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On any campus, learning and growth occur both in and outside of the classroom. On a campus like Saint Michael’s, where approximately 98 percent of the student population reside in the residence halls, the sphere of student development gains a special significance. Just as faculty members are highly educated and dedicated to teaching, there is a special group of people on campus who are devoted to each student’s intellectual, social, physical and spiritual development outside of the classroom. Students experience a unique kind of caring and concern for all facets of their growth by the student service staff of Saint Michael’s College. The following pages describe many of the services and activities available to the students of Saint Michael’s. All of these services are designed to provide the type of support needed to enhance a student’s college experience.
The beginning of any new experience is exciting and tension filled, and starting college is a major transition in one’s life. Saint Michael’s College is concerned with giving new students the best possible introduction to campus life.
The College expects all new students to attend an Academic Orientation day, which are held in July. Students have the opportunity to meet with a faculty advisor, to review their academic goals, and to ensure proper placement and registration in classes. Whenever possible, the College also schedules Pre-Orientation Weekends (POWs) during the summer. New students are offered an off-campus weekend experience where discussion on academics, adjustment, and life at Saint Michael’s provides an opportunity to learn about life as a college student. In addition, POW is a great way to meet people who will be classmates and peers during the four years at Saint Michael’s.
New Student Orientation is held in August prior to the first day of classes. These first days are reserved for learning about the abundance of resources and services available on campus. Faculty, staff, and student orientation leaders join forces to provide a comprehensive introduction to Saint Michael’s. Students meet with their academic advisor to review their first semester course schedules and to discuss the academic opportunities and challenges that lie before them.
Programs for New Students
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Saint Michael’s has a very strong commitment to provide a positive first-year experience for students. A full-time director of new student programs and development coordinates an extensive program of workshops and activities to address the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural development of all first-year students. Through individual contact with students in their first year as well as coordination of the Floor Visitors Program in which faculty and staff interact with students in the residence halls, the director works to create a structured program for the personal development of new students.
Saint Michael’s College acknowledges that sophomore year is a critical time in the life of a student. Sophomore year focuses on academic, social and personal issues. A wide range of services are offered to combat the challenges of the “sophomore slump”. The sophomore year continues to be a year of transition for many students who are looking for the institutional attention they may have received as first-year students.
The Dean of Students staff along with Residence Life offers a supportive and caring environment where students can take advantage of individual help sessions, workshops, group activities and referral services.
These efforts serve as a safety net for transfer students making the change into their new environment.
All full-time undergraduate students who do not reside with their families are required to live on campus. Exceptions may be made if space is not available on campus. In this case, seniors will have priority. The College cannot accommodate married or family housing requests during the academic year. Since approximately 98 percent of students reside on the campus, residence hall living is an important part of the years spent here.
Most students find the experience of sharing a room, living on a floor in a residence hall with many other people, and taking an active part in the residence hall community to be both challenging and fun. There is no course in residence hall living listed among the academic descriptions, but the lessons in human nature, the friendships developed, and the memories formed will last a lifetime. The director and assistant directors of residence life and the residence hall staff are educators who are ready to help students make the most of their residence hall experience.
First-year students will generally reside in Joyce, Lyons and Ryan located on the main campus. The College is committed to first-year students through a residential program facilitated by the Office of New Student Programs and Development.
Sophomores, juniors and some seniors reside in coed halls that are integrated by floor in Alumni, Founders, Hamel, Purtill and Linnehan halls; or in same-sex suites located in Cashman, Pontigny and Canterbury halls. Cashman, Pontigny and Canterbury halls are composed of three floors of suites containing single bedrooms, bath and living room space, as well as lounges and kitchen space on each floor. Upper level students reside in these suites, some of whom are involved in the GREAT housing (substance free), Ambassador housing, and Honors housing.
On the Main Campus, Hodson Hall offers apartment-style facilities to upper-level students. Four single rooms, bath, kitchen, and living room space compose each unit. Also, on the Main Campus are the Townhouse complexes, offering apartment-style living for over 400 upper-level students.
The North Campus, with sixteen units of student apartments and three medium-sized residence halls, is popular with many upper-level students. The apartments, with kitchen and living room facilities, offer juniors and seniors the privacy of apartment living with the convenience of being on campus. The medium-sized residence halls on the North Campus provide students the opportunity to be active in a smaller community and really get to know the other residents of their hall.
Though all of our halls are alcohol-free by virtue of state law and campus policy, we do provide an “alcohol-free” living option, GREAT Housing, for those students who are committed to living in such an environment, and want to be surrounded by students with an equal commitment.
