Student Life Office Mission Statement: Within the Catholic academic community of Benedictine College, the Student Life Office promotes community within the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, offers students a living/learning environment in which they can integrate the intellectual, personal, and spiritual dimensions of their educational experience, provides students with the highest quality programs and services, and builds strong collaborative links between the Student Life Office area and other units of the College.

Residence Hall Program

Residence Life Mission Statement: To develop the whole person by providing a safe and comfortable environment of seamless living and learning that fosters the growth of virtue and excellence in our residents as they develop into men and women of character who respect the dignity of the human person.

A professional staff Residence Director (RD) lives in and guides the community-centered life of each residence hall. The Resident Assistant (RA) is an undergraduate student who aids the RD as a member of the hall staff. RDs and RAs take a special interest in the growth of students and coordinate activities in the hall that support the mission of the college. These activities include developing and implementing the Family Model, which include community, personal growth, spiritual maturity, and social responsibility programs.

Living Accommodations

Fourteen residence halls plus the Row Houses and Campus Houses serve as the foundation for building community and student life at the college:

The Benedictine Row Houses were built in 2010. The design adds a New England charm to the area and the six townhomes house up to 24 students—upperclassmen in Hartman House and upperclasswomen in Schirmer House—in groups of either four or five students.

Courtney S. Turner Hall, built in 1957, is a freshmen male residence hall and was renovated in 2005. It houses 140 men.

Completed in 1893, Elizabeth Hall served as the original Abbey for the Benedictine monks. It was completely renovated in 2001 and currently houses 151 women on four floors of uniquely stylized rooms, from lofts to suites to apartments.

The Legacy Apartments, completed in 2008, are a series of four single-sex halls, Kremmeter (upperclasswomen), Legacy (upperclasswomen), and Wolf (upperclassmen), which offer students the luxury of living in an apartment while still being on campus. In fall 2014, Lemke Hall (upperclassmen) was opened offering students additional apartment housing on campus. The Legacy Apartments currently house a total of 284 students.

McDonald Hall, commonly called “The Suites” for their apartment-style living, was completed in 1965 and houses 154 women. Each suite has four double occupancy rooms, two bathrooms, and a main lounge.

Newman Hall, completed in 1967, houses 142 freshmen and sophomore men. Each suite consists of two rooms connected by a shared bathroom.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Hall opened fall 2014 and houses 120 freshmen through senior women. Each suite consists of two rooms connected by a shared bathroom, except for three loft-style suites on the top floor.

St. Gabriel Hall, our newest residence hall, opened in fall 2023 and provides housing for 120 sophomore/junior men. Each suite consists of two rooms connected by a shared bathroom.   

St. Joseph Hall was the first hall built on campus in 1924 and provides private rooms in addition to two six-person suites for 45 upperclassmen.

St. Martin’s Memorial Hall is home for 90 freshmen women in a community housing style.

St. Michael Hall opened in fall 2012 and houses 151 upperclassmen. Each suite consists of two rooms connected by a shared bathroom.

St. Scholastica Hall opened in 2005. It houses 140 freshmen women in a community housing style.

The Campus Houses are a leadership-based, single-sex housing option available to both upperclassmen and upperclasswomen who go through an application and interview process. Each house can hold three to five occupants.

College Ministry

The Department of College Ministry serves the goals of Benedictine College by transforming lives in Christ for a life of mission. They facilitate encounters with Jesus Christ through sacraments, outreach, and stewardship; developing and sending students into the world as Catholic missionary-disciples. Through this, they minister the sacraments and promotes virtue, dynamic orthodoxy, Christian discipleship, ecumenical outreach, biblical literacy, liturgical prayer, Catholic social teaching, and the charisms of the founders of our sponsoring religious communities, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. Students of all faiths are welcome to grow in their spiritual life through activities including mission trips, retreats, Mass, youth ministry, Eucharistic Adoration, evangelization, vocation discernment, education, prayer, music ministry, fellowship, and volunteer work. The Department of College Ministry follows Jesus who said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19).

The Catholic Church has cared for the souls of the Benedictine College community for over one hundred sixty years. Today, Benedictine College Ministry continues this service in the St. Martin Center located in the St. John Paul II Student Center. It is the spiritual and service arm of the College responsible for the sacramental communion, pastoral care, catechesis, service, faith and moral formation of the community. As a ministry of the Catholic Church, Benedictine College Ministry accepts the Church’s principal legislative document, the 1983 Code of Canon Law, as a primary guide for its own policies, practices, rules, and norms of behavior. Benedictine College Ministry will uphold the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church and will not act on or promote anything contrary to the heritage of revelation and tradition, divinely founded and apostolic, handed on by the Catholic Church. Like any church, the ministry depends on the good will, time, talent, and treasure of members, leaders, volunteers, and supporters.

