Student Life

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• Student Policies

Residence Hall Living

Mansfield is a university on the move. Exciting growth and changes are happening around campus. The new student housing projects have added comfortable, air conditioned and attractive suite-style housing to students living on campus. We know that having the right liviNG arrangement will be an important part of your overall college experience. Four state-of-the-art, suite and semi-suite style residential buildings with private bathrooms provide more than 1,300 beds, with each building offering four to five different styles of living units. All buildings include the following:

• Individual bathrooms with spacious showers in each suite
• Microfridges provided in each suite (include din the room rate)
• Ample numbers of private room options
• Unit controlled air conditioning and heating
• Coed housing, every other unit (in most buildings)
• One-card security access and entry door camera coverage
• Carpeted bedroom and living areas
• Cable TV
• High-speed wired and wireless internet connectivity
• Suite options with living space ranging from 300 to 1070 square feet
• FREE Laundry facilities and trash disposal on each floor
• Group project area and study lounges on each floor
• Multipurpose recreation area and large-screen TV lounge in common area (also feature technology for student and/or academic presentations in the living area)
• Game room for shooting pool, etc.
• Kitchen(s) in each hall

Thoughtful building design incorporates a living-learning opportunity, which promotes student academic success, individual floors provide group project rooms and study lounges that can be utilized by academic tutors, counselors, and study sessions for individual or team projects. Ground floor access to buildings’ multipurpose rooms and kitchens affords abundant opportunity for lectures, performances, exhibits, or social fuctions.

To meet the interests of our diverse student body, a variety of housing options are available, including special interest housing. To help ensure a positive living environment, each hall is operated by a full-time, live-in professional staff member who is assisted by student staff members who live on each residence hall floor. All residence halls are smoke free.

Since our residence halls are homes away from home for our students, each is furnished and equipped to meet student needs. In addition to furniture, each room is equipped with cable TV hookup and computer network access for each student. Each residence hall has free laundry facilities, kitchenettes, study lounges, and comfortably furnished lounges for informal gatherings. Our halls are the focal point for a variety of educational, recreational and social programs and activities on campus, and provide numerous leadership and work opportunities.

Comprehensive information about residence hall living, on-campus residency requirements, costs, dining options and room assignments is available on-line on the Residence Life  & Housing page. Additional information can be found in the university student handbook (the Mountie Manual), and the residence living handbook. All students in the first two years of study are required to live and dine on campus unless they meet exemption requirements specifically delineated on the site: http://www.mansfield.edu/residence-life/upload/Housing-and-Dining-Requirement-3-4-14.pdf

Student Life

To facilitate the personal and professional development of students by providing resources and opportunities that result in a successful learning environment is the mission of the Student Life Office, recognizing that the university experience involves learning both in and outside of the classroom. To ensure a positive out-of-class educational experience, we offer a wide range of activities to supplement the in-class learning, to provide you with opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience and to strengthen interpersonal skills. The Student Life Office coordinates a variety of social, cultural, and recreational programs. A comprehensive listing of campus activities can be found on the Calendar of Events on our web site.

Student Organizations

Mansfield University has over 75 active clubs/organizations and a wide variety of music ensembles, both vocal and instrumental, that provide outlets for student interests as well as opportunities for students to sharpen personal skills and strengthen both leadership and organizational skills. Many of the activities planned by these organizations are funded by student activity fees.

Although participation in student organizations provides opportunities for having fun, developing personal skills and gaining hands-on experiences, a practical advantage for students can be to enhance your personal portfolio which could be very valuable when entering the job market. The university encourages students to selectively become involved in these opportunities.

Student Center

The Alumni Hall Student Center (AHSC) is a campus focal point for students to gather and relax. The AHSC contains numerous spaces for a wide range of organized activities as well as informal gatherings. The AHSC houses the Mountie Den, a food court, Game Room, Information Booth, the Martin Luther King Jr. Resource Center, meeting rooms, the Women’s Center, organization mailboxes, TV lounge, multi-purpose rooms, and offices for the Student Government Association, and College Community Services, Inc. Additionally, the AHSC houses numerous Student Life offices which provide resources and opportunities in supporting student success.

Student Government Association

Student opinion and input into the operations of Mansfield University are valued and fostered. Our Student Government Association (SGA) provides a forum for discussion and an avenue for students to make change.

Under the umbrella of SGA, students serve on the Executive Board, Student Senate, and a wide range of university committees. At Mansfield, in cooperation with faculty, staff and trustees, they are part of the decision-making processes of the university.

Athletics and Recreation

Mansfield University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and our 14 intercollegiate teams play at the Division II level.

Women’s programs include soccer, field hockey, basketball, cross-country, swimming, softball, indoor track and track. Men’s programs include football, cross-country, basketball, baseball, indoor track and track. Sprint football is not an NCAA sport but provide special opportunities for intercollegiate competition.

Our recreational sports program is for students who value athletic participation but at a less competitive and more social level. We provide a broad range of opportunities in men’s, women’s and coed events as well as multiple groups involved in aerobics. In addition, we have both indoor and outdoor facilities for organized as well as individual students participation. The Kelchner Fitness Center provides facilities for basketball, volleyball, badminton, indoor soccer, aerobics, racquetball and dance, and includes a well-equipped fitness room. Additionally a new Rock Climbing Wall was recently added providing students with extensive casual and technical climbing experiences. Students may use the facilities individually, in groups, or as part of our recreational sports program. Club Sports programs are also available.

