Welcome New W&J Parents – Fall – Washington & Jefferson College

W&J Gateway and your next steps as a deposited student.

We are thrilled that you, by extension of your student matriculating at W&J, will also be a part of the spirit of W&J and we look forward to establishing a collaborative relationship with you as we work to support the academic and personal development of your student over the next four years on campus. We know that coming to college is a big step and we recognize and respect the investment this requires as a student and as a parent or family member. We look forward to connecting with you during the summer and meeting you and your student this fall. Have a wonderful summer!

W&J Gateway: Getting Started

We are excited to welcome your student to W&J Gateway; an informational resource and process for students to submit required forms, register for housing, and submit interests and preferences for our faculty to build their course schedule. W&J Gateway is supported by a team available to answer your calls, emails and inquiries during business hours Monday through Friday. Students are encouraged to read through all of the content on the Gateway site as well as check the site and their W&J email regularly for updates throughout the summer.

In addition to the Gateway site, regular email (through the W&J email account) and social media communications will go out to students throughout the summer. These communications will help answer questions that the team frequently receives over the summer as well as help prepare new students for arrival. Everything from "what is FYS" to "what can I bring for my room on campus" are addressed over the summer.

Setup W&J Account

1) Log into your W&J Leadership Status Portal. If you have not previously logged in, you will need your PIN to set up a password. Your pin will be included in your initial email that Gateway is live.

2) Select 'View your Gateway IT Credential Letter' under Status Update. This information will enable you to set up your W&J account. Please be sure to read the document thoroughly.

Complete Course Placements

Washington & Jefferson College requires all students complete a mathematics and foreign language course to satisfy the academic requirements. No need to worry. Through the course placements, which are surveys (not tests), you will be placed in the math and foreign language courses that are the right fits for your abilities.

Access our course placements webpage for important instructions, as well as the links to access both the foreign language and mathematics placements.

Submit Required Forms

Course Interest Form

To begin the course schedule building process, students need to submit a course interest form. This form invites students to indicate their intended major(s)/minor(s) and identify preference of courses. Through this form, your student will provide us with key information needed to build their course schedule. During the month of June, a team of experienced faculty (the Academic Guides) will begin constructing course schedules. This process is utilized to ensure that students have high quality course schedules that not only match their interests, but keep them on track with W&J's academic requirements in the framework of a liberal arts education.

Pre-Orientation Registration

College Medical Form

Physical and Immunization Documentation

Housing Preferences Form

The Housing Preferences Form is the College's general entrance form. It includes the following sections:

Emergency Contacts - Emergency contacts are kept on file on campus. Your student is asked to list a primary and secondary emergency contact.

Housing Preferences - This section is used to place your student in campus housing and to pair them with a roommate (if applicable). Encourage your student to fill it out honestly as possibly; this is especially helpful with roommate matching. Research shows that this when this form is filled out candidly, it leads to more successful roommate pairings and it supports healthier living environments.

Parking Pass Registration – All vehicles utilizing campus parking must be registered with Campus & Public Safety through this form. There is no parking permit fee for first-year students and students are permitted to park in their designated parking lots.

Tell us More About You – We ask all students to provide some insight about their activities and interests so that we can better connect them with campus opportunities. Additionally, this information is shared with their LINK mentors, Student Success Consultants (SSCs) and FYS instructors so that they assist in advising about campus connections.

Student ID Photo Instructions

Important Dates

APRIL 1 - W&J Gateway Launches

The Gateway process begins in early April with course placements. Students are required to complete both the math placement and a modern (foreign) language placement for each language that they studied prior to W&J, even if they do not intend on studying the same languages at W&J. For example, if they studied both French and Spanish, they should do a placement for each. These placements are instrumental in the process of schedule creation.

Please note that students will not receive a numerical score for their placement as there are several factors that play into how they are placed. High school transcripts, AP credits and transfer credits all contribute to their final placement. Placements need to be completed by mid-June to ensure that academic schedule creation can begin on-time.

JUNE 15 - W&J Gateway Forms Due

All forms and requirements are due on June 15th. Please note, that gateway is not "first come, first served" and all students will have until June 1st to complete their forms. After the form deadline, our Academic Guides will begin building course schedules and Residence Life will begin placing students in housing It is vital that your student gets their forms in on time, so that these processes can begin for them.

