Students at Berry College enjoy the privileges and responsibilities of self-governance. The Student Government Association handles matters concerning the general welfare of the student body, subject to the supervision of the Student Life Council. The association, through its officers elected by the students, provides an educational experience that enables students to have the opportunity to grow in their knowledge and use of the basic democratic process. The Student Government Association is responsible for student committee appointment recommendations and the allocation of the Student Activity Fee. Every student is a member of the Student Government Association.
Berry College Volunteer Services
In living our Berry’s motto, “Not to be ministered unto, but to minister,” all Berry students are encouraged to volunteer on campus and in the Rome and surrounding communities. Berry College Volunteer Services (BCVS) connects students with local agencies, provides support for student projects, and work with students and student organizations for philanthropic events. BCVS promotes service by developing partnerships between student groups and community partners, assisting students in matching their talents and interests with volunteer opportunities.
The Director of Student Activities manages all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center provides high quality services and programs that foster the academic and personal development, as well as the psychological well-being, of Berry’s diverse student body. From outreach and prevention to crisis intervention, the Counseling Center is dedicated to supporting and empowering students to maximize their college experience and realize their fullest potential. Individual counseling by licensed counselors is the center’s primary service, and counselors adhere to a policy that assures confidentiality. The center’s primary focus is on short-term counseling support. Other services include group counseling, outreach programs, and peer coaching and education. When appropriate, referrals are made to other agencies on or off campus.
The Counseling Center provides and fosters leadership in the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and other health and wellness issues at Berry and in the surrounding community. The counselors hire, train and supervise a team of Berry students called Peer Educators who provide educational programs to promote responsible choices, attitudes and behavior. The Counseling Center also employs a student team of Peer Wellness Coaches that provide individual support to students who are struggling with the challenges of college life.
For more information about Counseling Center services and programs, visit: https://www.berry.edu/student-life/life-on-campus/counseling-center/.
The director of the Counseling Center administers all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the Assistant Dean of Student Wellness.
Student Diversity Initiatives
The mission of the Student Diversity Initiatives Office is to provide an educational program that prepares Berry College students to contribute to and succeed in a multicultural and global society. The Student Diversity Initiatives Office Office serves all Berry College students but focuses on support services for multicultural students. The staff is responsible for maintaining a welcoming, respectful environment and connections to campus resources for students of diverse populations. In addition, they construct programming and initiatives to cultivate awareness, appreciation and knowledge of self and others; infuse diversity education in curricular/co-curricular programs available to students; provide training, education, resources, and programming to address discrimination, bias, misconceptions, and stereotypes; and promote dialogue among students, faculty/staff, and alumni about ways to facilitate a culture that values more inclusion and civility.
The Director of Student Diversity Initiatives advises the Black Student Association (BSA), In His Name, and the Berry International Club (BIC).
The director sponsors and coordinates programs centered upon multicultural education and programming. Those activities include International Connection (ICON), programming and support for international students and the Goizueta Scholars Program, to foster academic success of Hispanic students. Other areas of engagement to stimulate learning and support include Hearts for Haiti, Lunar New Year Celebration, Japanese Paper Lantern Making Event, Native American Dream Catcher Creation, and movies with discussions to explore various multicultural and international themes and topics.
The BRAVE Project
BRAVE (Berry Reducing Assault and Violence through Education) is a project focused on the prevention of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking through education and ensuring appropriate support for survivors. This project is funded through a federal grant from the Office of Violence against Women received in 2019.
The Project Director manages the deliverables of the project under the director supervision of the Assistant Dean of Student Wellness.
Religious Life
Berry College believes that an educational experience should include growth in the understanding of the meaning of life. Through voluntary participation in Berry’s religious life programs and the Christian foundation of the campus community, it is intended that each student will experience the openness, concern and responsible freedom to facilitate personal spiritual growth.
