Social and Residential Resources and Support

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
Dean of Students Division (Dean's Office) 
Identification (ID) Cards (OneCard) 
Parking on Campus
Public Safety
Office of Student Engagement (OSE)
Student Health & Wellness Services

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS services will be offered via both in-person and Telehealth for the 2022-2023 school year, beginning August 23, 2022. CAPS is staffed by clinical social workers, psychologists and a consulting psychiatrist. In the event of an acute psychological crisis, consultation is available by utilizing the CAPS On-Call telephone consultation service, 610-328-7768, which is accessible 24/7 throughout the calendar year.

GROUP & INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

To get connected to services, you must start with an Access Appointment. This 20-25 minute phone consultation will help assess which services are the best fit for you. Beginning August 23, 2022, you may request an Access appointment by completing this form.

Swarthmore College’s Counseling and Psychological Services offers time limited, solution focused Single Session, Group, and Individual counseling based on student’s presenting clinical concerns. Each of these therapy modalities may focus on helping students to effectively manage a discrete challenge or to make a desired change in their life. Individual counseling is typically scheduled on a bi-weekly basis whereas Groups typically meet weekly. A group schedule will be available on the CAPS website at the start of each fall semester.

TALKSPACE

If a student would like to connect with a provider outside of CAPS, one option is TalkSpace. CAPS has partnered with TalkSpace which is a confidential online counseling service where you select a counselor or psychiatrist that fits your needs and preferences. With TalkSpace, you can access licensed therapists through video, text, and voice messaging, and licensed psychiatrists through video. Counselors offer support and guidance through talk therapy, and cannot prescribe medication. Psychiatrists and nurse practitioners are licensed medical providers who specialize in mental health treatment and can provide personalized medication management. Please note that you are not able to have both a CAPS provider and a TalkSpace provider at the same time.

You may choose to do just therapy, just psychiatry, or both treatments with TalkSpace.

• If you are looking to work with a psychiatrist through TalkSpace, you will participate in an initial evaluation session and follow-up sessions will then be planned according to your needs. Up to 12 follow-up video sessions a year are covered at no cost to you. 
• If you are looking to work with a counselor or therapist, our TalkSpace partnership lets you schedule up to four free, live, 30-minute video therapy sessions a month, along with unlimited asynchronous communication, 24/7/365, with your assigned counselor. 

You can find additional information about accessing both counseling and psychiatric services through TalkSpace on the CAPS website.

How to Enroll in TalkSpace Psychiatry

• If you are new to TalkSpace and would like to enroll in psychiatry, visit this page and enter the keyword Swatpsych.
• If you have an existing TalkSpace account and would like to add psychiatry to your plan, please contact partners-support@talkspace.com and someone from TalkSpace's support team will be happy to assist you.

CAPS ON CALL

As always, CAPS On-Call is also available for consultation 24 hours a day, every day of the year at 610-328-7768. There are multiple types of services available for urgent mental health needs. View available resources.

Student Affairs Division

The Student Affairs division supports the holistic development of students through providing experiences and services that contribute to their overall learning in and out of the classroom, enhances the student experience at the College, and prepares students for life after graduation.

The Student Affairs Division oversees the academic support, residential, and social resources available to students at the College. Students are encouraged to reach out to the staff of the Student Affairs Division for academic affairs and support, disability services, and specialized advising for students interested in pre-med and pre-law preparation. The division also oversees diversity, inclusion and community development initiatives on behalf of students, including supporting resources such as the Office of Student Engagement, the Black Cultural Center, and the Intercultural Center. The Student Affairs Division attends to the health and wellbeing
 of students through the Student Health and Wellness Center and Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). Students wishing to pursue fellowships and prizes or who are seeking the support of career services should also turn to the Student Affairs Division. Finally, the Student Affairs Division is responsible for managing the student conduct process for students.

Identification (ID) Cards (OneCard)

Student identification cards (OneCard) are issued by the OneCard Office. Lost OneCards can be replaced for a $15 fee at the OneCard Office. After-hours assistance related to a defective, lost, or stolen OneCard can be obtained at the Public Safety Office (Benjamin West House).

Admission to the dining hall, large-scale campus events, registered parties, and other student social events may require a valid College OneCard for admittance. OneCards may be checked at the door of these and other events/locations by Party Associates, event hosts or College staff.  At events where guests are allowed, Swarthmore students may be permitted one (1) guest, who must be signed-in with the name of both the host and guest recorded at the door of the event/party. Guests are required to present a valid state issued driver’s license or ID. Guests under the age of 18 are generally not permitted at all-campus events or events registered with alcohol.  

Swarthmore OneCards are not transferable. Loaning your OneCard to another individual for use at the Dining Center or any College function is prohibited and individuals may be fined $35 and/or face violations of the student code of conduct. Misused OneCards will be confiscated and returned only on application to the Student Life division. 

Upon request, students are obligated to provide College personnel with accurate identification and must present their OneCard when requested. A student may not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentations to any College office. The Swarthmore Police Department will accept a Swarthmore College OneCard as proof of identification, except when a driver's license is required for operating a motor vehicle.

