Student Life

An important element of the education at McDaniel College happens outside the classroom. When students live together in a residential setting, the opportunities to exchange ideas and share interests are greatly enhanced, not only by daily contacts in living quarters and the dining hall, but also by ready access to campus activities. Commuter students also benefit from participation in a variety of extracurricular activities.

After becoming accustomed to the rigorous demands of their academic schedules, most students become involved in other aspects of campus life. With entertainment, cultural events, athletics, and a constant calendar of student activities available on campus, students can choose to fill their leisure time to whatever extent they wish.

The diverse interests and needs of students are reflected in the wide-ranging and continuously evolving selection of activities. There are more than 100 organizations, and campus events are largely planned and organized by students. The College Activities Office is responsible for coordinating and scheduling events, reserving facilities, and advising student groups. Many organizations and publications have office space in Decker College Center, McDaniel’s student union and hub of campus activity.

Every community has traditions and rules that its members are expected to follow. Here, we treat students as adults, and as such we expect individuals to respect the rights, property, safety, privileges, and obligations of others. Since the College believes that liberally educated men and women think and act humanely and in a responsible manner, our regulations give students considerable freedom.

In addition to areas of academic honesty addressed by the Honor Code, College regulations cover the use of alcohol and drugs; behavior which impedes the educational process of individuals or the institution; legal access to students’ records, such as grades and billing; and other matters, including those affected by state and federal laws. These regulations are detailed in the Student Handbook, a copy of which is given to each student at the beginning of every academic year. It is also available on a link from the College’s Web page.

All students are automatically members of the Student Government Assembly (SGA), which is the student body’s central governing and coordinating organization. It consists of two main parts: the Executive Council, elected by the student body at large, and the Senate, composed of representatives from the classes. The SGA is active in campus life as a voice through which students participate in the affairs of the College.

Students hold full voting membership on many policy-making College committees, serving with faculty members, administrative staff, and trustees in dealing with institutional concerns. There are three student visitors to the Board of Trustees, and those representatives serve on a variety of trustee committees.

Also, each class is organized as a unit, and officers are elected to supervise the administration of class activities. In addition to responsibilities as a class officer while a student, the senior class president assumes guidance of certain activities after graduation, such as organizing class reunions.

The College community affirms its commitment to the ideals of personal integrity and community honor in all aspects of campus life, including academic endeavors and use of the library and computing facilities. The honor system affirms that honest people are the most important elements of a good community and that the rights of the honest majority must be protected against the actions of individuals acting dishonestly. Violations consist of cheating in coursework and misuse of computing resources, library materials, and borrowing privileges. Both students and faculty have an obligation to themselves and to their peers to discourage honor violations in any form. For the student, this means not only taking personal responsibility for one’s own actions, but also discouraging academic dishonesty by making it socially unacceptable behavior. The student is required to report all instances of academic honor violations. For the faculty, this means establishing clear guidelines at the beginning of every course and then making it physically difficult to cheat during the rest of the semester. In some courses this might simply mean removing temptation; in others, it might involve more stringent procedures such as simultaneously administering all examinations regardless of course sectioning. In some courses it might also mean proctoring exams.

Students will sign an honor pledge on all their work indicating that they have neither given nor received unauthorized help, nor tolerated others doing so.

For information on the Honor and Conduct Board, which adjudicates allegations of Honor Code infractions, see the Student Handbook.

CAPBoard, the College Activities Programming Board, sponsors various entertainment opportunities for students. CAPBoard is a very active, student-governed organization subdivided into six committees: Films, Mainstage (major performers and bands), Second Stage (comedians, duo and solo singers/musical performers), Special Events (Fall Fest and Spring Fling Weekends), Cultural Arts (plays, theatre trips, music festivals), and Promotions, which uses great enthusiasm and creativity to keep students aware of CAPBoard’s events. From adventure movies and concert trips to rock singers, CAPBoard and its jam-packed calendar of events are fully committed to providing quality entertainment for the campus.

Students interested in writing and publishing may work with three publications edited and published by students: The McDaniel Free Press, the biweekly student newspaper; Crossroads, the College yearbook, a pictorial collage of campus life; and Contrast, a literary magazine published yearly. In addition students operate the College radio station and a cable broadcast channel.

A substantial number of organizations offer students the opportunity to become knowledgeable and involved in a field of interest. Black Student Union, Jewish Student Union, Hispano-Latino Alliance, Commuter Student Organization, Asian Community Coalition, McDaniel Dance Company, Allies, Pom-Pon Squad, Ranger Platoon, and Maryland Student Legislative Delegation are just a few of such organizations.

