The time that students spend learning outside the classroom—the hours devoted to sports, publications, theater, clubs, social events and student government—is a valuable part of the college experience. The Division of Student Affairs provides opportunities and support services to students during this time of intense personal development and intellectual growth; a time when new ideas are pursued, value systems re-examined, and attitudes/lifestyles explored. The student affairs staff plays a leadership role in developing experiences, policies and programs to provide learning and leadership opportunities for students and to help them get the most out of their time as members of the campus community.
Dean of Students
The Division of Student Affairs is supervised by the dean of students. The dean is directly responsible for coordinating and supervising educational programs and services in the areas of counseling, student conduct, health services, new-student orientation, residence life, leadership development, service and social change, wellness, public safety, multicultural programs, LGBTQ student services and student activities. The dean of students frequently includes and encourages students and professional staff to participate in the committees and programs that directly affect the quality of student life at St. Mary’s.
Housing
Residence Life
Living on campus in the residence halls, suites, apartments, or townhouses is an essential part of each student’s educational experience. The Office of Residence Life attempts to create an environment conducive to the social learning and the intellectual and emotional development of each member of the community. The College is a member of the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I).
Five residence halls, a suite-style complex, an apartment/suite complex and two townhouse complexes house more than 85 percent of undergraduate students at the College. The Office of Residence Life is managed by administrators who are trained and experienced in helping students learn outside the classroom. Residence Hall Coordinators (RHCs) and Resident Assistants (RAs) are student staff members who live in each wing or in each area and provide residence hall programming, informal counseling, mediations, advising and policy enforcement when needed. The College also provides a housekeeping staff to clean the public areas in the residence halls. All residences have laundry rooms containing new laundry equipment.
One of the College’s housing options is the Edward T. Lewis Quadrangle, which opened in 2001. This 210-bed residence hall consists of 6-, 10-, and 14-person suites. Each suite contains a common living area, two bathrooms and double bedrooms. Waring Commons, our newest housing complex, opened in August 2003. A new addition opened in August 2007. This facility has six- or eight-person suites which are similar to the Lewis Quad suites, as well as apartments. Most of the apartments have four single bedrooms (a few have three single bedrooms and one double room), one bathroom, a kitchen and a living room/dining room combination. Students must have at least junior class standing in order to live in the apartments. Returning students must submit an application to be considered for the suites or apartments. Assignments are determined by earned credits. New students may be housed in the suites on a space-available basis.
Calvert Hall provides a different residence hall environment for students. Due to the unique nature of the building (administrative offices and student rooms in one building), extended quiet hours are enforced from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. in addition to the regular quiet hours at night. A limited number of spaces are available in this building for students who are housed in singles, doubles, triples and a few quad bedrooms.
The College-owned townhouses offer upper-class students an alternative living arrangement. These two-bedroom units include a full kitchen, living room, dining room, patio and bathroom to provide a natural transitional experience for students who will soon be living on their own. Students must have at least junior class standing in order to live in the townhouses. Returning students must complete a separate application for available townhouse spaces, and assignments are determined by earned credits.
In addition to the suites, apartments, and townhouses, St. Mary’s College also offers traditional-style residence halls (Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George and Queen Anne). These buildings contain mostly double rooms with some single bedrooms, some doubles-as-triples and some study rooms which may be used as bedrooms on an as-needed basis. Each building has six bathrooms, a shared kitchen for occasional snacks, a recreation room, laundry room and other amenities.
Living Learning Centers
Substance and Alcohol Free Environment (SAFE House)
Creation of “community standards” for members of the living area is crucial to the success of this environment. Students will work closely with the Office of Residence Life to set expectations for each other in the residence, and to determine the appropriate method of intervention for violation of those expectations. In addition to enhancing the collegiate experience for those students who participate in S.A.F.E. housing, these students will benefit both the College community and the surrounding local community by means such as programmatic initiatives and role modeling. For more information, please contact the Office of Residence Life at 240-895-4207.
Open Housing
Returning students who desire to live in open housing in a traditional residence hall can apply for the open housing wing located in Prince George Hall during the room selection process.
