Student Services and Activities

 

There are many sides to campus life outside the classroom at Montevallo. Whether it’s athletic, artistic, intellectual, or recreational, something is always happening on campus. This section of the Bulletin provides an introduction to the student community at Montevallo and to the campus and community advisers, directors, volunteers, and friends who provide student activities, programs, and services.

Student Government

Student Government Association
Since 1916, the president and faculty have encouraged students to govern themselves in important areas of campus life. Every student is a voting member of the SGA, and meetings of the SGA Senate are open to students. Graduate students have representation in the SGA through two elected graduate senators who work with the SGA on programs of specific interest to graduate students.

Graduate Student Advisory/Focus Groups
Graduate students will be asked regularly to participate in focus group or other advisory-type activities to provide input regarding graduate programs and services. All graduate programs will be represented in these activities, which will be scheduled at least once a year.

Graduate Honors Recognition

The Annual Graduate Honors Luncheon, held each spring, is designated for recognizing outstanding achievement. Awards are presented to outstanding graduate students in each graduate program.

Qualified graduate students may also be invited to join most of the honorary organizations on campus, including Alpha Epsilon Lambda, Kappa Delta Pi, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi.

Division of Student Affairs

Kimberly A. Barrett
Vice President for Student Affairs
Main Central (Lower Level), Station 6020
telephone: (205) 665-6020
fax: (205) 665-6017
e-mail: barrettka@montevallo.edu

Staff in the Division of Student Affairs motivate, support, and challenge students in their pursuit of becoming meaningfully employed, responsible, and informed citizens by assisting students to identify and pursue their passions. In addition, they collaborate with faculty, students, staff, and the community to provide a unique liberal education experience rooted in the values of diversity and social justice in order to honor the unique talents of each individual.

In keeping with this mission, the following offices in the Division of Student Affairs provide an array of student services.

Counseling and Career Center
Tammi Dahle, Director
Main Central (Lower Level), Station 6262
telephone: (205) 665-6262
fax: (205) 665-6255
e-mail: dahlet@montevallo.edu

The Counseling and Career Center offers free and confidential mental health and career counseling to all currently enrolled degree-seeking students. Mental health counseling is available to assist students in enhancing self awareness, facilitating personal growth, and improving academic success. Counselors make appropriate campus or community referrals and consult with faculty and staff when needed. Career counseling includes career assessments and employability skills training. Information regarding full- and part-time job postings, on-campus interviews, internships, graduate school, career events, and seminars is also available. Career counseling is available to UM alumni.

Counselors also offer outreach programs to various groups, classes, and in the residence halls. Resources are available to students interested in researching various counseling-related topics.

Disability Support Services
Deborah McCune, Director
Main Central (Lower Level), Station 6250
telephone: (205) 665-6250
fax: (205) 665-6255
e-mail: mccuned@montevallo.edu

Disability Support Services coordinates access and services for qualified students. Students who request accommodations must provide documentation that meets current guidelines as found on the DSS web page. Services may include, but are not limited to, classroom and testing accommodations, alternate format texts, access to adaptive software/equipment, advising, and temporary/permanent accessible parking permits. The staff provide external referrals as needed, such as for testing/evaluation professionals or the Department of Rehabilitation Services. DSS also serves as a resource to faculty and staff, providing in-service and assistance in implementing student accommodations.

Health Center
Eleanor Davis, Director
Main East (1st floor), Station 6275
telephone: (205) 665-6275
fax: (205) 665-8180
e-mail: davise@montevallo.edu

The Health Center provides direct, basic health care to students not requiring a physician’s attention and serves as a referral source for students needing care beyond that available on campus. The staff seeks to increase health awareness at each contact with students and faculty.

All students are required to submit a health form for medical-emergency information, proof of measles immunity, current tuberculosis inoculation status, and insurance data. It is recommended that all students receive bacterial meningitis and hepatitis B vaccines. Health services are available to all students. The University provides health insurance for all students. This program is administered through the Health Center.

Housing and Residence Life
John Denson, Director
Main West (1st floor), Station 6235
telephone: (205) 665-6235
fax: (205) 665-8596
e-mail: jdenson1@montevallo.edu

The Office of Housing and Residence Life coordinates all on-campus housing assignments and also maintains a listing of off-campus real-estate agents.

Residence halls
There are nine air-conditioned residence halls on campus, with telephone jacks, internet access, and cable television service in each room.

Residence hall, residents, capacity
Brooke, women, 204
Fuller, men, 135
Hanson, women, 171
Lund, men, 96
Main, women, 299
Napier, men, 141
Peck (12-month), men & women, 100
Tutwiler, women, 121
New (fall 2009)*, men & women, 154

*The Residential College is housed in this residence hall, which has not yet been named.

