Campus
Organizations and Services
ORGANIZATIONS
College
life is more than attending classes. The opportunities
to participate and become personally involved
are many and varied. St.
Thomas Aquinas
College’s recognized clubs, organizations,
and committees reflect the interest of students
in politics, religion, athletics, service to
campus and community, professional fields, and
a variety of special activities, social and
otherwise. Student activities are considered
to be an integral part of the educational process.
Participation enriches the student’s total
experience and contributes to the development
of a well-rounded individual.
Student
Development & Activities
In
an academic environment student clubs and organizations
exist to meet social and educational needs.
These groups provide the opportunity
to share experiences with other students of
various backgrounds and to develop leadership
skills. Clubs and organizations help forge a
well-rounded education and act as a means to
learn, share and socialize. The department of
Student Development and Activities contributes
to this goal by promoting programs that enhance
the emotional, intellectual, physical, occupational,
recreational and spiritual development of students.
Clubs and organizations also enhance college
life and add another dimension to the learning
experience outside the classroom, including
leadership and organizational development.
Focus
Areas include advising student clubs & organization’s
officers, members and advisors. There are Special
Programs & Initiatives that include all
club & organization programs; orientation
(new student, parents & transfers; parent’s/family
weekend; parent association; assisting commencement;
theme celebrations; STAC flash/mailers; and
partnership activities with various offices
& departments. Leadership & Recognition
activities include conferences, retreats, topical
series & symposiums and student recognition
efforts. The office also provides overall management,
fiscal management, assessment & reports
and club & organization maintenance of status
& discipline Student Government
Clubs
and organizations assisted by the office include
Media Clubs & Organizations such as the
National Broadcast Society (NBS), Thomist
(College Yearbook), Thoma
(Student Newspaper), WSTK (College Radio Station),
and Voyager (Arts & Literary Magazine).
Special interest student clubs & organizations
include the Art Therapy Club
, Business Club, Council for Exceptional
Children, Commuter Council, Gamma Kappa Phi
Multicultural Group, History Club, International
Student Association, Laetare
Players, Psychology Club, Residence Hall Council,
Students in College Against Tobacco(SCAT), Spartan
Volunteers, STAC Dancers, STAC Singers, and
the STAC Program Board .
The
Student Government Association (SGA)
Student
Government Association serves as a voice of
the students to the faculty and administration.
Students can get involved through their class
boards, organizations and committees. All recognized
clubs and organizations fall under the jurisdiction
of the Student Government Association (SGA).
The SGA is the elected representative student
body of the campus and is responsible for creating
many of the policy-making decisions that affect
clubs, organizations and student life. The Student
Government Association Structure includes the
Senior Class, Junior Class, Sophomore Class,
Freshmen Class and the Student Budget Allocation
Committee
The
Student Government is a body designed to act
for the students in promoting an atmosphere
of unity and cooperation in all aspects of college
life. As the representative voice of the students
at St. Thomas Aquinas, it acts as the liaison
between classes, clubs, faculty, and administration.
Members of the student body serve on various
faculty committees, and also serve on committees
of the Board of Trustees. By entering the College,
students should accept the responsibility of
cooperating with the Student Government and
supporting its sponsored activities. Organizations
like the Thoma (newspaper),
the Thomist (yearbook), the radio station, and the Laetare Players have made consistent quality contributions
to student life. St.
Thomas Aquinas
College
feels that experiences such as these do carry
over into other endeavors and wholeheartedly
supports them.
Alumni
Association
The
St. Thomas Aquinas College Alumni Association
was established in 1968 for the purpose of maintaining
and strengthening the relationship developed
between the College and its graduates, and to
promote the mission, goals, and welfare of the
institutions. Membership in the Alumni Association
is granted to all degree recipients of the College,
with Associate Membership afforded to students
who have achieved senior status and who are
actively pursuing the completion of a degree.
There are no annual dues or fees associated
with this membership, however, all alumni are
strongly encouraged to contribute financially
to The St. Thomas Aquinas College Fund, the
College’s annual giving program. The Alumni
Association is managed by a Board of Directors,
who work closely with
the College’s Office of Alumni
Affairs. There are more than 10,000 STAC alumni
residing in 48 states and 12 countries.
