Student Services

Facilities and Services

Bookstore

The bookstore, located on the second floor of the Campus Center, is open during the first days of classes from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. During the rest of the school year, hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Textbooks for off-campus courses may be purchased at the first meeting of each course. Payment may be made by cash, check or credit card. Additionally, textbooks may be purchased online at WPI Bookstore.

For more information please call (508) 831-5247 or e-mail bkswpi@bncollege.com.

WPI Police

Personal safety information, security practices at WPI and the University's crime statistic information can be obtained by visiting the campus police Web site. Students can also obtain a copy of the University's "Right To Know" brochure by contacting the WPI Police Department at 508-831-5433.

Graduate students are entitled to parking permits for the Boynton Street parking lot located behind the library. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking is also available on the city streets surrounding the campus. Be sure to obey parking signs, as enforcement in Worcester is strict. The city's winter parking regulations are available on the WPI police Web site, as well.

Decals may be purchased at the WPI Police Department located at Founders Hall in the Lower Level. WPI Police also has prepared a brochure on parking regulations that is available on-site or on-line at Campus Police & Public Safety website.

Career Development Center

The Career Development Center (CDC) at WPI assists students in the development of lifelong skills related to careers and the job search process. CDC serves undergraduate and graduate students and alumni as well. Information and guidance is provided in the areas of full-time employment, graduate school, part-time employment, cooperative education and summer positions. Call 508-831-5260 or go to CDC website.

Class Cancellation

When all classes are cancelled (severe weather during the midday period, forecast to last through evening) cancellation will be broadcast on radio stations WTAG, WSRS, WAAF, WFTQ, WKOX and WBZ. Information will also be posted on the university website and on the cancellation hot line at 508-831-5744.

Computer Resources

WPI's Fuller Laboratories provides dedicated space for faculty, staff and students working in the information sciences. The Academic Technology Center and Computing and Communications Center (CCC) are located in this building, along with the Computer Science Department.

The ATC serves the WPI community by supporting the electronic classrooms throughout the campus, maintaining a large inventory of audio/visual (A/V) equipment available for loan for academic presentation purposes, and providing A/V support for meetings, conferences, and special events on campus. The ATC also manages myWPI, the learning and information portal for members of the WPI community.

CCC provides a wide range of services and access to computer resources for the WPI community and manages an array of powerful UNIX, Linux and Windows servers. All WPI students may obtain a login ID from the CCC for academic course works, research and self-education. The login ID will remain valid as long as the person continues to be registered as a student. The systems have been configured so that the user will see the same familiar environment no matter which CCC workstation is used. CCC facilities are accessible from a wide variety of locations on campus or from around the world via the campus connection to the Internet. CCC operates the campus data network and Internet connectivity, including a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to access internal resources remotely. CCC also provides each student with personal network storage space. Computer systems operated by academic departments are also on the same CCC communications infrastructure, so they are accessible just as easily.

The CCC facilities offer high-end PCs and Macs. In addition to several computer classrooms and specialized labs, the CCC supports open access labs in every academic building totaling hundreds of stations across the campus. Each of these labs offers the same user interface, software profile, and network access to personal files as does the CCC lab. Several computer labs are available 24/7 by using a valid WPI ID card with our card access system.

Networked black & white and color laser printers as well as scanning devices are available in the CCC computer labs. Students can use the CCC print service to generate high-quality output for reports and resumes. The servers also provide file service for many software packages including spreadsheets, databases, programming languages, and department courseware.

A wireless network is available in all academic buildings as well as primary residence centers. Wireless laptops are available on loan for use in the library and campus center. In addition to supporting the academic computing system on campus, CCC operates the administrative system that provides data processing services to WPI administrative offices. The WPI information system provides ready access to important registration information. Students update their biographical information, check grades and drop/add courses over the network via the web interface to the administrative system.

CCC manages a computer help desk to answer users' questions on any of the computer platforms and to provide technical support for endorsed software packages. CCC also provides instruction sessions on supported software in the state-of-theart computer-training classroom that the CCC maintains in the Gordon Library.

Gordon Library

The George C. Gordon Library supports the informational and research needs of the WPI graduate community. The library staff works closely with each department to augment library resources pertinent to graduate and other research interests. The collection currently numbers approximately 271,000 books, plus an e-book collection of close to 39,000. The collection includes subscriptions to 900+ hard copy journals and approximately 35,000+ electronic titles. The collection also includes WPI electronic theses and dissertations in print and electronic formats. The WPI Archives and Special Collections hold the records and artifacts of WPI, as well as a significant number of rare books.