To be eligible to live in on-campus housing, students are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent and must be registered for at least 6 credit hours per semester (3 credit hours per summer term). Contracted groups are exempt from these requirements.

Multicultural Affairs
Robert Robinson, Coordinator
Main Central (Lower Level), Station 6020
telephone: (205) 665-6023
fax: (205) 665-6017
e-mail: robinsonrl@montevallo.edu

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (MA), inspired by the unique history of the University of Montevallo and the mission of the Division of Student Affairs, is dedicated to implementing comprehensive educational, cultural, and social programs designed to combat bias, bigotry, and racism, while promoting intercultural dialogue, awareness of and respect for diversity. The Office of Multicultural Affairs works to further develop a culturally rich campus that prepares students to be global citizen leaders who make substantive contributions to their communities and throughout the world.

Robert M. McChesney Student Activity Center
Billy Cannon, Director
McChesney Student Activity Center, Station 6611
telephone: (205) 665-6611
fax: (205) 665-6587
e-mail: cannonb@montevallo.edu

The Robert M. McChesney Student Activity Center provides a variety of recreational opportunities for students enrolled in the University. In addition to hosting home volleyball and basketball games, concerts, convocations, and other University-wide events, the McChesney Student Activity Center offers a state-of-the-art cardio-weight area, racquetball courts, multi-purpose rooms, an intercollegiate swimming pool, and a walking track. An 18-hole disc golf course has recently been added to the area outside the facility. The mission of the McChesney Student Activity Center is to support the student’s higher educational experience by providing comprehensive wellness components through recreational facilities and programs, including cardio-vascular, weight conditioning, and aquatic activities.

Student Life
Robyn Boyd, Director
Farmer Hall (2nd floor), Station 6565
telephone: (205) 665-6565
fax: (205) 665-6566
e-mail: boydrw@montevallo.edu

The Student Life Office coordinates student organizations, intramural and recreational sports, disciplinary hearings, campus traffic appeals, and student events both on and off campus. The staff coordinates student leadership development programs, meets with the advisers to all campus groups, and advises the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils, the Student Government Association, and the University Program Council. The office also schedules functions at the Stewart Student Retreat.

Upward Bound
Sharon Gilbert, Director
Main West (1st Floor), Station 6268
telephone: (205) 665-6268
fax: (205) 665-6255
e-mail: gilberts@montevallo.edu

UM students have an opportunity to serve as mentors or tutors for high school students who have the desire to pursue a post-secondary education. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Upward Bound is designed for economically disadvantaged students and/or those whose parents do not have a college degree. The purpose is to provide academic skills, counseling, tutoring, cultural enrichment, and career mentoring necessary for students to successfully complete college. Students from Bibb, Chilton, and Shelby counties meet at the University two evenings per month during the academic year and participate in an intensive six-week residential program during the summer. The program employs UM students with a GPA of 3.0 or better to tutor program participants and assist instructors in classroom activities. Upward Bound further seeks UM student volunteers to serve as mentors. Mentors meet with Upward Bound students to answer questions, serve as role models, and help motivate educational persistence.

Additional student services

In addition to those services provided by the Division of Student Affairs, the following services are also available to students.

Harbert Writing Center
Glenda Conway, Coordinator
Comer Hall 311, Station 6438
telephone: (205) 665-6438
fax: (205) 665-6422
e-mail: conwayg@montevallo.edu

The Harbert Writing Center offers assistance to any enrolled student in developing writing skills. Tutors are trained to offer basic grammar review or to assist students with writing assignments in any subject. There is no charge to the student. Teacher candidates preparing for the English Language Proficiency Examination and students using English as a second language may also seek help from the Writing Center. Word processors are available.

Inservice Center
Rebecca Richardson, Director
2790 Pelham Parkway
Pelham, AL 35124
telephone: (205) 358-8543
fax: (205) 358-8788
e-mail: richardr@montevallo.edu

The center serves eleven public school districts, facilitating professional development activities for teachers and administrators in those areas. It also offers Technology in Motion, Science in Motion, the Alabama Reading Initiative programs, and the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative.

Speech and Hearing Services
Dana Boyd, Clinic Director
Wallace Speech and Hearing Center, Station 6720
telephone: (205) 665-6720
fax: (205) 665-6721
e-mail: boyddj@montevallo.edu

The Speech and Hearing Center of the Department of Communication Science and Disorders provides assistance to students enrolled in the University, as well as the general public, who have problems with hearing, language, or speech. Any student may arrange for a hearing test by calling the Speech and Hearing Center and requesting an appointment for an evaluation. Evaluations of speech problems—voice, rhythm, articulation, and language—are provided at no charge. Needed therapeutic services are also provided at no cost to the student.

