With so many services available to Carleton students and staff, it can be overwhelming to find the right service to help you. The Charlatan has put together a guide for you to find help this Fall.
Student Academic and Career Development Services
Newly formed this year, Carleton’s Student Academic and Career Development Services (SACDS) combines the forces of career services, academic advising, co-operative education, and the Student Academic Success Centre to create a well-rounded and fully equipped one-stop service.
“This amalgamation will allow these four departments to formally begin working collectively . . . when supporting students’ development of academic skills and career goals,” said the SACDS website.
If you are in need of assistance or even just need advice on your degree, program elements, academic strategies, co-op programs, career education, and networking, SACDS said they are a great resource.
“Trained . . . facilitators are available to help you navigate some of the academic challenges you may face throughout your studies,” the SACDS website said. “Depending on your needs, facilitators can work with you through one-on-one or group facilitated sessions . . . designed to improve your academic performance.”
SACDS also said they work with students to further develop learning skills during their workshops on time management, procrastination, note-taking, exam prep, and more.
According to their website, these free drop-in workshops run every weekday in the fall. Times and schedules can be found online at carleton.ca/sacds/.
Paul Menton Centre
For those with a learning disability, mental illness, or physical disability, the Paul Menton Centre (PMC) can be the key to academic success. The PMC offers a wide array of academic accommodations and services for students to utilize in class and during examination periods.
The PMC offers accommodations, including note-taking and scribe services, tutoring, and exam arrangements for those who may be unable to write in standard examination environments.
“Students will only receive academic accommodation if the functional limitations of their disability impact directly on their academic performance,” the PMC website said.
The PMC requires applicants to have documented proof of a disability from a physician or the appropriate medical professional in order to register with the centre.
Once registered, students can work one-on-one with a PMC co-ordinator to find the best services for their unique needs.
Even if you have never been diagnosed with a physical, mental, or learning disability, the PMC said they can assess your personal situation and find you the appropriate assistance.
“We try to meet the diverse needs of our students through specialized programs and services offered by the PMC as well as generic services available in the wider Carleton community,” the PMC website said.
The Paul Menton Centre is located at 501 University Centre. They can be reached at 613-520-6608 or can be found online at carleton.ca/pmc.
Equity Services
Carleton’s Equity Services department said they are committed to providing fair and equal opportunities for all students and staff based on human rights codes.
Equity Services provides information, support, and intervention for problems relating to sexual harassment and discrimination based on religion, disability, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and any other factors that could inhibit equal opportunity.
Equity Services also offers support for survivors of sexual assault and direction to services within Carleton and the Ottawa region as a whole. Their advisors help students take the next step and find the support they need.
Equity Services also promotes “Aboriginal outreach, retention and culture” through the Centre for Aboriginal Culture and Education, also known as Ojigkwanong.
You can learn more about Equity Services at carleton.ca/equity or visit them at 503 Robertson Hall.
Health and Counselling Services
Carleton’s Health and Counselling Services (HCS) is the support service many students don’t know about until they need it.
Though their main service includes a walk-in clinic with a full staff of experienced doctors and nurses, HCS has much more to offer.
HCS offers sexual health services, lab services, immunizations, referrals to specialists within the Ottawa region, appointments for smoking cessation, allergy injections, and assistance with mental health issues.
“My experience with Carleton’s walk-in clinic has always been positive,” said Kelsey Harlow, a fourth-year communications student. “I’ve never had to wait too long, and the staff are always very friendly and eager to help.”
HCS also provides an extensive counselling service available to both residence and off-campus students.
“Our counselling team includes personal counselors, general practitioner psychotherapists, a psychiatrist, an international student counsellor, and three counsellors located in residence, to help with personal and emotional difficulties,” according to a Student Support Services brochure. “Our primary responsibility is to alleviate distress and promote healthy functioning.”
Maureen Murdock, the director of HCS, said residence students have access to counsellors in residence who are able to provide residence-specific support.
“They can call 613-520-2600 ext. 8061 for appointments or drop-in Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” Murdock said. “They are located in 131 Renfrew House.”
Off-campus students can book appointments with a counsellor at the main HCS clinic room, located in 2600 of the Carleton Technology and Training Centre building, or call 613-520-6674.
But students should be aware that during high-stress times of the year, counsellors often have waitlists for appointments.
According to the HCS website, confidentiality is a large part of the medical and counselling services offered to students. This means that anything said during a doctor’s appointment or counselling session stays strictly between the medical professional or counsellor and the student.
Awards and Financial Aid
Awards and Financial Aid deal with all those bursaries and scholarships you’ve received, but that’s not all they do. They help with student aid as well, particularly the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
They also run financial literacy workshops to help students with money management, lines of credit, and repaying government student loans, and they help students learn how to budget, pay expenses, and save money.
According to their website, “reducing your financial stress will allow you to put more time and energy into your studies.”
If you’re looking for a part-time job, the work study program run through Awards and Financial Aid can help you find one on campus.
“You may work up to a maximum of 192 hours for the work study period and earn up to a maximum of $2,280 for the fall/winter session,” said the work study website. “The work study hourly wage is $11.40/hour plus vacation pay.”
Jobs available through the work study program include field-specific positions, library and academic department work, and work in student services, according to the website.
The Awards and Financial Aid office is located in 202 Robertson Hall and they can be reached at 613-520-3600, or found online at carleton.ca/awards.
