What's New for Students
The Division of Student Affairs is pleased to present some of the major new programs and initiatives launching for students in the 2018-19 academic year.
A new Student Government Leadership Initiative will offer two learning sessions per semester to NYU student government members as a Thank You for their service and as a special benefit designed exclusively for them. The program will be facilitated by the NYU Leadership Initiative. The purpose of the program will be to offer leadership concepts and tools that prepare student government members to:
- Create a shared vision for the impact they envision on behalf of their constituencies
- Achieve personal goals and make their vision tangible
- Examine how to translate student government experience into successful global awards, fellowships and graduate school applications
In addition to the learning sessions, students will receive personalized coaching, information about prestigious scholarships they might consider pursuing, and support to develop applications if they so choose.
The Center for Student Life's home on the 7th floor of Kimmel will re-open with renovated and reorganized space, providing more meeting spaces for student organizations and programming, better access to staff, a more open lounge space for collaborative opportunities, an updated Military Alliance Center, an updated International Student Center, an expanded pantry for commuters, and a centralized reception desk. In addition, the 2nd floor—previously the Student Resource Center—will offer shared student leadership spaces for Student Government, Program Board, Class Activities Boards, Publication Lab, and the Fraternity and Sorority Councils, as well as a shared pantry, work, and meetings spaces.
The new Wellness Exchange app lets NYU students chat with a counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in six different languages—English, French, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and Spanish—the same way they text with their friends. (It also dials the hotline in three quick taps if a student prefers to talk.) The new app is part of our ongoing work to remove the barriers that keep some students from getting help when they need it. The app complements the telephone and walk-in options already available. Deans, faculty and staff should continue to call the Wellness Exchange hotline at (212) 443-9999, rather than use the chat, to share concerns about a student. In addition, two new videos will premiere this year to help decrease stigma around seeking care and setting realistic expectations about what counseling means.
In partnership with Dining Services, and resulting from a university-wide Food Insecurity Work Group, NYU's Courtesy Meals program provides a short-term meal plan to any student in need of immediate assistance. If a student needs to utilize Courtesy Meals multiple times, staff will work to connect them with longer-term solutions.
Our new Office of Student UX, Technology, and Engagement will launch two student-driven, projects this Fall. First, the Learning Domains App (or “Skills App") brings the hundreds of NYU workshops, seminars, and trainings that teach tangible skills and competencies into one easy-to-navigate place for students. Second, a new chatbot named "BobChat" allows students to explore and navigate the University in an engaging and interactive way—24/7, at their own pace, and on the go.
Immediately following Welcome Week (for new students), Fall Welcome features five additional weeks of programming for both new and returning students. Replacing Welcome Back Week, Fall Welcome allows us to provide more program choices for students, a varied schedule of programs designed to connect students with University offices and resources, and time to socialize and network with peers.
To support the development of campus jobs as a career readiness strategy for students across NYU, the Wasserman Center is partnering with NYU departments to train student employees on the competencies employers most value, including professionalism, career management, critical thinking, communication, leadership, technology, teamwork, and global/intercultural fluency.
In response to the dramatic increase in the number of registered students with disabilities—up 176% over the past five years—testing facilities in Washington Square and Brooklyn have been expanded to better house exam-taking for students with accommodations.
Handshake replaces NYU CareerNet as the career services management platform in the Wasserman Center. Handshake offers NYU students and our employers a greatly enhanced user experience that connects students to great opportunities and enables employers to identify talented applicants. The new platform also advances Wasserman's analytical capabilities, furthering data-driven career development strategies for our students and alumni. Implementation will begin in October with a soft launch to users in June 2019 and full roll out in September 2019.