The college is a specifically Christian institution in purpose, although nonsectarian in character. The college chaplain serves as minister to all persons on the campus and is available as a trained counselor. Services of Protestant Christian worship are held in the Berry College Chapel each Sunday of the academic year for the entire Berry community. Roman Catholic mass is celebrated each Sunday evening. Information on the programs of the local synagogue and various churches is coordinated through the chaplain’s office. Local places of worship participate in Berry’s Worship Opportunities Fair, where students learn of the community’s many ministries.
College Church is an interdenominational, Christian congregation serving the campus community. Prompted by its motto to “follow humbly, love boldly,” MBC provides ministries of Christian worship, discipleship, fellowship and outreach. Weekly worship services are offered Sunday evenings in College Chapel. Berry’s chaplain serves as the pastor of the congregation, and several student leaders oversee the church’s many ministries.
The Interfaith Council provides religious programs and opportunities to ensure that Berry is welcoming to all people regardless of their religious background. Educational programs are offered to inform the campus about diverse religious traditions, and assistance is given to students looking for a specific religious community in the area.
The religious life program is guided by a Religious Life Advisory Council (RLAC) composed of students, faculty and staff. Lectures, service projects and special-emphasis programs by guest leaders are a part of the total religious life emphasis.
Various student organizations, such as the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Catholic Students Association, Canterbury Club, Campus Outreach, Wesley Foundation, and others, provide an opportunity for further denominational or interdenominational activities.
The chaplain administers all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the Chief of Staff
Health Center
Each student must complete a health-history/immunization record form prior to matriculation at the college. All information contained in the student’s record is strictly confidential. All required health documentation must be submitted using the Medicat Patient Portal: https://berry.medicatconnect.com/home.aspx
The Health Center promotes student health through through education and awareness, assessment, treatment, and referral. The use of these services at Berry College facilitates the individual’s health care decision-making and contributes to academic success. Treatment choices within the scope of practice of an acute care ambulatory health clinic provides the basic tools to realize optimal health and well-being, and ensure personal privacy, confidentiality, honesty and mutual respect.
Students are referred to off-campus facilities for treatment for more serious injuries or illness. Medical care at facilities other than the Health Center and ambulance services are the students’ financial responsibility.
The Health Center hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information about student health records and immunizations requirements, and about services provided, visit: https://www.berry.edu/health-center/
Information about student health insurance for student athletes is available on the Athletic Training web page, http://www.berryvikings.com/information/Athletic_Training/ATForms.
The director of the Health Center coordinates health education programs and outreach and administers all services and programs of the center under the direct supervision of the Assistant Dean of Student Wellness.
Residence Life
Residence halls are more than places to sleep. The residence hall community is an integral part of the college and residence within this community implies certain obligations and standards of citizenship. Student’s are responsible for the social life, extracurricular activities, and management of the residence halls as part of our commitment to self-government.
Berry College recognizes that every experience of college life is an integral part of the education of the students. In keeping with this ideal, residence halls are designed and staffed to provide facilities that are stimulating to personal, social and academic growth.
All residence halls are staffed with student resident assistants (RAs) whose general responsibilities are to make the residential experience as worthwhile, as productive and as meaningful as possible. The RAs assist students with academic and personal problems and/or refer them to the appropriate resource persons on campus. Each of the six residential areas is also staffed with a Head Resident (HR). The HR is an official staff member who is also charged with responsibility for the RA staff and the living areas.
The college maintains residence halls for approximately 1,800 students. All residence halls are air-conditioned. Each room is equipped with single beds, desks, chairs, dressers or chests. Rooms are equipped for telephone and cable-television accessibility. All residence halls have the capability to connect to the Internet and e-mail. The student must supply a pillow, sheets, pillowcases, bedspread, blankets and towels as well as the necessary personal articles. The residence halls are furnished with washers and dryers at no extra cost to the student. Residence halls have kitchenettes equipped with stoves and microwave ovens that allow students to cook light meals. Ice machines and vending machines are also provided for the students’ convenience. Living rooms in the residence halls are available for relaxation and various social events. Study rooms are also available for private or group study.
