The Spirit of Hood

The spirit of Hood is celebrated by the entire Hood community. Students, faculty and staff share in campus activities and traditions. 

College Life

Hood believes that living as a member of a community provides the best atmosphere for individual growth, so all students are afforded varied opportunities to participate in and lead activities at the College. Because Hood recognizes that students require both challenges and caring guidance to grow, a full range of student services and activities is available. The College is committed to supporting the personal and social development of all students, recognizing that life beyond the classroom walls is a vitally important part of the college experience.

Hood: A Place of Honor and Respect

As a place of honor and respect, all members of the College assume the obligation to maintain the principles of honesty, responsibility and intellectual integrity in all activities relating to their Hood College experience. It is the responsibility of each student to support these values through maturity of thought, expression and action. Members of the faculty, staff and admin- istration are available to assist students in this process.

The Academic Honor Code and Code of Conduct

Academic life at Hood is guided by an honor system. The basic aims of the honor system are: to encourage and promote a trustful relationship among all members of the College community, to offer students the opportunity to exercise responsibilities and democratic rule on campus and to make students more aware of their personal principles of honor.

The academic Honor Code is shared between the faculty, administration and the students. A judicial system of students, faculty and administrators considers and adjudicates violations of academic integrity.

The Honor Pledge reads as follows: 

“Recognizing the importance and value of the Hood College honor system, I pledge on my personal honor that I will uphold the honor system for the duration of my enrollment at Hood College. Furthermore, I pledge that I will read and make every effort to understand the concepts of the honor system.”

Social behavior is governed by the Code of Conduct. Violations of the Code of Conduct are adjudicated through the Office of Residence Life, the Dean of Student’s Office, Department of Campus Safety and/or student review boards as appropriate to the violation. Student staff members are employed by the Office of Residence Life as resident assistants to assist in reporting violations, although all students retain the rights and responsibilities to report any infractions they witness.

Residential Life

The residence life program provides students with an opportunity to live with students from diverse backgrounds, encouraging them to learn from others’ experiences. Living in the residence halls helps students learn communication, negotiation and conflict management skills.

There are five traditional-style residence halls on campus (Coblentz, Coblentz Memorial, Meyran, Shriner and Smith) that house between 100 and 130 students each. Smaller language housing options for between five and 12 students each attract students who are interested in a French, German or Spanish living experience. One faculty member from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures serves as the language house coordinator. A native speaking student lives in the residence full time.

Traditional-aged first-year students and sophomore students are required to live on campus and have roommates unless they are commuting from their parents’ home. Juniors and seniors are eligible for singles on a space-available basis. Students who feel they have special (medical, psychological and/or disability-related) needs may apply for a single through the special accommodations program.

During the summer prior to their arrival, first-year students are assigned a roommate based on a lifestyle questionnaire. First-year students may request a specific roommate if they know someone else coming to Hood with whom they would like to live. During the spring semester, all current residential students select their rooms and roommates for the upcoming academic year.

Hood’s residence halls are part of a shared governance system and residents elect representatives to the Student Government Association, as well as to their individual house councils. Students decide when their quiet hours will be and when visitors may be in the halls (within certain minimum guidelines). In addition, the governing bodies of the halls work to provide educational and social activities for their residents.

Resident assistants live on each residence hall floor and are available to students who have personal or academic concerns, are having problems with their roommates or just need advice, guidance or a referral. They plan programs, disseminate information and work to build a positive community on their floor by enforcing College policies. The RAs are supervised by Area Coordinators, professional staff members who live on campus full-time. Responsibilities include community building, shaping positive student behavior, programming, student support and supervision of building staff.

For further information about the residential experience at Hood, please contact the Residence Life Office at ext. 3577.

Commuter Life

Commuter students represent a diverse population. When not attending classes, many commuters spend time in the Whitaker Campus Center.

The Commuter Student Union, in which all matriculated undergraduate commuting students hold membership, elects its leadership team, the Commuter Council, to govern the Commuter Student Union and administer its programs. Various members of Commuter Council sit on student government committees and boards, giving voice to commuter interests.

