Student Life, Services and Activities
Every member of the academic community has rights that 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 individual 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, 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. For a complete review of specific policies about student life, please see the current issue of the Viking Code.
Professional Conduct
Standards governing the professional and ethical conduct of all students are outlined in the Viking Code, the student handbook. Student behavior that violates these standards may be subject to disciplinary action including removal from the program.
Activities
Graduate students may participate in such campus activities as intramural athletic events, cultural affairs, motion pictures and student publications, and may fully utilize student-center facilities, with the exception of medical services offered to undergraduate resident students through the Berry Health and Wellness Center.
Multicultural and International Student Support
The Multicultural and International Student Programs Office exists to foster a supportive environment for international students and students of color to live, learn and grow as active members of the academic community. Its responsibility is to implement programs and activities, thereby creating a more informed understanding of cultural awareness on campus.
The Director of Multicultural and International Student Programs serves as the chair of the Multicultural Student Committee, the International Student Committee, and serves as advisor to the Black Student Alliance organization and the International Club.
The director sponsors and coordinates programs such as the Cultural House, PLUS (Preparing Leaders for Ultimate Success), Multicultural Student Reception, MLK Celebration and Black History Month activities, International Fair and the host family program.
The director administers all services and programs of the office under the direct supervision of the associate vice president for student affairs.
Religion in 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 religion-in-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 is 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.
Mount Berry Church (MBC) 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 religion-in-life program is guided by a Religion-in-Life Advisory Council (RiLAC) composed of students, faculty and staff. Lectures, service projects and special-emphasis programs by guest leaders are a part of the total religion-in-life emphasis.
Various student organizations, such as the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Catholic Students Association, Canterbury Club, Campus Outreach, Presbyterian Student Fellowship, Heirway, Exaltation, In His Name Gospel Choir, Wesley Foundation, Habitat for Humanity 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.
Career Center
The Career Center provides a variety of resources and services to assist students in making academic and career decisions. Students are encouraged to visit the Career Center early during their college lives and become involved in activities that promote career exploration, jobs skills development, and life-long learning. The center provides assistance with career-related decisions, identifying career shadowing and internship opportunities, applying to graduate/professional school, and developing job-search campaigns.
The Career Center offers individual career advising sessions, a variety of on-line resources to supplement career library holdings, assistance with preparing resumes and cover letters, graduate school applications, networking, interview preparation, interviews with on-campus recruiters, on and off campus career fairs, and special workshops and career events. By registering with the career center on-line, students have access to career management software, including internship and job listings, and document management resources. Services provided by the Career Center are available to graduates as well as currently enrolled students. Additional information regarding the Career Center is available at www.berry.edu/stulife/career.
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.
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.
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