Gannon University UPMCJamestown Orientation Booklet 2025
WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome, new Gannon Knights. We are excited you are here on campus with us to take your first of many important steps throughout your journey at Gannon University.
Gannon is a place where your life experience is more than your academic studies. It is where you will meet and form lifelong friends, where you will create memories engaging in campus events and traditions, where you will gain new experiences giving back to the community, and more. Today’s Orientation programming is just a sneak peek at what you will experience throughout your time here. Gannon is often referred to as a family, and today, we welcome you into ours. Our community is here to provide you the support, resources and inspiration you need to make the most of your Gannon experience and achieve your personal, academic and career goals. There is much to look forward to throughout today’s Orientation programming and in the coming weeks as we anticipate the start of your journey at Gannon University.
Welcome home, Knights.
God Bless,
Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D. President, Gannon University
WELCOME TO ORIENTATION
Orientation is an opportunity for you to learn more about the people and resources available at Gannon to support your academic success. During Orientation you will learn about the offices and services you can access during your Gannon courses, but it is up to you to make the most of them. Gannon makes it possible. You make it happen.
KEYS TO STUDENT SUCCESS
Before the first day:
• Review your course schedule for time and classroom information
• Read the course syllabus to understand how the course is structured/governed
• Purchase any required textbooks
• Review campus map for parking and classroom locations
• Visit campus and find your lecture and lab classroom locations
• Add your course schedule, assignment due dates, exam dates to your calendar
• Bring your tablet/laptop to Gannon to log into Wi-Fi. Trouble? Visit ITS on the 3rd floor of the Palumbo Academic Center
• Come early to your first class to make sure you have extra time to park and get to your class
Each Week:
• Bring course resources with you to each class
• Check your Gannon email regularly, at least daily
• Submit weekly assignments on-time
• Study new material and review previously covered content
• Email your instructor(s) with questions as you have them
• Utilize the Anatomy and Physiology Open Lab times
Before an Exam:
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Eat a good breakfast
• Make sure your laptop is fully charged and bring your power cord to the exam just in case you need it
• Check that you have the most current version of Respondus
• Bring a Number 2 pencil for a paper exam
FALL SEMESTER DATES TO KNOW
Orientation April 28
First Week of Classes
Four-week grades
Mid-Semester Grades
Week of May 5
Week of June 2
Week of June 30
Finals Week Week of August 18
Final Grades Week of August 25
TOP 5 TIPS FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
Ask for help as soon as you think you need it. You’re not expected to know everything, and we are here to help you! Professors love getting to know their students during office hours, and the library is full of people and resources to assist you. We know what its like to be in your shoes and want to do everything we can to help you succeed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; everyone does it.
Use a planner or calendar. Organize your time to make sure you can get your work done and have time to take care of yourself. Stop by the Student Success Center (SSC) for helpful tips to use a planner effectively.
Don’t feel too anxious about fitting in – there is a place for everyone at Gannon! But if you do feel anxious, know that many other students are feeling the same way right now. It may not happen on the first day, but you will find your place on campus. All you have to do is be yourself. We’re excited to get to know you exactly as you are!
Allow time to adjust to your new normal. It’s different for everyone, but it will take some time to figure out a good routine and feel comfortable. Take some time to check in with yourself. If you’re feeling stuck, reach out to one of your professors, the Student Success Center, or the Health and Counseling Center. They are here to help you.
Remember to take care of yourself. Healthy eating, good sleep and hygiene habits and self-care routines often go out the window when you are in a rigorous academic program. You can’t be at your best if you forget to take care of yourself. A healthy sleeping and eating schedule make all the difference in your well-being.
BONUS TIP: Read your Gannon email!
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Counseling Services
Counseling Services is located in the lower level of Harborview Apartments and offers in-person mental health counseling and psychological services. All services are free of charge and no health insurance is needed. In addition, all services are confidential and provided by licensed mental health clinicians. To initiate services, email counseling@gannon.edu, and a clinician will respond to schedule a triage appointment.
Health Services
Students can receive care throughout the academic year Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon and then 1 to 4:30 p.m., often on a same day basis by walking into the health center or by making a scheduled appointment (via phone 814-871-7622, email health@gannon.edu or through the Health Questionnaire in the LiveSafe app) other than over summer months of June and July and University holidays. Based on the type of service, insurance may be required or have a nominal fee.
Recreation and Wellness Center
The Recreation and Wellness Center is a fusion building designed to provide a stateof-the-art venue for recreation, wellness, athletics and academics. This student-run facility serves Gannon University student, faculty and staff, as well as the greater Erie community and provides rich opportunities for the development of student leaders and the engagement of all.
The Recreation & Wellness Center features nearly 250,000 square feet of indoor space for year-round athletic, intramural, open recreation and fitness activities, including an 80-yard indoor field house and a Human Performance Lab (HPL).
In addition, new locker rooms and a healthy refreshment snack bar are quickly helping to establish a culture of health and wellness at Gannon University.