Cultural Events
Students have access to a wide variety of opportunities for cultural enrichment.

Concert and Lecture Series
Distinguished speakers, lecturers, and artists appear several times each year. With few exceptions, there is no admission charge for these events.

Dancy Lectures
Launched in 1939, the Dancy Lecture Series brings a distinguished scholar of literature or the language arts to campus every two years. Scholars, critics, and writers who have served as Dancy lecturers include Joseph Campbell, Helen Vendler, Stephen Greenblatt, Houston Baker, Horton Foote, and Elaine Pagels.

Exhibitions
The Department of Art hosts several professional and student exhibitions each semester, including a biennial UM art faculty exhibition. Most professional exhibitions include a gallery talk or lecture by the artists.

Concerts and recitals
The Department of Music presents a wide variety of recitals by faculty, students, and guest artists each semester. In addition, concerts are regularly presented featuring student choirs and instrumental ensembles.

Farmer Lectures
The Hallie Farmer lectures bring distinguished figures in the social sciences to Montevallo for two to three days of lectures and informal appearances. Guests have ranged from a former U.S. secretary of state to a Russian-American documentary filmmaker. The lecture series was established in 1985 in memory of Montevallo professor and civic leader Hallie Farmer.

Martha Allen Lecture Series in the Visual Arts
These annual lectures bring prominent artists, art historians, and critics to campus to deliver major public lectures and to meet directly with students and faculty.

University Theatre
Each year, the Division of Theatre presents a wide range of theatrical productions, including student-directed work, in three performance spaces.

Vacca Lectures
An eminent teacher-scholar in the liberal arts is invited periodically to Montevallo to teach a special undergraduate course and deliver public lectures as the Paschal P. Vacca Professor of Liberal Arts. The guest scholar also assists the faculty by reviewing the University’s curriculum and library holdings. Coming from a variety of backgrounds, Vacca professors contribute new perspectives to the learning experience at Montevallo.

Student Activities

Athletics
Athletics are an integral part of the total University program, complementing the goals of general education. The intercollegiate athletic program makes its contribution to individual development through competitive sports activities designed to improve individual fitness, develop neuromuscular skills, foster and maintain socially positive standards of conduct, and create desirable attitudes toward physical recreation, rest, and relaxation.

The ideal of the student-athlete is taken very seriously at Montevallo, where the coaching staff places a high priority on success in the classroom as well as in the game. As a result, Montevallo athletes exceed both state and national averages for academic success. Nine out of 10 intercollegiate athletes complete their eligibility having also earned a college degree.

The University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division II. Men compete in baseball, basketball, golf, and soccer, while women compete in basketball, golf, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and cross country. Montevallo has an outstanding reputation for athletic excellence, with a long list of All-American athletes and frequent appearances in championship tournaments.

Students may request the University Athletic Program Equity in Athletics Disclosure by contacting the Director of Athletics.

Intramural sports and recreation
The Student Life Office organizes informal recreation as well as intramural athletic contests for men and women. The University’s facilities include two gymnasiums, an indoor swimming pool, several athletic fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball facility, a lake and camping area, an 18-hole golf course, and a driving range.

MCC News
The University’s live weekly news program is reported, produced, and cablecast by students in a fully equipped TV studio at the Mass Communication Center. Students also cablecast athletic events and a variety of student-produced programming for the campus.

Music ensembles
Students may audition for any of several choral and instrumental ensembles or for a part in a Music Theatre production. Performing groups include the Concert Choir, University Chorus, Chamber Choir, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and chamber-music ensembles.

Orchesis
Established in 1936, Orchesis is the University’s dance organization, performing a dynamic repertoire ranging from the classical to Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” Orchesis members also handle aspects of dance production such as lighting, costuming, prop construction, and multimedia elements. Orchesis performs two major concerts a year, as well as tours and guest performances.

Publications
Montevallo’s newspaper, magazine, and yearbook are all published by students under the direction of student editors. All three publications are distributed free to students, and students are encouraged to apply for staff positions as writers, photographers, artists, editors, or salespeople.

The Alabamian
The campus newspaper was first published in 1922 and is issued semimonthly during the academic year.

Montage
Students have published an annual yearbook since 1907. Now known as the Montage, it was the first yearbook in Alabama to be produced with desktop-publishing equipment.

The Tower
Creative works by students are published in The Tower, the campus arts magazine since 1932.

