Student development and collegiate life Mission, Offices & Services
The mission of the Student Development and Collegiate Life Program is to support the mission of the College in its various roles and relationships, an educationally centered approach to human development in order to prepare students to become successful citizens of the campus community and of a diverse world.
Student Affairs professionals are educators who share responsibility with faculty, academic administrators, other staff and students for creating conditions under which students are likely to dedicate time and energy in educationally-purposeful activities. It is a goal of the Student Development and Collegiate Life Program, through the work and leadership of its staff, to develop and implement appropriate policies, procedures and practices, and provide quality student services, skilled staff and various programs to assist students with their transition and adjustment to college life. These efforts help to raise students’ aspirations and enhance their overall skills. The Student Development and Collegiate Life Program fosters student learning and personal development in a manner that results in students’ living, learning and growing while college, and helps them acquire skills that will enable them to live productive, satisfying lives after they graduate.
Students benefit and achieve the highest level of learning if they participate in a broad array of college experiences over an extended period of time. These experiences; combined with the Student Development and Collegiate Life services and programs; help to share students’ overall development in and out of the classroom.
Student Development and Collegiate Life staff work to build an environment on campus that is supportive and inclusive. We work hard to have staff be current, accessible, helpful and caring. It is our goal to help students whenever necessary with whatever concerns, issues, problems, and/or crises that may arise. In doing this, we work to create a caring community that values students, and their safety, offers strong personal support, and provides quality student services.
The Student Development and Collegiate Life offices include over 50 professional and clerical staff, 70 para-professional staff and over 150 student staff. Each of these dedicated individuals works within one of 14 student service areas.
The Director of the Student Life and College and Commuter Relations provides students who are commuters with various support services including career, personal and academic advisement. Commuters study, relax and socialize in the Tiger's Den lounge, Bouck Hall which has wireless computer access, a television, a refrigerator, a microwave, a telephone and Bulletin Board. Lockers are available in Bouck Hall through the Student Life and College and Community Relations. The Commuter Student Association meets bi-weekly to address common concerns, to communicate and plan programs and events. For commuters with children, child care services may be contracted through the Cobleskill Child Care Center on campus. Commuter and Residential Students have equal access to all campus facilities and services. Commuter students are strongly encouraged to become actively involved in the day-day life of the campus community. All questions regarding these services should be directed to the Student Life and College and Commuter Relations, Bouck Hall.
DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS AND EXERCISE (ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT)
SUNY Cobleskill is a member of the NCAA and sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports. Over the past few years the college has been recognized as having a predominate athletic program with several nationally ranked teams. As the college intercollegiate athletic program moves to the four year level it is our intention to continue a high level of success while presenting broad based opportunities of participation for our students. Our facilities include, a state of the art fitness center, a swimming pool, gymnasium, bowling alleys, field house with indoor tennis and basketball courts, outdoor handball, basketball courts, fitness trail, running track, baseball, softball fields and various athletic fields.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES
The Office of International Programs, International Students and Affirmative action is available to provide assistance and guidance to all international students.
JUDICIAL AFFAIRS
The Student Development and Collegiate Life office, in concert with the Residential Life Office, works to offer a student judicial system that holds students accountable for their behavior in a highly educational manner. A comprehensive campus judicial system has been created to address violations of the Student Conduct Code. The judicial system includes a series of intervention steps and judicial review processes including Student/Faculty Judicial Boards, Administrative Review Boards, administrative review processes and appeal processes. Due process and proper adjudication of student judicial hearings is of paramount importance.
The Residential Life Office offers a comprehensive array of services and programs. Staff are well qualified and highly trained. Only full-time professionals who have earned masters and/or bachelor degrees are hired to manage and supervise the residence halls. In addition to the professional Residence Hall Directors and Complex Coordinators, 79 paraprofessionals called Resident Assistants are available to assist with the overall residence hall operation and to provide service and guidance to all resident students. The foundation of the residential experience is an environment that is safe, quiet, clean and comfortable.
