transfer Center

The counselors and staff of the Career and Transfer Center help current and former students make informed career and transfer decisions and, locate and obtain jobs before and upon graduation. All students who attend Westchester Community College and take credit or noncredit courses are eligible to use the Career and Transfer Center, free of charge, for an indefinite period of time. The Career and Transfer Center also contains a Career/Transfer Library with college catalogs, job search material, career information, and several computers, for student use.

(www.sunywcc.edu/childrenscenter)

Westchester Community College’s on-campus Virginia Marx Children’s Center provides care for children of full- and part-time students in a bright, well-equipped building designed for children. The Center is professionally staffed, nationally accredited, and licensed to serve children between the ages of six weeks and five years, nine months. The Center is open 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday, 51 weeks of the year. Full-time and part-time care is available for student-parents. Financial assistance is available for Westchester Community College students. For further information, contact the Director of the Children’s Center at 914-606-6644.

(www.sunywcc.edu/healthservices)

Health Services offers services, programs, and information that promotes the physical, social and emotional well-being of the student body.  In addition, Health Services protects the health of the college community through the enforcement of all New York immunization and health laws.

Services available in the Health Services Office include, but are not limited to:

• First aid
• Care for minor illnesses and accidents
• Over-the-Counter medications (free)
• Health & Wellness counseling (complete confidentiality is assured)
• Referral to community health agencies
• Weight & blood pressure monitoring
• Health education materials available for personal or educational use
• Day beds for rest
• STD/HIV counseling/testing (look for postings when available on campus)
• Physical reports required by specialized curricula for clinical field
• Emergency response to campus incidents

JobSTAR originated in 1990 when Westchester Community College and the Westchester County Department of Social Services began a relationship as collaborative partners. Since the program’s inception, its primary goal has been to assist participants to improve their educational skills, which will maximize their earning potential and promote self-sufficiency. JobSTAR is involved in the design and implementation of several programs providing services to TANF and TANF eligible customers.

Black & Hispanic Male Initiative

The Black & Hispanic Male Initiative (BHMI) program at the Westchester Community College supports male students of color in achieving a better educational outcome at the college and beyond. The program works to increase the graduation and retention rates among participating students. Students are provided with information on academic scholarships, assistance in transferring to a four-year college, and support services such as mentoring, tutoring, and counseling.

TRIO Program

This federally funded program provides support services to students identified as having academic needs who are low-income, first generation college students, and/or disabled. Enrollment in this program provides students with potential financial grant aid, one-on-one tutoring, personal mentoring and counseling, academic advisement, career and transfer assistance, cultural programs and leadership and study skills workshops. Program goals are to assist students in remaining in school, becoming academically successful, and graduating or transferring to a four-year institution.

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) provides access to first generation college students who come from academically and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Westchester Community College’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) offers students the academic, personal, and financial support needed to help attain these educational and professional objectives. The program also supports personal, intellectual, and cultural growth by promoting a range of services designed to foster a student’s individual development.

Viking ROADS Program

Viking ROADS is an opportunity program that helps motivated students graduate with an associate degree in three years or less. In exchange for full-time study and fulfilling program requirements, students will receive personalized advising, financial, and academic support. Students accepted into the program will be provided with a dedicated academic counselor; tuition assistance for those who receive financial aid; an annual textbook voucher; a monthly transportation or food stipend; convenient course schedules; smaller classes in the first year; tutoring; and career and transfer counseling.

The Personal Counseling Department creates a campus environment that is safe, growth fostering, and prioritizes the psychological, social, and emotional well-being of our college community. The Personal Counseling Department offers confidential, individual and group mental health services in addition to campus-wide programming intended to provide support, education, and healthy ways of coping with stressors and struggles.

The Personal Counseling Department at Westchester Community College knows that the stress of being a college student often reaches beyond the classroom. They provide one-on-one counseling to students enrolled at the college. Additionally, the department facilitates weekly programming, educational workshops, and events around topics like anxiety management, healthy living, sexual violence, and more. Personal Counseling provides all students with the support, resources, and compassion they need to deal with life’s challenges that are interfering with personal and academic growth and success.

(www.sunywcc.edu/disability-services)

Westchester Community College provides varied services to help students with disabilities maximize their opportunities to succeed. Students who are disabled and who need assistance may contact the Coordinator for Accommodations at 914-606-8585, the Learning Disabilities Specialist at 914-606-6626, or the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities at 914-606-6552.