While co-curricular activities offer students majoring in the various arts fields numerous opportunities to extend their interests, all students, regardless of academic major, are encouraged to take part in the many musical, dramatic, and artistic activities. Musical organizations include the College Choir, Gospel Choir, College Concert Band, College Jazz Ensemble, and Madrigal Singers. Those interested in dramatic arts may participate in both the technical production and performing aspects of several major plays and musicals planned by the Theatre Arts Department and in less formal presentations of dramatic scenes. The Art Club, which is involved in a number of creative ventures in addition to staging exhibits, is open to all.

More than 20 student organizations reach out each year to the Westminster community. These organizations work with elementary school children, individuals with developmental disabilities, and other causes. Active service groups include McDaniel Mentors, Alpha Phi Omega, Gamma Sigma Sigma, and Circle K.

Active student religious organizations on campus represent Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Baha’i, and other faiths. There are two chapels, Baker Memorial Chapel, which is a prominent landmark, and Baker Chapel, a lovely 100-year-old stone chapel, which dates back to the early days of the College. Students are also welcomed at the many houses of worship in Westminster.

The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps offers an academic military science program through which selected students can qualify at graduation for commission as officers in the United States Army. Additional information may be found under Military Science and Financial Aid.

There are seven national and local fraternities and sororities on campus. The fraternities are Alpha Gamma Tau, Alpha Sigma Phi (national), Phi Delta Theta (national), and Phi Kappa Sigma (national). The sororities are Alpha Nu Omega, Phi Mu (national), and Phi Sigma Sigma (national).

Approximately 12 percent of the students join the Greek-letter social organizations. Students with at least a 2.25 grade point average are eligible beginning in their sophomore year, and students with at least a 2.50 grade point average are eligible in their second semester, freshman year. Members of organizations may apply to live together in a section of a residence hall designated by the College.

The Inter-Greek Council works in cooperation with the Student Affairs Office to make rules for such activities as philanthropy, campus events, parties, and special events. Hazing is prohibited on College property and off campus by any College organization.

McDaniel College encourages students to participate in sports and fitness activities to enhance their College experiences. The College supplies facilities and opportunities for participation in a full range of team and individual athletic and fitness programs. The Gill Center provides a wide variety of programs in both physical education courses of study and recreational opportunities. The new Leroy Merritt Fitness Center offers modern facilities and equipment.

Also available to students are six outdoor tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, stadium, swimming pool, basketball courts, baseball fields, dance studio, fencing room, volleyball courts, cross-country trail, outdoor track facility, racquetball and squash courts, saunas and whirlpool, badminton court, and rappelling facility.

McDaniel College is committed to offering both men and women a balanced and varied program of intercollegiate athletics. Competitive schedules are designed not only for the varsity athletes but also for the students engaged in club sports and other activities. The College does not designate sports as major and minor because it believes all are of equal importance to the students participating in them.

Teams for men include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and wrestling. Teams for women include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and volleyball.

McDaniel College is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and competes at the Division III level. The College competes in the Centennial Conference, a group of 11 national liberal arts colleges and universities, which include Bryn Mawr College, Dickinson College, Franklin and Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Johns Hopkins University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College, Ursinus College, Haverford College, and Washington College. Washington and Lee University participates only in the Conference’s wrestling season. The school colors are green and gold.

Intramural programs for both men and women are extensive and provide for a wide variety of competitive events and coeducational tournaments.

In addition to the many restaurants, shops, film theaters, churches, and other attractions in Westminster, there are many recreational destinations within easy reach by car. In 45 minutes, students can reach the Catoctin Mountains for picnicking, hiking, swimming, and canoeing, and there are several skiing facilities in nearby Pennsylvania. Gettysburg National Military Park and other historic sites are also nearby. The College operates a van service to Owings Mills Metro Station and Mall on Saturday afternoons and evenings.

McDaniel College is part of a lively community of more than 20 colleges and universities in the Baltimore area. The Baltimore Collegetown Network is a guide to all of the cultural and educational opportunities the area has to offer. With more than 100,000 students in town, there are events and programs on area campuses as well as Baltimore’s shops, restaurants, museums, theatres, nightclubs and attractions, such as the Inner Harbor, National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center – all within a 45-minute drive. For the details, visit www.BaltimoreCollegetown.org.

Washington’s world-renowned galleries and museums, libraries, national monuments, governmental centers, and other extensive cultural and recreational resources can be reached in about an hour and 15 minutes.