JULY - Student Bills are Sent Out

Early JULY - Course Schedules and Housing Placements Sent Out

JULY 27 - Gear Up Pre-Orientation Event

AUGUST 22 - New Student Move-in, Parent Session, and Matriculation

NOTE:
Fall Sports Move-in

If your student is playing a fall sport that requires early move-in, such as football, we encourage you to refer to messaging from your students' respective coach.

Move-In and Orientation

All new students (with the exception of fall athletes*) will move in on a date to be announced shortly. A specific move-in time will be sent to students based on their housing placement. Be sure to encourage your student to keep an eye on their W&J email and W&J Gateway for updates throughout the summer. Specific move-in instructions, such as where to unload and park are available on W&J Gateway.

*If your student is a fall athlete, their move-in dates and process will be provided by their respective coach at a later date.

What to Bring

Here are some important things you should know about living on campus:

Fridges - Students can bring a refrigerator, but it must be less than 4 cubic feet. Microfridges (which include a microwave unit) can be rented here.
Coffeemakers - Coffeemakers and other devices with hot plates are not permitted, Keurigs and comparable coffeemakers are allowed.
Air Conditioners - Air conditioners cannot be installed in room windows, if students need an air conditioner for a medical reason they will have to complete College Accommodation Form.
Room Furniture - The provided furniture cannot be removed from their room. It also cannot be altered or painted.
Wall Art - Students can hang art on the walls with tape or command strips, but they cannot puncture the wall with nails, screws, etc. They also cannot paint the room. Hanging tapestries are not permitted.
Carpets and Rugs - Students can bring a carpet or rug, but it cannot be adhered to the floor.
Lighting - Holiday lights and lights with halogen bulbs are not permitted.
Cooking Devices- Microwaves, toaster ovens, portable grills and items with an exposed heating element (such as hot plates) are not permitted. However, there is a microwave in every building and students can rent a MicroFridge (which shuts the power off to the fridge unit when the microwave runs, making it safer for large buildings).
Candles - Candles and other devices with open flames are not permitted.
Weapons and Explosives - Guns, incendiary devices (such as fireworks), and other weapons are not permitted in the Residence Halls.

Shopping List: Residence Life offers list to help students prepare for life on campus. This list will aid you in your shopping and packing. In addition, the bottom section contains all prohibited items which are not permitted in Residence Hall rooms for safety reasons.

July 27 - Gear Up Pre-Orientation Event

Gear Up is a pre-orientation event carded for Saturday, July 27th. This event will permit your student to participate in learning more about the college, your transition, student support services and even see our different residence hall options. We will communicate more details about the event as they become available in July. Please stay tuned!

If your family will be attending Gear Up, please register HERE.

August 22 - New Student Orientation: Forge Your Foundation

Orientation is designed to aid your student in their transition, integrate them into the life of the W&J community, and introduce them to the broad opportunities available at W&J. During Orientation, they will be introduced to academic expectations, the diversity of the college, and the importance of community as a whole, both within W&J and beyond campus. More specifically, they will have opportunities to connect with faculty members, learn more about resources and services on campus, hear about community roles and traditions from upper-class students, and establish relationships with their peers in their new home. At Orientation, they will also meet with your faculty advisor (FYS instructor) and their LINK, an upper-class peer mentor, both of whom are committed to facilitating your positive transition to life as a W&J student.

An overview schedule for Orientation will be sent in August and a full schedule will be provided at check in. Students should plan to attend all Orientation events.

View Orientation Event Schedule

Clubs & Organizations

There are a variety of clubs and organizations that students can join. The Involvement Expo, which occurs during the first few weeks of the fall semester, provides students with an opportunity to find out more or to sign-up and become a member of many of these organizations. Students have the ability throughout the school year to create new clubs and organizations based on their interests!

EXPLORE CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS >

On Campus Activities

There are many ways for your student to enjoy campus life and get involved during your time at W&J! Campus offices and student organizations sponsor dozens of events each semester. Twice a week, students receive an electronic newsletter (W&J Weekly) which provides details on events for the week. In addition, campus events are posted via flyers around campus.

Connect with W&J on social media.

