Chapter 7: Campus and Student Life
Brittany Richmond; University of Baltimore; and UMBC
Getting to Know Your Campus
Whether your campus is small, tall, grande, or venti, you are probably amazed by the array of institutionally supported student activities available for your enrichment and enjoyment. Perhaps your biggest challenge is deciding how much extra time you have after studying and which added activities yield the greatest reward.
Below, you will find a video that gives a sample of campus life at The University of Baltimore. Regardless, though, of where your institution fits on the spectrum of size, or how many activities, clubs, and organizations your institution offers, it’s very important for you to be able to explore co-curricular interests—for learning, enjoyment, and personal satisfaction. Student life should always be satisfying and rewarding to students, as well as to alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. Together, these groups are an institution’s lifeblood.
The University of Baltimore
Student Organizations
Colleges have an abundance of student organizations. Some examples you may be familiar with are the Student Events Board for enhancing campus life for all students, the History Club, and Student Government Association. Larger institutions may have hundreds of such organizations. Here is a lengthy and exciting list of student organizations at The University of Baltimore.
Generally, an organization is created and run by current students, and an executive officer, dean, or director of a major academic or operational unit sponsors it. This is especially the case when considering Honors Organizations. An organization must also have a mission that’s consistent with the mission of the college and/or sponsor. It might also collect dues from members, but in many cases, membership is free. Below is the list of student organization categories offered at the University of Baltimore.
Student Organization Classifications
Student organizations are groups formed by students that have met all of the criteria outlined in the Registration section of this Handbook and have gained recognition from the Center for Student Involvement (CSI). Student organizations must register with CSI each academic year. These organizations shall abide by the policies and procedures of the State of Maryland, University System of Maryland, The University of Baltimore, and CSI.
CSI recognizes two classifications of student organizations.
Categories of Student Organization Classifications
- Premier Student Organizations: Premier Organization status is granted by the Center for Student Involvement to organizations that 1) serve an overall governance, programmatic, or fee allocation function at the institutional level and 2) have a primary advisor who is a full-time University employee and for whom advisement of the organization is a formal and significant portion of the employee’s job responsibilities.
- Student Government Association (SGA)
- Student Events Board (SEB)
- Registered Student Organizations
- Honorary Organizations (Honor Societies): Recognize high level of academic achievement and generally require a demonstrated interest in a particular career or academic discipline.
- Service Organizations: Raise awareness about a social issue through service, engagement and philanthropy.
- Academic/Professional Organizations: Promote development in a particular academic discipline or professional field.
- Cultural Organizations: Foster cultural diversity on campus and provide students an avenue to explore and celebrate their own cultural heritage and provide programs and services designed to support students of various cultural heritages
- General Interest Organizations: Serve to enhance campus life through the co-curricular involvement of special interests and hobbies
- Sports Clubs Organizations: Provide the opportunity for competition, personal fitness and recreational activities.
Law School Organizations assist law students through educational programming, community service, and social programs. The Law School Office of Academic Affairs recognizes Law School Organizations.
Student Organization Benefits
Being a registered student organization at The University of Baltimore has many benefits, some of which are listed below.
- Ability to reserve and use campus facilities
- Ability to request funding
- Event/program planning support
- Risk management tools
- Ability to fundraise
- Student organization mailbox
- Access to the Student Organization Suite including the ability to request a locker
- Support from CSI Staff
To link up with a student organization, you may not need to do much more than take stock of your interests. What do you love to do? In a later section, you’ll find a list of ways to learn about student organizations at your institution. If you find that your college doesn’t have an organization that speaks to your particular interests, you might consider starting one.
Diversity and multiculturalism are indeed critical pursuits not just on college campuses but in communities, businesses, and organizations around the world. If you are interested in expanding and promoting awareness of these issues on campus and further afield, you can seek opportunities at your college for starters. You will likely find informal gatherings, presentations, campus-wide events, individual students and classes focused on creating diverse, multicultural, and inclusive communities. As an example, here is the link to the Diversity and Culture Center at The University of Baltimore.
Most colleges have many opportunities for you to learn about and prepare for civic and democratic engagement on campus and in the wider community. What is civic engagement? It’s your involvement in protecting and promoting a diverse and democratic society—and clearly, leadership is an important part of this. Civic and democratic engagement is central to the mission of higher education and the values of The University of Baltimore. Student organizations and activities related to these pursuits may be student government associations, leadership courses and retreats, social change projects, service opportunities, social innovation initiatives, and many others. The Center for Student Involvement at The University of Baltimore is committed to ensuring that the UBalt community always has access to resources and information to be fully prepared to take part in the democratic process.
Provided is a list of upcoming events and opportunities at The University of Baltimore to participate in discussions and activities to advance civic engagement, locally and beyond.
