Student Development
We believe each student is blessed by God with unique gifts and abilities. We strive to assist them in deepening their self-awareness, discovering their passions and engaging others on a local, national and global stage. Inspired by our Jesuit tradition, we seek to help students recognize the good in the world around them, see where injustice persists and find their place of action in reconciling the two. With the power granted to us by our Creator, we work to value and appreciate the unique strengths and potential of people within and beyond the Rockhurst University family.
To this end, Student Development strives to:
- Create living and study environments that support the learning objectives of faculty and staff at the University;
- Engage students at their current point of development and challenge them to discover and enhance their individual gifts and abilities through co-curricular and extra-curricular programming, advising, and counseling comprised of residential, spiritual, career, multicultural, and wellness components;
- Contribute to the formation of student leaders who become more capable and invested in being men and women for others by providing interactive and reflective leadership activities that foster awareness, creativity, love, and courage;
- Work hand in hand with students and the entire Rockhurst University family in providing service to others throughout our global community;
- Challenge ourselves to become active learners, role models and educators as we continuously grow and develop personally and professionally;
- Assess the impact we have on all aspects of student growth and development by qualitatively and quantitatively reviewing our programs and services.
The Student Development department consists of the following areas:
- Administration/Dean of Students: Students with general questions and concerns as well as in need of guidance about opportunities and responsibilities are invited to come to this office. It also publishes the Student Handbook annually that provides additional information about campus life as well as all policies that affect students. Students in crisis can also receive assistance and consultation about campus and community
resources.
- Career Services: The mission of Career Services is to assist Rockhurst University students and alumni through all phases of their career development, provide leadership to the Rockhurst University community on career development issues and develop positive relationships with employer partners and other external constituencies of the institution. The professional staff provides individual career advising, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Holland Self-Directed Search, and career planning classes for credit (CT 1120) for still deciding students. Also, opportunities are available for assistance with choosing a major, networking, interviewing, resumes and cover letters, and career search strategies.
Students are encouraged to establish a relationship with Career Services early in their academic career by establishing their individualized web-based RU Career Account. Opportunities for work-study, part-time, intern, co-op, and full-time work opportunities are available for student review, along with the opportunity for students to electronically post their resumes. Many employers visit campus each year via career fairs and campus interviews, or directly request student resumes through the Career Services web resume books. In addition, the web page provides links to career resources, job listings, employer sites, and career search tips.
- Conference Services: Conference Services facilitates the planning and implementation of internal and external non-academic conferences, meetings, and events on campus. Conference Services assists in the reservation of rooms, audio-visual needs, and the execution liability insurance for conference groups.
- Counseling Center: The college years contain exceptional opportunities for intellectual discovery, social development and personal growth. The challenges encountered during this time can be stressful and demanding as well. As students explore and establish more independence and autonomy, they often seek assistance from the Counseling Center as they develop the skills and strategies needed to navigate the transitions inherent in this period of their lives. Staffed by licensed psychologists, the Counseling Center is a supportive professional resource helping students address a range of mental health and relationship concerns to obtain the maximum benefit from their college experience. Individual and group therapy are available to address student needs in a confidential setting. Common concerns addressed by the Counseling Center staff range from homesickness/adjustment to college, test anxiety, relational issues and stress/tension, to family issues, past trauma, depression, social anxiety, eating disorders, self-harming behaviors, and addictive behaviors. Counseling Center staff is available to consult with faculty, staff, students and parents regarding student mental health issues and/or concerns. A range of consulting services are also available to all students, faculty and staff. The Center promotes healthy development and overall wellness through our website resources and ongoing outreach programs to residence halls, student organizations and classroom presentations. The Counseling Center is located in Massman Hall, suite 5.
- Disability Resource Center: It is the policy of Rockhurst University to provide reasonable accommodations for students who identify with a disability as identified in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, The Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. Students who need accommodations must request those with the Disability Resource Center and provide appropriate documentation of the disability. The Disability Resource Center will facilitate reasonable accommodations for equal access to academic and other University administered programs. The Disability Resource Center is located in Massman 3, or can be reached by calling (816) 501-4689.
