Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Student Affairs & Diversity


The Division of Student Affairs & Diversity provides intentional opportunities for the development of engaged learners, critical thinkers and global citizens.   The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs & Diversity is located in 150 Oakland Center (248-370-4200). Brief descriptions of services for students follow.

Dean of Students

The Dean of Students serves as an advocate for the development of programs and services to meet the needs of students. As such, the dean of students monitors the university environment, administers the student code of conduct, assists with student life policy development, and serves as an advocate for students facing academic, financial and personal problems while enrolled at Oakland University. The Dean of Students office is located in the Student Affairs & Diversity Office at 150 Oakland Center, (248) 370-3352.

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion engages the campus and surrounding community to help define, enable, and foster an inclusive campus culture that embraces the diversity of identities, ideas, and values that embody Oakland University. The office develops, implements, and assesses strategies and initiatives to aid in the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff and students. The staff is responsible for investigating, reporting and training in the areas of Equal Opportunity, Title IX, Affirmative Action, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information on the DEI office, visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  The office is located in the Student Affairs & Diversity Office at 150 Oakland Center, (248) 370-3496.

Career Services

The Career Services Department supports current OU student and alumni to develop professionally by providing:

  • Career advising
  • Job search resources and guidance
  • Social media branding tips
  • Career-related programming and fairs
  • An online job posting database for on and off campus opportunities

 Visit Career Services to learn about our services and programs, or to mark your calendar to attend our events, seminars, information sessions, and check out the extensive online resources.  Schedule appointments with our Career Consultants and search for jobs on Handshake, our comprehensive recruitment portal for full-time, part-time, internship, co-op, and on-campus opportunities. Updated daily and accessible 24/7, the site allows you to post your resume for on-and off-campus open positions.

Take advantage of our Career Studio located in 154 North Foundation Hall for in the moment career guidance from a Career Ambassador.  For questions, call (248) 370-3250.

Center for Multicultural Initiatives

The Center for Multicultural Initiatives (CMI) was established in 1993 to advance Oakland University’s commitment to diversity by increasing the retention and graduation of a culturally diverse student body by developing strategies that engage all students in the attainment of academic excellence and social success. CMI provides programs and services to students who are interested in developing leadership and study skills, networking with fellow students, faculty and staff; and celebrating diversity. It also administers the Oakland University Trustees Academic Success Scholarship and oversees several other scholarships, loans and peer mentor programs. The CMI’s mission is to provide support for underrepresented students’ success and to foster an appreciation for campus-wide diversity. The CMI is located in 104 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-4404.

The Gender and Sexuality Center serves all faculty, staff and students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  The Gender and Sexuality Center serves Oakland University’s LGBTQIA community by providing and fostering a campus environment that promotes inclusion and understanding around issues of gender and sexuality through education, outreach and advocacy for all members of the OU community.  For more information contact 248-370-4336 or gsc@oakland.edu.

Veterans Support Services provides a supportive and welcoming environment for all veterans, service members and their dependent.  Whether on active duty, in the reserves, or entitled to Vocational Rehabilitation services, we are dedicated to ensuring veterans achieve their academic and personal goals.  For more information contact 248-370-2010 or vss@oakland.edu.

Disability Support Services

Advocacy and support services are provided through the Office of Disability Support Services, located in 103A North Foundation Hall. Services include, but are not limited to, priority registration, alternative testing arrangements, assistive technology, alternative media formats, assistance in identifying note takers, electronic door openers and sign-language interpreting services. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment as soon as possible, ideally a minimum of six weeks before services are required. To register, or for more information, contact the DSS Office at (248) 370-3266.

First Year Advising Center

The First Year Advising Center, in 121 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-3227, provides academic advising for all first-year students and undecided and/or re-deciding students. Through a minimum of one required appointment each semester, academic advisers in the First Year Advising Center assist students in connecting to the university community, exploring majors and careers, course scheduling, and tracking their academic performance and progress. Students who have completed their first year at Oakland and chosen a major will move from the First Year Advising Center into their College or School’s academic advising unit where they will remain until graduation. All undergraduates, regardless of academic major, may utilize the career exploration services of the First Year Advising Center.

