Announcing the Offices of Accessibility and Academic Support & Retention

THE OFFICE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT & RETENTION

Restructuring to better support student academic development

To All Members of the Fairfield Community:

In order to better accommodate our students, I am pleased to announce two  important, student-centric resources that currently exist at Fairfield, but deserve to be further highlighted and distinguished:

The Office of Accessibility

Kelley Center

OOA@fairfield.edu

Ext. 2615

Fairfield University is committed to providing qualified students with disabilities equal opportunities to access the benefits, rights and privileges of its services, programs, and activities in an accessible setting. In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the American with Disabilities Act, and Connecticut state laws, the Office of Accessibility provides accommodations to reduce the impact of disabilities on academic functioning or upon other major life activities. This is a confidential service available for students with disabilities and temporary impairments.

The Office of Academic Support and Retention

Kelley Center

ASR@fairfield.edu

Ext. 2222

The Office of Academic Support & Retention provides individual and group services aimed at facilitating student transition and increasing student engagement and success. With a primary focus on the first-year population as this cohort enters Fairfield and then transitions to the Sophomore year, the Office supports and monitors students’ academic progress, offers peer tutoring programs (available all years, but based on demand), and coordinates with faculty advisors, deans’ offices, and campus partners to assist students in their academic pursuits. 

Over the past few years, these two offices along with Career Services came under the umbrella structure “AC/DC” (Academic and Career Development Center). This model did an excellent job of signaling Fairfield’s ongoing commitment to holistic student support and development, while also efficiently communicating various student-related services to the University community. However, given the expansion of the undergraduate population and the ever-increasing demands placed on each of these services, it is time for EACH office to move forward in ways that will facilitate growth and easily distinguishable identities. As a result, we will be transitioning away from the “AC/DC” nomenclature over the coming months and will reference each office as a separate entity.

Mark Ligas, Ph.D.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Excellence

Associate Professor of Marketing