Student Support Services

First Year Seminar

First Year Seminar is a course designed especially for new students at W&J. First Year Seminars are small, innovative courses on unique topics – FYS courses build up college skills while also including hands-on experiences and activities. The structure offers support to help students adjust and succeed: the FYS instructor is also your student's academic advisor, and a dedicated peer mentor will work with each class. Through FYS mentoring and advising, students learn about campus resources and opportunities that will help students succeed for the next four years.

What students will experience in the First Year Seminar

A course on an innovative topic.
Experiential learning and activities in a small class environment.
A dedicated academic advisor who is also your FYS instructor.
A peer mentor (LINK mentor) who is an accomplished upper-level student.
Opportunities to build up foundational college skills.
Opportunities to learn about campus resources.

Information on FYS will be sent to students in throughout the summer.

Your Support Team

At W&J the heart of the academic enterprise is the relationship between students and their faculty. There are 156 faculty members, 111 of whom are full time. Faculty members engage in vital professional lives that encompass scholarship and research, but they are at W&J because they are dedicated first and foremost to teaching.

Student Success Consultants

The Student Success Consultant Team are professionals dedicated to assisting students as they transition to college life and act as a guide through their first year at W&J.

Each Student Success Consultant works with the students in a group of first year seminar (FYS) courses, meeting individually throughout the semester to support the students’ acclimation to life at W&J. Topics like navigating the campus, engaging with College resources and staff, getting involved in campus activities and reducing communication barriers are covered. The consultants also will have open office hours when students can drop by and ask questions without needing an appointment.

Your student will be introduced to their Student Success Consultant later this summer.

LINK Mentors

The W&J LINK Mentor Program, a collaborative effort between Student Life and Academic Affairs, matches an upper-class student with a group of new students for their first year at W&J. LINKs assist new students in adjusting to the academic and social transition between high school and college and to help prepare them to achieve educational, personal and career goals. LINKs provide this help through small group interaction and one-on-one attention during the fall and spring semesters. A LINK will serve as a resource for your student throughout their entire first year at W&J.

Resident Assistants

Resident Assistants (RAs) are upper-class students who live in the residence halls and provide support to new students in their living environments. At the beginning of the semester, RAs will work with new students on roommate and community agreements. Throughout the academic year, RAs will run programs in their areas to build community and help students get acquainted with campus services.

Student Safety

Campus & Public Safety

The College is committed to maintaining the safest possible environment for students. As part of this commitment, the following safety measures are in place:

The Campus & Public Safety office is open 24/7 to answer calls, answer texts and to respond in-person to student concerns or emergencies
Campus & Public Safety staff do regular patrols of campus
Residence halls are ID access only
Emergency call boxes are available in easily accessible locations across campus
A 24/7 escort system where students can have Campus & Public Safety staff escort them across campus
Security cameras around campus
Well-maintained exterior lighting around all campus buildings and additional street and sidewalk lighting
Support personnel who work with W&J Security Officers to maintain and inspect the safety of all facilities
Campus & Public Safety works in partnership with local law enforcement

Members of the staff, include certified police officers as well as security officers who are focused on security, general safety and fire safety, and who are devoted to the safety of W&J's campus. The officers are empowered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to enforce laws, make arrests, and prosecute violators on property owned or controlled by the College and on adjacent streets and properties.

Learn more about Campus & Public Safety

Building Access

Emergency Notifications

In the event of an emergency the College notifies students in several ways. The first is through emergency text messages. An email to students' W&J email account will follow the text with additional details. In extreme emergencies, the College website will also display notifications.

In less severe situations, Safety Alerts are sent to students' W&J emails. These are very important alerts, but not to the severity level to warrant an emergency text.

Students can sign-up for the text system via their Gateway form. If you are interested in receiving the text alerts, you can sign-up by following the instructions here.

Health Services

Student Health Services

The Student Health and Counseling Center is located on the ground floor of New Res Hall and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The center provides basic health services for students as well as counseling services. Over the counter medications for minor conditions are available by self-serve at the kiosk inside the door, and also at Campus & Public Safety for student convenience.

The Washington Hospital (5 minutes away) serves as our campus clinic. While students can go to the full-service clinic at any time, dedicated appointment times are available each afternoon and on some evenings.

A full counseling center is available to students on campus. Appointments can be made in advance to see counselors. Additionally, the counseling center provides educational testing services, health and wellness screenings, group counseling (in additional to individual) programs and outreach.

For medical emergencies, students should contact Campus & Public Safety, 911, or go to the Washington Hospital.

