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College Catalog: 2015-2016
Student Services
Athletics at Ramapo College are an extracurricular activity and are secondary to a student’s academic pursuits. Ramapo College offers a two-tiered sports program: intercollegiate and intramural.
Varsity:
On the varsity level, Ramapo College is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and subscribes to the Division III philosophy. Ramapo belongs to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Varsity sports are for those students willing to commit themselves to a program that encourages both individual and team excellence through daily practice sessions and a full season of competition. Sports at the varsity level are as follows:
Women:
Basketball, Cross-Country, Cheerleading (Competitive Club), Dance (Competitive Club), Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, Volleyball.
Men:
Baseball, Basketball, Cross-Country, Soccer, Tennis, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, Swimming and Volleyball.
Intramurals:
Students interested in team sports at a less advanced level may turn to an extensive intramural program. Intramurals offer students the chance to play on a team without the time demands of intercollegiate athletics. All students enrolled at Ramapo College are eligible for the intramural program. Information on intramural programs is posted in the Athletic Center. The activities currently sponsored through the intramural program are:
September – December; February – April
Basketball, Volleyball, Spinning Class, Aerobic Class, Kick-Boxing Class, Bowling League, Wiffle Ball, Football, Ping Pong Club, Softball, Ultimate Frisbee, Indoor and Outdoor Soccer League, Street Hockey League, Mixed Martial Arts.
Varsity Team schedules are available throughout the Ramapo College Athletics Website. Student support and participation are a vital part of life at Ramapo College. Current students are not charged admission to regularly scheduled athletic events and attendance is encouraged.
How To Participate in the Athletics Program
The intercollegiate program is the highest level of competition offered at Ramapo. Many of the participants at the varsity level have been recruited to attend the College. Opportunities for participation do exist for the non-recruited student athlete and trying-out is encouraged. To obtain information on a particular team of interest, the coach of that sport should be contacted at the Athletic Center or an inquiry made through the Office of Athletics at (201) 684-7674. Dates for try-outs are posted at the Athletic Center and throughout the campus.
For further information on Intramural and Varsity athletics programs, refer to the Athletics Website.
Location: The Robert A. Scott Student Center, second floor, rear
The bookstore is a resource for new and used text books, trade books, magazines, software, supplies, clothing, snacks, music and more.
The Cahill Center offers a comprehensive array of programs, services and activities including experiential learning to help students plan for and clarify their career goals in relation to their academic studies. The programs include Career Services, Cooperative Education, the Career Achievement Program, Pathways Linking Academics and Career Experience, Service-Learning, Community Service Center, Alternative Break and the Student Assistant Program.
Career Services
Career Services offers workshops, panels and seminars, individual and group counseling sessions, vocational assessments, computerized career guidance, Job Fairs, and a Career Resource Center with over 400 publications on careers, graduate schools, job search strategies, career planning, internships, and company directories. A job listing service and assistance is offered with part-time, full-time, permanent, and temporary jobs for students and alumni.
Cooperative Education/Internship
An experiential learning academic program in which students are placed in work positions relevant to their academic majors and career goals. The program integrates academic learning with supervised off-campus work experience in both the public and private sectors. Students are required to work at least 225 hours for the length of the academic semester. Resume, cover letter, and interviewing support is provided. Students complete a learning agreement and identify learning objectives with their Co-op faculty advisor who assigns a journal, research paper, presentation, etc. as appropriate. Student work is evaluated by both the site supervisor and the Co-op faculty advisor. Students must be at least sophomore level and have a 2.0 or better G.P.A. to be eligible. Applications are available in the Cahill Center, C-209.
Career Achievement Program (CAP) INTD – 128
Course Description: The Career Achievement Program (CAP) is a two-credit course modeling career development theory designed to engage students in leadership and professional development. Through assessment, lecture, collaborative learning, workshops, class presentations and guest speakers students will focus on the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their chosen career. Open to junior and senior students, this advanced course will actively involve students in the exploration of occupations, research into graduate and professional schools and mastery of soft skills (communication and interviewing). Students will complete this course with the essential documents (resume and cover letter) and relevant goal setting and job search strategies to transition into the next phase of their career. The course emphasizes professionalism, life-long planning, and the successful integration of an individual’s personal goals with the development of their professional goals.
