Student Life
Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.
Deans’ Offices
The educational experience of students consists of both academic efforts in the classroom and developmental opportunities through Student Affairs. The Academic Deans and the Dean of Students provide the leadership through their respective colleges and division toward an optimum educational experience for students.
The offices of the Dean of Misher College of Arts and Sciences, Dean of College of Health Sciences , Dean of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and Dean of Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy provide information and direction concerning academic and related matters such as course assignments, approval for summer courses, and information and applications pertaining to selected advanced degree programs and admissions tests. All student academic matters are channeled through these offices, which also issue a list of those students attaining sufficient academic averages to qualify for the Dean’s List.
The Dean of Students provides the leadership and administrative direction to the departments within the Division of Student Affairs, which include Intercollegiate Athletics, Campus Recreation, Career Services, Student Life, Multicultural Affairs, Office of Student Conduct and Disability Services, Center for Community Connections, Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), Greek Affairs, Residence Life, Off-Campus Living, International Student Advising and Student Activities. The division seeks to enrich the quality of student life and support the academic mission by helping to establish and enforce the community standards of the University and by responding to the concerns of students, faculty, staff, parents, and the community pertaining to student life at the University.
The Dean of Students also serves as a central point of contact for students experiencing obstacles to achieving their educational objectives. The Dean of Students’ office works in conjunction with offices across the campus and is responsible for the coordination and supervision of services, programs, and activities in support of student development.
All students are assigned individual academic advisors who are either faculty members or professional academic advisors. Academic advisors assist students in developing appropriate educational plans and accessing campus resources and provide information regarding policies and procedures. The Department of Retention and Academic Advising is available to assist all students with questions and concerns.
Student Development
Student Development Students benefit from a full range of personal support services that begin upon entry with the orientation program. Each incoming student is assigned to an orientation leader who assists the student in making the social and academic transition to college.
Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) Center
Services provided by the Student Health Department, located in the 4140 Woodland Avenue Building, include treatment for acute illnesses and injuries, consultations on health-related problems, allergy injections, and referrals to specialists or other health facilities when needed. All visits are confidential.
Emergency healthcare required outside the regular consulting hours may be obtained at the emergency room of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania , 3400 Spruce Street . All expenses incurred by night or emergency care, confining illness, consultations, or hospitalizations are the responsibility of the student.
The Student Health Department is staffed by a registered nurse, a part-time practical nurse, and a part-time physician, Monday through Friday during the academic term (fall and spring semesters). The nurse is in attendance during summer sessions. Specific hours are stated in the Student Handbook.
All students are required to return the Student Health History and Physical form, which should be completed by their family physician prior to the student’s arrival on campus. Suggestions or comments from family physicians regarding athletic restrictions or other health problems should be indicated on the health form.
For more detailed information regarding SHAC, visit the SHAC website at www.usp.edu/shac.
Counseling Department
Students who wish to focus on issues affecting academic performance or who require assistance with concerns of an emotional nature can access the services of the Counseling Department, located in the 4140 Woodland Avenue Building. The Counseling Center is staffed by psychologists and a consulting psychiatrist. Counseling services include individual counseling and sessions designed to enhance personal development and to assist students in areas such as decision making, interpersonal relations, and academic stress.
Student Insurance
In the best interest of our students, the University requires every student to have medical insurance based on the American College Health Association “Standards for College Student Health Insurance Programs.” Students may be covered under their parents’, their guardians’, or their own policy or through the Student Group Insurance plan. Available through the University, this plan covers medical and hospital expenses for a 12-month period, whether the student is at home or at the University. Details are available at the Student Health and Counseling Center in the 4140 Woodland Avenue Building.
Dining Services, located on the first floor of the Wilson Student Center, is operated by Parkhurst Dining Services and serves 19 meals per week to resident students, commuter students, staff, and faculty. It also provides catering to the entire University community.
The facility provides seating for more than 500 with two distinct types of service. The main dining hall offers a scatter-plan form of cafeteria service with an unlimited buffet for dinners and weekend brunch and an extensive à la carte weekday breakfast and lunch service with:
- Mongo Bongos features Mongolian barbeque. Start with shrimp, chicken, pork, or vegetables and add savory sauces and toss for a great stir fry.
- The Parkside Diner features home-cooked traditional meals served fresh, quick, and hot.
- Showcase Salads features heaping salads with the freshest toppings, fruits, and dressings that are meals in themselves. There are always homemade breads to complement any salad.
- Sequoia Grill features high-quality foods-to-order hot off the grill and just the way you like. Our burgers are never frozen! We pride ourselves in using only the freshest quality meats and poultry.
- On-The-Go features paninis, wraps, prepackaged salads, and fruit. These items are always fresh and packaged for a quick, convenient meal.
- Bravisimo features food from around the world, including cooked-to-order fajitas, stir-fries, pasta, grains, and rice dishes.
- Wheatcroft’s features freshly baked pies, cakes, muffins, and pastries available daily.
- East Street Deli features a selection of their favorite, freshly sliced deli meats and cheeses. We pride ourselves in serving delicious deli sandwiches, wraps, and subs on fresh-baked breads and rolls.
- Pepperazzi features fresh-dough pizza and pasta, prepared each day with the finest ingredients. We create pizzas, calzones, strombolis, and pasta dishes using classic Italian recipes.
Two additional facilities are also located on campus. Cappuccino’s, in Whitecar Hall, is a coffee and lite lunch bar located in the first-floor lobby. McNeil Café, in the STC Building, is a small outlet on the first-floor offering espresso based coffee drinks. These facilities offer a variety of foods from bagels and pastries in the morning to soup and sandwiches for lunch.
