FAQs

How can I get involved on campus?

There are several ways to get involved at Oxy inside and outside of the classroom, as well as on and off campus:

• Clubs & Student Organizations: There are well over 100 active student organizations on campus; if there is not a club of your liking just find some people with shared interests and start a new club. Student organizations range from academic and arts focused to religious/spiritual and socially oriented clubs and everything in between.     
• Community Engagement: If you are interested in getting involved off-campus, the Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE) office can help connect you to community partners and meaningful reciprocal service and learning opportunities.  
• Events: If you are not interested in joining a club, most events on campus are free and open to the general campus community. To find out about what is happening, read the Student Digest, look at the poster kiosks around campus and check out the College calendar.   
• Undergraduate Research: If academic engagement is your area of interest, reach out to a faculty member to see if they need a help on their current research project(s) or create a research project of your own. The Office of Undergraduate Research has funding available for student led research.
• Student Employment: On-campus employment is a great way to get to know the ins and outs of campus, as well as establish relationships with faculty and staff supervisors. Student employment opportunities are usually posted on the Human Resources Website and/or advertised in the Student Digest.

Not sure where to start? Stop by the SLICE office where staff can offer ideas on how to get connected at Oxy.

I am concerned about (a/my) student. What should I do?

No problem or concern should be considered “too insignificant," or “too big" to address, as we are here to help. Depending upon your role or relationship with the college, there are different avenues by which you can bring these concerns to our attention which are explained below. Information shared with us by concerned parties is then usually distributed to a limited group of trained professionals, called the Care Team, who create and implement a plan of support for the students.

In non-emergent situations:

• Faculty/Staff: Employees of the College can submit a Personal SEAN report available within the MyOxy, in the Employee Services tab and in the My Gateway portal.
• Family Members: Family members are encouraged to reach out to the Dean of Students office staff via phone (323) 259-2661 or email deanofstudents@oxy.edu.
• Students: Students can communicate their concerns through multiple avenues – an RA (Resident Advisor), the Dean of Students office, a coach, professor, or other appropriate College employees. Being concerned about a friend and/or fellow student can be a challenging and you should not have to carry this burden alone; please reach out!

If the concern is urgent in nature and requires IMMEDIATE follow-up, please contact Campus Safety at 323-259-2599.  Campus Safety will then activate the 24/7 duty response system, in which there is always a professional staff member on-duty to oversee and supervise emergent crisis issues.

How can I get in touch with students?

There are two primary ways by which you can communicate with students:

1. Via email: All Oxy students are subscribed to the “Student Digest," which is a collection of email messages that is sent out at 9 am each day (Monday - Friday). People frequently use this email digest to advertise on-campus events, post job listings, student discounts, post rooms for rent, etc.  Messages sent to oxy-students-l@oxy.edu are moderated and approved daily by 4:00 pm before being sent out around 9:00 am the next day. More information about utilizing the Student Digest listserv can be found here.  Individual student contact information will not be given out.
2. Via mail: To send mail to a student, the following information is required to be on the outside of the package so it is able to be delivered:

          First Name Last Name (no nicknames)
          1600 Campus Rd,  Box Number
          Los Angeles CA 90041

Additional information about how to successfully address mail to students can be found here.

• At this time, no deliveries can be made directly to a student’s dorm room so please plan ahead, considering the mail room hours, when mailing perishable items or birthday surprises such as food or flowers. You can get a student’s box number by reaching out to the student directly.  

Where should I go for help?

It depends upon what you need help with but any member of the Division of Student Affairs should be able to get you headed in the right direction so do not ever hesitate to ask.

• The most frequent offices worked with when a student is in need of extra support in regards to mental health, personal, or academic concerns are the Dean of Students, Disability Services and Emmons Wellness Center. But again, all staff members within the Division of Student Affairs should be able to help get you connected to support.

Where can I get confidential help? What is the difference between confidential and private?

Emmons Wellness Center has a staff of licensed clinical psychologists and supervised graduate trainees.