The Department of College Ministry carries out its pastoral service in harmony with the practices and norms of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in general and with those particular policies designed for ministry in institutions of Catholic higher education. It serves the mission of Benedictine College to be a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college that educates men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.

Student Government Association (SGA)

The Benedictine College Student Government Association (SGA) upholds the dignity of each student and promotes the general welfare of the student body through representation, communication, and Christ-like servant leadership. The Benedictine College Student Government Association strives to provide effective student services, to address student concerns, and to help administration develop solutions that positively affect student life.

SGA consists of the Executive Board and the Class Senators. The positions on the Executive Board of the Student Government are the President, Vice-President, Director of Communications, Treasurer, and Director of Clubs and Organizations. The Senate consists of four senators per class. The Senate is divided into four committees: Food Service, Raven Unity, Campus Development, and Communications. These committees exist to address key areas of student concern, to fulfill the mission statement of SGA, and to assist the administration with educating men and women within a community of faith and scholarship. In addition, there are many student clubs and organizations, including national honor societies, social and religious organizations and service clubs. Early in each semester, each student has the opportunity to become acquainted with the full range of organizations, their functions and activities.

Student Activities

Students are encouraged to form and join organizations that contribute to the development of the whole person. The college, with the Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board, Raven Orientation Camp (ROC) leaders, and the International Student Ambassadors, provide many opportunities for cultural growth. Nationally known speakers, lecturers, players, and musicians appear on the campus each year. 

Students participate in a wide variety of social activities. Examples include: attending intercollegiate athletic events, intramural sports, concerts, live comedy routines, and student talent shows. In addition, students enjoy our tradition-rich signature weekend events put on by the Campus Activities Board, which include: Family Weekend, Homecoming, HER Weekend, the Mother-Son/Father-Daughter Banquet, Little Siblings’ Weekend, Spring Formal, and Springfest.

Student Health Center

The services of the Student Health Center are available to all students free of charge.

The health center provides facilities for first aid and the dispensing of nonprescription drugs and limited primary care services through the use of a nurse practitioner and/or physician assistant under the supervision of a registered nurse. In the event of serious illness or injuries, students are referred either to the hospital emergency room or to a physician of their choice.

Policies

Students are strongly encouraged to be covered by a health insurance plan. Each new student must submit a health record that provides a health history, gives evidence of a recent physical examination, and complete a required immunization series.

Counseling

As with any age group (especially one living and studying in a residential community), students may face challenges that strain their coping abilities, create stress, and result in other problems. Professional and licensed counseling, assessment, and consulting services are readily available on campus to all students.

The services of the Counseling Center, located at 1201 North 2nd Street, are available to all students free of charge. Although the staff is available for emergency consultation, appointments for regular services are strongly advised.

The Student Success Center

The Student Success Center supports the academic achievement, personal success, and professional aspirations of our students. The academic assistance and resources provided include: academic advising, tutoring, test proctoring, help with study skills, time management strategies, accessibility services, and accommodations. Located in the Student Success Center, the Writing Center educates and empowers students to hone their writing skills and grow as writers. Assistance is available for students of any major, with any writing, at any stage of the writing process. The Writing Center helps students develop strategies for the writing process, offer specialized workshops, and provides helpful resources. Career services helps students with résumés, interviewing skills, career assessment, internships, graduate school support, and networking. The Student Success Center is located directly adjacent to the Benedictine College Dining Hall.

Academic Advising

Each student is assigned an academic advisor upon matriculation; when possible, the advisor is chosen to reflect the student’s proposed major. When the student formally declares his or her major, a faculty member in that discipline is assigned as the new academic advisor. Students with multiple majors will have multiple advisors. Students are encouraged to work closely with their advisor to plan their semester schedule and overall course of study; however, the student bears the responsibility for fulfilling all requirements for graduation. Students, particularly undecided majors, can also receive academic advising and academic assistance in the Student Success Center.

Center for Service-Learning

Benedictine College created the Center for Service-Learning in order to facilitate the implementation of service-learning for our faculty, students, and community partners. Service-learning is an academically rigorous form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs, together with structured opportunities for reflection designed to achieve and assess desired learning outcomes. (Adapted from a definition by Dr. Barbara Jacoby.)

This teaching method is highly adaptable and its structure can vary significantly from course to course. Three characteristics these types of courses – in their variety of expressions – have in common are as follows:

• Careful Selection: The assigned service experiences align with one or more of the course’s learning outcomes
• Critical Reflection: Structured and challenging critical reflection opportunities integrate the service with other course content
• Mutually Beneficial: Service experiences address unmet, community-identified needs and advance students’ academic, moral, and/or personal growth

The service-learning program at Benedictine College is rooted in, guided by, and an expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our identity as a Catholic, Benedictine institution. We believe it advances Benedictine College’s mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.