Two types of meal plans are available. The 135 Plus is 135 meal blocks with $575 declining balance per semester. The 100 Plus is 100 meal blocks with $725 declining balance per semester. We also offer a Commuter Plan. Weekly menus are available on the USP homepage at http://www.usp.edu/.
The bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble Bookstores, is located on the first floor of Whitecar Hall. The bookstore sells textbooks, lab kits, reference materials, computer supplies, and miscellaneous supplies required for college work. In addition, the bookstore sells a wide variety of USP clothing, gift items, greeting cards, sundries, magazines, newspapers, and SEPTA tokens. Merchandise is also available online under Bookstore on the USP homepage or at www.uspbookstore.bncollege.com.
The University contracts with the University of Pennsylvania transit service for the academic year. Buses and vans provide transportation for students within the USP community and surrounding neighborhoods. Information outlining the transit schedule and route information is available in the Student Affairs Office, Wilson Hall Information Desk, and online at www.usp.edu/LifeAtUSP/PublicSafety/transportation.aspx or the Penn Transit Service website at www.business-services.upenn.edu/transportation.
Athletic Facilities
The University encourages participation in athletics and recreation. The Athletic/Recreation Center (ARC) was officially opened in August 2004. It features an 1,100-seat basketball arena and a recreation gymnasium; locker rooms; an indoor track; a swimming pool; meeting rooms; Athletic Department and Campus Recreation offices; and an aerobics and fitness center, featuring a full line of cardiovascular and strength-training equipment. This facility is open to all students. The McNeil Athletic Fields include a jogging track, a women’s softball field, and tennis courts.
Intercollegiate Varsity Sports
The University provides a balanced and well-organized athletic program, offering competition in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports. These teams compete against many Philadelphia - area colleges as well as colleges from New Jersey , New York , Delaware, and Connecticut .
The University is an active Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Our teams currently compete in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The Rifle teams hold membership in the Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Rifle Conference (MAC) and National Rifle Association (NRA). USP’s commitment to the athletic program permits our athletes to compete and be recognized regionally and nationally.
USP offers the following sports:
For more information on athletics, see the website at www.usp.edu/athletics.
A highly qualified coaching staff is committed to the development of the total student-athlete through a balance of excellence in both academics and athletics. Consequently, success has reached the University of the Sciences’ teams in the classroom, as well as on the courts and fields.
A departmental academic advisement and monitoring program helps the USP student-athletes earn recognition for academic and athletic achievement from regional and national organizations.
Campus Recreation
The mission of the Department of Campus Recreation is to create value added experiences for the University community’s growth and development by encouraging involvement in recreational opportunities that will enhance leadership skills, teamwork abilities, and the physical well-being of all participants. The department offers a rich variety of recreation initiatives, from a thriving intramural program (flag football, basketball, soccer, badminton, and more) to the latest group fitness activities (kickboxing, spinning, yoga, boot camp, extreme abs, and more) to traditional training equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines and free weights. For more detailed information please check out www.usp.edu/LifeatUsp/arc.
Student Organizations
Several professional and scientific organizations maintain chapters at the University: the American Medical Students Association, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (Student Chapter), the American Chemical Society (Student Affiliate Chapter), the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (Student Chapter), the Mathematical Association of America (Student Chapter), the National Community Pharmacists Association, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Students of Pharmacy, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (Student Chapter), the Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists/American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (Student Chapter), the Pharmaceutical Science Club, Phi Lambda Sigma, the Psychology Student Association, the Student Occupational Therapy Association, and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association.
Several groups are specific to USP: the Student Society of Medical Technology, the Pharmaceutical Marketing & Management Club, the Pre-Medical Society, the American Physical Therapy Association, the Physician Assistant Club, and the Tox Club.
Several honor societies are represented at the University: Alpha Chi, Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Psi Chi National Honor Society, Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society, and Sigma Xi.
The following fraternities and sororities are represented by chapters at the University: Alpha Delta Theta, Alpha Phi Omega, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Zeta Omega, Delta Chi, Delta Phi Epsilon, Kappa Epsilon (Omicron Chapter), Omega Chi Psi, Pi Lambda Phi, Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Beta Rho, Sigma Phi Zeta, and Upsilon Sigma Phi.
The student publications include a newspaper, The Advocate; a literary publication, The Elixir; and a yearbook, The Graduate, prepared by the student body.
Students have the opportunity to participate in the following student organizations: The Alliance; Americans for Informed Democracy; the Asian Student Association; the Association of Latino American Students; the Atheist, Agnostic, and Freethinking Students’ Association; BAPS Student Group; Black Student Union; Campus Activities Board; Circle K; Encore; E.P.I.C.—Expressions of Philadelphia’s Indian Culture; Graduate Student Organization; Hillel; Inter-Greek Council; International Student Association; Kingsessing Players; Kingsessing Singers; Maya Dance Team; Middle Eastern Association; Muslim Student Association; Newman Club; Pilipino Cultural Association (PCA); Renewal Christian Fellowship; Residence Hall Council; Student Recreational Committee; USP Christian Fellowship; USP Political Connection; USP Scorchers (dance); and USP TV.
Student Government
Student government is composed of students representing every major in every year, all recognized student organizations, residence halls, and commuters.
The functions of the student government are described in full in the Student Handbook.
The Student Government serves as the principal communications channel between the students and the University administration on matters of concern to students. Its membership is comprised of the president, vice presidents, advisor to student government, committees of student government, and all class senators and representatives from other recognized student groups.
|