Medical Resources & After Hours Care

MedExpress - 460 Washington Road, Washington, PA 15301 | Open 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Washington Hospital - 155 Wilson Ave, Washington, PA 15301 | Open 24 hours

College staff (student and professional) are available 24/7 during the school year in the event of an emergency. If your student needs help, they can contact their Resident Assistant (RA) in their Residence Hall or contact Campus & Public Safety at 911.

Medical Transport

Wellness Resources

Transportation

College Shuttles

Student Life sponsors various shopping, entertainment, and service shuttles. These include the shuttles listed below as well as providing access to local shopping and dining.

Shopping Shuttles - Weekly shuttles are available to take students to various shopping destinations.

Academic Break Airport Shuttle Service – Available during academic breaks, this service provides transportation to the Pittsburgh International Airport. This service is available during the academic year and students must present W&J ID and pay a minimal fee.

Travel Shuttle Request

The College offers shuttle service to and from the Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh Greyhound Station and Pittsburgh Amtrak Station. The service is limited to specific times such as move-in, academic breaks, move-out. A $50 fee for each one-way trip is applied to your student’s bill. Additional options such Uber are also available. Freedom Transit also provides service to the east busway, which is near Amtrak, Greyhound and Megabus stations in downtown Pittsburgh. You may email studentlife@washjeff.edu for more information about our travel shuttle.

Local Transportation

FERPA

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, prohibits the College from sharing information about students with other individuals. This means that, as a parent, your student needs to provide consent for the College to be able to share information with you about them specifically.

How FERPA Works

The College cannot tell third parties the balance of a student's account or the amount of their loan check. The College cannot tell third parties if students have paid their statement, or the amount and date of the payment.

Grades and information concerning your enrollment status cannot be released except to state and federal agencies requesting specific information necessary to service students appropriately.

Transcripts are only released under a student's explicit written authorization.

The College recognizes that this limitation may cause occasional inconvenience to students, their family, and other interested parties, but the College is bound by law to protect every student's right to privacy.

Students may choose to allow certain individuals access to their information. In order to consent for release of records, students can provide proxy access through their Self Service account. More information on how to set a proxy will be provided at check-in.

For more information on FERPA, visit the U.S. Department of Education website.

Who to Call

W&J Gateway

Feel free to call/email W&J Gateway this summer with any questions you may have. The Gateway team is happy to direct your call, in the event they cannot answer your question. You are encouraged to call Gateway with any questions pertaining to:

On Campus Housing and Commuting
Course Schedules
What to Bring
Required Forms
Orientation
Move-in and Arrival

Contact by email at gateway@washjeff.edu or by phone at 724-229-5120.

Admissions Counselor
Your admission counselor will continue to support you during your transition to W&J.

Billing, Payment, and Tuition Insurance Questions
Contact the Office of Business and Finance at 724-223-6014

Scholarships and Aid Package Questions
Contact Financial Aid at 724-223-6019

Transfer Credit Questions
Contact the Registrar at 724-223-6017

Academic Calendar
For the academic schedule, click here.

W&J Gateway and your next steps as a deposited student.

W&J Gateway: Getting Started

Setup W&J Account

Complete Course Placements

Submit Required Forms

Important Dates

NOTE:
Fall Sports Move-in

Move-In and Orientation

Clubs & Organizations

On Campus Activities

Student Support Services

First Year Seminar

Your Support Team

Student Safety

Health Services

Transportation

FERPA

Who to Call

Other Helpful Links

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Tuition & Fees

Net Price Calculator

Preparing for Your Visit

Directions to Campus

Admission Events

Accepted Students

International Admission

Meet the Admission Team

Get in Touch

W&J Gateway and your next steps as a deposited student.

W&J Gateway: Getting Started

Setup W&J Account

Complete Course Placements

Submit Required Forms

Important Dates

NOTE: Fall Sports Move-in

Move-In and Orientation

Clubs & Organizations

On Campus Activities

Student Support Services

First Year Seminar

Your Support Team

Student Safety

Health Services

Transportation

FERPA

Who to Call

Other Helpful Links

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Tuition & Fees

Net Price Calculator

Preparing for Your Visit

Directions to Campus

Admission Events

Accepted Students

International Admission

Meet the Admission Team

Get in Touch

NOTE:
Fall Sports Move-in