First-year students will be eligible for open housing. During the housing application process, they will be provided the option to opt-in for open housing. For incoming first years and transfer students who indicate a desire to live in open housing, a Residence Life staff member will contact them to confirm their choice and explain the open housing process. Students will be matched with other students preferably with other first-year or transfer students who have indicated a desire for open housing. Students that have not yet reached the age of 18 will need signed parental permission to live in open housing.
The Housing Contract
The Housing Contract is binding for the entire academic year, and release is considered only under the following circumstances:
- The student graduates, transfers, drops to part-time status, gets married, has a baby, takes a leave of absence or withdraws from the College;
- The student participates in a College-approved program that requires off-campus residency;
- The student is academically dismissed, cancelled due to non-payment, or fails to register for at least 12 credits;
- The student is granted a written release after having submitted a written request to the associate dean of students to be released by established dates and only for special, extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis. For returning students, the written request for fall semester release must be submitted by May 1; for new students, by June 1. For spring semester release, the written request must be submitted by November 1. If students are not granted a written release but choose to live off-campus, they are still responsible for the terms of the contract, including payment of fees for the assigned residence space. In addition, students who are involuntarily removed from housing for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for any refund of housing fees. Students are urged not to enter into any off-campus Housing Contracts until they are formally released from their on-campus Housing Contract.
Two housing policies went into effect during the 1998 fall semester. The first policy states that students are guaranteed housing for a maximum of eight semesters (excluding summer sessions). Students should plan to live off-campus if they continue to attend St. Mary’s beyond eight semesters. Students attending the Master of Arts in Teaching program are not eligible for housing. The second policy states that only current, registered and resident students can select housing in March for the following academic year. Commuters and transfers will be accommodated in campus housing only after all new, first-year students are assigned to housing in June. Students wishing to be granted an exception to either of these policies must submit a written request to the assistant director of residence life no later than February 15, 2015. Exceptions will be made only for extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis. There is no guarantee that an exception will be made, so students should plan accordingly and submit requests early.
Students will be held responsible for damage to their rooms, damage to the contents of the room(s), and for damage to public areas in the residences. The College reserves the right to inspect the rooms periodically and repair, at the expense of the occupant(s), any room and furniture that has been damaged beyond normal wear. The College is not responsible for the loss or damage of any student property resulting from fire, theft, water or any other cause. Students are strongly encouraged to ensure they have appropriate personal property insurance.
Because of health and safety regulations, cooking is permitted only in the kitchen areas of the residence halls and in the kitchens of the apartments and townhouses. The residence halls are closed during College vacations, and student occupancy is not permitted. Students living in the suites, townhouses and apartments may elect to remain on campus over Thanksgiving and Spring Break. Access through the outside entrances to the traditional halls and to Waring Commons is by cardkey (the student ID card). These residences are locked 24 hours a day. Access through the outside entrances to the individual Townhouse and Lewis Quad units is by key.
Expanded Housing
Off-Campus Housing
Applying for Student Housing: New Students
- New students must make a $500 advance payment for student housing by the date specified in the letter of admission. Information about the Housing Contract, Health History Form, Drug-Free Campus Policy and Acknowledgment, and Roommate Matching Form can be accessed on the student Portal site in March for early decision students who have already paid the advance payment, or early May for regular decision students who have paid the advance payment. Students will receive instructions about submitting these forms online. To request hard copies, please contact the Office of Residence Life (240-895-4207).
- New students who are 18 or older should complete and electronically sign the Housing Contract, the Drug-Free Acknowledgment form and the Roommate Matching Form online (using the student Portal). If the student is not yet 18 years of age, the student may submit the Roommate Matching Form online, but the student must submit a hard copy of the Housing Contract and the Drug-Free Campus Acknowledgment and a parent or legal guardian must co-sign both documents. The Housing Contract, and the signed Drug-Free Acknowledgment form must be received by the Office of Residence Life by June 1. Students who do not submit the Housing Contract by June 1 will not be assigned to housing until the contract is submitted (and will be assigned to whatever space is available, if any). Room assignments will be made using the preference information on the Roommate Matching Form, and housing will be assigned in the order that the advance payments are received by the Business Office. Due to space limitations, preferences may not always be granted. Students may be placed in available spaces without prior consultation.