Health Services

Health care services for MU students are provided at our new on-campus Wellness Center located in Spruce Hall. The Wellness Center is staffed with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and an Administrative Assistant. Students requiring additional care of a doctor’s visit are referred to the Guthrie Clinic located just off campus.

Comprehensive primary health care services is provided to registered full and part-time undergraduate and full-time graduate students while the university is in session. There is no additional cost for basic care beyond the health fee paid each semester. There is a fee, however, for specialized services such as tests and x-rays. The University police are trained to deal with medical emergencies and are assisted as necessary by the residence hall staff. Community ambulance service is available on a 24-hour basis to transport students with serious emergency medical problems to local hospitals as required.

Identification Cards (One Card)

A University identification card that contains a photo (also known as “One Card”) is issued to students, faculty, and staff. All students, including those off-campus, must have an MU One card. One Cards are available at the CCSI office (College Community Services, Inc.), inside the Mountie Den/Bookstore. Regular office hours are Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Extended hours are available during the first two weeks of classes but vary each semester; therefore students should contact the CCSI office at (570) 662-4929 for specific information.

Student One Cards must be carried at all times and shown to authorized personnel upon request. The cost of the One Card is $5 for new students. Replacement cards are $15.

In addition to identifying your affiliation with Mansfield University, your card provides access to on- and off- campus services.
On-campus services include:

• Residence Halls
• Kelchner Fitness Center
• On-Campus Dining, Meal Plans, and Flex Dollars
• Access to North Hall Library Resources
• Campus Events and Activities
• Athletic Events
• Mountie Money, which acts just like a debit card and never expires!

Mountie Money can be used for:

• Postage
• Vending Machine Purchases
• Campus Bookstore Purchases
• Printing and Copying on campus
• Parking Fines and Permit Payments
• Various local businesses

Money can be added at any time by cash, check, or credit card, at the CCSI office, PHIL station in Alumni Hall, or online through the One Card Web Portal. (Flex money is part of your meal plan is separate from Mountie Money. Flex funds expire every spring semester). Use the One Card webportal to manage your One Card account online: Make deposits, view statements, check balances, deactivate lost or stolen cards.

The One Card also enables students to receive discounts on many cultural and entertainment productions on- and off- campus. In addition, cards are used to access the Library website from off-campus  for services and convenience.

Each student enrolled in an online program will receive a letter containing their Library Access bar code. The online student also has the option of receiving an actual One card by submitting a picture (equivalent to a passport/drivers license photo) and a front/back copy of an official government ID (i.e., driver’s license, military ID), along with $5.00, to the office of One Card Administration, 208 Memorial Hall. For questions, please call 570-662-4074. 

Police and Safety Services

The University Police Department is located in Doane Center and is open 24 hours each day of the year. The Department staff includes 11 commissioned police officers, including the Director, 3 security officers and up to 6 student staff. The Department has responsibility for parking enforcement and parking permit issuance, crime prevention, criminal investigations and other related police functions, and student weapons storage.

Educational Records Confidentiality Policy

We collect and maintain data and information about students for designated periods of time and for the express purpose of facilitating their educational development. We recognize the privacy rights of individuals, as guaranteed by the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law of 1957. We attempt to balance those rights with the institution’s need for information relevant to the fulfillment of its educational missions. As such, the university has an approved policy on the confidentiality of student records which outlines all procedures that apply to the collection, maintenance and release of such records. (See University Polices section of this catalog regarding Family Education Rights and Privacy Act).

Smoking/Tobacco Policy

The Mansfield University policy on smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco is consistent with both the Pennsylvania Clean Air Act and policies established by the Board of Governors for the Pennyslvania State System of Higher Education. Concerns with this policy or reports of violation of this policy should be directed to the Vice President for Administration and Finance.

1. Smoking or the use of smokeless tobacco products is not permitted in Mansfield University buildings, except in an area or individual office that have been designated as smoking areas. Classrooms, laboratories, reception areas, common areas, conference rooms or other places where classes, committees, or other public groups may convene are not to be designated as smoking areas. Entrances to buildings will be appropriately signed to indicate that smoking is permitted in designated areas.
2. The use of smokeless tobacco is only permitted in smoking areas. Users of smokeless tobacco products are to discard expectorant in toilets and not in common ash trays or common waste containers.
3. The Vice President for Administration and Finance is responsible for the designation of smoking areas within buildings other than residence halls. Requests to (a) designate a new or additional smoking area or (b) to delete the designation of an area for smoking should be addressed to the Vice President who shall make decisions on smoking area designations consistent with this policy after consulting, where appropriate, with other cabinet members and the Administrative Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate.
4. Consistent with this policy, smoking is also prohibited in all residence halls.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Mansfield University is an active member of the Network of Colleges and Universities Committed to the Elimination of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The standards of the network have also been adopted by the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education as policy for all state universities.

We have the responsibility to provide a drug free environment where the use of alcohol and other drugs do not interfere with learning. For this reason, the possession, distribution, and/or use of alcohol and other drugs on the Mansfield University campus is prohibited. Persons violating this prohibition will face university disciplinary sanction, and/or arrest by university police. University disciplinary actions will include an educational component to encourage the individual’s acceptance of the responsibility for his/her own choices and behavior.

Mansfield University will educate and provide information to the campus community for the purpose of preventing the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The university will also provide counseling and referrals for persons with alcohol or other drug problems.

Motor Vehicle Registration

Regulations pertaining to parking and vehicle use are available at the University Police Department, Doane Center, or online at www.mnsfld.edu/~police/Parking and are also distributed when registering your vehicle. All students, employees, and visitors who operate a vehicle on campus must register their vehicles and display the appropriate decal or tag.