Getting help
The Learning Centers at WestConn are four professionally staffed, independent labs based in the School of Arts and Sciences that provide academic services for students who need help in specific subjects or who want to improve their study skills. All four labs are connected to WestConn's mainframe computer with Internet capability and are equipped with IBM and/or Apple computers for student use. The Labs are located on the first floor of Berkshire Hall on the midtown campus and are open weekdays, selected evenings and, when possible, weekends. Students may work one-on-one with staff members and/or student tutors in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. They may choose to work on computers independently or form small study groups. Students are welcome to visit the labs on a drop-in basis or by appointment.
The Freshman Resource Center and the Student Resource Center (104 Berkshire Hall; 837-9245) are managed by the psychology department, and provide assistance to students who need help in reading, outlining, note-taking, studying, time management, test-taking, research, and word processing. The labs also provide help with some introductory courses and are now a link to tutoring in different academic disciplines.
The Math/Computer Science Clinic (105 Berkshire Hall; 837-9244), managed by the mathematics department, helps students overcome math anxiety and improve their math or computer science skills. Tutors can help students study for tests, solve homework problems and apply these problems to real-life situations. In addition to offering one-on-one tutoring, the clinic offers a collection of video and computer tutorials for individual student use.
The Writing Lab (106A Berkshire Hall; 837-8728), managed by the English Department, is a place where students can get professional help with their writing. Students can work on improving all aspects of writing: development, style, organization, grammar and mechanics.
Students at WestConn have access to two University libraries, the Ruth A. Haas Library on the Midtown campus and the Robert S. Young Library on Westside.
The Haas Library contains approximately 200,000 books and over 415,000 bound periodicals, microforms, audiovisual items, other reference materials, and access to over 10,000 periodicals online. Designated as a Federal Depository Library, Haas has more than 71,000 government documents. Its music collection includes books, scores, CDs, and LPs. Equipment and facilities include circulating laptop computers, portable CD players, 24 networked PC workstations, digital microform reader printers, viewing and listening rooms, private study rooms, and seminar rooms. The Young Library, primarily serving the Ancell School of Business, holds a 6,000 volume core collection of business materials, a reference collection, approximately 200 journal subscriptions in hard copy and/or microform with hundreds more online, and access to a large number of electronic business, general, and law-related databases.
In addition to collections on campus, WestConn students have borrowing and electronic access to library holdings across the CSU System and to the Connecticut State Library in Hartford.
University Computing (UC) supports a diverse computing environment consisting of Windows servers, Windows desktops and laptops, IBM PCs and compatibles, Digital Unix, and Apple computers. Various computer facilities and advanced technology classrooms exist on each of Western's campuses.
The general computer centers, located in the Westside Classroom Building, room 117, and at Midtown in White Hall, room 031, offer IBM desktop computers running Windows XP in each facility. The Midtown Computer Center also offers 2 Apple Machines running OSX. These facilities support a variety of software packages, including: Microsoft Office, Visual Studio, Netscape and Internet Explorer, Visio, and FrontPage. They also support specialized software on various machines per academic requirements, offer CDRW/DVD drives, and are equipped with laser and color printers. Each computer center is also equipped with one or more group workstations, where those students working on group projects may do so more comfortably in the designated areas allotted, and a graphic station, which offers QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and OmniPage. A color scanner is also connected to the graphic workstations.
The machines in the computer centers are connected to the university's network, which allows data and applications to be shared and provides access to the various file servers and/or timesharing systems throughout the campus. All full-time, part-time, and graduate students must have a valid WCSU ID (WestConnect Card) to use the computer facilities at Western. The computer centers are staffed with student lab assistants during operational hours, which are posted each semester, intersession, and break. The lab assistants' main responsibility is to monitor the facilities; however, they will try to provide individual assistance based on their individual knowledge. Students who need extensive help should visit the Student Technology Training Center.
The Student Technology Training Center (STTC) is located on the Midtown campus in the Student Center, room 225. The role of this facility is to provide students with a comfortable environment where they can experiment with and learn about technology. The primary goal of the STTC is to improve student life, outside of the classroom, by creating and maintaining an environment in which all students can empower themselves with a practical understanding of current technology. Students needing individualized computer assistance should utilize this facility.
The focus of this facility is on the various workshops offered, the individual assistance and tutorials provided, and the hardware and software available. The STTC, funded by the technology fee paid by all students enrolled in the university, is not designed to be a classroom or lab. To this end, the roles and goals of the facility are:
The STTC is staffed with students who have interests in the various and diverse technology fields and who are dedicated to facilitating the empowerment of the university's student body. Students who need assistance using Microsoft Office products, various graphic design software packages, computer equipment and peripherals, the Internet, Webpage design, and other tasks will find the help they need in the STTC. The facility supports both Apple machines and IBM desktop computers with CDRW/DVD drives, and is equipped with a laser printer, color printer, and scanners. This facility also supports a variety of software packages for student use, including: Microsoft Office; Visual Studio; Netscape and Internet Explorer; Visio; FrontPage; specialized software on various machines per academic requirements; and various graphic design software programs such as QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and OmniPage. To learn more, visit the STTC's website at www.wcsu.edu/sttc. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment with a staff member, call (203) 837-8715.
There are two 24-hour labs, open seven days a week and holidays; one in the Westside classroom building, room 247c, and another at the Midtown campus in the Student Center, room 214. These facilities support IBM desktop computers running Windows XP and are equipped with at least one laser printer in each facility. To gain access to these labs, students must present their valid WCSU ID to either University Police or a lab assistant to obtain the access code. The 24-hour labs are not staffed but are monitored and maintained regularly. It is the responsibility of each student to use these facilities in accordance with the CSU and WestConn's computer policies. These facilities support Microsoft Office, Visual Studio, Netscape, and Internet Explorer.
To report a problem, or if you have any questions, please call University Computing at (203) 837-8467.