Publications

The Circuit (the campus newspaper), bccircuit.com (the online news), and the Raven (the college yearbook), are edited by the students of the college. These publications encourage journalistic ability and serve as a means of communication for the students and faculty.

Loomings, a magazine of the arts sponsored by the English Department, is published yearly by the students. It includes poetry, short stories, essays, art, photography, and musical compositions submitted by students and faculty.

Library Services

The library holdings are the combined collections of Benedictine College and St. Benedict’s Abbey, numbering approximately 250,000 books and bound periodicals. The library subscribes to a collection of over 380,000 electronic books and provides access to over seventy periodical databases. 

The Benedictine College Library will be under construction for the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 academic years. Our collection of over 250,000 books and bound periodicals will not be accessible during this time. 

A limited reference collection, chosen by the faculty and deemed necessary for students’ academic success will be available in the Dining Hall boardroom. Interlibrary loan (ILL) services will be housed there as well. An experienced library staff member will be available to assist students with research and acquisition of materials both individually and through group instruction during this time period.

Policy on Non-Returned Library Books

Library materials are for the use of the Benedictine College community. Students who fail to return books borrowed from the library within 10 days after the last day of exams will be assessed a fine of $20.00 per book. Seniors graduating in May must return books prior to Commencement. The library staff will attempt to contact students by email and by campus mail with reminders to return their library books. Ultimately, the students are responsible for returning their library books.

Information Technology Services

The Information Technology (IT) Department provides all support and resources for the information technology needs of the faculty and staff of Benedictine. Support for students consists of Internet connectivity, email support, Blackboard and RavenZone tech support, as well as login and password issues. The campus network provides connectivity for all offices, residence hall rooms, and computer labs. The Benedictine College network is protected by a multidimensional cyber security system that combines edge security, device protection, and a next-generation firewall that seamlessly blocks network attacks while also preventing access to undesirable websites. The on-campus help desk service provides assistance and answers for all Benedictine-owned computers, network problems, and questions. The help desk will assist students as time permits and only provides limited repair and support options.

Access to Internet service is available in all residence halls through either an Ethernet connection or Wi-Fi connection. Benedictine College provides wireless network access inside all dorms and all academic buildings. A username and password are required to access the Benedictine College network.

Internet access is available to all students from the computer labs located in Westerman Hall and St. Benedict Hall.

Sports

Intercollegiate

The Benedictine College Intercollegiate Athletic Department affirms a holistic approach to education intended to promote intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual growth of student-athletes.

The athletic arena provides an extended education for the student-athlete. Participation in intercollegiate sports provides a learning laboratory for each student-athlete. Benedictine College offers a balanced sponsorship of sports for men and women. The athletic program for men includes baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, soccer, indoor and outdoor track & field, lacrosse, and wrestling. The intercollegiate sports for women are basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, spirit squad, dance, indoor and outdoor track & field, lacrosse, and volleyball. In order to advance the College athletic health care/sports medicine facilities, treatment abilities, rehabilitation, preventative services, health and wellness education, all student-athletes are charged a $75 fee each semester.

By its very nature, the athletic program is designed to serve the entire community. Students are admitted to all regular season varsity sports without admission charge with a student ID. Benedictine College competes in the Heart of America Athletic Conference and is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Benedictine College has a solid winning tradition fielding teams that are competitive in the conference and at the regional and national levels. Since joining the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 1991, Benedictine College has won numerous conference championships in a variety of sports. Many Raven sports teams have gone on to postseason play. Benedictine athletics has produced numerous all-conference and all-American honorees as well as scholar-athletes. Former head coaches Larry Wilcox (football) and Ralph Nolan (basketball), basketball player Darryl Jones, and football player Jamie Mueller are members of the NAIA Hall of Fame.

Intramurals

More than 90 percent of the students at Benedictine College participate in some kind of intramural sport activity. A wide range of activities and events serve the students’ interests and abilities. Intramural sports activities may be single gender or co-recreational, depending on the sport or the event. Opportunities exist for forming teams and for individual participation.

College Policies and Procedures

Students are expected to comply with college and office policies and procedures. This includes the Community Code, Student Handbook policies, the four-year residency requirement, Room-Draw, Student Health, and Technology and Information Services policies.

Student Complaint and Grievance Policy

Benedictine College is committed to treating all students fairly and respectfully. In an instance of perceived violation of a College policy, a student may file a complaint. More information about the Student Complaint and Grievance policy is available in the Student Handbook and online at www.benedictine.edu/complaints.