• They provide confidential, short-term individual and small group counseling to help students be fully engaged in their academic and social activities. Additional confidential resources on campus include, Project S.A.F.E., and the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, Rev. Dr. Susan Young.  
• If a student is looking for help after hours, they can call the 24/7 Confidential Support Hotline at 323-341-4141.

Whereas Emmons counselors, the Survivor Advocate, and the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life are confidential, other staff members in the Division of Student Affairs are considered “Responsible Employees" and, while respecting your privacy, may have to share information with other staff or offices, such as the Title IX office or the Student Success Team.  

A student cannot afford something. Is there financial assistance over and beyond financial aid?

If a student has a family emergency, needs assistance flying home for the holidays, is unable to afford college books or supplies, just broke their glasses, etc., students can apply for a small loan to assist them. The maximum amount you can be approved for during any semester is $500.00 and it will be applied to their student account.  

• Please contact the Dean of Students Office for additional information at (323) 259-2661.
• To apply for an emergency student loan, please click here: Student Emergency Loans.

What is the campus’ emergency plan?

Occidental has an Emergency Preparedness Committee, which meets monthly and runs through practice scenarios and table-top exercises to be better prepared for response in the event of an emergency.

• This committee is also responsible for maintaining the College’s Emergency Preparedness Response Plan which is available for review online.  
• All students are automatically enrolled in the OxyAlert emergency notification system, which is tested twice a year - once in the fall semester in conjunction with the Great California Shakeout drill and once in the spring semester.
• Faculty and Staff can opt into OxyAlert via the MyOxy portal.
• For friends and family connected to the Oxy Community, the website will be updated with pertinent information should an emergency occur.  

What Offices fall under the Division of Student Affairs?

A list of all departments, offices, and programs within Student Affairs Can be found here.

Departments & Offices

• Athletics:  Department of Athletics seeks to advance the College's mission of excellence, equity, community and service by providing athletic programs which emphasize competitive intercollegiate teams, fair play, participation in intramural and club sports, and health and fitness programs for all members of the Occidental College community. 
• Campus Safety: Campus safety officers patrol campus 24 hours a day to respond to incidents, provide safety escorts, and enforce college policies.
• Dean of Students: The office is open to students, faculty, staff, and parents who have questions for which there may not be an obvious answer or an office to address the issue.
• Emmons Wellness Center: Emmons utilizes a comprehensive approach to wellness services that seeks to enhance the physical and emotional well-being of students so they may be fully engaged in all aspects of college life.
• Intercultural Community Center:  The Intercultural Community Center (ICC) is a student-centered space intended to spark dialogue, facilitate programming and enhance a sense of community at Oxy.
• Neighborhood Partnership Program: The Neighborhood Partnership Program’s mission is to enrich the Occidental students’ college experience through partnerships with schools and community agencies in the Los Angeles area.
• Community Engagement: Community Engagement provides students with opportunities to enact Occidental’s values through community-based service and learning collaborations with organizations in Los Angeles and beyond. We work with all members of the Occidental community in challenging students to connect their on campus learning experiences with meaningful and reciprocal off campus experiences on issues of social concern.
• Office for Religious & Spiritual Life: The mission of the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life is to support Occidental students, faculty and staff in their pursuit of a vibrant and meaningful religious and spiritual life while engaging religious pluralism with a commitment to mutual respect, awareness and dialogue.
• Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement (SLICE): The Office of Student Life creates a vibrant community by offering support for student organizations and ASOC and works to create inclusive leadership programs, orientation programs, events, and general student activities.
• Project S.A.F.E. (for a Sexual Assault Free Environment) is a prevention and intervention support program dedicated to ending sexual violence on Occidental's campus.
• Residential Education & Housing Services: Residential Education and Housing Services oversees all aspects of living on campus, from room draw to RA Programs, community meetings to trips to Pantages & Dodger Games.
• Upward Bound: The Upward Bound program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits.

 

Topic specific and more comprehensive lists of frequently asked questions can be found on the Parents & Family webpage.  Additionally, the following FAQs may be helpful:

• New Student Orientation FAQs
• New Family Orientation FAQs
• Room Draw/Selection FAQs