Berry College is a residential college, and students are expected to live on campus unless given permission to do otherwise.
The housing contract is binding for the entire academic year and may not be terminated by the student. Students must live on campus unless they meet one of the following criteria:
- 25 years or older.
- Married.
- Residing with their parents within a 40-mile drive of Berry College.
- Fifth year senior
If a student believes he or she meets one of these criteria, the student must complete an Off-Campus Application to request permission to move off campus before he or she may do so. Please note that this is an application process, and approval is not automatic. The Off-Campus Application may be accessed from the Residence Life website.
The Office of Residence Life communicates with new students about room assignments, policies and roommates prior to enrollment. Information regarding room selection is distributed to returning students in the spring semester. Returning students who fail to select a room during room selection and are not approved to live off-campus will be assigned to a room by the Office of Residence Life.
The Associate Dean of Students manages all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Intramurals, Fitness, Outdoor Recreation and Athletics
An extensive program of physical education, intramural, recreational sports, outdoor recreation and athletics helps students fulfill their needs in physical fitness, personal social development and competition. A wide range of activities is offered for students of varying abilities. This program includes individual and team sports, club sports, and outdoor-recreation activities.
The college has four gymnasiums; an expansive, well-equipped weight-training room; three sand volleyball courts; many running and hiking trails; 8 tennis courts and 4 pickleball courts (four lighted); two intramural fields; a six site tent camping area; an 18-hole disc golf course; and many acres of land are available for student, faculty, staff and alumni enjoyment.
The Cage Center offers group fitness classes, intramurals, a 25-meter pool, fitness and weight-training rooms, multipurpose courts, basketball courts, aerobics and fitness rooms, classrooms and a walking track. Through the Department of Recreation, personal training, small group training, and nutrition coaching is available to students, employees, and other Cage Center members.
Intercollegiate varsity athletic competition offers student-athletes opportunities in both men’s and women’s sports. Programs for women include basketball, soccer, tennis, cross country, volleyball, lacrosse, softball, swimming and diving, equestrian, outdoor track and golf. Programs for men include basketball, soccer, football, tennis, cross country, swimming and diving, lacrosse, baseball, outdoor track and golf. Academic requirements must be met to be eligible for a varsity athletic team. Berry’s athletic teams have achieved honors at the conference, regional and national levels.
The Department of Recreation, through recreational programs, strive for participants to experience an increased sense of community, facilitate opportunities to prioritize leisure pursuits, provide opportunities to meet others with similar interest, and provide avenues to maintain or improve one’s personal health and wellbeing.
The Intramural Sports Program offers recreational sports organized within the institution, competed only within the Berry Community. This program provides students, faculty and staff the opportunity for competition and fun in a variety of 15+ team and individual sports activities throughout the year.
From hiking to hammocking to camping to disc golf, the campus is a vast space for exploration. The Outdoor Recreation Program offers on-campus programs, services, and off-campus trips such as paddling, climbing and backpacking to encourage students to find adventure, to appreciate nature, to learn a new skills and to recharge.
The Berry Outdoor Leadership Development Program (BOLD) provides experiential learning, team building and adventure-based programming for college and community groups.
The director of athletics administers all athletics under the direct supervision of the Chief of Staff. The director of recreation administers all Department of Recreation’s services and programs under the direct supervision of the Assistant Dean of Student Wellness.
Student Activities and Organizations
To enhance life outside the classroom, the college provides a number of student organizations and special activities in which students may become more adept in social and cultural areas, may learn more about subjects of particular interest to them, and may take added steps toward realizing their leadership potential.
These student organizations and activities have a wide range of interest areas, including music, drama, business and the sciences; clubs and honor societies in various academic areas; student publications, with a newspaper, literary magazine; and numerous service clubs as well as other groups centering on religious concerns. Full information on these varied activities of more than 70 organizations is provided in the student handbook, Viking Code. KCAB is the primary organization that coordinates student activities open to the college community, though many other student organizations sponsor campus-wide events. The director of student activities administers all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the vice president for student affairs.