Pathways Linking Academics and Career Experience (PLACE) INTD – 107
Course Description: Pathways Linking Academics and Career Experience (PLACE) is a two credit career development course which will engage students in the process of career exploration. This course is designed for second semester freshman and second year students who are deciding on their major and want to know more about the careers associated with selected majors. Through activities, assessments, lectures, workshops and class discussions, students will complete interest, values and skills assessments to aide in the discovery of self exploration and self awareness. Students will learn the decision making process and how to identify their own decision making styles, which are critical skills for career life planning. Students will develop a four year career development plan which represents personal goals and achievements, acquired throughout the collegiate experience and a foundation for further career development and building of skills for the CAP course.
Service-Learning Program
Service-Learning is academically-based community service. While studying theory and course content in their classes, students have the opportunity to contribute to the wider community in an intentional way by working in a community-based organization or non-profit agency. Students participate in Service-Learning by choosing the option offered in a number of academic courses each semester. They then select an assignment with a community partner organization which corresponds to their course content. Students have worked with environmental organizations, government agencies, hospitals, mental health centers, bereavement programs, schools and many other organizations and agencies – wealth of experiences that can become the catalyst for a lifetime of community involvement and activism.
Community Service Program
The Community Service Center (CSC) promotes, facilitates and organizes community service by members of the Ramapo community, especially students within clubs and organizations. The CSC strives to respond effectively to needs identified by community agencies by empowering and uniting the campus to effect social change through direct service. In promoting service, the Center aims to support a lifetime commitment to social justice within the student body.
Alternative Break Program
Students leave behind their daily lives on campus and become immersed in communities grappling with issues as varied as chronic poverty, natural disasters, oppression, inadequate housing, hunger, and environmental damage. In doing so, these students are able to contribute to the community through their hard work, but more so from their increased understanding. The communities in which students are placed benefit from the tangible work completed, but more so from the conviction that someone noticed … and did something about it. Communities are rallied by the energy and commitment of the students, while many students hail their experiences as fundamentally life-changing and the “best week they’ve ever had”.
Student Assistant Program
Ramapo students are offered the opportunity to work on campus in a wide variety of paid positions. The program matches both Federal Work Study students (eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office) and student aides with college programs and offices needing their talents and skills. Federal Work Study students may also choose positions off campus in non-profit agencies through the FWS Community Service option.
Location: The Robert A. Scott Student Center, Second Floor, Room SC-200
Grounded within the college’s four pillars of international, intercultural, experiential and interdisciplinary education, the mission of Student Development is to develop the whole student. Through their participation in a broad range of purposeful and inclusive programs and services which include opportunities to share experiences with other students, faculty and staff, join clubs and organizations and explore leadership roles, students learn to think critically, value diversity and make positive contributions to campus life.
Student Development includes the following major program areas:
- Fraternity and Sorority Life
- Student Clubs and Organizations
- The Women’s Center
- Student Center
- Student Activities (clubs and organizations, major events, platinum series, student activities revenue management)
Health Services Location: Corner of Hornbeam Road and Rhodora Road
Counseling Services Location: Building D, second floor, Room 216
The Center for Health and Counseling Services promotes, maintains, and improves the health and well-being of the College Community in support of the institution’s academic mission.
Health Services is primarily staffed by Nurse Practitioners who provide primary care at no charge. Services are available to all enrolled students. Acting as primary care providers, Nurse Practitioners evaluate, diagnose, and treat illnesses, provide education to prevent the recurrence of illness, maintain wellness, and refer to community providers as needed. Medications may be dispensed by Health Services for a fee or a prescription may be provided. Primary care services address a multitude of problems including respiratory and ear infections, skin problems, gastrointestinal illness, musculoskeletal problems, anemia and nutritional concerns. In addition, Health Services addresses men’s and women’s reproductive health concerns. A wellness/self-treatment center for minor illnesses and injuries is available.
