Students with a valid CatCard are admitted to WCU-sponsored athletic events on the Cullowhee campus at no charge.
Many faculty utilize the online course management tool Canvas as a supplement to in-class work. Username and password are identical to your MyWCU account access. Please note that if your course is not listed, your faculty member may not be utilizing Canvas for that particular class.
Students may purchase textbooks and merchandise online through the university Bookstore. Items purchased online may be shipped to the student’s home address for a minimal fee. Students may also request shipment to the WCU Biltmore Park office at no charge.
At the beginning of each semester, the Bookstore works to fulfill orders and deliver them as quickly as they can. Once you receive email notification that your order is fulfilled, it can still be 24-72 hours (or more) before your book is ready for pick up at the Biltmore Park location. We highly recommend calling 828.654.6498 to confirm your book is here before driving over to pick it up.
At fall orientation and the first week of fall semester, the Bookstore operates a "pop-up shop" at Biltmore Park. Orders can be placed online and fulfilled at the Biltmore Park pop-up shop. Please allow 24 hours after placing an online order for your book to be ready for pick up at Biltmore Park.
After the first week of school, we will email or call you when we receive your item(s) from the Bookstore.
Announcements about the cancellation of classes due to inclement weather will be posted on the university’s website and an email will be sent to your university account. Students should check Canvas and their Catamount student email accounts for further instructions from their instructors.
Career planning and job placement assistance are available from the WCU Center for Career and Professional Development. To access services and set up virtual appointments, visit careers.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7133.
For computer or Canvas assistance, call WCU’s IT Help Desk toll-free at 828.227.7487, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., or email at ithelp@wcu.edu. You can also visit WCU’s Information Technology website at DoIt.wcu.edu.
Josh Barlow is WCU Programs in Asheville's Tech Support Analyst, and is available by appointment Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Visit calendly.com/bptechsupport to schedule an appointment. You may also email support questions to BPTechSupport@wcu.edu.
All copiers and printers at Biltmore Park use the PawPrint network and require payment with your CatCard. You may deposit money on your CatCard online at MyWCU. Online deposits to your account should be applied within an hour. Scanning to your student account is free.
WCU's print services are fully network-based and offer two easy ways to print your materials at the Biltmore Park instructional site:
For more information and setup instructions visit the PawPrint webpage.
WCU is committed to providing for the emotional health of its community and its members. Counseling for students is available on a short-term basis at no cost via Telemental Health appointments. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is staffed by licensed mental health providers who specialize in college mental health. For an appointment at either location, please contact CAPS at 828.227.7469 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm).
Discounts are available at a number of restaurants and shops in Biltmore Park. Students should present their CatCard to receive discounts. For a list of participating restaurants at Biltmore Park: WCU at Biltmore Park Student Discounts
All students receive Catamount Mail accounts that can be accessed through myWCU. It is the official method for university communications including messages concerning notifications and alerts. Due to increased security measures, students are not able to forward their Catamount Mail to another address. More information can be found at DoIt.wcu.edu. If you do not know your Catamount email address, please call the IT Help Desk at 828.227.7487, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Have your student ID (92 number) ready. They will assist you in locating your email address and password as needed.
The food pantry is located on the third floor and is stocked with a number of food necessities as well as some non-food items like cleaners and diapers. Everything in the pantry is free and the pantry will operate on an honor system. There is no need to register or check-in, though we do ask you to put an anonymous tally mark on the clipboard in the pantry each time you visit. That is simply so we can track the number of students served.
All students enrolled in a degree-seeking program, AND enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours, AND required to pay the student health fee are required by the UNC system to have medical insurance coverage. There is a sponsored plan through the UNC system in which each eligible student will be automatically enrolled at the beginning of both the fall and spring semester. The premium to cover the cost of the plan is then placed on the student’s WCU account.
If you are covered by another insurance plan, you can opt to waive out of the mandatory UNC plan by clicking the “How to Waive” button found on the website located at studenthealthins.wcu.edu. You must complete the waiver process as directed by submitting the necessary insurance information requested.
Health Services appointments will be offered virtually or at the Cullowhee offices during regular operating hours, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Please call University Health Services at 828.227.7640 to schedule. Throughout the semester, University Health Services may also sponsor health-related events, such as flu shot clinics, at WCU Biltmore Park. Please watch for those announcements via email.
All students enrolled at WCU Biltmore Park should secure a WCU CatCard. The CatCard is the official Western Carolina University identification card. It is a picture ID that identifies you as a student at WCU. The CatCard is your pass to attend athletic and cultural events and allows you to check out books and other materials out of any state-supported university library. It also allows you to use PawPrint (our university copiers and printers), the WCU Biltmore Park Fitness Area, and to access the stairwell entrances.
CatCards will be created by email request and mailed to your home address. To obtain a CatCard, select the following link: Acquire CatCard
Hunter Library at WCU is an important resource for your academic success. Many of the library’s holdings are now available online, including electronic books and journals, and each discipline has its own library subject expert. You can get help from a librarian night or day via live chat, email, or in-person consultation. Visit the library’s kiosk in the Student Commons on the 3rd floor to visit with a librarian during office hours or quickly locate more information.