- Health Services: Rockhurst University has established a collaborative relationship with Neighborhood Walk-in and Family Care, located in the north parking garage on campus, and Goppert Trinity Family Care (Goppert), located south of the University at 6675 Holmes Avenue, to provide for students’ acute and preventative health care needs. Rockhurst requires all residential students to show proof of several immunizations. In the state of Missouri, there is a meningococcal disease (meningitis) education/ vaccination requirement for all students who reside on campus. The requirement must be met either by providing documentation of the vaccination or by completing a waiver indicating that the student has received the information and decided not to have the vaccination. Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR) Documentation of two measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations is required for all residential students.
Meningococcal Meningitis Disease and Immunization
Rockhurst University requires students who will reside on campus to provide proof of a meningitis vaccination or sign a waiver that you understand the risk involved in not receiving this vaccine.
Rockhurst University encourages all other students to consider this vaccination as well as to become knowledgeable about meningitis and its symptoms in order to reduce their personal risk. Rockhurst University requires all first-time and residential students to provide proof of the following vaccinations thru our on-line submission process.
Section 199.290 of the Missouri Revised Statutes requires that students attending any college or university in the state of Missouri be screened to identify those at high risk for Tuberculosis (TB). This screening includes testing of identified high risk populations to determine those that would benefit from treatment. The screening follows Center for Disease Control protocols and requires completion of a TB screening questionnaire and possibly testing. The statute requires colleges and universities to place a hold on a student’s registration if the student does not complete the TB screening within the student’s first semester at a Missouri college or university. If a student answers no to all of the questions found on the TB questionnaire, the student is considered to have been effectively screened and no further action is needed. Each student shall attest that the information submitted on his/her TB screening questionnaire is true to the best of his/her knowledge and shall submit the signed screening test results to Rockhurst University. If a student answers yes to any of the statements found on the TB screening questionnaire, Rockhurst University requires that a TB risk assessment by a health care provider be completed within 6 months or prior to the student’s enrollment for the subsequent semester.
Each student required to undergo a TB risk assessment by a health care provider shall submit appropriate written documentation of his/her TB risk assessment results, including but not limited to any skin test results, blood test results or chest x-ray results signed by an appropriate health care provider. Students may also complete any TB screening/testing at the Neighborhood Walk-in and Family Care located in the North Parking Garage on the Rockhurst University campus.
- International Student Services: The Office of International Services seeks to support international students studying at Rockhurst University. International student advisors seeks to help students understand governmental regulations as well as ensure their success at the University. Additionally, International Student Services advises students on paid and unpaid internship opportunities through government approved Circular Practical Training, as well as post-graduation employment opportunities through Occupational Practical Training. The Office of International Student Services also develops workshops and information sessions regarding international issues. The office coordinates cross-cultural programs for international students as well as social gatherings.
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Learning Center: The Aylward-Dunn Learning Center offers a wide range of free services in support of academic life at Rockhurst. Located in 200 Van Ackeren Hall, it provides a pleasant and convenient place to study between classes and has computers available to students.
Peer tutoring and Supplemental Instruction (SI) are two major services. Tutoring is available for many courses, and SI is
available for selected courses. Peer tutors and SI leaders are recommended by faculty members in the appropriate fields;
they undergo continuing preparation in order to work with individuals or small groups. Tutoring and SI have a double
benefit: they offer students assistance with difficult course work, and they offer the peer tutors and SI leaders the
opportunity to deepen their understanding of their fields, sharpen valuable skills in communication and interpersonal
relations, and enhance their leadership abilities.
The Aylward-Dunn Learning Center also can help students develop study strategies and time management skills, such as
textbook reading, note taking, and exam preparation. In addition to improving these skills, students can utilize practice tests available for a variety of graduate school and professional exams. The Aylward-Dunn Learning Center also offers assistance through tutors in computer skills, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can take advantage of the Aylward-Dunn Learning Center’s services. One service is communication assistance, which provides an integrated approach to the writing, oral communication, and electronic formats necessary for the exchange of ideas. Another service, writing, traditionally seen as the core of academic scholarship, is augmented by this broader approach to communication. Professional and peer staff members work with students to merge learning and expression in connection with any course project or written document. This assistance is available from the planning stage through the final editing and presentation.