Graham Health Center - Health Services

Graham Health Center provides convenient, affordable, high-quality health care on campus for the OU community.  We are staffed by certified Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who have extensive education and clinical training. These professionals:

  • Provide primary care services, including physical exams, health maintenance, disease prevention and screening tests
  • Diagnose and treat acute illness, minor injuries and chronic disease
  • Prescribe medications - as well as diagnostic tests and treatments
  • Promote positive health behavior and self-care skills through education and counseling
  • Immunizations services
  • Travel Health consultation

A physician serves at GHC weekly to review cases, consult with the advanced practice clinicians and see patients as needed.  Most health insurances are accepted. The Health Center is located at 408 Meadow Brook Road.  For more information contact 248-370-2341 or health@oakland.edu

OU Counseling Center

The Oakland University Counseling Center, located in the Graham Health Center, provides short-term personal counseling, psycho-educational testing and consultations to university students and staff. The personal counseling services provide treatment for relationship difficulties, depression and anxiety, eating disorders, grief and loss, sexual assault, stress disorders, underachievement, academic difficulties, career/major difficulties, and family or marital problems. Additionally, psychiatric services are available for students who require medication as an adjunct to counseling. Evaluations regarding learning problems or disabilities and ADHD are available through the psychological testing services. For students experiencing drug or alcohol problems, assessment, counseling and referral services are available. The Counseling Center engages in many outreach activities including screenings for depression, anxiety, eating disorders and alcohol abuse. Strict rules of confidentiality are observed.

The first six counseling sessions for students are free. After that, the following 9 sessions are available at a 12 dollars per session. Students may contact the center directly at (248) 370-3465.

ID Card Office

The ID Card Office is home of the GrizzCard and GrizzCa$h. The GrizzCard is the official identification card for Oakland University. Your GrizzCard provides access to your GrizzCa$h account, library materials, printing on campus, meal plans, and your residence hall. GrizzCa$h is an on-campus-only pre-paid debit account that can be used at various campus locations including the OU Bookstore, campus dining locations, including the Pioneer Food Court, the OSI Service Window, vending, print stations and more.

The GrizzCard has an additional feature called the Grizz Gold Card. Oakland University has partnered with the Oakland University Credit Union to offer the Grizz Gold Card feature which enables your GrizzCard to be used as a VISA Debit card and ATM card free of charge wherever VISA is accepted and at all Oakland University Credit Union ATMs. There are three Oakland University Credit Union ATMs on campus.  To activate the Grizz Gold Card feature as a student, faculty, or staff of Oakland University, you would simply open a savings account with a $5 balance, and open a totally free checking account.

Oakland Center  

The Oakland Center officially opened its new expansion in October 2018. Serving students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests of Oakland University, the OC, as it is commonly referred to, offers a wide variety of social, recreational, cultural and entertainment programs. The center is open seven days a week and is conveniently located in the heart of the campus.  It features a food court hosting brand name establishments, such as Chick-Fil-A and Subway, and new to the OC this year is Plum Market Kitchen featuring Zingerman’s Coffee. The University Bookstore, operated by Barnes and Noble, is housed in the Oakland Center, along with the Oakland University Credit Union and the Student Technology Center. Students can find lots of spaces to study, socialize and more in the new student performance venue - The Habitat, the Bear Cave game room, reflection room and various student work rooms.

Additional office and services located inside the Oakland Center include the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Diversity, Dean of Students, the ID Card Office, the Office for Student Involvement, Student Affairs Technology, Gender and Sexuality Center, Oakland University Student Congress, the Student Program Board, The Oakland Post student newspaper, the campus radio station WXOU-FM, and Oakland University’s campus food service partner Chartwells. 

Office for Student Involvement (OSI)

Office for Student Involvement (OSI) provides students with social, educational, leadership, diversity, and community service opportunities that complement their academic experience through campus programming and student organizations.  Campus programming includes comedy shows, concerts, movies, and lectures.  Student organizations represent a broad range of professional and personal interests, from academic, community service, honor societies, multicultural, political, faith-based, and social clubs to Greek fraternities and sororities. Students unable to find an organization serving their particular interests are encouraged to form new groups. Access to student organizations and their websites can be found on GrizzOrgs which features organization descriptions, officer and advisor contact information, an event calendar, forms, and messaging. Other resources within the OSI are the Leadership and Volunteer Center, Student Resource Center and Service Window for ticketed events on and off campus.

The Office for Student Involvement provides administrative oversight for the following student organizations:  Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) is the governing body that addresses student issues and concerns. The Student Activities Funding Board (SAFB) allocates operating funds to recognized student organizations.  The Student Program Board (SPB) is responsible for major social programs, activities, and events on campus. The Oakland Post is the student campus newspaper, published weekly during the academic year.  WXOU 88.3 FM is the student radio station providing an alternative to commercial radio. The Oakland Post can be read and WXOU can be heard online as well.  Student Video Productions (SVP) provides opportunities to engage in television broadcasting and the video production industry. These, as well as all student organizations, provide experiential learning opportunities connecting OU students to their peers, classes, and communities.

For more information on how to get involved, contact the Office for Student Involvement, 49 Oakland Center, call (248) 370-2400, or email osi@oakland.edu.

