The Spirit of Hood

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 administration 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 shared governance 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. Academic integrity violations are adjudicated by the Academic Judicial Council (AJC), a board chaired by the dean of student success and comprised of faculty, staff, and students. All students retain the rights and responsibilities to report any infractions they witness.

Dean of Students Office

The Office of the Dean of Students supports the mission of the College through strategic planning initiatives that enhance the quality of student life. The staff is committed to providing co-curricular experiences that promote scholarship, service and respect for diversity in a challenging and inclusive environment. Programs and services are designed to retain students and to encourage student leadership, student development and lifelong learning.

Working collaboratively with other divisions of the College, the dean’s office holds primary responsibility for the overall management of the Office of Residence Life, the Office of Student Engagement and Orientation, and the Student Media Organizations Board. The dean of students also advises the Executive Board of the Hood College Student Government Association (SGA). Through the programs and services of these offices, students are offered a plethora of opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Residence 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 145 students each. The new residence hall opened fall 2020 and houses 201 students in suites and semi-suites. Smaller language housing options attract students who are interested in a French, German or Spanish living experience. A native speaking student lives in the residence hall full time. Upper-class Honors Program students are also eligible to reside in the Honors Housing community, which is in the new residence hall.

Traditional-aged, first-year students, sophomore and junior students are required to live on campus and have roommates unless they are commuting from their parents’ home within a 30-mile drive from campus. For details, see the College's residency requirement at www.hood.edu/residency. Upper-class students are eligible for singles on a space-available basis. Students may apply for a housing accommodation based on medical, psychological, disability needs through the Office of Accessibility Services. Instructions for requesting such accommodations can be found on the Accessibility Services portion of the Hood website. Students requesting religious, cultural, ethnic and/or gender-related housing exceptions should contact the Office of Residence Life. 

During the summer prior to their arrival, first-year students are assigned a roommate based on a preference-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 resident 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 a building president and vice president to serve on the Residential Advisor Cabinet.

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 professional staff members who live on campus full-time. Responsibilities of the professional staff include community-building, shaping positive student behavior, programming, student support and supervision of building staff.

For further information about the residential experience at Hood College, please contact the Office of Residence Life at residencelife@hood.edu.

Commuter Life

Commuter students represent a diverse population. When not attending classes, many commuters spend time in the Whitaker Campus Center, which houses the Commuter Lounge and commuter student lockers. The Commuter Lounge is stocked with a refrigerator for commuter student use, a tea and coffee maker, utensils, cups, plates, bowls and other miscellaneous supplies. Lockers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Commuter student lockers can be checked out from student life at the beginning of each semester. If a student requests a locker and none are available, they are added to a waitlist until one becomes available.

The Commuter Council serves as the voice of the commuter students on campus and provides programming and services to commuter students. Each semester the Commuter Council hosts at least one large event, often in the form of a party, for commuter students to enjoy. The events hosted by Commuter Council often include food or treats, surveys and games. Various members of Commuter Council sit on student government committees and boards, giving voice to and representing commuter interests, as well as other clubs and organizations on campus. Members of the Commuter Council help to keep the Commuter Lounge stocked and encourage conversation among commuter students in order to develop ideas to improve commuter life on campus. Any new ideas regarding commuter life are encouraged and can be brought to the attention of any member of the Commuter Council, including its advisor.

Any student can participate in Commuter Council by contacting the advisor or any member of Commuter Council. Meetings are held on a bi-weekly basis throughout the semester. There are several positions within the Commuter Council including the chair, vice chair, secretary, publicity coordinator, treasurer, Student Government Association representative and board member. The primary responsibilities of the Commuter Council board members are to serve as advocates for commuter students at Hood College, to attend meetings and to assist in the coordination of commuter events. The Commuter Council members serve as representatives for the commuter student population and assist commuter students as they balance academics, athletics, student organization participation and work in order to receive a full college experience despite not living on campus.

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 open to students, faculty, staff and visitors. Vehicles parked in violation of the College's policy will be ticketed. Campus Safety may designate certain areas as no parking zones for snow removal purposes. Vehicle registration is available through Self-Service on the Hood College website. A copy of the email confirmation must be taken to the switchboard office to pick up the hang tag. Please refer to the student handbook for details or contact the Department of Campus Safety at 301-696-3548.