STUDENT ORIENTATION
SUNY Cobleskill has been very progressive in offering a quality student orientation experience. Academic Affairs and Student Development and Collegiate Life work closely together to offer quality orientation activities. This comprehensive program offers students the opportunity to connect with students within their field of study and their residence halls in a proactive and positive manner. It also offers educational initiatives that help students be better prepared for classes. This program complements the Accepted Student Day Program.
STUDENT LIFE AND COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS
SUNY Cobleskill excels at providing students with a wide range of leadership growth opportunities. The Director of Student Leadership Development/Brickyard Point works to provide students with leadership development training and growth opportunities. This essential service provides students with significant learning. Currently over 30 clubs and student organizations exist on campus. In addition, there are 250-300 student leadership positions available to students. At SUNY Cobleskill, students become involved more quickly and have numerous opportunities to achieve higher levels of success than they would in their first two years at four year institutions. Student leadership positions at SUNY Cobleskill include:
- Resident Assistants (89)
- Student Government (30)
- Night Hosts (50)
- Transition Leaders (20)
- Fall Arrival Team Members (50)
- Peer Mentor/Orientation Leaders (40)
- Orange Key Society (80)
- Student Medical Response Team (30)
- Student Recreation Team (8)
- Brickyard Point Student Staff (8)
- Ski Lodge Activities Team (12)
- Student Club Officer (200+)
Brickyard Point, our student union and social club, offers students a wide range of entertainment options. The facility serves as the campus non-alcoholic nightclub, has a dance floor and DJ booth, three televisions, including a large screen DVD theater unit, a snack bar, game room, fireplace lounge. A variety of special events and student programs are offered weekly including country Night, Club Night, Open Mike Nights, Hip Hop Dance Parties, etc.
The Office of Communiversity Affairs (OCA), seeks to further develop the college and the village as "destination of choice" for those seeking an exceptional education, diverse business offerings, rewarding employment opportunities and residency in a vibrant, unique, rural community. The OCA works to engage students, faculty and residents in educational, cultural, service-learning, and community enhancement initiatives that serve to enrich the participants and the community as a whole. From the construction of a new community plaza, to providing support for social service agencies, to leveraging the colleges’ considerable intellectual and physical resources in support of initiatives like Earth Day, the OCA seeks new and creative ways to engage the college and community in projects that positively impact the quality of life for our students, village residents, and local businesses.
STUDENT SUCESS CENTER (CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER)
The Career Development Center provides services and resources to assist students and alumni in achieving their educational, personal and career goals. Career planning services offer individuals a computer-based career planning program with one-on-one counseling and specialized career fairs. A web-based job search system, an on-campus recruitment program and a Part-time Job Fair are available to those seeking both full-time and part-time employment. Internship Orientation classes provide students with opportunities to practice interviewing, networking and resume writing skills through the Career Prep Challenge program. Individual meetings and workshops are available to students seeking internships. Transfer assistance provides counseling, transfer and college fairs, college catalogs and to associate degree students planning to transfer. Graduate school fairs and workshops provide students interested in pursuing graduate degrees with valuable information especially regarding those graduate programs with which we have Memorandums of Understandings.
This 11-member department has 10 fully trained and armed Police Officers who implement a Community Policing concept of law enforcement. University Police are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year protecting and serving the campus community. In addition, Officers conduct safety and crime prevention programs in the residence halls and are regularly conducting foot patrols in the residence halls and across the campus, patrolling the campus in vehicles (automobile and ATV), and as well by bicycle.
VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGIATE LIFE OFFICE
The Office of the Vice President for Student Development and Collegiate Life, in addition to providing direction, leadership and vision for the division and the College, advocates across the campus community for students and the student perspective. The Vice President collaborates and works with Academic Affairs and numerous college offices to ensure that integrated learning initiatives, administrative policies and practices, and campus based programs are developed in a manner that supports and enriches students. The Office of the Vice President for Student Development and Collegiate Life assumes a student-centered approach and personally works closely with, and is highly accessible to, students and student organizations, especially student leadership groups.
WELLNESS CENTER - Counseling and Health Services
Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