POLICE AND SAFETY
Police and Safety
Gannon University is committed to providing a safe living environment for all students. To support this effort, Gannon employs a force of 12 full-time police officers. Gannon also offers services and safety measures including our LiveSafe app, where students can find maps or virtually walk with friends. Gannon’s campus is also equipped with Emergency Call Boxes. If a student presses the call button on one of these boxes, a police officer will be sent to their location. These call boxes can be identified by their blue light, and can be located on a map in the LiveSafe app. More information on Gannon’s safety programs can be found here:
Gannon uses the LiveSafe app as a campus safety platform. Students, faculty and staff have been able to use the app for emergencies, to report suspicious activity and to hail the Knight Watch van for rides home. It also allows students and staff to virtually walk each other home for safety, a panic call option, a campus directory, and campus map.
STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER
The Student Success Center (SSC) provides support services, including academic advising, career counseling, tutoring, programming, and resources for students at Gannon University. The SSC serves as the primary resource for academic support and referral and is committed to assisting students with resolving academic concerns, meeting educational and career goals, and connecting to campus resources. The SSC offices work together to help students thrive within the university community.
The Student Success Center includes the following offices:
Career Exploration
Gannon offers students and alumni assistance preparing for and finding jobs through the Academic and Career Development office in the Student Success Center. Students and alumni can receive assistance in a variety of areas including resume building, on-campus interviews and more. Students also have access to the Career Closet, where they can select up to five pieces of business-professional attire per semester to build their wardrobe for interviews, internships and beyond. More information can be found by visiting the Student Success Center on the first floor of the Palumbo Academic Center or by visiting their website here: https://www.gannon.edu/student-life/student-success/careerexploration-and-development/.
Academic Advising
Gannon also offers students seeking additional support access to programs and assistance through Academic Advising. Accessibility Services. The Office of Accessibility Services provides students with documented disabilities reasonable accommodations. Students must provide documentation from a mental health professional, therapist, psychiatrist, doctor or specialist to receive assistance. Students can receive support such as extended test time and other needed accommodations. More information can be found in the Student Success Center or here at their website: https://www.gannon.edu/student-life/student-success/accessibility-services/.
NASH LIBRARY AND STUDENT LEARNING COMMONS
The Msgr. Wilfrid J. Nash Library and Student Learning Commons is a dynamic and engaging learning environment that provides resources, spaces, and support to students at Gannon University to foster learning and academic success. The building contains spaces for quiet study as well as spaces for collaborative work. There are 49 study rooms of a variety of sizes and configurations designed to accommodate two to 10 students. Urban Brew, a new café with its own distinctive menu, is also located in Nash.
Nash Library’s collections contain over 200,000 book volumes and more than 5,000 audiovisual items. Special collections include the University Archives. The library provides online access to over 45 databases, 50,000 periodicals, and 175,000 eBooks. Other learning resources such as laptops and anatomical models are also available for checkout. Research assistance and information literacy instruction are also integral components of the library’s educational mission.
STEM Center
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Center provides free one on one and group tutoring opportunities for courses within the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Business, and supports related coursework from the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences. (Specific areas include mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, biology, health professions, engineering, and business.) The STEM Center is staffed by a director and trained peer consultants.
Writing & Research Center
The Writing & Research Center (WRC) is staffed by professional and trained peer consultants who reflect our respect for the individual writer. The Writing & Research Center team has a strong commitment to service and regards language as fundamental to the holistic development of the student. We offer one-on-one conferencing, both in-house and online, for students of all abilities, including speakers of other languages. Undergraduate and Graduate students should visit the Writing & Research Center at any stage of the writing process, from any discipline.
To schedule an online or in-person appointment at the STEM Center or Writing and Research Center, students can visit http://gannon.mywconline.com.
CAMPUS MINISTRY
Everything Campus Ministry does is geared towards transformation through an encounter with the Love of God and love of neighbor. They do this by forming relationships with students that encourage them to become the best version of themselves. Campus Ministry seeks to serve students of all backgrounds: those who consider themselves religious, those who do not consider themselves religious, and those who are not sure. They offer a wide variety of events and programs that give students ample opportunity to connect with Campus Ministry.
The Campus Ministry team consists of full-time and part-time Campus Ministers, a part-time Music Ministry Coordinator, and over 40 student-leaders!
To learn more, follow us on Instagram at @gucampmin, or go to https://knightsgannon.sharepoint.com/sites/CampusMinistry
COMMUTER LIFE
The Office of Commuter Life provides a “home away from home” for commuter students with a lounge which includes amenities such as a microwave, sink, refrigerator, and coffee pot for your use. The Commuter Corner is a place to meet fellow commuters. There are also lockers commuters can use for free during the academic year. They are located in Palumbo and can be signed out in August. Simply bring in your own lock and fill out a form and the locker is yours.
