Dec 02, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalogue Archived Catalogue

Student Support Offices and Services


ADA & 504 Compliance Minority Student Services
• Career Center • University Learning Center
• Disability Resource Center • University Testing Services
   
 

ADA & 504 Compliance

UNCW provides access and reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability in its programs, services and activities. The ADA/504 Compliance Officer coordinates and monitors campus compliance with requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law: 93-112), as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law: 101-336), as amended.

Current and prospective students with disabilities who need accommodations or who have questions about accessibility may contact the Disability Resource Center.

Inquiries concerning UNCW policy and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations concerning discrimination in education and employment programs and activities may be directed to:

Brian Victor
ADA/504 Compliance Officer
University of North Carolina Wilmington
601 South College Road
DePaolo Hall 1007
Wilmington, NC 28403-5985

Phone: 910-962-7771
Fax: 910-962-2284
Email: ADA-504-Coordinator@uncw.edu

Inquiries may also be directed to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the applicable North Carolina state agency.

Career Center

The central purpose of the Career Center is to help students prepare for academic and career success. The center assists students with self-assessments, values clarification and occupational data to help make informed choices of academic majors. The Career Center also provides opportunities for internships and discovering the relationship of skills acquired to the broader work world. The Career Center helps translate academic achievements, co-curricular activities and work experiences into successful job campaigns or graduate school applications.

Through the journey of learning, career exploration, and applied learning opportunities, students and alumni are motivated to expand their knowledge of themselves and the world of work in a dynamic global community.

The Career Center encourages students and alumni to:

  • EXPLORE
    Explore work values, interests, skills, and personality using Career Center resources in order to optimize academic and career planning
  • EXPERIENCE
    Develop skills and competencies sought by employers, as outlined in the Skill Seeker, through applied learning opportunities
  • ENGAGE
    Engage and network with faculty and other professionals as well as local, state, national, and global employers to learn how to meet the needs of an ever-changing modern society
  • EMBARK
    Take responsibility for making informed career decisions and developing further education and employment plans over the lifespan

For more information, visit Career Center online at: www.uncw.edu/career or call 910-962-3174. Appointments can be scheduled via Handshake https://app.joinhandshake.com/stu/appointments..

Disability Resource Center

Students with disabilities are a rapidly growing minority at UNCW, as elsewhere in American higher education. Consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1972 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended), it is the policy of UNCW that no otherwise qualified individual in the United States be excluded from, denied benefit of, or be subject to discrimination based on their disability within university activities, programs, or services.

Disabililty Resource Center (DRC) is the designated office providing services and information to students with disabilities enrolled or considering enrollment at UNCW. As such, DRC is committed to providing assistance to enable qualified students with disabilities equal opportunity to accomplish their educational goals and derive all of the benefits of campus life.

DRC serves as an advocate for students with disabilities, and as a resource for UNCW faculty, staff and administration. Through intentional partnerships, DRC strives to create an atmosphere that encourages students’ independence, responsibility for self, effective communication skills, and a respect for the diverse learning experience.

Students with disabilities needing accommodations or questions regarding resources should contact Disability Resource Center for more information, including documentation guidelines and requirements.

DRC@uncw.edu
(910) 962-7555
www.uncw.edu/disability

SEA.lab (Strategy Enhancement for Achievement)

Established to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, SEA Lab offers students enrolled at the DRC the assistance of experienced and knowledgeable staff, to aid in their development of skills necessary for academic success.

Through SEA Lab, students have an opportunity to explore various strategies and techniques to assist them in their goals toward overall academic achievement and individual development. SEA Lab offers workshops and 1.1 instruction on topics such as:

  • Time management and organizational skills
  • Reading strategies and notetaking
  • Test-taking and final exam preparation
  • Understanding of one’s disability
  • Self-advocacy and metacognitive development

Minority Student Services

Please see the Institutional Diversity Office in the section on Student Life .

University Learning Center

The University Learning Center (ULC) is committed to being a vital part of UNCW students’ education. Our academic support services are based on the principle that quality learning takes place when peers work collaboratively. With the support of our campus partners, we provide students a variety of learning opportunities that complement the classroom experience. We focus on high-quality individual and group student-centered learning, while providing our peer educators with valuable pre-professional experience.

All of our ULC peer educators are faculty-recommended, meet minimum GPA requirements, and engage in an internationally certified training program (CRLA). Each academic support service is free to all UNCW students:

  • Academic Achievement
  • STEM Services
  • Supplemental Instruction
  • Tutoring Services
  • Writing Services

Call (910)962-7857 or e-mail ulc@uncw.edu with questions. Visit our website to schedule an appointment: www.uncw.edu/ulc. Learn more about each of our academic support services below:

Academic Achievement

Academic Achievement Services at the ULC provides assistance for all UNCW students as they improve their study habits and and pursue their academic goals. Through one-on-one peer mentoring, students will find training and support for skills such as time management, note-taking, and test preparation.

Students who work with a peer mentor will:

  • Identify their academic strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Create a plan for developing productive study habits.
  • Discover a variety of relevant on-campus resources, including other ULC services.
  • Learn to set realistic academic goals.

