Academic Support Services

The Mark O. Hatfield Library

Opened in 1986, the Mark O. Hatfield Library serves as the library for the College of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Education, and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. The building is a gracious, glass-walled structure that overlooks the Mill Race and Jackson Plaza, one of the main gathering places on campus. The library provides strong support for student and faculty alike through a diverse, well-chosen collection, capable staff, and a suite of high quality services. The library includes more than 426,000 volumes, over 25,000 electronic and print journal subscriptions and databases, and a collection of United States Government documents, and provides computer access to information and documents from around the world. A strong collection of printed and recorded music, films on DVD and video and a wide ranging selection of newspapers complete the collection.

The facility also houses the University Archives and Special Collections which includes documents chronicling the academic, cultural, and social history of the University. Additional materials for research include rich collections of U.S. Congressional papers, the Pacific Northwest Artist Archive, rare books and materials focusing on the Pacific Northwest.

A highly qualified staff of librarians and support personnel, committed to developing and maintaining strong collections and services, supports the research needs of the Willamette community. Each academic department and school has a liaison librarian with whom students and faculty can work. Course-related instruction presented by liaison librarians ensures that students not only find the information they need to satisfy course requirements, but also learn the search strategies needed to retrieve and critically evaluate information in a society that places increasing importance upon these skills. Librarians are also available at the reference desk, by phone, instant messaging, and email. Liaison librarians are also available by appointment for individual research consultations.

The library also participates in the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of academic libraries in Oregon and Washington that share an online catalog called Summit. Summit provides information on the over 27 million volumes held by the member libraries. Automated borrowing through Summit allows students, faculty, and staff to initiate online requests for books, CD's and DVD's from the other member libraries; materials are delivered within two to three days. An efficient interlibrary loan/document delivery service provides quick access to materials not available in the local collection or through Summit.

The library's Web site has become a substantial digital library of content and services designed to facilitate research in all disciplines. It includes access to research databases, records of all Hatfield Library holdings, online journal collections and primary materials, links to full-text content, Summit and interlibrary loan, electronic reserves, local digital collections, and other resources and services. The Web site is available 24 hours a day, enabling access to all the electronic resources from home or anywhere on campus even when the library is closed.

The Hatfield library includes many attractive areas suitable for study and reflection as well as a computer lab. A variety of displays are hosted and lectures, readings, and recitals are held frequently in the Mark O. Hatfield Room. A 24-hour study room is equipped with vending machines and provides comfortable study space.


University Registrar

The Office of the University Registrar is responsible for maintaining and safeguarding the official academic records of the University. In addition to serving as an ex officio member of the Academic Status and Academic Programs Committees, the University Registrar consults with students regarding general academic requirements and provides reports about academic progress. The Registrar's Office is also responsible for confirming veterans' benefits status, certifying athletic eligibility, evaluating credit earned at other colleges and universities, determining eligibility for graduation and honors, certifying enrollment status and administering academic records privacy as specified by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.


Institutional Research and Planning Support

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning Support provides information about the University to both internal and external constituents. The office is the primary source for current and historical data about student enrollment, demographics and outcomes and coordinates reporting to government and oversight agencies. Additionally, the office supports enrollment management, planning assessment and accreditation reviews through both primary and secondary research efforts. The office serves as the University's liaison to our regional accrediting agency.


Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS)

Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS) enables the effective and innovative use of technologies in teaching, learning, research, and administration. The department provides leadership, facilities, equipment, and staff support for the use of information technologies, including computer hardware and software, classroom equipment, data networks (wired and wireless), multimedia equipment, graphics production, instructional design, administrative systems, and telecommunications.

All faculty, students and staff are eligible to have accounts to access the University's network, though additional authorization may be required to use particular resources. Within the bounds of the University's Acceptable Use Policy, faculty, students, and staff have virtually unrestricted use of the facilities at no charge. In order to provide primary support to all users of campus computing facilities, WITS maintains a Help Desk that is staffed by both WITS employees and students. The Help Desk is open for business during normal working hours, but during the beginning of the semester the hours are extended considerably. A group of User Services Consultants provides technical support to various campus constituencies.

Resources and facilities available through WITS begin with the campus data network and the telephone system. The campus network offers access to electronic mail, file storage, the on-line catalog of the Hatfield library, administrative services, the Blackboard course management system, a variety of software applications, the University's web site, and the internet. Other facilities include a general access computer lab, a multimedia workroom, a small video recording studio, a language learning center, and a faculty development/training room. Approximately half of all classrooms are equipped with video and data projection capabilities; all classrooms have overhead projectors, and network connections. Equipment available for circulation includes laptop computers, video and data projectors, digital cameras, video and DVD players, and sound systems. Equipment available for use includes scanners, slide scanners, film recorders, DV and DVD transfer equipment, and video editing equipment.

All University owned computer workstations are connected to the campus network with access to the internet and most general-purpose software applications. The general access lab is open to students 24-hours a day, seven days a week during the academic year. Other computer facilities, including the Language Learning Center, are open to students except during scheduled classes. In addition, all residence hall rooms have network connections. Students bringing their own computers to campus may connect them to the network, as long as the machines meet certain minimum standards. The University provides for dial-in access from off-campus for all students, faculty and staff to access the campus network.

WITS provides a wide variety of support services to faculty wishing to incorporate information technologies into instruction. WITS also offers workshops for students, faculty, and staff on the use of computers, application software, the campus network, the internet, as well as development of web sites and electronic presentations. User Services staff consult with faculty and students concerning software applications, hardware appropriate to those applications, the use of multimedia for teaching and presentations, computer-aided instructional methods and general questions about any aspect of computing at Willamette.

The WITS Multi-media Production group provides for-fee services to develop and produce video material, photographic slides, brochures, posters and other materials related to instruction and campus activities. The multi-media workroom is also available for self-service development of many of these same kinds of materials.

Four other services of WITS, Network and Systems Management, Administrative Computing, Telecommunications, and Technical Services, provide support and maintenance for the campus network equipment and servers, the administrative information system, the telephone and voice mail systems and the University's technology equipment in offices, classrooms, and laboratories.

 

Accessible Education Services

The mission of this office is to facilitate accommodations for those students with a qualifying disability or temporary medical condition. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact this office as soon as they are accepted to discuss the necessary documentation and individualized accommodations/services.


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