Health and Wellness
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Accommodations are available for students with diagnosed physical, learning, psychiatric, or other disabilities upon request. Students seeking accommodations for a disability or disabling condition should contact the Director of Student Life as soon as possible upon arrival to begin the accommodation process. If the accommodations are relevant to on-campus housing, this process should begin with the first housing inquiry. Accommodations cannot be requested retroactively. Accommodations are determined and implemented on a case-by-case basis as is reasonable and appropriate and may include but are not limited to: extended time on tests and in-class assignments, note-taking assistance or access to class notes, flexible course scheduling, and/or reduced course load.
The Office of Student Life will support students in communicating with professors to arrange and implement the approved accommodations. Students with disabilities are encouraged to communicate with their faculty, but are not required to disclose specific diagnoses. Upon student request, a letter will be sent to faculty members outlining approved accommodations and beginning the dialogue toward implementation for that semester. Given the variable nature of courses at Watkins, we recommend that students meet with the Director of Student Life at the beginning of each semester to reevaluate appropriate and reasonable accommodations.
For additional information contact the Director of Student life. Samantha Brzozowski can be contacted at 615.277.7406 or at [email protected] and is located int he Cecy Reed Student Center.
PERSONAL COUNSELING SERVICES
Watkins recognizes that occasionally personal problems can cause stress and affect performance in the school setting. Watkins has a partnership with an area counseling practice that will cover the cost of the first three counseling visits. The counseling service provided by Watkins is a professional service offered off-site and is designed to help students identify problems and seek solutions. The program is a prepaid service to students and their immediate families, providing three face to face sessions at no cost to the student. The program provides assistance with many personal problems such as drug or alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety, relationship conflict, problems caused by legal or financial worries, interpersonal abuse, and many others. When a student feels or believes that a problem exists and wants the assistance of a professional counselor, she or he is encouraged to contact the Office of Student life or to refer himself or herself. Watkins College of Art, Design & Film will not know or ask names of students who access the program. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance and privacy is absolutely respected. Students who are currently enrolled in Watkins College of Art, Design & Film are automatically covered. Once the problem has been identified, the counselor will recommend a plan designed to resolve the issue. Most problems can be identified and a plan for achieving resolution developed within the three unpaid sessions. Beyond these three sessions, the counselor may make a referral to another appropriate service or may advise the student to seek continued visits.
Students may call the Association for Guidance, Aid, Placement, and Empathy (AGAPE), who is the contracted provider of this service, at 615.781.3000 to speak with an intake counselor and to make arrangements for a first appointment. Visitation hours can be scheduled any Monday through Friday at 4555 Trousdale Dr, Nashville, TN, 37204.
For questions about the program, any student may seek the advice of the Director of Student Life who will keep all matters confidential and can refer the student to the appropriate contact or refer the student to other resources.
YMCA
All students of Watkins receive a waiver for the enrollment fee from all area branches of the Middle TN YMCA. Students need to only present a valid Watkins student ID card to receive this benefit. The monthly membership rate for the center-only membership or citywide membership is assessed based on income. The Northwest YMCA is conveniently located within five minutes of Watkins at 3700 Ashland City Hwy. Students are encouraged to utilize this neighboring facility. For additional information, visit www.ymcamidtn.org or contact the Director of Student Life.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS LINKS
Center for Disease Control and Prevention