New Student Orientation
The Berry College orientation program for incoming freshmen and transfer students is a three-step process. The first step is called SOAR-Student Orientation Advising and Registration. SOAR is held during the month of June and is designed to assist incoming freshmen, transfers, and their families with the transition into the Berry community. Four overnight sessions are scheduled in June of each summer. Students register for SOAR sessions online, and each SOAR session can accommodate up to 125 students. All incoming students must attend a SOAR session. During SOAR students and their parents:
Meet with an academic advisor and receive their fall class schedule.
Meet their work supervisor and learn about their first Berry College job.
Receive housing assignments for the fall.
Receive a Berry College email address.
Meet other new Berry College students and SOAR leaders who will assist in student transitions to Berry College
Students spend a night on campus in a residence hall.
The second component of the Berry College orientation program is called Viking Venture. This is a continuation of the orientation activities provided at SOAR and takes place the week prior to the beginning of fall semester. All new students-freshmen and transfers-participate in activities designed to welcome them to campus, provide resources which will assist them in the transition to Berry College, and help them connect with their new peers, faculty, and staff. Many of the activities during Viking Venture take place within their first-year seminar (BCC 100 ) course–the third part of orientation–and are coordinated by the Office of First-Year Experience. The total cost for the freshman and transfer orientation program is $150, and this charge will be posted on the student account. International students are invited to attend a special orientation program prior to the start of Viking Venture in August.
The Assistant Dean of Students is responsible for planning, evaluating, and administering new student orientation programs at Berry College office under the direct supervision of the vice president for student affairs.
Basic Policy on Student Life
Berry College accepts responsibility for directing the academic, work-opportunity and religious programs for students. The college also accepts responsibility for the conduct and development of students. “Berry College” includes the Board of Trustees, the president, all faculty and staff, all students and all worthy traditions of this institution.
Every student is expected at all times to recognize constituted authority, to abide by the ordinary rules of good conduct, to be truthful, to respect the rights of others, to protect private and public property and to make the best use of time at Berry toward acquiring an education.
Every student has rights, which are to be respected. These rights include respect for personal feelings, freedom from indignity of any type, freedom from control by any person or persons except those in proper authority and freedom from rules and regulations not authorized by authorities of Berry College. Every student is entitled to pursue opportunities available in this institution. No faculty or staff member or student, regardless of position or rank, shall violate these rights. Those persons who may become parties to violations, either by lack of positive preventive action or by participating in administering, or in submitting to indignity of any type, will be held personally responsible. Every effort will be made to eliminate any unjust customs, traditions and practices in conflict with these rights. It shall be the personal responsibility of every faculty or staff member and student to cooperate with other administrative officers, work supervisors and officers of the student government in carrying out the provisions of this basic policy.
Additional Policies
In addition to the various policies of the college referenced elsewhere in this catalog, the following are important:
Students maintaining motor vehicles and bicycles while at Berry must have them properly registered in the office of campus safety and must park in a student parking lot. Regulations for operation of vehicles on the campus may be found in the student handbook and in the traffic code. The college does not permit the use or possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs on the campus. Visitation in college residence halls is provided on a limited basis. The college may at any time require the withdrawal of a student whose conduct or general influence is considered harmful to the institution.
Berry College’s annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Berry College, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault and other matters. A copy of this report may be obtained by contacting the Campus Safety Office or by accessing the following Web site: www.berry.edu/slife/safety, then click on the link to the Campus Safety Report.
Additional policies concerning student conduct, including Computer Use and Ethics Code, may be found in Viking Code, the student handbook. A copy is available upon request in the office of the vice president for student affairs and is available online.