Parking

Vehicle registration and a parking hang tag are required to park on campus. Vehicles registered for the regular academic year do not require an additional tag for the summer session.

A parking hang tag does not guarantee the holder a parking space, which is on a space-available basis. Parking in the Whitaker Campus Center lot is restricted to commuter students, faculty and staff. Vehicles parked in violation will be ticketed. Campus Safety may designate certain areas as no parking zones for snow removal purposes. Vehicle registration forms are available in the Office of Campus Safety and at the switchboard. Please refer to the student handbook for details, or contact the Department of Campus Safety at ext. 3548.

Student Government

All undergraduate, matriculated students are members of the Hood College Student Government Association. The student government at Hood represents the voice of the student body to the faculty and administration and is responsible for overseeing many vital aspects of student life. The HCSGA consists of a student senate, which takes up issues of importance to the student body and enacts legislation; a judicial branch, which is responsible for the academic honor system; and an executive board, which administers the business of the student government and oversees its committees.

Through its Campus Activities Board, the HCSGA provides social activities for students, and through its Finance Committee, it allocates the student activities fees to support the administration and programs of the clubs under its auspices. House Forum oversees the governance of the residence halls, working with the director of residence life to implement policies and procedures, while Commuter Council, working with the director of commuter life and student activities, oversees the Commuter Student Union and its programs. The Academic Affairs Committee has members serving on or observing at many academic committees of the College, representing student views. The parliamentarian reviews the constitutions of all prospective student organizations, ensuring that the Senate and Executive Board follow appropriate procedures in conducting meetings. The Student Rights Committee serves as another voice for students regarding individual or group concerns. The dean of students serves as adviser to HCSGA.

Student Organizations

Clubs and organizations provide students with opportunities to meet others with similar interests as well as to develop leadership, organizational and management skills. Under the auspices of the HCSGA, a wide variety of clubs and organizations is available. In addition, a number of student groups and honorary organizations are sponsored by departments of the College. Each year, as new students with new interests join the Hood community, new clubs and interest groups are formed.

The following clubs, organizations and interest groups are currently active on the Hood campus.

Academic Interest Organizations 

• Art Club
• Education Club
• Environment Club
• Free Radicals (chemistry club)
• French Club
• Least Squares Mathematics Club
• Student Social Work Organization

Advocacy Organizations  

• Amnesty International Equal Sex
• College Republicans Hood Environmental Action Team (HEAT)
• College Democrats Strong Women of Today & Tomorrow (SWTT)

Community Service Organizations 

• Best Buddies
• Habitat
• Rotaract
• Service Association

Diversity Organizations 

• Black Student Union
• Hood African Student Association (HASA) T.E.A. (Tolerance, Education, Acceptance)
• International Club
• T.E.A. (Tolerance, Education, Acceptance)

Governing/Programming Organizations 

• Campus Activities Board (CAB)
• Class Councils
• Commuter Student Union
• House Forum
• Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAC)
• Student Government Association (SGA)
• House Councils

Honor Societies 

• Alpha Psi Omega
• Beta Beta Beta
• Gamma Sigma Epsilon
• Ionic Society
• Kappa Delta Pi
• Mortar Board
• Omicron Delta Epsilon
• Phi Alpha Sigma Phi Omega
• Phi Alpha Theta
• Phi Kappa Phi
• Pi Delta Phi
• Pi Mu Epsilon
• Psi Chi
• Sigma Beta Delta
• Sigma Delta Pi
• Sigma Phi Omega

Performing Arts and Performance Organizations 

• Chamber Singers
• Gospel Ensemble
• Cheerleading
• Hood Ensemble
• Choir
• String Ensemble
• Equestrian Team
• Wind Ensemble

Publications 

• Blue & Grey Today (newspaper)
• Wisteria (literary magazine)

Spiritual/Faith Based Organizations 

• Buddhist Meditation Group
• Hood Inter-Faith Team
• Catholic Student Organization
• Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF)
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Jewish Student Union (JSU)
• Hood Bible Study
• Muslim Student Association

Special Interest Organizations 

• Blazer Nation
• Model Arab League
• Blazer Radio
• National Model United Nations
• French Club
• STARS (Admission tour guides)
• Hispanic Latino Organization
• PRSSA (Public Relations Society Student Association)
• Karate Do Club

Student Activities

Through both classroom and extracurricular activities, Hood stresses the development of leadership skills. Hood students are encouraged to develop the skills they need to become effective contributors to their families, professions, communities and society. Noncredit workshops and programs, in addition to credit coursework, offer strong support for the development and acquisition of leadership skills and knowledge. Training is provided for key leaders by selected offices in the division of Student Life.