“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
Service and Volunteerism
If you are like many new college students, you probably already have experience volunteering. It may have been part of your high school requirements. Or perhaps you engaged in volunteering as part of a faith organization or as part of a community fundraising effort. Any of your volunteering can continue in college, too, as your institution will have many special and meaningful ways to stay involved, work on social problems, and contribute to a better world. Service and volunteer efforts may include philanthropy, activism, social entrepreneurship, advocacy, and direct service.[1]
Get involved in BeMore, The University of Baltimore’s community engagement program, and you’ll:
- meet other people committed to service
- get support and follow-up from professional staff
- document your efforts through an involvement record and certificate
- grow and develop as a leader, citizen and scholar
- discover ways to deepen what you’re learning in the classroom.
Learn more about service opportunities and alternative breaks.
Student Activities
On any college campus, satellite center, or virtual space, students may be involved in activities around the clock on any given day. These activities may include student organization activities as well as special presentations, meetings, performing arts events, sporting events, intramurals, recreational activities, local community activities, holiday events, commemorative events, and so on.
You are heartily encouraged to pursue any interests that enhance your education and enrich your student experience. Your participation can expand your horizons, deepen your interests, and connect you with new people.
Resources for Learning About Campus Organizations
It can seem overwhelming to learn about all the activities, events, clubs, organizations, athletics, performing arts, etc. on campus. Sometimes you may need to dig a little, too. The following resources are a good place to start:
- Your institution’s Web site: Try a keywords search at your college’s Web site, using any of the following: student life,college life, student organizations, clubs, student activities office, student services, special events, events calendar, performing arts calendar, athletics calendar, etc.
- Email: Keep alert to the many email messages you receive from campus offices and organizations. They publicize all kinds of activities and opportunities for you to engage with campus and student life.
- Other technology-based support services: Take advantage of other technology-based student support services if they are available. For example, some colleges use an online platform that connects student organizations and allows them to reach out to prospective new members. With this service, you could access a list of student organizations to see which ones you might like to join and see what events are ahead. You can also search for organizations based on categories or interests.
- Social media: Most institutions keep up-to-date information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. Individual groups on campus may also have separate social media presences that you can locate through the institution’s offerings.
- Bulletin boards: Take a look at bulletin boards as you pass through hallways in academic buildings, dining halls, sports facilities, dormitories, even local service centers, and retail stores. You can often find fliers with event details and contact information.
- Friends: Keep a pulse on what others are doing in their spare time. This is also a good way to make new friends and align yourself with others who have similar interests.
- Campus offices for social functions: Make a point to visit the student activities office or the student affairs office. Both often have physical spaces for student organizations.
- Campus offices for academic functions: Inquire with your academic adviser. He or she will likely be knowledgeable about campus organizations related to your interests and may know about local, regional and national organizations, too.
Benefits of Participating in Student Life
How is it that becoming fully involved in student life can have such a positive impact on student satisfaction and academic success?
The National Survey of Student Engagement—a survey measuring student involvement in academic and co-curricular activities—shows that student success is directly linked to student involvement in the institution. In fact, survey results show that the higher the level of student involvement is, the higher student grades are and the more likely students are to re-enroll the next semester. All of this seems to translate to satisfaction. The following lists some of the many benefits and rewards that result from active participation in campus and student life.
- Personal interests are tapped: Co-curricular programs and activities encourage students to explore personal interests and passions. As students pursue these interests, they learn more about their strengths and possible career paths. These discoveries can be lasting and life-changing.
- A portfolio of experience develops: Experience with just about any aspect of college life may be relevant to a prospective employer. Is freshman year too soon to be thinking about resumes? Definitely not! If you gain leadership experience in a club, for example, be sure to document what you did so you can refer back to it (you might want to keep track of your activities and experiences in a journal, for instance).
- Fun leads to good feelings: Students typically pursue co-curricular activities because the activities are enjoyable and personally rewarding. Having fun is also a good way to balance the stress of meeting academic deadlines and studying intensely.
- Social connections grow: When students are involved in co-curricular activities, they usually interact with others, which means meeting new people, developing social skills, and being a part of a community. It’s always good to have friends who share your interests and to develop these relationships over time.
- Awareness of diversity expands: The multicultural nature of American society is increasingly reflected and celebrated on college campuses today. You will see this not only in the classroom but also in the co-curricular activities, clubs, organizations, and events. For example, your college might have a Black Student Union, an Asian Pacific Student Union, a Japanese Student Association, a Chinese Student Association, and many others. Having access to these resources gives students the opportunity to explore different cultures and prepare to live, work, and thrive in a vibrantly diverse world.
- Self-esteem grows: When students pursue their special interests through co-curricular activities, it can be a real boost to self-esteem. Academic achievement can certainly be a source of affirmation and satisfaction, but it’s nice to have additional activities that validate your special contributions in other ways.
All in all, being involved in the campus community is vital to every student, and it’s vital to the college, too. It’s a symbiotic relationship that serves everyone well.
The key to getting the most out of college is to take advantage of as many facets of student life as possible while still keeping up with your academic commitments. That’s pretty obvious, right? What may be less obvious is that focusing exclusively on your academic work and not getting involved in any of the rich and diverse co-curricular activities on campus can come at a real price and even hamper your success.