West Coast University offers a variety of services to students. The University also maintains a list of outside services to assist students with personal needs, such as childcare, transportation, and other areas not directly related to their academic program of study.
Advising and Tutorial Assistance
The University has established a multi-level approach to offer to students in support of their academic and personal needs. Staff and faculty members on each campus are available to assist students in academic guidance. The Academic Department is primarily responsible for addressing students’ academic concerns while the Student Services Department is primarily responsible for other areas of concern and may provide referral services to external agencies as necessary in support of a student’s successful program completion.
Students who experience difficulty in their coursework and have a need for academic support should first contact the appropriate academic administrator for the program of study to create an individualized academic success plan. Many faculty offer tutoring for their courses. The University will try to accommodate students’ schedules in determining tutoring sessions, but students should realize that they may need to adjust their schedules to receive the kind of remedial or tutoring support required. Students may also contact the campus Student Success Coordinator to engage in further discussions about how to address academic improvement concerns.
Career Services
The purpose of the Career Services Department is to actively assist students in obtaining employment, although the department in no way guarantees student or post-graduate employment. The department offers instruction and guidelines for students and graduates in areas such as career planning and job search techniques, resume writing, interview planning and preparation, understanding the importance of networking, completing job applications, the characteristics of a professional image, interview follow-up, workplace etiquette, and successfully navigating the workplace. Successful employment assistance is dependent upon a mutual effort by both graduates and the department. Graduates are encouraged to aggressively seek employment opportunities on their own, keep records of their contacts, and inform their Career Services Specialist of these efforts.
These employment assistance services are available to all students who successfully complete the requirements for graduation in their respective programs. Employment opportunities may be limited for any student who does not have a clear background check. Employment assistance services are available on an on-going basis to West Coast University graduates.
Disability Services
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), West Coast University abides by the regulation that “no otherwise handicapped individual” shall be excluded from participation in programs and services offered by the University “solely by reason of the handicap.” West Coast University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations.
Below is an example of some of the responsibilities of the West Coast University Disability Office:
- Disability Office maintains confidential records
- Disability Coordinator(s) conducts initial meeting with the student to review services and required documentation
- Disability Coordinator(s) receives documentation from the student and conducts initial review and evaluation (verifies appropriate documentation, complete submission of documents, verifies disability, if needed consults with faculty, program chair, administrative departments, etc.).
- Disability Coordinator(s) meets with the student to review documentation and appropriate/ reasonable accommodations
- Disability Coordinator(s) certifies approved accommodations.
- Provides the student with “Letter of Accommodation(s)”
- The student signs “Letter of Acknowledgement and Student Responsibility”
- When available, provides the student with additional disability information and resources.
The above list of responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be affected by the timeliness of the student request and the nature of the accommodation requests. The ADA does not require institutions to provide accommodations that result in undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the course or relevant academic program. Students should submit written requests with supporting documentation at least six weeks prior to the beginning of the first day of classes or as soon as practical.
To request reasonable accommodations, students should contact the Student Services Office at their campus and speak with the Disability Services Coordinator.
Housing
The University does not maintain or assume any responsibility for resident student housing. The approximate cost for a one-bedroom apartment in the vicinity of the campuses in California ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 a month. The approximate cost for a one-bedroom apartment in the vicinity of the campus in Texas ranges from $750 to $1,100. The approximate cost for a one-bedroom apartment in the vicinity of the campus in Florida ranges from $1,000 to $1,650. Information about nearby housing is available through the University’s Student Services office.
Parking
All campuses provide free parking, and students are expected to adhere to parking policies posted in and around the lots.
Security
The University strives to provide its students with a safe and secure environment. University facilities comply with the requirements of various regulatory agencies.
Students are responsible for their own security and safety and must be considerate of the security and safety of others. The University is not responsible for any student’s personal belongings that are lost, stolen, or damaged on campus, in parking lots, at clinical sites, or during any University activities.
Students are encouraged to promptly and accurately report all emergencies to University officials. Upon receipt of any report of a medical or criminal emergency, the University will, on behalf of the student, obtain the services of medical or security professionals, as deemed appropriate.
Each fall, as required by the Higher Education Amendment of 1992, the University publishes the “Campus Crime and Security Report.” This report is available continually on the University website and in the Student Services Department.
Library
The West Coast University Library is the knowledge center serving the curricular, research, and professional needs of students, faculty, and university community. Each campus location offers full library services. Library hours of operation are scheduled to meet the needs of the students, faculty and staff, and offer resources and services that strengthen and enhance the University’s various academic programs.
The Library actively engages learning by effectively delivering quality materials in physical and virtual environments. Print collections include general and subject specific reference materials, monographs, serials, manuals, scholarly works, and trade publications arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Electronic resources including select databases from LexisNexis®, EBSCO, ProQuest, Gale/Cengage, Credo Reference, Ovid, Lexicomp®, and Therapeutic Research Center, provide access to thousands of full-text articles and case studies. The eBook Academic Collection offers more than 114,000 virtual books and is available for student and faculty use both on and off campus. Multimedia tools, web resources, and online tutorials are also available at each campus location. Explore the collections housed at all locations using the West Coast University Library's website, available online or on a mobile device.
Professional librarians and trained support staff assist individuals with their library and research needs. Services include, but are not limited to: 24/7 reference chat service, research assistance and subject guide advisory, in-depth research consultations (by appointment), interlibrary loan through a partnership with OCLC WorldShare™ Interlibrary Loan, interdepartmental campus loans, guided library tours, and various circulation activities.
West Coast University encourages students, faculty, and staff to become familiar with library resources and services. The Library is a central component of student-centric learning that leads to professional success by instilling the information literacy skills necessary for today’s changing environment.
Virtual Bookstore
Required and optional textbooks and course materials are available to students for purchase in print and/or electronic formats through the University's Virtual Bookstore. Students can access the Virtual Bookstore by visiting the University website at www.westcoastuniversity.edu. Students are expected to obtain and utilize the editions and versions of textbooks and materials as specified in their course syllabi.