Support services are offered in the following areas: academic, personal, and career counseling; priority registration; and special parking. Advocacy and coordination with other Westchester Community College departments and community agencies is provided. Campus facilities are relatively barrier free and accessible. The campus also is accessible by public and private transportation. For more information, call 914-606-6552.

(www.sunywcc.edu/getinvolved)

The Department of Student Involvement is committed to providing comprehensive and meaningful educational experiences for students in the co-curriculum. Through the creation of intentional learning environments, the Department of Student Involvement helps students acquire leadership and other transferable skills that can be utilized throughout their academic and professional careers.

Engagement outside of the classroom contributes to a well-rounded college experience. Along with a solid academic record, jobs and four-year colleges want to see how productive you were with your time outside the classroom. Not only that, getting involved is a great way to discover who you are, what you want to be, and meet lifelong friends!

There are multiple engagement programs sponsored by the department each year including: multicultural programs, leadership development opportunities, community building events, service learning trips and experiences, welcome week programming, events just for graduates, and much more! Student Involvement also works closely with the over sixty student-led clubs/organizations on campus, including:

Student Organizations

A student organization is a student-run group that has received approval by the Department of Student Involvement for their operating charters. Student organizations receive a percentage of the student activity fee, as determined by the Faculty/Student Association. Student officers of organizations receive support from the staff in Student Involvement who serve as their Advisors.

• Student Government Association – SGA
• Viking News (student newspaper)
• Westchester Events Board – WEB (student programming board)
• WARY-FM (student radio station)

Student Clubs

A student club is a student-run group of like-minded individuals who gather together to explore, celebrate, and share in a common purpose. They have created a formal operating charter with a unique mission and received formal approval from the Student Government Association. Clubs receive support from members of the faculty, staff, or administration who serve as club advisors. Clubs are generally classified in the following manner:

• Cultural Clubs
• Curriculum Clubs
• Special Interest Clubs
• Fine & Performing Arts

A complete list of clubs can be found at www.sunywcc.edu/clubs.

Student Support Services will help students relieve or eliminate personal and familial challenges and hardships that affect their ability to achieve their academic goals. Through the development of individualized success plans, case management, innovative programming, and referrals to a network of providers, Student Support Services will improve student wellness and success.

Services available in Student Support Services include, but are not limited to:

• Student Veteran Support, Engagement, and VA Certification
• Emergency Aid Grants
• Federal Work Study
• Assistance with:
  • Food Scarcity
  • Housing Insecurity
  • Obtaining Insurance
  • Other personal and familial hardships

The Faculty Student Association (FSA) is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization registered by the State of New York. The FSA provides educational related services to benefit Westchester Community College including oversight of all campus dining services, bookstore, vending services, coin operated copiers, ATMs, and the disbursement of certain college fees.

Cultural Arts

A varied program of world-class, highly-acclaimed performances and lectures is sponsored throughout the year by the Office of Cultural Affairs. Events are offered to students and the public. Financial support comes from the cultural arts fees as well as ticket sales and grants.

Bookstore

(www.sunywcc.bncollege.com)

The college bookstore is operated by Barnes & Noble and is located behind the Student Center. The Bookstore supplies textbooks, study aids, bargain books, software, school supplies, drinks and snacks, art supplies, calculators, notebooks, laptops, tablets, book readers, Westchester Community College apparel and gift items, sundries, nursing supplies, greeting cards, backpacks, and Metro cards.

Dining Services

There are several dining areas on campus:

Viking Café – The Student Center

Open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and Fridays from 7:30 am to 1:45 pm, the Viking Café is the college’s own full-service cafeteria, offering a selection of freshly made burritos, sushi, and Boar’s Head deli sandwiches, flame broiled burgers, and more. Planning a special event on campus? Our acclaimed Catering Department can tailor a menu for any campus occasion. Call for a copy of our menu or find it here on the college website. The Viking Café is open year round, but closed on the following holidays - New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day.

La Crema Café – The Student Center

La Crema Café proudly brews and serves Starbucks - coffee, Frappuccinos, lattes, espressos and a full selection of delicious, sweet treats. Open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and Fridays from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. La Crema Café is open year round, but closed on the following holidays - New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day.

Siegel Café – The Gateway Center

The place to go for grab n’ go salads, sandwiches, panini, sushi and assorted snacks. Open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm, Friday from 8:00 am to 1:15 pm, and Saturday from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. The Siegel Café is open year round, but closed on the following holidays - New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day.