Welcome Letter

Message from the Office of the Vice-President and
Dean of Students in the University

Autumn 2007

Dear Students:

I hope autumn quarter has started off well. I want to wish you a rewarding and successful academic year at the University of Chicago. My entire office and your area Dean of Students are here to support your success as a member of this community of scholars. To that end, we want to ensure that you know how to locate the wide variety of resources available to you and that you are aware of, and have easy access to, the policies and regulations that pertain to you as a student.

At the beginning of each academic year, my office sends all the students an email with information regarding policies and reports on topics ranging from safety to equity in athletics to information regarding different offices which you may need or want to contact.

Safety

• The University's campus safety report, Common Sense, is designed to help equip you to navigate the city successfully and offers information about the University offices that provide services related to security and safety. You can find this important report on the web at http://commonsense.uchicago.edu/
  
  Common Sense includes such information regarding

1. transportation on and around campus;
2. safety tips and information on security and crime prevention programs;
3. campus policy regarding the sale, possession, and use of alcohol and illegal drugs;
4. drug and alcohol education programs;
5. crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years;
6. University programs to prevent sex offenses and procedures to follow when sex offenses occur;
7. reporting of criminal activity; and
8. the location of a list of registered sex offenders residing in Chicago.

To receive safety alerts and tips automatically by email, go to listhost.uchicago.edu, scroll to "safety awareness" and follow the directions.

Common Sense is published annually and a hard copy is available upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 5555 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, (773-702-8190); and from the Office of the Vice President and Dean of Students in the University, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, (773-702-7770).

• cAlert enables University officials to reach you through mechanisms other than regular University email and telephones. The information in the emergency notification system will be used only to contact you in case of emergency, a University closing, or some other event that requires rapid, wide-scale notification of the community . Please log in at https://calert.uchicago.edu/ to enter your preferred contact information.
  
• If you are a US citizen, you can register to vote through the following website: http://www.elections.state.il.us/. Once at the site, on the left hand side of the page is a box titled Voting Information. Click on it, on the top of the next page is a link to the voter registration form. Remember, this is an election year and you may want to vote.
  
• As a student there are many University policies and regulations of which you should be aware. They can be found in the Student Manual of University Policies and Regulations, which is on the web at http://www.uchicago.edu/docs/studentmanual/2007/. We wish to highlight several policies in particular and encourage you to review the Student Manual to acquaint yourself with all the information.

* Policy on Unlawful Discrimination and Harassment. The University of Chicago is a community of scholars dedicated to research, academic excellence, and the pursuit and cultivation of learning. Members of the University community cannot thrive unless each is accepted as an autonomous individual and is treated without regard to characteristics irrelevant to participation in the life of the University. Freedom of expression is vital to our shared goal of the pursuit of knowledge and should not be restricted by a multitude of rules. At the same time, unlawful discrimination, including harassment, compromises the integrity of the University. It is the intention of the University to take necessary action to prevent, correct, and, where indicated, discipline unlawful harassment. The full statement can be found in the Student Manual. For more information on related resources, visit http://civility.uchicago.edu/.

* Privacy and Student Records. You should be aware of your rights as a student with respect to records maintained by the University. Directory information such as your name, address, email address, photo and phone number may be released without your consent unless you request this information to be withheld. The University's policy and procedures concerning privacy and the release of student records is in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and is published in the University's Student Manual.

* Accommodation for Students with Disabilities. The University is committed to working with students who have a disability to help them become full participants in the life of the University. The accommodation process is described in the Student Manual. For more information, you can also visit: http://disabilities.uchicago.edu/.

* The University of Chicago provides information technology for educational, research, and administrative applications by its students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to be familiar with the Eligibility and Acceptable Use Policy as well as information on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and should be aware that violation of the policy may result in disciplinary action.

* Recording of classes and lectures. In recent years, technology has advanced rapidly and many small and powerful recording devices are readily available. Recording of classes and lectures (including public lectures) may be done only with the permission of the instructor or speaker. It is important to recognize that permissible recordings are exclusively for personal use to assist you in your studies. The full text of the audio and video recording policy is in the Student Manual.

Hard copies of the Student Manual of University Policies and Regulations are available upon request from the Office of the Vice President and Dean of Students in the University, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637.

• Information about bus schedules is updated by a listserve managed by the Office of Parking and Transportation. You can sign up for the listserve at: https://listhost.uchicago.edu/mailman/listinfo/campustransit
  
• The University of Chicago Department of Physical Education and Athletics' report for the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act is available, upon request, from the Department at 5530 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 (773-702-7684).
  
• You may be interested in knowing student graduation rates, tuition and loan refunds, and withdrawals, as well as course offerings and administrative policies. The information is on the web at http://registrar.uchicago.edu.
  
• For information on financial aid programs, contact the following offices:

The College
Office of College Aid
1116 E. 59th St., Room 203
Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-8666

Graduate School of Business
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
5807 South Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-3964

Pritzker School of Medicine
Office of Medical Education
924 E. 57th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-1938

For all other graduate divisions and schools:
Student Loan Administration
970 E. 58th St., 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60637
773-702-6061

• Information on the University's accreditation may be obtained from the Office of the Provost, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, (773-702-8806).
  
• The catalogs are a great resource as they describe the different degree programs, requirements, and the faculty, as well as a sampling of courses for the different Graduate Divisions, Professional Schools and Undergraduate College. The catalogs are available online at http://catalogs.uchicago.edu.

The Office of the Vice-President and Dean of Students in the University is comprised of several central offices that provide a variety of programs and services for all students. For information about the programs and services provided by the office, please see the website at http://dos.uchicago.edu/.

During your time as a student at the University, you will meet other administrators within your division or school who are known as Deans of Students. Your area Dean of Students will provide everything from admissions to registration and financial aid, to answering all your questions about navigating the University. You should get to know them and their staff as they are among the most important people you will meet during your time here.

Contact information for the area Dean of Students:

Wishing you a wonderful year,

Kimberly Goff-Crews
Vice President and Dean of Students in the University