Educational Activities

Through various programs, departments and student organizations, a wide variety of special events and lectures is offered every year. In past years, events and speakers have included Joan Biskupic, Washington Post Supreme Court reporter; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; Jack Kemp, former New York senator and vice presidential candidate; the Morgan State University Choir; Jonathon Kozol, national education expert; James Billington, Librarian of Congress; Barbara Fields, Civil War historian; Susan O’Malley, president of the NBA’s Washington Wizards; Marian Wright Edelman, author and children’s rights advocate; Anne Crittenden, best-selling author; Cornel West, author and professor at Princeton University; and Sr. Helen Préjean, activist.

Faith Community at Hood

Hood College maintains its historical affiliation with the United Church of Christ. A College chaplain is available to support students, staff and faculty of all spiritual backgrounds. There are abundant opportunities for religious activity and worship in various faith communities in and around Hood College. Each semester there are new possibilities for spiritual nurture and growth. Some of these include Bible study, Communion group, retreats, prayer, spiritual direction, service projects and workcamps, healing services and pastoral care.

Fall semester begins with Opening Chapel, a candle lighting ceremony at Convocation. There is an active chapter of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a Muslim Student Association, Jewish Student Union and the performing group, Gospel Ensemble. Christian chapel services are held weekly and an Interfaith prayer service is held once a month. Worship and religious events during the year include the “Messiah” concerts, a campus-wide Ramadan feast, Candlelight Vespers, trips to area religious communities, Ash Wednesday observance, Liberation of the Black Mind worship service, Service of Affirmation for gay students, Gospel Jubilee, healing service for survivors of abuse and the Passover seder. A Baccalaureate Service closes each year.

Intercollegiate Athletics

The Athletic Department at Hood College is proud to adhere to the philosophy of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Division III. Hood College is a member of the Capital Athletic Conference. The CAC consists of Frostburg State University, Marymount University, University of Mary Washington, Salisbury University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Stevenson University, Wesley College and York College of Pennsylvania.

Hood College athletics are designed to contribute to the student’s overall educational experience. Each athletic program is conducted in a manner designed to protect and enhance the physical, educational and spiritual well-being of the student athlete.

Those interested in women’s intercollegiate competition can compete in basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball. Men’s intercollegiate sports include basketball, cross country, golf, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, track and tennis. An equestrian team, women’s golf and cheerleading are also offered as club sports.

Two full-time certified athletic trainers work with athletes and coaches in all phases of sports medicine including off-season and in-season strength and conditioning. The intercollegiate athletic program at Hood College complements and enhances the learning experience inherent in a liberal arts education. The program provides the opportunity for athletes to excel physically, emotionally and spiritually. Each athlete is challenged to appreciate and respect individual differences, to work collaboratively to achieve a common goal and to strive for excellence.

To be eligible to participate in intercollegiate sports, a student must be enrolled for at least 12 credits, be in good academic standing and maintain a cumulative 2.0 G.P.A. Students on academic or social probation are not permitted to participate in varsity or club sports.

Recreation

Recreational activities are provided for members of the Hood community—students, faculty and staff. A wide variety of activities is offered in response to participant interest. Community and area facilities are used for activities such as skiing, rafting and golf. On-campus facilities are used for activities such as aerobics, volleyball and rollerblading. Fitness equipment in the weight room is available for use by all members of the Hood community. The tennis courts, swimming pools, exercise trail, volleyball court, softball diamond and sport practice fields are also available for recreational use.