Counseling Services addresses the developmental and psychological needs of students through educational, therapeutic, and preventative services. Our services are designed to assist students with social, emotional, academic, and psychological issues so that they are able to remain in school and benefit from their educational opportunities to the fullest extent. Services are available to all enrolled students. We provide an environment that is conducive to discussion of any concern or problem and confidentiality in accordance with legal and professional guidelines for the State of New Jersey. Counseling Services provides individual and group counseling, crisis intervention services, psychiatric consultation, and education about wellness, mental health concerns and alcohol and other drugs.
Location: ASB-123
The Director of International Students and Scholars is responsible for managing a broad range of services and programs for international students, scholars, exchange visitors and other visa holders at Ramapo College. In an effort to ease the transition to an unfamiliar culture and educational environment, the Director serves as a mentor and advocate and helps students and scholars negotiate the many perplexing issues including immigration, financial, academic and personal matters.
Location: Building C, second floor, room C-216
The Office of Student Conduct is responsible for administering the College’s Code of Conduct which is contained within the Student Handbook. The Code of Conduct clearly outlines the College’s behavioral expectations of all students and the processes to be taken should these expectations not be met by students. The overarching goal of this office is to establish an environment where all community members have rights that are valued and respected while also deterring any future poor behavioral choices that might intercede upon a student’s academic progress.
The Office of Student Conduct staff, in collaboration with campus partners, responds to allegations of student misconduct to protect the health, safety, and security of members of the College community. The office meets with students who are both suspected of violating the law and/or Code of Conduct, students who have reported being victims of crimes, and students seeking conflict resolution.
The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is “housed” within the Office of Student Conduct. This team, represented by a collaboration of staff from numerous departments, receives referrals from the community for students who may be displaying troublesome or concerning behaviors. Behaviors of concern could be observed in many different settings at the College; therefore, this team serves to “connect the dots” and respond to students in distress who might be in need of further support structures. BIT is not a crisis response team. The team intervenes and provides support to students. The professionals on this team are committed to providing confidential support in order to help a student experiencing a difficult situation to achieve success.
The Ramapo News
Location: Robert A. Scott Student Center, second floor, Room SC-218
The Ramapo News is the student-run weekly newspaper for Ramapo College presenting news, features and items of interest to the Ramapo College community. Students participating in the production of the campus newspaper gain experience and insight into all phases of print journalism, and may contribute in a variety of specific functions including reporting, editing, photography, editorial writing, management, marketing, and graphic design. Involved students enjoy opportunities to strengthen their communication skills.
Radio Station WRPR-FM
Location: Robert A. Scott Student Center, second floor, Room SC-216
WRPR-FM (90.3), the official, non-commercial radio station licensed to Ramapo College and operated by students. Membership is open to all students in good academic standing. Those participating in station operation not only gain experience in the technical and production aspects of the medium, but also become familiar with broadcast standards and media ethics.
Ramapo College Television and Video (RCTV)
This organization provides members with opportunities to express themselves creatively through video. RCTV, channel 10, carries student programs and variety shows such as: weekly magazines, interviews and sports. Special events also appear on this channel.
The Arch Yearbook
Location: Robert A. Scott Student Center, second floor, Room SC-216
The annual yearbook, produced by students, captures the images and events of the college and provides a lasting keepsake for graduating seniors.
Location: SC-207 / Ext. 7521
The pastoral and spiritual needs of the Ramapo community, especially those of students, are served by clergy and lay staff who maintain offices in the Scott Student Center. Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths are represented. Christian denominations served on campus are Roman Catholicism, Evangelical Protestantism, and Anglicanism. Students and others are free to speak with any of the clergy or lay staff in this office regardless of religious affiliation.
Specific information regarding clergy and lay staff, religious services, office hours, special events, and affiliated student organizations can be found on the Council on Faith and Spirituality board in the Scott Student Center, as well as on the Council on Faith and Spirituality website
Ramapo offers housing to approximately 3,000 students (almost 1,000 of these beds are single bedrooms) for its students who wish to live on campus. In 2010-2011, over 58% of all full-time students, and almost 85% of the freshmen, lived on campus in a variety of housing units. Unlike at some colleges where housing is very limited, on-campus housing is guaranteed to freshmen for four years.
To learn all about campus living at Ramapo, please visit the Residence Life Web Site. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email at reslife@ramapo.edu or by phone at (201) 684-7461.