Many services and resources are available to graduate students 24 hours a day via the library's web site. Here students can access the library's catalog, over 150 electronic databases, full-text journal articles, online reference materials, and other resources, local and remote. Forms are available on the Web site and within Your Account in the library catalog to place interlibrary loan requests (for items not available via WPI's collections), make suggested purchase recommendations, request a research consultation, and request retrieval of items in storage. Instructional videos and course web pages provide guidance in use of the library. The library building offers a variety of work spaces for both quiet and group study, including seven Tech Suites that offer plasma screen and dedicated computer, DVD and VCR player, and network access. Web conferencing is also available in the Tech Suites.

Library staff can be contacted in person, by telephone, by e-mail, and by chat. E-mail queries can be sent through the Ask-Library-Questions form on the web. Reference staff can be phoned at 508-831- 6700 and Circulation staff are available at 508-831-5410. InstantAnswers, the chatbased reference service, is available through various instant messaging applications with the screen name wpiref. Throughout the year, members of the reference department conduct both general interest and course-integrated instruction sessions. Orientation sessions are also offered to graduate students.

In addition to Gordon Library's resources, WPI students may utilize the collections of other Worcester area libraries. Students with a WPI ID and an ARC cross-borrowing card can borrow directly from Assumption College, Becker College, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester State College and others. ARC cards can be obtained at the Gordon Library Circulation desk.

For more information on library services available to graduate students, please visit: FAQ for Graduate Students page.

Housing

Most graduate students live in rooms or apartments in residential areas near the campus. A limited amount of on-campus housing may be available for single graduate students. Family housing is not available on campus.

The Office of Residential Services, 508-831-5645, provides information regarding both on-campus and off-campus housing. A listing of off-campus accommodations is available at Residential Services website.

International Graduate Student Services

The Office of International Students and Scholars is located at WPI's International House at 28 Trowbridge Road. The office provides information and assistance on immigration and other regulatory matters, information on cultural and social programs and services, as well as general counseling.

With an international student population of 204 undergraduates and 209 graduate students from 65 countries (Spring semester, 2006), WPI is the embodiment of the diversity that characterizes the United States. The House serves as a venue for a variety of programs throughout the year, such as coffee hours, movies, Midnight Breakfast, lectures and other social and cultural activities. The House, which provides wireless access to the network, has several facilities available to students and scholars and student groups interested in international issues, including: 

Office of International Students and Scholars: 508-831-6030. ESL Director: 508-831-6033.

Mail Services

Located in the Campus Center, first floor. Student Mail Room 508-831-5317, Incoming/Receiving 508-831-5523, Mail Processing 508-831-5317.

Printing Services

Located in Boynton Hall, lower level. Telephone 508-831-5842 or -5571. Hours (Monday through Friday) 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Sports and Recreation

The university provides a varied program of sports and recreation. Graduate students usually enter teams in several intramural sports and may participate in certain intercollegiate club sports as well as on-campus musical or theater groups.

There are athletic facilities for tennis, swimming, bowling, squash, basketball, racquetball and volleyball, as well as a weight-lifting room, a fitness center, a sauna and several outdoor playing fields. Graduate students frequently join faculty groups for noontime jogging, aerobics and basketball.

A wide variety of entertainment is brought to the campus, ranging from small informal groups to popular entertainers in the 3,500-seat Harrington Auditorium. A series of films is shown in Perreault Hall, and chamber concerts are presented in the Baronial Hall of Higgins House.

The normal social activities of a mediumsized city are readily accessible, many within easy walking distance. Other activities of interest to students are offered by the many colleges in the Worcester Consortium.

Student ID Cards

The WPI ID is also a student's library card and is used in many departments for lab access as well.

Students may also deposit money on their cards for use in the WPI dining locations at a 10% discount. The ID office is located on the ground floor of Founders Hall. The hours are: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information, call 508-831-5150.

Dean of Students

The Dean of Students' office staff is available to students enrolled in all programs to assist with any out-of-the-classroom concerns that may arise. Staff members are available between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Appointments outside of these hours can be arranged by calling 508-831-5201.

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Last modified: October 07, 2009 11:33:17