Art
Therapy Club
The
Art Therapy Club has been established in an
effort to encourage and develop interest in
the field of art therapy. In addition, participants
have the opportunity to network with professional
art therapists who are invited to attend each
meeting. Membership in the club is open to any
interested student in the college.
Biology
Club
The
Biology Club has been established in an effort
to encourage and develop interest in the field
of Biology.
Membership in the club is available to
any interested student at the college.
Business
Club
The
Club is primarily for Business majors but non-Business
students are also eligible to be members. The
goals of the Club are:
To
educate the Business student through guest lecture
and films concerning the Business World.
To
acquaint the Business students with each other
through the various social and cultural functions.
To
assist the Career Counseling and Placement Office
and the Chairperson of the Business Division
as needed.
Campus
Ministry and Volunteer Service
Campus
Ministry is focused on four major areas in a
student’s life; namely, prayer, faith development,
relationships and service.
Prayer
is at the heart of our campus ministry program.
Students are invited to attend services either
as a participant or leader. They are also invited
to attend interdenominational services that
are offered on special occasions. A prayer and
meditation space is always available to the
students as well as opportunities for the development
of different kinds of prayer and ways of praying.
Faith development comes to the student through
many avenues. Retreats provide a special time
when students come to a deeper level of faith
through prayer and interaction with other sudents.
Students of the Christian faith who may have
missed receiving some sacraments may participate
in a special sacramental program to prepare
them for the reception of sacraments, called
RCIA (Revised Christian Initiation for Adults).
Relationships are a very important part of our
life and the Campus Ministry Office seeks to
offer opportunities for students to connect
with other students in healthy, giving relationships.
Through discussion groups, leisure time at the
campus ministry area, even in our prayer time
and service time, opportunities for making new
and lasting friendships are available.
Service
through the campus ministry office is seen as
faith in action. There are many service projects
for students to experience a passion for lifelong
commitment as well as lessons in leadership
and life. The Campus Ministry office, located
on the lower level of the Romano Student
Alumni
Center,
is staffed by the Director, a Priest, Minister
and Rabbi. Each member of the staff is available
to the students for support, conferences, spiritual
counseling, help in
answering questions about faith and to assist
the students in any way possible. Whether you
are actively involved in your “home”
place of worship or looking to connect with
a faith community on campus, we welcome you.
The
Classes (Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior)
Each class elects a president, vice president and secretary/treasurer
yearly, and then sponsors fund raisers, projects
and events throughout the year for the St.
Thomas Aquinas
College community.
Commuter
Council
The Commuter Council sponsors events for commuters. Some of
these events include a sleepover and commuter
appreciation week. It provide
students the opportunity to meet new people,
keep in formed of events that take place on
campus, and voice their opinions.
Council
for Exceptional Children
The
Council for Exceptional Children is an international
organization dedicated to improving educational
outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities.
Members of the St. Thomas Student Chapter 1155
are involved in service activities and meet
once a month during the academic year. Membership
is open to all.
Gamma
Kappa Phi
This
is a co-ed club to serve the needs of the community,
uniting generations of young and old through
a variety of educational activities and programs.
Hockey
Club
Gives
students the opportunity to learn about the
sport of hockey at St. Thomas Aquinas College
while developing friendships and loyalty within
the community.
International
Student Association
The
International Club has been established to address
the needs of international students. The club
holds various cultural events, trips, and meetings
throughout the year.
Laetare Players
The
Laetare Players of
St. Thomas Aquinas College was formed in 1968,
to initiate innovative theatrical productions
both for educational and entertainment purposes.
The objective of the Players is dedication to
excellence in theatre performance and production,
involving all spheres of creative experimentation
as well as the staging of classical and contemporary
plays. All aspects of theatre arts are stressed:
interpretation, methods of acting, scene design,
lighting and technical adjuncts.
Mathematics
Club
The
Mathematics Club has been established in an
effort to encourage and develop interest in
the field of Mathematics. Membership in the
club is open to any interested student at the
college.
Psychology
Club
The
Psychology Club has been established in an effort
to encourage and develop interest in the main
fields of psychology. Membership in the club
is made available to any interested student
at the College.
Residence
Hall Council
Strives
to achieve a sense of community between the
residence halls and to promote school spirit.
In addition, the council provides an open forum
where all are welcome to voice their concerns
about residence halls.
STACimation Club
This
club is open to all college members who are
interested in the animation aspects of film.
The group holds various events throughout the
semester.