- Multicultural Education: Rockhurst University recognizes that diversity enriches all aspects of university life, and is committed to providing opportunities for engaging interactions among diverse individuals. Rockhurst defines diversity as encompassing areas both visible and non-visible, and promotes an understanding of the benefits and complexities of diversity for its students, faculty, staff and the community. A number of staff and faculty work closely with the University’s Diversity Committee to ensure that the needs of all students are met.
- Student Success and Retention: Student success is the best predictor of retention. This office works with individual students to develop success strategies that will equip them to navigate the personal, social, and academic challenges they face. Referrals to appropriate resources are made as needed. Our goal is to improve the academic and social integration necessary to enhance the quality of the college experience for Rockhurst students.
- Residence Life: Residence Life considers a student’s on-campus experience an integral part of the educational program. The group living situation is meant to enhance the student’s classroom experiences and provide opportunities to make responsible decisions which exercise self-discipline and concern for the needs of other students. There are different types of residential options available on campus: Incoming underclassmen are housed in Corcoran and McGee Halls; the Town House Village, Xavier-Loyola Halls and On-Campus Houses are for upperclassmen. Each of the housing options is staffed by a head staff member with a staff of undergraduate resident assistants. Their main responsibility is to assist in developing an environment which is supportive of the educational mission of the University and conducive to the personal development of each student.
While the residence halls have traditionally served out-of-town students, Kansas City area students are encouraged to live on campus in order to experience campus life more fully.
Rockhurst University has a residency requirement that requires all full-time students to live with their parents or on campus unless students meet the following conditions:
- Students classified as juniors having completed 60 hours with at least a “C” grade point average.
- Students who have lived on campus for four semesters.
- Students who are age 23 or older.
- Students who have completed active, full-time military service.
- Students who have a spouse or dependents living with them.
Residency includes participating in the regular meal plan offered by the University food service for both fall and spring semesters if the student resides in one of the traditional halls.
- Student Life: The Student Life Office is where students come to find out more about student organizations, fraternity and sorority life, Student Activities Board (S.A.B.), Student Senate, Orientation, leadership programs,Homecoming, Family and Alumni Weekend, and health and wellness programs.
The Student Life program complements the Rockhurst vision that we will be nationally recognized for transforming lives and forming leaders in the Jesuit tradition by sponsoring and supporting programs, services, and activities that foster values based leadership development. Involvement in student life programs and student organizations provide students with a medium to develop personal passions, talents and skills as well as integrate classroom learning with out-of-class experiences that are ultimately useful in future careers and service to others. Research has shown that students who are involved in leadership skill building student organizations, clubs, or activities are significantly more likely to graduate compared to their peers who are not involved.
Professional Student Life staff are available to advise and assist students in pursuit of the type of involvement that will interest them the most. Students are encouraged to peruse the Student Life section of the Rockhurst website as there are multiple resources as well as an up-to-date calendar of activities. More detailed information can be found in the Student Life Office located in Massman Hall (Room 1) next to the Rockroom or at the Rockhurst website www.Rockhurst.edu.
Student Responsibilities & Community Standards of Behavior
Rockhurst University is a community that mirrors in many ways the strengths and weaknesses of the larger society. Within this community, students, faculty, administrators and friends interact for the mutual benefit of all. The University fosters high values, standards, and goals with the hope that every student will recognize these as opportunities for personal growth.
The Student Code of Conduct conveys the minimum essentials that experience has shown necessary to provide an atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of “Learning, Leadership, and Service in the Jesuit Tradition.” These essentials are normally articulated within the Student Handbook (student creed, accompanying guidelines, and judicial review process), this Catalog, and all official notices and bulletins.
Athletic Programs
- Intercollegiate Sports. In keeping with our cultural heritage and American college tradition, Rockhurst offers a competitive NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic program. The primary purpose is to provide talented students opportunities to participate in team competition with other colleges and universities.
Rockhurst is currently affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for both men’s and women’s lacrosse. Conference sports are baseball, basketball (men and women), cross country (women), golf (men and women), lacrosse (men and women), soccer (men and women), softball, tennis (men and women), and volleyball. Rockhurst’s athletic facilities include Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse for basketball and volleyball; Bourke Field for soccer and lacrosse; and Loyola Park for tennis, baseball and softball.