In addition, forgery, alteration, or unauthorized possession or use of College documents, records, or instruments of identification, or forged or fraudulent communications (paper or electronic mail) are prohibited and subject to disciplinary action.

Parking on Campus

All members of the campus community (faculty, staff, students, and visitors) are expected to follow the College's parking and transportation polices. These policies are enacted in order to increase campus safety and to preserve parking for Swarthmore College employees and students who are issued permits.  

There are a limited number of parking spaces on campus for current students. For reasons of sustainability and community, students are not allowed to bring a car to Swarthmore College without explicit approval from the Parking Committee. Approximately 160 parking permits are set aside for members of the student body with extenuating needs or circumstances that will require a car. The number of student permit requests usually outnumbers the spaces we have set aside for students.  As such, student parking permits applications will be prioritized by established and existing criteria: class year, extenuating need, and special medical accommodations. 

Students should not plan on bringing a car to campus unless they receive explicit permission to do so. Parking regulations are enforced at all times during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Students found in violation of campus transportation policies may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

Student Cars without Permits Parked Anywhere on Campus at Any Time
For non-permitted student cars parked on campus, including in faculty-staff-permit spaces, student-permit spaces, handicapped-accessible spaces, or visitor spaces, Public Safety will issue a citation. After two citations, the car will be issued a Boot/Tow Notice, and will be booted or towed at the next infraction.

Student Cars with Student Permits Parked in Spaces Other Than Assigned Student Lot
The student permit allows the student to park only within the assigned student parking lot. If a vehicle with a student permit is parked in any other space, including faculty-staff spaces or visitor spaces, Public Safety will issue a citation. After two citations, the car will be issued a Boot/Tow Notice, and will be booted or towed at the next infraction.

Cars Towed Immediately in Cases of Compromised Safety or Accessibility
In the case of a car parked in a fire lane, loading zone, signed accessible space, or in any case where there is a safety or accessibility issue, the car will be towed immediately at the owner/operator's expense. Public Safety will not wait for multiple tickets to accrue.

Fines:

• $20 fine for the following infractions: 
  • Prohibited Parking by Sign or Yellow Line
  • Overtime in 20-minute zone or 2-hour zone
  • Blocking a crosswalk, driveway, dumpster or other vehicle
  • Parking without a permit, or while permit is suspended or revoked
  • Taking two parking spaces for a single vehicle
  • Failure to display a parking permit as instructed
  • Parking in other than an authorized lot or space
• $50 fine for the following infractions: 
  • Exceeding posted speed limit
  • Reckless driving
  • Driving/parking on sidewalks or grass
  • Parking in a fire lane or zone
  • Disobeying a traffic control device or barrier
  • Parking in roadway (including Parrish East and West Circles and the Lang/LPAC Circle)
• $100 fine for the following infractions: 
  • Blocking a fire hydrant, fire escape, or exit
  • Parking in a signed handicapped-accessible parking space
  • Removal of boot
  • Towing fine (not including fees from towing company)

Citation Fines Payment and Adjudication
Drivers have 30 days to pay a citation fine. Fines are discounted 20% if paid within 5 days of issue. If a student’s fine is not paid within 30 days, the fine will be added to the student’s account. The student may not graduate until all fines are paid in full.

Public Safety officers will be instructed to boot the vehicle at the next infraction when a student accrues one of the following: a boot/tow notice; three unpaid citations; $100 or more in outstanding fines. To have a boot removed, the driver must pay the boot-removal fine of $100 and all outstanding parking fines. If a student with a permit accrues three or more citations, or is booted, that student’s permit will be suspended for the remainder of the academic year.  Permit revocation decisions are typically based on the accumulation of three violations that have been un-appealed or unsuccessfully appealed. All decisions are final.

Public Safety

Swarthmore’s Public Safety Department operates 24/7/365 and is fully committed to providing a physically and emotionally safe and healthy campus for the entire community. Uniformed officers patrol buildings and grounds, respond to emergencies, educate the community about crime prevention, and provide individual safety escorts upon request. Public Safety also offers self-defense and CPR certification classes to the community, regularly meets with RAs, Area Coordinators (AC), Office of Student Engagement, and others from around campus to discuss safety issues, and strives to be a sought out resource through thoughtful interactions and attendance at community events. The Department of Public Safety utilizes a Community Resource Officer Program. This program partners one officer to every residential/academic/administrative building on campus to be the point contact person for issues regarding safety, requests for non-emergency assistance with programming, feedback on experiences with the department, and collaborative efforts to engage the community.

The Department’s GARNET Safety Program includes free apps for smartphone devices such as LiveSafe (https://www.livesafemobile.com/solutions/mobile-app/) which, when activated, sends audio, video, and a GPS location to the Department’s Communication Center, and the Garnet Shuttle app, which provides real-time location and estimated arrival times for shuttles. In addition, there are Garnet Towers located throughout the campus which are illuminated with a blue light and these are located in specific outdoor spaces for your safety to report or request assistance from Public Safety. Information on both is available on the Public Safety website.