Center for Personal and Professional Development
Aligned with the 100-year+ Berry mission to prepare the whole student for all of life through a holistic education of the “head, heart, and hands,” the Center for Professional and Personal Development (CPPD) works with a wide range of campus partners to:
- Empower students to navigate the next steps of their personal and professional journey at Berry and beyond.
- Guide students in developing purposeful college and career plans, transferable professional skills, life-design mindsets and strategies to make work more meaningful (and enjoyable).
- Enable students to effectively communicate how their Berry experiences have well prepared them to pursue life and career goals.
The CPPD consists of the Career Development Network, LifeWorks Program, and Community and Industry (C&I) Internship Program. Each office provides resources and services to assist students in developing personally and professionally. Students are encouraged to connect with the CPPD early and often. The CPPD is under the direct supervision of the Dean of Personal and Professional Development. More information can be found at https://www.berry.edu/ppd/.
Career Development Network
This interconnected web of resources and partners provides timely advice, ideas, feedback, direction, and connection for students. Career consultants, faculty advisors, alumni and employer partners are here to help students define (and refine) their plans so they can confidently take the next steps in their personal and professional development. Each student is pre-assigned an individual Career Consultant based on their academic major. Career Consultants are experts in career exploration, professional documents, industries and career fields, and so much more. There is also a team of highly-trained Peer Career Advisors who are current Berry students eager to help their peers navigate their personal and professional journey.
Students will have opportunities to think deeply about where they want to go, why they want to go there, what they need to know and learn, and how to best prepare for their journey. The Career Development Network is here to guide students through every step. Additional information is available at https://www.berry.edu/ppd/career/student/.
LifeWorks Program
The LifeWorks program at Berry means more than earning a paycheck while you’re in college. We’ve redefined the term student work. Students can explore career possibilities through work opportunities in 180 departments. While it is not required for students to participate in LifeWorks, we have found over 90% of students choose to participate in the program before graduation.
First-year students complete the Work Interest Form and PathwayU assessments after paying their deposit. This allows the LifeWorks Office consider student preferences and Berry’s needs to place first-year students in best-fit first jobs. Students are encouraged to remain in their first job for at least one full semester. Upperclassmen are encouraged to see the jobs of their choice and own their LifeWorks experience. Open LifeWorks jobs are listed on Handshake.
First-year students are limited to work up to 10 hours a week, while upperclassmen have the ability to work up to 12 hours a week. The average student typically works 6-8 hours per week. Some departments also provide student work opportunities during the summer, up to 40 hours per week. The level system provides students the ability to earn promotions and increase their hourly pay. All students begin at $9.00 an hour and have the ability to work up to $9.50 an hour.
The LifeWorks Program also provides recommended training opportunities to students and their LifeWorks supervisors. Each year the CPPD celebrates and recognizes students participating in LifeWorks through Student Work Week. During Student Work Week, two students receive the Chief Moore Award and one supervisor receives the Bertrand Superior Supervisor Award. Additional information about the LifeWorks Program can be found at https://www.berry.edu/ppd/lifeworks/.
Community & Industry Internship Program
Internships also provide work experience opportunities for Berry students. Internships allow students to clarify career goals, learn specific job skills from professionals, apply classroom theories to practical, on-the-job situations and gain valuable experience for future employment or admission to graduate or professional school.
Berry’s Community & Industry (C&I) Work Partnership is an established program creating a formal business relationship with off-campus employers in our local community and is viewed as a formal extension of the Berry College LifeWorks program. The C&I partnership provides upperclassmen with opportunities to work part-time jobs throughout the academic year (and summers) and offers them valuable experiences to advance their professional development. C&I jobs provide a real-world context which allows students to gain transferrable skills, expand their professional networks and explore career fields that interest them.
The C&I partnership also ensures employers a direct pipeline of young talent for their organization. By having students work in their organizations longer than a typical internship, employers gain greater knowledge of a student’s abilities and earn a greater return on their investment from training and supervision. For more information, visit https://www.berry.edu/ppd/career/employer-engagement/community-industry-partnership.
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