- Students must also complete the Health History Form and include verification of required immunizations before being permitted to move into College housing. The Health History Form must be returned to the Health Center in the envelope provided.
- Should the student not make the advance payment by the due date specified in the letter of admission, he/she forfeits the offer of guaranteed housing.
The room assignment, roommate information and check-in instructions will be emailed in July for the fall semester, and in January for the spring semester.
New students with disabilities who seek accommodations in their academic courses or in their housing assignments must submit documentation of their disabilities to the compliance coordinator prior to seeking accommodations. The deadline for submitting requests for housing accommodations to the Office of Residence Life is June 1. The compliance coordinator will send recommendations to the Office of Residence Life by June 3.
New students with medical considerations who seek special housing accommodations, including the use of a College-provided window air conditioner (for an additional $200 annual fee), must submit documentation of the medical problem to the Health Center prior to seeking accommodations. The deadline for submitting requests for housing accommodations to that office is June 1for the fall semester. The director or designee will send recommendations to the Office of Residence Life by June 3. Late requests may not be granted. There is an additional $100 fee for submitting a late request.
Applying for Student Housing: Returning Students
After reading the Guide to Room Selection, the student must do the following:
- Submit the completed Housing Contract and a deposit of $200 electronically (or in person if under 18) to the Business Office by February 27, 2015.
- Complete and submit any applications for housing (medical, single room, non-traditional student housing, open housing, suite, apartment, or townhouse) to the Office of Residence Life by the specified date.
Housing applicants will be notified of the status of their applications according to the date specified by the Office of Residence Life.
A waiting list is maintained for students who wish to make room changes after room assignments have been made.
Failure to submit a Housing Contract and/or make an advance payment by the deadline will result in the student being placed on a waiting list for housing and forfeiting the right to guaranteed housing and room preference.
Students receive specific room assignments, roommate information and check-in instructions by email in July for the fall semester.
Returning students with disabilities who seek accommodations in their academic courses or in their housing assignments must submit documentation of their disabilities to the compliance officer by February 15, 2015, prior to seeking accommodations. The deadline for submitting the housing application for special housing accommodations to the Office of Residence Life is March 2, 2015.
Returning students with medical considerations who seek special housing accommodations, including the use of a College-provided window air conditioner (for an additional $200 annual fee), must submit documentation of the medical problem to the Health Center by February 15, 2015 prior to seeking accommodations. The deadline for submitting the housing application for special housing accommodations to the Office of Residence Life is March 2, 2015.
All Students
Returning students must be registered for at least 12 credits by June 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. New students must be registered for at least 12 credits by August 15 for the fall semester and January 17, 2015 for spring semester. Failure to register by these dates will result in the cancellation of the student’s housing assignment. Resident students must be registered as full-time (12 or more credits) unless they receive prior written permission from the associate dean of students. Resident students who are permitted to drop below 12 credits must still pay the full-time tuition fee, are not permitted to be registered for less than eight credits at any time, and must maintain exemplary behavior. Students are urged to check with financial aid and insurance companies first, to ensure continued coverage.
Questions about the status of a student’s application for on-campus housing should be directed to the Office of Residence Life.
Room changes will be permitted after the first two weeks of the fall semester and after the first two weeks of the spring semester with written permission from the associate director of residence life.
Dining Services
Our food service program is an “all you can eat” operation in the Servery/Great Room (located in the Campus Center). First-year resident students are required to be on one of three meal plans. Sophomores, juniors and seniors living in traditional residence halls or suites have a choice of four meal plans. All other students may elect one of the optional meal plans if so desired. The student ID card serves as the meal card. Dining Dollars (“Flex”) are included in most of the plans to allow students to eat and drink at the smaller retail dining venues (the Daily Grind, the Lewis Quad “Grab-n-Go” and the Lewis Quad Pub), in addition to the Servery/Great Room. Dining Dollars can only be used for food and beverages. There is no refund or carryover of unused Dining Dollars at the end of a semester. The meal plans and fees are noted in the Expenses and Financial Aid section.