For general questions or to learn more about safety and education initiatives please call ext. 8281 on campus or 610-328-8281 from off campus.  All emergencies should be reported to Public Safety’s emergency telephone line, ext. 8333 on campus or 610-328-8333 from off campus. Any crime or suspected crime should be reported immediately to Public Safety. The Department of Public Safety works closely with Swarthmore Borough Police, who may also respond to campus for major incidents or aid in the investigation of crimes. All community members are strongly urged to save the Emergency Phone Number into their mobile phones for ease of use.

Public Safety works vigorously to comply with the spirit and letter of federal laws that govern campus safety and security. More information about these laws and our annual reports of information about crime on and around campus can be found at https://www.swarthmore.edu/public-safety/annual-fire-safety-security-report, with detailed statistics contained in the Annual Fire Safety and Security Report under Federal Safety Information - Clery Act on the same site.

Public Safety is located in Benjamin West House, and serves as the visitor center and central phone operator for the College.

The Department strives to educate and partner with the community and instill the concept that safety is our shared responsibility. Members of the campus community are strongly encouraged to report suspicious conditions or persons as quickly as possible, and always remember, if you see something, say something.

Office of Student Engagement (OSE)

Swarthmore College is committed to student learning in and out of the classroom and thus supports the personal and leadership development of students through extracurricular activities. Swarthmore’s housing philosophy is based on the belief that residence-hall living enhances education by contributing to an individual’s academic, social, and personal development. If residential communities are to provide an environment for personal growth, residents must accept responsibility for their own actions and demonstrate respect for the rights and concerns of others and for the property of the College.

General housing policies and regulations described below are established by the Student Life department and the Office of Student Engagement. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the policies and rules concerning conduct in the residence halls. Acceptance of space in College housing constitutes a knowledge of, willingness, and agreement to abide by these housing policies. Living in College housing is a privilege and not a right. The Student Life division and/or Office of Student Engagement may, at any time and at its own discretion, withdraw this privilege due to behavior, which does not rise to the standards outlined below. Students who lose their housing privileges are not typically entitled to a refund of their room and board charges for the remaining weeks of the semester.

Residential Life policies. 

Student Health & Wellness Services

Student Health & Wellness Services is located in the Worth Health Center. Hours are Monday through Friday 9:00AM – 5:00PM during the academic year. An after hours registered nurse on call is available when the Health Center is closed. All students must call the Health Center to schedule an appointment to be seen. Appointments are available to visit a collaborative team of clinicians. Student Health and Wellness supports the needs of our diverse student body by providing individualized holistic care and campus-wide education, in keeping with the broader mission of facilitating a productive and rewarding college experience.  Students experiencing emergencies and/or severe medical issues should be evaluated and treated at a local hospital network (i.e., Patient First Urgent Care or Main Line Health System).

Services offered: acute care, alcohol and other drug counseling, allergy injections, first aid treatment, flu vaccine clinics, health and wellness promotion, interpersonal relationship education, nutrition counseling, referral services, reproductive health services, simple diagnostic screenings, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings, travel health consultations, violence prevention services and well visits. Students have the right to expect that all aspects of care will be treated as confidential. Unless permitted by law, information is not shared with parents or family medical providers without the explicit permission of the student. In the case of threat to life of self or others, information will be shared with persons listed as emergency contacts as well as with relevant College officials.

Visits to the Student Health & Wellness Center are free of charge. Lab specimens are sent to Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp and are billed by the lab to the student’s health insurance. The student health insurance plan generally covers 90% of most lab fees and students are responsible for the remaining balance. Please be aware of your individual insurance coverage policy. A nominal fee is charged for simple rapid result diagnostic tests and some medications dispensed at the Student Health & Wellness Center.

The Swarthmore College Student Health Portal is available to manage needs and forms. The Student Health Portal is accessed through your MySwarthmore account. Click on Worth Health Center, click on Student Health Portal and scroll to click on Swarthmore College, log on using your Swarthmore user id and password. Swarthmore College requires all students to be adequately immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis,  varicella, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, hepatitis B, and polio, according to Pennsylvania state requirements. The College also requires all students to have completed an initial COVID-19 vaccine series and booster once eligible. Unvaccinated students must complete a waiver form. New students are responsible for completing health forms prior to campus arrival.

Health Center staff do not communicate with faculty members or others about missed classes, activities, or assignments. Students must give permission for the Health Center staff to be in touch with the student's dean, who will communicate with professors or other relevant community members for long term illnesses. These communications indicate that the student is under the care of a medical professional and will be in touch once they are ready to resume work or classes. Student deans can help students strategize ways to make up work and to approach faculty members or others about their situation.

All students must be covered by a health insurance plan that meets the minimum requirements established by the College. The College offers a student health insurance plan for purchase by students. Annually, all students are enrolled in the student health insurance plan (SHIP) and may waive out of the plan if they meet the requirements and provide proof of insurance.