To read more in depth about College policies that affect residents and to learn about the many services/activities offered, click below:
Residence Life Facilities
To read about the various living units, see pictures of interiors and exteriors of the halls, and learn about the many amenities that make living on campus convenient and supportive of your academic work, click below:
Dining services at Ramapo College are provided by Sodexo, a major provider of food services on college campuses. Meal plans are required for all Pine, Linden, Bischoff , Mackin, Overlook, and Laurel residents. Meal Plans are optional for those that reside in the College Park Apartments and the Village. Students on the meal plan typically eat in one of the student restaurants: The Birch Tree In, on the first floor of the Robert A. Scott Student Center, or The Pavilion, located in the Trustees Pavilion, adjacent to Bischoff Hall. The Atrium, located on the first floor of the Scott Student Center, is a retail dining facility. All dining facilities are open to faculty, staff, students and visitors paying with cash, or Ramapo Dollars.
In addition to these traditional dining facilities, the Curtain Call Café, which is located in the Berrie Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, offers snacks, sandwiches and specialty coffees and teas; and the Convenience Store, located in the Trustees Pavilion, offers package foods, frozen foods, snacks and other “convenience items.”
Location: Building C, first floor, Room C-102
Public Safety personnel patrol the campus to identify and report potential dangers to persons and property. The office is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The staff also responds to concerns and complaints dealing with illegal, disruptive, or dangerous behavior. Students are encouraged to report all crimes – actual, attempted, or suspected – as well as any other emergency to Public Safety.
Ramapo College Public Safety Officers do not have powers of arrest, but will notify and assist the Mahwah Police Department on all criminal matters that require law enforcement officers’ intervention and expertise. Students may obtain parking permits and decals, as well as identification cards in this office.
The Robert A. Scott Student Center is located on the south end of campus, adjacent to buildings B and C. The Student Center is the “living room” of the campus. The Center houses dining facilities, the Bookstore, a game room/student lounge, a service counter for event sign-ups, ticket sales, postage stamps, and video/DVD rentals, an ATM, conference rooms, three lounge areas, and club and organization offices. Students may obtain general information about what is happening on campus by checking the online events calendar, the activities calendar on the campus Intranet, and the Student Activities bulletin board in the second floor lounge area. They can also tune into Campus Vision, the television/video system setup in convenient locations within the Center and on Channel 3 in the Residence Halls. Additional information regarding student organizations, honor societies, the student awards program, and important college policies and procedures is published in the Student Handbook, available online on the Student Affairs website, or in the Student Affairs Office, C212.
Location: Building C, second floor, Room C-205
Services for students with disabilities are provided by the Office of Specialized Services (OSS). Ramapo College was constructed architecturally barrier-free and has a proud history of serving the needs of students with disabilities. Students who provide the OSS with documentation of a disability are potentially eligible for classroom accommodations, testing accommodations, and/or housing accommodations. The OSS administers a federally funded TRIO grant program which is designed to promote the graduation of individuals with disabilities. Students accepted into the program are eligible for a summer Bridge program, tutoring, adaptive technology training, academic advising assistance, specialized career counseling, and independent living counseling. All students with disabilities are encouraged to fully participate in every aspect of the Ramapo educational experience.
The Salameno Spiritual Center was dedicated October 5, 2010. The space is dedicated to reflection, meditation and peace. Private foundations and individuals were instrumental in contributing toward this $1.2 million project. Meditation pods are open 24 hours a day and are accessible with student IDs. To reserve the Salameno Spiritual Center for an event, please contact Events and Conferences, (201) 684-7590.
Location: Building C, second floor, Room C-220
The Women’s Center is a place where both women and men gather to consider their respective roles in American society and to pursue assistance with family, career, or educational interests. Referrals to governmental and social service agencies are made when needed. Workshops are offered on topics such as relationships, wellness, AIDS, career, and family. The Center houses a small reference library and is a comfortable place to meet, socialize or read.
Queer Peer Services attempts to establish a more diverse, safe environment for students, faculty and staff at the college. Through classroom presentations, periodic viewpoints in the Ramapo News and individual/group discussions, Queer Peer Services acts as both an advocate to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt) communities and a representative of these communities to the college at large.