Religious and Spiritual Life at Hood

The Dean of the Chapel offers support to students, staff and faculty of all spiritual backgrounds. Along with individual pastoral care and spiritual direction, there are a variety of opportunities for religious activity, spiritual exploration and worship with various faith communities at the college and in the greater Frederick area. Each fall students are invited to visit area faith communities to find a spiritual “home away from home.” Every semester brings new possibilities for spiritual nurture and growth. Some of these include Bible studies, meditation groups, spiritual direction, service projects, prayer and pastoral care.

Chapel services with an interfaith theme are held weekly during the school year and special prayer services occur throughout the year commemorating celebrations like Thanksgiving and Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha’Shoah.) There are chapters of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, Muslim Student Association, and Hillel Jewish student association, as well as other informal student lead groups.

Other events during the year include a campus-wide Ramadan feast, a Sukkot booth on the Quad, Holidays at Hood Multifaith Winter Celebration, and Ash Wednesday observance, to name a few.

A Baccalaureate Service closes each year with a celebration of faith and learning. Hood College maintains its historic connection with the United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination, while honoring the rich diversity of faith expressions on our campus.

Student Engagement

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.

The assistant director of student engagement for diversity, equity and inclusion advocates for underrepresented student populations such as students of color, veteran students, students with disabilities and LGBTQ+ students. The assistant director also advocates for social justice and equity for all students through campus policy review and reform and the inclusion of best practices. The Diversity Coalition, a council of students advised by the assistant director of student engagement for diversity, equity and inclusion is chaired by the Diversity Chair, a voting member of the Student Government Association executive board.

The Office of Student Engagement & Orientation is located in the Student Life Suite on the second floor of the Whitaker Campus Center and can be reached at 301-696-3580 or 301-696-3563 or by emailing studentengagement@hood.edu.

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.

The Campus Activities Board schedules, coordinates and implements a plethora of programs and social activities for students. The finance committee allocates the student activities fees to support the administration and programs of the organizations 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 student engagement, 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 Student Life Committee serves as another voice for students regarding individual or group concerns. The dean of students serves as advisor to HCSGA Executive Board.

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. A wide variety of clubs and organizations are 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.

For a list of clubs, organizations and interest groups currently active on the Hood campus visit www.hood.edu/studentorganizations.

Honor Societies

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 Dr. Danielle Allen, political theorist, public intellectual, cultural commentator; Dr. Carla Hayden, 14th Librarian of Congress; Dr. Tara Westover, New York Times bestselling author of Educated; Cotton Cybersecurity guest lecturer, Kevin Stine, Chief of the Applied Cybersecurity Division in the NIST Information Technology Laboratory; Ivan Coyote, writer, performer and LBGTQ advocate; The Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington, President, Washington Consulting Group (WCG), and Co-Founder, Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI); and The Portal Project by Shared Studios™.

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 Middle Atlantic Conferences, competing in the MAC Commonwealth. The MAC sponsors 27 conference sports that include student-athletes from 18 schools spanning two leagues - the MAC Commonwealth and the MAC Freedom. As a member of the MAC Commonwealth, Hood will compete against Albright College, Alvernia University, Eastern University, Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College, Stevenson University, Widener University and York College of Pennsylvania in the sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, men's golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and women's volleyball.  Teams such as cross country, women’s golf, men's volleyball, swimming, and track and field will compete against all MAC institutions. The MAC Freedom is comprised of Arcadia University, Delaware Valley University, DeSales University, Florham Campus - Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kings College, Lycoming College, Misericordia University, Stevens Institute of Technology and Wilkes University.  

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, esports, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball. Men’s intercollegiate sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, esports, golf, swimming, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, indoor and outdoor track and field, and tennis. An equestrian team is offered as a club sport. 

Four full-time certified athletic trainers and three certified strength and conditioning coaches work with athletes and coaches in all phases of sports performance 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 personally. Each student-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, beginning with their sophomore year maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA. 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 College 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 yoga and basketball. Fitness equipment in the Hodson Fitness Center is available for use by all members of the Hood College community (students, faculty and staff with a Hood College ID card). The swimming pool in Huntsinger Aquatic Center is available for recreational use upon availability.