Religious Life
Religious life on campus is enhanced by the Montevallo Campus Ministry Association, an ecumenical consortium of ministers who act as chaplains for the residence halls, sponsor special events, and provide places where students can find religious fellowship.

Assembly of God, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, and Methodist churches are all located within three blocks of campus, along with a Roman Catholic chapel and Baptist and Presbyterian campus-ministry buildings. The Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of the Nazarene, and several other Baptist or independent churches are also active in Montevallo. Lutheran, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and other denominations are well-represented in the county. People of the Jewish and Muslim faiths meet at locations in Birmingham and Shelby County.

Student organizations
Students at Montevallo have many opportunities for group participation and leadership experiences. There are clubs and organizations of all kinds—academic, honorary, professional, religious, and special interest.

African-American Society

Air Force ROTC

Alpha Epsilon Rho (broadcasting)

Alpha Kappa Psi (business)

Alpha Lambda Delta (freshmen honor society)

Alpha Psi Omega (theatre)

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

Amnesty International

Army ROTC

Association of International Students

Astronomy Club

Baptist Campus Ministries

Beta Beta Beta (biology)

Beta Gamma Sigma (business honorary)

Biology/Geology Club

Campus Outreach

Catholic Campus Ministries

Cheerleaders

Chemistry Club

Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship

Chi Sigma Iota (counseling graduate honorary)

College Republicans

Collegiate Music Educators National Conference (CMENC)

Deaf Education Awareness and Fellowship (D.E.A.F.)

Environmental Club

Episcopal Student Fellowship

Falconettes (dance team)

Feminine Majority Leadership Alliance

Freshman Forum

German Club

Golden Key National Honor Society

Habitat for Humanity

Inspirational Voices of Christ (IVOC)

Kappa Delta Pi (education)

Kappa Mu Epsilon (mathematics)

Kappa Omicron Nu (family and consumer sciences honorary)

Kappa Pi (art)

Lambda Phi Eta

Math Club

Model Arab League/Model UN

Montevallo Association of Political Science (MAPS)

Montevallo Association of Rocket Science (MARS)

Montevallo Honors Association

Montevallo Masters (University hosts)

National Broadcasting Society

National Student Speech, Hearing, and Language Association

Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership society)

Orchesis (dance)

Order of Omega

Phi Alpha (social work)

Phi Alpha Mu (music honorary)

Phi Alpha Theta (history)

Phi Chi Theta (business)

Phi Kappa Phi (scholarship)

Phi Theta Kappa (transfer students)

Philosophy Club

Pi Delta Phi (French)

Pi Kappa Lambda (music)

Pi Sigma Alpha (political science honorary)

Preprofessional Graduate Student Association in family and consumer sciences

Psi Chi (psychology)

Psychology Club

Publications (The Alabamian, Montage, The Tower)

SAFE (sexual acceptance for everyone)

Sigma Alpha Pi (communication science and disorders)

Sigma Delta Phi (Spanish Club)

Sigma Tau Delta (English)

Student Alabama Education Association (SAEA)

Student Alumni Association of Montevallo (SAAM)

Student Dietetic Association

Student Government Association

Voices of Praise (VOP)

Volunteer Corps

Wesley Fellowship

Young Democrats

Theatre productions
Students are invited to participate as actors and technicians in plays and musicals regularly staged on campus. The University Theatre draws from many different authors, periods, countries, styles, and types of drama, from Shakespearean tragedy to contemporary farce. Student-directed productions enhance the annual cycle of productions. Experimental theatre also thrives at Montevallo, especially at the “Chi Box” Theatre Room in Reynolds Hall, where students act, direct, produce, and often write their own plays.

University Program Council (UPC)
The purpose of the UPC is to arrange concerts, movies, recreation, and special entertainment events for students at Montevallo. Funded by the Student Government Association, the UPC is governed by students and is responsive to their needs for special programs.

College Night
“College Night,” a tradition dating back to 1919, is unique to Montevallo. Students and alumni enjoy contests culminating in a pair of rival theatre productions.

College Night leaders are elected in the spring, and recruiting of new “Purples” and “Golds” begins during the Fall Semester. The performances themselves take place in late February, accompanied by Purple-Gold athletic contests and other events.

The College Night shows, staged by the Purple and Gold teams, are original from the ground up. Scripts, music, sets, and costumes are all created by students, and students direct, conduct, and perform the final product.

The climax comes late on a Saturday night, when a panel of independent judges chooses a winner. In the words of a former student, “Saturday night of College Night can be the most thrilling, totally unique evening of your life, or the most disappointing, almost agonizing experience imaginable. But after being involved in it in some way, the feeling remains that, win or lose, either way, it was worth it.”