STEM Services

STEM Services at the ULC provides assistance for all UNCW students as they develop and improve their academic skills. The STEM Lab offers drop-in tutoring in an open learning lab for BIO, CHM, CSC, MAT, PHY, and STT courses. STEM services also provides individual appointments for select math, physics and computer science courses. Not only are our STEM tutors trained in helping students master concepts, but they also understand the anxiety that can accompany learning challenging material. They are sensitive to students’ differing levels of comprehension and are eager to help.

Students who work with a STEM tutor will:

  • Improve their understanding of concepts introduced in their courses.
  • Work with STEM tutors individually or in small groups.
  • Simply ask a STEM tutor a question or engage in a more detailed consultation.
  • Work on computers equipped with software commonly used in math and statistics courses.

Supplemental Instruction

Supplemental Instruction (SI) at the ULC provides a series of peer-led and review sessions several times a week to help students in traditionally difficult courses. SI leaders are current students who are recommended b UNCW instructors. All leaders have successfully completed the course and “retake” it with the students they support, regularly meeting with the instructor in the process. Students enrolled in supported courses will be introduced to the SI leader at the beginning of the semester and receive a schedule of sessions. The complete schedule is also listed on our website. No advanced registration is necessary.

Students who attend one, some or all sessions:

  • Will employ appropriate study strategies, e.g., note taking, graphic organization, questioning techniques, vocabulary acquisition, problem solving and test preparation.
  • Have the opportunity to become actively involved in the course material while refining study skills.
  • Interact with other students in a social/learning environment.
  • Learn strategies for successful engagement in a peer study group.

Tutoring Services

Tutoring Services at the ULC provides academic support in the form of content tutoring for high-demand courses. This mission translates into a tutoring practice that integrates what to study with how to study, thereby fostering independent learning and the development of academic skills that will transfer to other courses.

Students who work with a Tutoring Services tutor will:

  • Meet for up to two hours each week.
  • Increase comprehension of course content.
  • Hone study and test-taking skills.
  • Discuss academic goals and develop strategies to achieve them.

Writing Services

Writing Services at the ULC assists UNCW students develop and improve their writing skills. Students can meet individually or in small groups for writing consultations, or can drop in at the writing lab for quick help with writing questions. Additionally, short papers or sections of papers (ten pages or fewer) can be submitted online for response (see our website for details). Writing consultations are collaborative, non-judgmental and non-evaluative; instead, writing consultants help students identify areas to improve. Students will strengthen writing skills as the consultant guides them through the revision process. Short papers or sections of papers (ten pages or fewer) can be submitted online for response (see our website https://uncw.edu/ulc/services/writing/index.html for details).

Students who work with a writing consultant will:

  • Collaborate on course papers, personal essays, or application essays.
  • Work on any stage of the writing process: brainstorming, revising a rough draft, or refining a polished draft.
  • Learn about editing, citation, and documentation (MLA, APA, etc.).
  • Talk through their ideas and develop a plan.

University Testing Services

University Testing Services (UTS) provides secure computer-based and paper-based testing and test proctoring services for UNCW and the surrounding communities. The staff strives to provide a quality testing experience that is fair, efficient, and accessible in a professionally monitored facility. Admissions and certification testing programs as well as proctoring services for online courses are available through UTS.  Other proctoring services may be provided on a space-available basis. Please contact us at: testingservices@uncw.edu to inquire about availability or for additional information about testing and proctoring services and online scheduling.

Testing programs coordinated by or administered in UTS include: CLEP, DSST, GRE, MAT, the PRAXIS I and II series, TEAS, ibt-TOEFL, and proctored exams. Each national program has testing dates, eligibility, registration and payment requirements that are determined by the testing companies. This information can be found in registration materials or on their respective websites.  Links to local appointment, payment and scheduling information can be found on our website: http://www.uncw.edu/testingservices.

Accommodated testing for candidates with disabilities or for Title IX compliance is available; however, candidates must follow the requirements for submission of requested documentation for review and approval either to the national companies (for major testing programs/Prometric) or to the Disability Resource Center or the Title IX/Cleary Office (for smaller or campus-based programs), if not already registered with the DRC or if not referred by the Title IX/Cleary Office.

University Testing Services does not determine a candidate’s eligibility for accommodations or accommodations available for the candidate. To avoid delays, please discuss your needs with Testing Services staff prior to appearing for your testing appointment. 

Generally, services provided in the Testing Center are by appointment and require payment in advance. Appointments for national testing (Prometric programs) are determined by contacting the relevant company either by phone or online. For the remaining programs or proctoring services, available appointments may be viewed through an online registration and payment system, RegisterBlast, accessible on the UTS homepage. Valid (unexpired) government-issued photo identification with a signature (Driver’s License, passport, Military ID, etc.) is always required for testing. For additional information or to make an appointment, please call (910) 512-6785, come by our offices in DePaolo Hall, Room 1021, or visit our website at http://www.uncw.edu/testingservices.