Students from the International Student Program reside in many of the residence halls, giving American students the unique opportunity to meet people from all parts of the world.
Student Health Services
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Student Health Services (SHS) provides health care to students. The staff functions as a team and includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, a nutritionist, and a physician. A wide range of clinical services is available, as are education programs to increase health awareness and health maintenance.
SHS is located in the lower level of Alumni Hall and is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and weekends 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Most students are seen on a walk-in basis, although appointments are available. All visits are confidential.
A variety of services is offered, including: general care of illness and injury; laboratory services; gynecological examinations; travel recommendations/immunization; sexually transmitted disease evaluation/treatment; nutrition counseling; mental health evaluation and treatment; sports reviews/physicals; health maintenance; and referrals to off-campus health care specialists. Student Health Services staff engages in collaboration/consultation with home primary care health professionals and specialists as indicated.
There is no fee charged to students for visits. Some medications are available at no cost while others require a nominal fee. Tests done at outside laboratories and referrals to medical specialists are the financial responsibility of each student.
Student Health Services endeavors to teach students to become informed health care consumers, to develop healthy lifestyles and to assume greater responsibility for their own health and well-being.
Personal Counseling Services
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The Office of Personal Counseling receives generous support for programs and initiatives from an endowed fund: The Rev. Maurice F. Ouellette, SSE ‘48 Opportunity Fund.
The Office of Personal Counseling provides services to meet the social and personal needs of Saint Michael’s students. The focus is on promoting individual growth and development and furthering self-understanding while encouraging a sense of community. A personal and confidential response to students’ needs is provided, and most of these services are provided free of charge. This office emphasizes education in skills that enhance growth and that can be used continually throughout one’s life. Through individual counseling and group programs one can learn how to change self-defeating behavior, manage anxiety and depression, and improve relationships. The counselors will listen, suggest alternatives, and help each person develop new skills and strategies while maintaining respect for each individual’s ability to make decisions. Short-term therapy is also provided by the counselors where a psychological need is present. Referrals are made to community therapists or psychiatric consultants when necessary. Workshops are offered on topics of concern to today’s college students.
Alcohol Education and Programs
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Alcohol Education and Programs are a combined effort of the Office of Residence Life, Health Services, Personal Counseling and the Office of New Student Programs. This Alcohol Task Force is committed to programming that addresses the abuse and misuse of alcohol and other drugs in our culture. The goal of the Alcohol Task Force is to augment the work that is being done by so many on this campus to provide educational, social, and passive programming with the hopes of educating community members about alcohol and its effects as well as providing additional campus activities on weekend nights.
Resident Dining Program
The resident dining program, located at the Green Mountain Dining Room in Alliot Hall, is a “Carte Blanche” meal plan offering unlimited access to the dining room. There are no daily, weekly, or semester limits to the amount of times you may enter and have a meal. This program is designed for the active and non-traditional scheduling of many college students. The Green Mountain Dining Hall is open Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on weekends for brunch and dinner. This location offers unlimited portions, from a variety of food stations such as pizza, pasta, entrees, “garden toss”, chef’s exhibition, grill, salad, and dessert. All meals offer vegetarian selections and most offer vegan specialties as well.
Other Locations for Dining Services
Sloane Café, on North Campus, is open to all students with either meal plan for Asian-themed dinner, Monday through Thursday, from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The Knight Stand Café is located on the main floor of Alliot Hall. The Knight Stand offers fresh-brewed coffee, cappuccino, lattes, and pastries in the morning, hot and cold sandwiches and salads for lunch, calzones, hot grinders, and fruit smoothies at night. Café Cheray, located on the first floor of Cheray Science Center, is open Monday through Friday and serves a wide variety of “grab and go” items. Sandwiches, salads, soups, desserts and beverages are prepared daily.
For more information on available meal plans or offerings, please call the Dining Service Office at 802-654-2201.
Office of Edmundite Campus Ministry
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The mission of Edmundite Campus Ministry at Saint Michael’s College is to share the Good News of the Gospel with the College community by facilitating encounter with Jesus Christ. We do this through the celebration of the Church’s Liturgy, in programs promoting knowledge of the Catholic faith, by developing ecumenical and interreligious relationships, and providing retreats and other opportunities for personal spiritual growth.
The Catholic and Edmundite tradition upon which the College was founded is grounded in the conviction that all women and men are created in the image and likeness of God providing a special dignity unique to each person. Such dignity requires human life to be respected in all of its stages recognizing that we are all children of God.