Student Life
Student Conduct
Student Activities
Orientation
Student Government Association
Clubs & Organizations
Media & Publications
Diversity & Academic Engagement
International Student Support Services
Service & Social Change Program
Theater & Film
In addition to its theater season, TFMS produces its annual film series. The TFMS Film Series brings to campus internationally acclaimed, award-winning filmmakers who screen and discuss their work, visit film production and film studies classes, and meet informally with students during their two-three day residencies at the College.
For more information about the film series, visit the TFMS website.
Music
Religious Life & Holidays
St. Mary’s students missing classes due to the observance of special religious holidays must inform faculty members in advance and make arrangements with them to make up missed work and assignments.
Athletics & Recreation
Varsity Sports
The College offers the following sports for intercollegiate competition:
Fall | Winter | Spring |
Field Hockey (women) | Basketball (men) | Baseball (men) |
Sailing (coed) | Basketball (women) | Lacrosse (men) |
Sailing (women) | Swimming (men) | Lacrosse (women) |
Soccer (men) | Swimming (women) | Sailing (coed) |
Soccer (women) | Sailing (women) | |
Volleyball (women) | Tennis (men) | |
Cross Country (men) | Tennis (women) | |
Cross Country (women) |
For more information, please call 240- 895-HAWK (4295).
Intramurals
- Basketball
- Inner tube Water Polo
- Indoor Soccer
- Kickball
- Road Races
- Tennis
- 7-a-Side Soccer
- Flag Football
- Floor Hockey
- Volleyball
- Softball
- Capture the Flag
- Dodgeball
For more information, please email intramurals@smcm.edu.
Club Sports
- Rugby (men & women)
- Crew
- Softball
- Equestrian
- Water Polo
- Fencing
- Ultimate Frisbee (men & women)
- Lacrosse (men & women)
- Soccer (men & women)
Student Services
Career Development Center
Throughout the year, workshops and programs are presented on a wide variety of career-related topics: career exploration, résumé writing, interviewing skills, job-search strategies and the graduate school application process. The end product of the career development process is a self-directed student, able to compete for entry-level positions or graduate programs.
Part-time and summer employment is crucial sources of funding for students financing their own education. The career development staff encourages students to find employment that is career-related because such experience is a valuable component of a student’s education and career development. The office is committed to assisting students in finding career-related experiences, including credit and non-credit internships, and paid employment on- and off- campus.
Counseling Services
Health Services
Wellness Education
Public Safety
All student-owned and -operated motor vehicles must be properly registered with the College before parking in any College-regulated lot. Vehicle registration permits may be purchased at the Office of Business Affairs. All visitors must register at the Office of Public Safety and obtain a temporary parking permit.
Regulations
Alcohol and Drugs
ID Cards
Lost ID cards should be deactivated online through the portal, instructions can be found at: https://www.smcm.edu/businessoffice/students-parents/onecard/.Deactivating an ID card prevents unauthorized electronic use of that card. A card may be reactivated through this same web site. In the event that a card is stolen, Public Safety should be notified. Lost ID cards can be replaced, for a fee, at the IT Support Center in Baltimore Hall.
Suspension:
General Rules and Regulations:
Student Email
Every student who is enrolled for credit classes at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is issued a student email account, which is the official means of communication from offices such as the Office of the Registrar, Office of Academic Services, Office of Student Conduct, Office of Residence Life and the Office of Student Activities. Email will also be used to notify students of certain emergencies, pending conduct action and school closings due to inclement weather. Most faculty and staff rely on email to communicate with students. It is the responsibility of each student to maintain and check their College email account regularly. Students are accountable to know information disseminated through the email account. Failure to read College communications sent to the email account does not absolve the student from knowing and complying with the content of these communications.