Orientation and New Student Programs

Orientation and New Student Programs offers many programs to assist new students and their families with their transition to Oakland University, including New Student Orientation, Transfer Student Orientation and Parent and Family Orientation. All undergraduate students new to Oakland University are required to participate in an orientation program before their first registration. During orientation, students meet with an academic adviser, register for classes and receive information about important policies, procedures and services.  Orientation and New Student Programs also provides other resources including New Student Convocation, Transfer Welcome Day, Collegiate Communication 1100, “The Oakland Parent” newsletter, and the Parent and Family Calendar. For further information, contact Orientation and New Student Programs, 105 North Foundation Hall, (248) 370-GOLD or gold@oakland.edu or view information online.

Placement Testing

Some general courses at Oakland, including mathematics, modern languages, and writing and rhetoric, require students to take placement exams or to meet certain criteria. Orientation and New Student Programs assists in coordinating placement testing for new students.  

Mathematics; Math placement exams are offered year-round with no appointment necessary through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, 368 Math and Science Center, (248) 370-3430. 

Modern Languages: The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 372 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2060 offers language testing in Chinese, French, German and Spanish year round. The tests can be taken on a personal computer or at any computer lab on campus. The test can be accessed at MLL Placement Exams. The password is grizzlies1.  

Writing and Rhetoric: Students with questions about placement in first-year writing should consult the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, 378 O’Dowd Hall, (248) 370-2746.  

Visit our website for more information about placement testing or contact Orientation and New Student Programs, 105 North Foundation Hall (248) 370-GOLD or gold@oakland.edu.

Pre-College Programs

Pre-College Programs (106 North Foundation Hall 248-370-4455) provides programs to middle and high school students in the metropolitan area. The programs are designed to offer academic, social, career and cultural enrichment to students. The department employs university students as tutors, peer mentors, and office assistants.

Available programs include:

Project Upward Bound

The Project Upward Bound (PUB) College Prep Academy is Oakland University’s most consistent and longest-standing community engagement strategy. Entering 52 consecutive years of service on June 1, 2019, PUB’s mission is to prepare selected high school students for college and career success. Serving 133 participants per year, PUB provides academic, social, cultural, and career enrichment that generates greater high school graduation and college enrollment/completion rates for PUB Scholars than for their peers not in PUB. For OU students, PUB provides a plethora of career enhancement opportunities engaging every major in various positions including office support, academic mentor, peer mentor, student leadership conferences chaperone, summer night watch, summer head resident, graduate internship, graduate assistantship, and teacher.

Student Technology Center

The Student Technology Center (STC) serves as the headquarters for the promotion, instruction and support of technology literacy to support classroom learning. The STC offers a hands-on training experience on some of the latest graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and office productivity software used in the industry. Additionally, students can borrow technology equipment from the Center. The Student Technology Center is located at 44 Oakland Center, (248) 370-4832.

The Tutoring Center

The Tutoring Center in 103 North Foundation Hall offers free peer tutoring and Supplemental Instruction for registered Oakland University students.  In addition to a nationally certified Supplemental Instruction (SI) program for specific courses, the Center’s peer tutors are certified through the College of Reading and Learning Association.  Walk-in tutoring is available for most 1000-2999 level courses and one on one appointments can be made for a few select courses.  The Center also provides study skills handouts, self-paced materials, and videos on their website to further support development of effective study strategies offered on the tutoring website.

The Tutoring Center is open year-round.  Current tutoring and SI session schedules are available at The Tutoring Center.  For more information, call (248) 370-4215 or visit the website.

University Housing

Oakland University’s residence halls and apartments offer a special way of life for more than 3,350 students each year and provide the opportunity to live with different people, develop social and leisure interests, begin lifelong friendships and become involved as a student leader. The housing community is spirited and engaging, and is situated within easy walking distance from classrooms, the library and recreational facilities.

To be eligible for university housing, students must be formally admitted in a degree-seeking program and registered for at least one credit hours each semester. Upon their acceptance at Oakland University and the submission of a valid housing contract, students’ reservations will be processed by the University Housing Office.  For more information, please contact the Department of University Housing, 448 Hamlin Hall, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401 or visit our website.

University Recreation and Well Being

The mission of the University Recreation and Well-Being is to offer programs, services and facilities that create a connection to Oakland University, encourage life balance and foster student development.  We impact the quality of student and campus life through knowledge, opportunities, interests and behaviors that promote healthy lifestyles and to encourage making regular recreational activity an element of daily life.  We offer programs that include intramural sports, club sports, fitness assessments, group fitness sessions and clinics, wellness programs, aquatic programs, and informal sports that are self-directed and self-paced.

Access charges to the recreation center and the athletic outdoor complex are included in a student’s tuition bill during the semester they are enrolled. Further information about eligibility for family members, facility hours or program offerings may be obtained at the facility’s Welcome Center or by telephone at (248) 370-4732.  To learn more about our facilities, please visit our website.