The Convocation Center, adjacent to the Field House, hosts all intramural and recreational activities. The Center houses facilities for handball, racquetball, basketball, volleyball, and weightlifting.
- Intramural Sports. Students interested in recreational opportunities through intramural competition have a program of activities including formal tournament competition in many different sports, leading toward the Intramural Championships. Competing organizations, teams and individuals are urged to check the Athletic website to obtain application dates and times to assure representation in the intramural program. Currently there are numerous activities, including basketball, softball, volleyball, hockey, football, tennis and soccer.
- Club Sport Program. The Rockhurst University Club Sport Program exists to provide additional opportunities in competition and recreation for students in those physical activities in non-varsity sports offerings. The emphasis is on student interest and leadership to initiate, organize, finance and conduct their respective clubs. Currently, club teams are sponsored by the students in cheerleading, dance, and hockey. All club sport teams must be registered through the Student Life Office.
Rockhurst is a Catholic, Jesuit University where faith and spirituality are valued as essential components of education. Campus Ministry invites all students to celebrate their faith, to discover its depth and richness, and to grow in their understanding of and commitment to God’s good world. By providing opportunities for spiritual growth, discernment, prayer and community engagement, Campus Ministry is present to accompany each student, striving to form individuals committed to embodying a faith that does justice. Students are invited to enrich their faith through involvement in worship, the Sacraments, retreats, Christian Life Communities (small faith-sharing groups), Bible study, educational and fellowship opportunities, service and more. Campus Ministry seeks to both meet students where they are in their faith journeys and to provide opportunities for new growth and enrichment. The department encourages each student to participate in nurturing their faith, cultivating community and contributing to the betterment of our world. In addition to offering liturgies and programs, the Campus Ministry staff is also available to support individuals with spiritual counseling and care in an open, compassionate and confidential setting. Know that the campus ministers welcome all members of the University community. Offices are located in the basement of Massman Hall.
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Service Immersion Trips: Service Immersion Trips invite students to live Rockhurst University’s Jesuit mission, a mission articulated in part of a 1997 speech given by the former Jesuit Superior General, Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach: “Students must let the gritty reality of this world into their lives so they can learn to feel it, think about it critically, respond to its suffering, and engage it constructively.”
Weeklong experiences, which include manual labor, cultural immersion activities, relationship-building, and daily prayer and reflection, move students to a deeper understanding of the Gospel’s call to solidarity and justice. Extensive trip preparation and follow-up lead students toward the life-long path of becoming women and men for and with others.
Trips normally leave in January during Christmas Break, during Spring Break, and May to destinations that in the past have included: Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, New Orleans, La., Nicaragua, West Virginia, and Jamaica.
Rockhurst University generously subsidizes up to half of the total trip expenses; students cover the balance of their trip costs. The application process for the trips begins in September and includes a written application, short essay, and in-person interview. For more information, please see the Rockhurst website www.rockhurst.edu.
Campus Security
The Rockhurst University Safety and Security Department is a full service department, which operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The department supplies a full list of protective services.
These services include:
- A fully staffed dispatch operation with 24-hour per day, 7-day per week emergency/non-emergency telephone answering, radio dispatching of field personnel, alarm and access control monitoring, closed circuit TV monitoring as
well as customer service at a walk-up window.
- Armed field personnel trained internally in the use of firearms and tested annually by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. These Officers respond to all calls for service, both emergency and non-emergency. They also do parking control duties, and perform self-initiated activity, designed to prevent crime. They do investigations, write reports, provide escorts on campus, maintain a close, positive contact with all members of the campus community and the surrounding neighborhood. Close ties with the city police are also maintained on a continuous basis.
The Safety and Security Department is assisted in its security efforts by an extensive oncampus Security telephone system. The department patrols the campus by motorized vehicles and on foot.
The Safety and Security Department participates in the educational mission of the University by sponsoring and presenting programs on a wide range of Security and Safety related issues.
Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act
The University follows the mandates of the Campus Security Act of 1990 (now known as the Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act). This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University; 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 sexual assault, and other matters. Copies of this report can be obtained by contacting the Safety and Security Department, Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, Mo., 64110-2561, (816) 501-4659, or by accessing the following web site: www.rockhurst.edu
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