Commuter Advisors
The Commuter Advisors (CA) are student leaders who provide support and guidance to their peers. The CAs provide various programs and events, help get students, involved in various activities, and keep them informed about Commuter Life and campus events.
Commuter Advocates
The Commuter Advocates are faculty and staff that represent various academic programs at Gannon. If you ever have any questions about majors or classes, you now have someone specific to reach out to in your field of study.
COMMUTER PARKING
Parking spaces for commuters and off-campus students are available in three Erie Parking Authority ramps (the two adjacent to the Palumbo Academic Center and the one directly across from it). Ramp information can be found at https://erieparking. com/find-parking-locations/garages/.
Many students take advantage of being able to ride the “e”, Erie’s public bus, for free. Other options include the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Park n’ Ride program (park free at the Bayfront Highway and Liberty Park lots and take the free shuttle up State Street), meter or street parking available within walking distance of the campus, or various privately owned lots surrounding campus.
DINING SERVICES
Gannon’s foodservice partner, Metz Culinary Mamnagment, offers several options for dining on-campus.
Find out more at https://www.gannon.edu/student-life/dining/
GU Gold
The student ID card also acts as your GU Gold card. GU Gold funds can be used for a variety of purchases on and off campus. Deposits can be made any time during the year. Once funds are deposited, they cannot be withdrawn as cash or used to pay balances on a student’s tuition account. Funds remain on account from one semester to the next until the student graduates or withdraws. At that time, a refund can be requested. Visit www.gannon.edu/gugold for more information.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (ITS)
Help Desk
The Gannon ITS Help Desk located in the Palumbo Academic Center, provides walk-in, phone, and online assistance for students with questions or issues regarding technology. Hours are flexible with technicians available during regular business hours and phone support available in the evenings and weekends to meet students’ needs. You can contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@gannon.edu or at 814-871-7501.
Computer Access and Resources
ITS provides more than 150 student access computers through all our academic buildings. Extended hours are provided in several locations for late night study. Computers provide access to university resources as well as specialty software. Students have access to print and copy devices around campus with a quota of 600 pages per semester.
Personal Computer Requirement and Software
Gannon students are encouraged but not required to have personal computers on campus. Gannon students may purchase desktops and laptops through any vendor provided they meet minimum standards.
Minimum Requirements to Connect to the University Wi-Fi:
• Windows 10 / 11 or MacOS 13 Ventura
• Wireless 802.11 n/ac
• Up-to-date approved anti-virus software (Windows and Mac)
Recommended Minimum Requirements:
• Windows 8 or MacOS 10.14
• Dual core Intel i5 - 2GHz
• 256 solid state HD
• 8 GB Memory (RAM)
• Up-to-date anti-virus software
• Microsoft Office (free license while a student at Gannon)
• Wireless 802.11 n/ac
• 3-year warranty plus on-site labor and accidental damage protection for laptops
Software packages from Microsoft, Adobe, and others are available to students at a discount from JourneyEd. All Gannon students are required to have working, up-to-date anti-virus software on their personal computer to authenticate to the Gannon Wi-Fi. Free anti-virus software can be provided by contacting the Help Desk.
? COMMON QUESTIONS
How about a tablet or Chromebook? - We DO NOT recommend tablets or Chromebook as your primary computing device.
Windows versus Mac - Gannon fully supports both and each features some advantages over the other. We suggest you get what you have used and what you are comfortable with. Changing from one OS to something new can just add unnecessary stress and be a distraction from your academic work.
CAMPUS CIVILITY
In keeping with its Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Gannon University offers a comprehensive, values-centered learning experience that emphasizes faith, leadership, inclusiveness and social responsibility. Gannon pledges to maintain a civil campus climate in which students, employees and visitors can experience a safe, mutually supportive, academically encouraging, egalitarian and tolerant community.
Gannon University expects all students, faculty, and staff members and groups to exercise civility. Gannon does not tolerate the subjection of another person, group or class or person to inappropriate, abusive, threatening or demanding actions.
Title IX (1972) is a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which can include:
• Gender-based discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual violence
• Discrimination based on pregnancy
Gannon University takes these matters seriously, not just to comply with the law, but also to provide a safe and enriching campus for all our students. We have programs in place to educate our student body and provide preventative training.
Colleges must take immediate action to address and prevent sexual discrimination on their campuses. Anyone student or faculty member wishing to file a complaint may contact:
• Campus Police and Safety
• Title IX Coordinator
More information regarding Title IX and sexual prevention and response can be found online at www.gannon.edu/about-gannon/title-ix/ or in the Student Handbook.
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)
FERPA governs the disclosure of –and access to – education records maintained by an educational institution. Once a student of any age enters college, the student owns their education record; and parents may only access it if the student chooses to provide written permission. The student can complete this permission through the Registrar office at Gannon University.
If you have questions about FERPA or need help with the form, please contact Registrar Office at registrar@gannon.edu