Therefore, in its pursuit of furthering the Reign of God, the Edmundite Campus Ministry staff seeks to interact with and support every member of the College community in their search for Truth, contributing to the “enhancement of the human person and to the advancement of human culture in light of the Catholic faith.”
Some of the programs and activities sponsored by Edmundite Campus Ministry include daily and Sunday Masses (including our Sunday night student Mass), the MOVE community service program, spiritual retreats, Scripture reflection, peer ministry, interfaith outreach, spiritual direction, pastoral counseling, sacramental preparation, and faith-sharing groups. Edmundite Campus Ministry also provides opportunities to participate in liturgical ministries such as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, music ministry and sacred dance. Students receive Christian leadership training as the future leaders of the Church through our various programs. Our programs are designed to encourage everyone to reflect on their relationship with God and others, deepen their faith lives and experience life at its deepest, most meaningful level.
MOVE (Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts)
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MOVE is a broad-based community service organization that is part of Edmundite Campus Ministry. The mission of MOVE comes out of the College’s own mission to be a community of solidarity and service with each other and with all people, in the light of the Catholic faith. The goal of MOVE is to channel the talents, creativity and energy of our community into effective service programs that extend to the larger Chittenden County community and beyond.
MOVE programs respond to a variety of needs. Our work with senior citizens, youth, people who are homeless, the environment, animals,and people with intellectual disabilities are just a few of the many activities that the MOVE office coordinates through local service agencies. A number of extended service trips take place within the U.S. and internationally during school breaks.
Center for Multicultural Student Affairs
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The Center for Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) at Saint Michael’s College is a component of the Office of Student Life. Our mission is to create an inclusive, caring, accepting, and dynamic community of learners at Saint Michael’s College. The office serves as a resource for students, faculty, staff, and Student Life in such areas as cross-cultural communication, leadership training and development, cultural awareness, multicultural understanding, student development and identity development issues, and organizes educational and recreational programs for the campus community. The main purpose of the office is to provide services, programs, support and advice to anyone in the campus community who is eager to increase his/her understanding of the diversity that is an inherent part of twenty-first century living.
The center is also the site for the Martin Luther King Jr. Society, an inter-racial/intercultural group of women and men who interact to promote the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; the Diversity Coalition, a network of students whose objective is to raise awareness (via informal discussions and scholarly forums) about issues related to human differences (i.e. race, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, physical disabilities, and learning development); the Vermont Student Support Network, an intercultural alliance that provides a variety of services and support for ALANA students who attend Vermont colleges and universities; and ALIANZA, a network of Latino and non-Latino students working to raise awareness about Latin-American cultural traditions, and the contributions of people of Hispanic descent.
The center enjoys a vibrant environment. At any time, you will find a diverse group of students speaking various languages, working on projects, planning activities, discussing current socio-political issues, relaxing, reading, doing research, or having a confidential conversation with the director.
Because students tend to spend a great deal of their time on the campus, weekends and evenings are often busy with a number of different activities. The activities and clubs available at Saint Michael’s are as diverse as the students involved in them.
Students are assisted and supported in the planning and execution of many activities by the Student Activities Director and an activities budget drawn from student fees. With this support, most planned events on the campus are conceived and carried out by the student body. A typical week could include a lecture, poetry reading, coffeehouse performance, comedian, and one or two functions sponsored by our many academic clubs. Families are invited to learn more about Saint Michael’s, visit their children, and just have fun during Family Weekend. Although this is a special program, most weekends witness special events ranging from lectures and films to concerts and sporting events.
The Student Association is the official governing body of the Saint Michael’s College student community. The Student Association (S.A.) has three major focuses: educational and social programming, college governance, and information exchange. The S.A. allocates funds for most of the student clubs and organizations on campus and works diligently to keep the lines of communication open between students and campus administration.
Alliot Student Center houses offices for such groups as the Wilderness Program, Dean of Students Office, Student Activities, Office of Multi-Cultural Student Affairs, Residence Life, KnightCard Office, Edmundite Campus Ministry, MOVE and Student Association.
The Student Association allocates funds for many other student groups on the campus, one of which is the campus radio station, WWPV-FM. The 100-watt station provides an opportunity for students to gain experience in broadcasting, management and administration. The Defender, a weekly campus newspaper with print and online editions, and The Onion River Review, a literary magazine, are publications in which students may test and refine their writing skills. The student publications enjoy First Amendment rights and strive to work always within the highest professional standards and guidelines.