Learn more about Hunter Library Resources at Biltmore Park
Hunter Library offers research assistance in person, by phone, or through online chat. For help, visit Ask-A-Librarian online or call Hunter Library’s Reference Desk toll-free at 866.928.5424. You can also contact the librarian who specializes in your subject field for customized help with major research projects. If you have an in-depth project, you can arrange for a virtual or in-person meeting with your subject librarian.
Faculty teaching at Biltmore Park may contact their subject librarians to schedule research workshops. Online research guides for every subject are available at researchguides.wcu.edu. You may also call Hunter Library’s Reference Desk toll-free at: 866.928.5424.
Many thousands of scholarly journals and e-books are available through the Library Catalog and library databases. To use library online resources remotely, you will be prompted to enter your name and student ID (or 92) number. Hundreds of databases and hundreds of thousands of eBooks are also available to you online. To locate databases by title or subject, visit the research guides website. Most databases contain full-text articles or citations with abstracts. Specialized databases help you locate statistics, encyclopedia articles, journal articles, government documents, and more. You can use these databases either at Biltmore Park or from home. To connect from home you need to know your student ID (or 92) number.
You will need a WCU CatCard to check books out and to use materials placed on reserve by your professors. You may keep books for three weeks and renew for additional three-week intervals. You can renew materials online. Print materials may be requested from the WCU, UNC Asheville and Appalachian State University (ASU) collections via the ABC Express (Asheville, Boone, Cullowhee) service. Simply locate the material you want in the online library catalog and click “request item” to place your request. Books will be mailed to your address with a return shipping label included.
If you need a book that is not available at WCU, ASU, or UNC Asheville (i.e., you can’t find it in the Library Catalog), you may request it by creating and using an interlibrary loan account. Interlibrary loan materialswill be mailed to your address. Borrowers will be responsible for return postage.
MyWCU is a web portal system that is fully integrated with the university’s student records system. It allows you to obtain up-to-the-minute information on course offerings, your academic record, billing statements, and financial aid information. MyWCU gives you control over your class schedule by allowing you to add and drop courses in compliance with the university calendar. Among other options, you have the ability to do the following:
• Drop and add courses
• Print enrollment certification
• View your schedule
• View and pay your student bill
• View and update address information
• View holds
• View grades
• View your institutional coursework and degree audit
• View transfer credit
Parking permits are not required at WCU Biltmore Park. Students, faculty, and staff are required to park on levels 2 or higher in the parking garage behind 28 Schenck Parkway. Please do not park in “visitor” spaces or in retail spaces on the street. WCU vehicles in those spaces may be towed.
This year we are excited to offer a professional development series crafted just for you, the WCU BP Student! This series is completely free to attend (all virtual) and you may join any or all sessions that spark your interest. You will need to register for sessions ahead of time.
Biltmore Park Town Square officers maintain 24-hour security. They are happy to provide assistance, including walking students to their vehicles after classes. For assistance, call Biltmore Park Security at 828.450.6993.
In the event of a crime, always call APD dispatch 828.252.1110 first. In the event of an emergency, always call 911 first.
Students have access to all Campus Recreation & Wellness facilities, which include the Recreation & Wellness Center at WCU Biltmore Park in 104 (first floor student area), as well as on the main campus in Cullowhee. The Recreation & Wellness Center at WCU Biltmore Park is self-service and is open during WCU Biltmore Park’s normal operating hours Mon-Fri.
Students may also visit the Campus Recreation & Wellness webpage for virtual wellness options.
Dates, class schedules, and instructions for registration are available online through your myWCU account or at the Registrar’s website: Questions about your course plan should be directed to your advisor or program point of contact.
The Student Commons (3rd Floor) and Co-Working (1st Floor) areas offer places to rest, study, and meet. The student break area on the third floor includes the use of a refrigerator, microwave, sink, water fountains, Keurig single-cup brewing system, and snack and drink vending machines. Disposable cups and beverage condiments are provided for tea and coffee. The building's main lobby on the ground floor also includes a furnished area for studying and breaks. Picnic tables are available outside. Flatware and dishes are not provided.
Study Spaces and Conference Rooms
There are six study/conference rooms available for student group study use on the third floor. They must be reserved by contacting the administrative office. To reserve, please visit office 348 or call 828.654.6498 or visit the 1st-floor Administrative Office. Some are equipped with large monitors that may be connected to your laptop or may be used with a wireless keyboard and mouse which can be checked out at the admin office. Small conference rooms can be booked 24 hours in advance, for 2 hours blocks at a time. Rooms may be subject to additional restrictions during times of high demand during the semester. Students will be notified by email about any policy changes regarding study space. Additionally, there are four student study pods in the Co-Working Area on the first floor that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Military students, those currently serving and veterans, who have questions concerning education benefits, such as the GI Bill, or any other military-related issues should contact WCU's Office of Military Student Services at military@wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC) provides limited one-on-one, writing assistance for students. Virtual appointments will be available for fall 2020 and students are encouraged to use WaLC's online resources, which include many useful tools such as citation guides, assignment strategies, and grammar rules. To access WaLC's online resources or make a tutoring appointment, visit tutoring.wcu.edu.
Students are also encouraged to utilize Brainfuse online tutoring services.