Through educational, social and cultural programming, Saint Michael’s College works to raise awareness of cultural diversity. In addition to these events, the College has supported the creation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Society and the Diversity Coalition in order to promote harmony and understanding. These student-run organizations sponsor social events, workshops, lectures and discussion sessions which are open to all students, and often are open to all members of the Saint Michael’s community. GOT S.K.I.L.L.S. and acronym for Socially just, Kindness toward others, Inclusive toward all people, Leading at every turn, Listening with care and, Self-respectful, is a yearly educational effort designed to encourage students to attend programs and activities that promote human dignity. Under the umbrella of GOT S.K.I.L.L.S. programs related to but not limited to race, sexual orientation, class differences, cultural differences, how men and women relate to one another are made available to students. Students are encouraged to attend by “earning” opportunities to be entered into raffle for prizes that could range from a $5 gift certificate to a top pick in the room lottery process. Saint Michael’s administrators, faculty and students are committed to celebrating differences in order to make the community a better place in which to live.
Volunteer work is an integral part of the lives of many Saint Michael’s students. It is estimated that over 700 students are involved in volunteer programs each year. One of the best-known groups of student volunteers is our Fire and Rescue Squad. These highly trained students provide emergency medical care and transportation not only for members of the Saint Michael’s community, but also for residents of surrounding towns and villages. On duty 365 days a year, these dedicated men and women make over 1,200 calls annually.
Through MOVE (Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts), under the direction of the Office of Edmundite Campus Ministry, the Saint Michael’s College community provides services to all segments of Chittenden County, especially the poor and disenfranchised. The Little Brother/Little Sister Mentoring Program, work with the Salvation Army and a local homeless shelter, as well as our youth enrichment programs, environmental work, and efforts assisting the local Humane Society and Habitat for Humanity are only a few of the projects that invite the Saint Michael’s College student to experience the enjoyment of service.
Saint Michael’s College sponsors athletic activities on the varsity and intramural level for both men and women. The Vincent C. Ross Sports Center is a topnotch facility with a 2,400- seat gymnasium and a six-lane swimming pool with a one-meter diving board. Playing fields including an artificial turf field, outdoor tennis courts and running trails provide plenty of space for athletic activities. The Tarrant Recreation Center houses facilities for all students to use. It includes three racquetball courts, one squash court, four basketball/tennis/volleyball courts, a one-eighth mile jogging track, aerobics/fitness center and free-weight room. In addition, the center has locker rooms, office space, student lounge, climbing wall and Athletic Hall of Fame Conference Room.
The College is a Division II member of the NCAA, ECAC, EISA, and in the Northeast- 10 Conference. Men’s varsity sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, soccer, swimming, and tennis. Women’s varsity sports include basketball, cross-country, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
Saint Michael’s has a long history of competing against some of the best teams in the East. Members of the Northeast-10 include A.I.C., Assumption, Bentley, Franklin Pierce, New Haven, LeMoyne, Merrimack, Southern New Hampshire University, Pace, Saint Anselm, Saint Rose, Southern Connecticut State University, Stonehill, and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Other common opponents include Middlebury, Norwich, Skidmore, St. Lawrence, and SUNY-Plattsburgh.
Recreational Sports Program
Saint Michael’s College offers the college community the opportunity to participate in a variety of recreational activities. These activities allow participants to grow through the development of important skills, such as teamwork, endurance and cooperation, that will follow them throughout life.
Within the Tarrant Recreation Center there are many areas where students, faculty and staff can take advantage of the different recreational and fitness aspects of the facility. There are three racquetball courts, one squash court, four basketball/volleyball/tennis courts, natural rock climbing wall, track, fitness/free-weight room, dance/aerobics room, pool and a student lounge with a television and billiards table.
The recreational sports program allows students, faculty and staff to take part in many programs. The program is designed to meet competitive needs and recreational interests through a wide variety of activities. An individual’s skill level is not as important as the player’s desire to participate and enjoy the intramural experience of good fun and sportsmanship.
The recreational sports program also offers many instructional programs. These programs include aerobics, fitness and free-weight training, dance classes, martial arts, basic first aid/CPR, and yoga, among others.
Wilderness Program
The Wilderness Program is a diverse, college-based organization that offers environmentally conscious educational and recreational programming in a variety of areas. Wilderness Program offerings include: sea kayaking, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, wilderness medicine, leadership training, backpacking, day hikes, as well as international climbing, trekking and paddling expeditions. An extensive rental program, spring break excursions and the popular Learn to Ski/Snowboard or Telemark program are also available. Programs are geared for all ability levels.
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