STAC
Dancers
This
organization strives to encourage higher team
morale, spectator participation and interest.
STAC
Program Board Association
This
organization develops and promotes social, cultural
and educational events which are open to the
entire student body.
STAC
Singers
The
St. Thomas Aquinas Singers is the name of the
College glee club. Members receive professional
choral direction, and the group gives public
concerts, and also performs at special events
such as the Honors Convocation and Graduation.
STUDENT
PUBLICATIONS
Thoma is the bi-monthly student newspaper publication. This
newspaper, which serves as a forum for the exchange
of ideas and information among all members of
the college community, is student directed and
edited, and is distributed to students, faculty
and friends of the College.
Thomist is the College yearbook. It is a pictorial description
of a year at St. Thomas Aquinas College.
Voyager
is the literary magazine of St. Thomas Aquinas
College. It reflects the creative talents of
the students in the fields of fiction, poetry
and the essay. The magazine is student directed
and edited.
RESERVE
OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAM
St.
Thomas
Aquinas College
maintains a cross-town agreement with the Air
Force ROTC detachment at Manhattan College
in the Bronx.
Programs are available for freshmen and sophomores,
or juniors and seniors with Air Force Commissions
as Second Lieutenants at program completion.
Information on ROTC is available from the Registrar.
ATHLETICS
Intercollegiate
Sports
St. Thomas Aquinas College is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the New
York Collegiate Athletic Conference. Besides
the regular season games, St. Thomas Aquinas College
also participates in a number of tournaments
during the season. St. Thomas offers men’s
basketball, baseball, soccer,
cross country, tennis, indoor and outdoor track
and field and golf. Women’s sports include
basketball, softball, soccer,
lacrosse, cross country, tennis, indoor and
outdoor track and field and golf. A number of
grants-in-aid are awarded to participants.
Student
athletes must maintain at least a 2.0 index
and 2.0 is mandatory
for students receiving grants. Only full-time
matriculated students may participate in intercollegiate
sports. For further information contact the
Athletic Office or the Office of Student Personnel
Services.
Intramural
Sports
The
intramural sports program has been enjoying
success because of active student involvement
aerobics, basketball, coed flag football and coed volleyball
have been among the most popular intramural
sports at St. Thomas. Other sports coordinated into the
intramural programs are tennis, table tennis,
softball, golf, chess, billiards and other competitions
that generate sufficient student interest. In
the past, the various competitions have featured
championships, all-star games and highly competitive
student-faculty duels. The various intramural
endeavors are an attempt to provide enjoyment
and healthy competition. In this way, we hope
to make the total educational experience more
meaningful. All students are invited to participate
in any of the intramural programs and are encouraged
to do so as the various competitions are offered.
The
Fitness Center
The
college has a new fitness center adjacent to
Aquinas Hall gymnasium. It is open to all students
with a valid student identification card as
well as to members of the college community.
Tennis
Courts
Four
tennis courts are available for student, faculty,
and alumni use. Use priority (availability and
fees) is given to current students. Information
and arrangements are coordinated with the Athletic
Director.
STUDENT
SERVICES
Orientation
An
orientation program for freshmen is held during
the summer. During this time the students develop
an awareness of the services and activities
of the College, become familiar with the College
campus, receive personal academic advisement,
are afforded opportunities to meet other students,
and engage in programs designed to foster personal
growth.
Student
Activities Newsletter
The
Office of Student Personnel Services issues
a monthly newsletter indicating information
concerning social and cultural events, as well
as items of general interest, at the College.
Newsletters provide specific information concerning
times, places, etc., for all activities, both
non-academic and academic, at the College.
Health
Services
Students
are encouraged to visit Health Services for
coordination of medical resources, health counseling,
health education, illness assessment, and community
referrals. The Health Services office is staffed
by a Registered Nurse during regular business
hours throughout the academic year. Health Services
is a source of confidential health care and
a wellness resource center for all students.
Appointments may be made but walk-ins are welcome.
Office hours are posted in all dormitories and
on the bulletin board outside of the mailroom.
Insurance
All
full-time students are automatically enrolled
in the group accident insurance program made
available by the College. The coverage extended
to the student is on a twenty-four hour basis
for the academic year. The insurance program
applies only to accidents and is not intended
to substitute or replace your personal medical
insurance.
Student
Parking
Any
student, resident or non-resident may have an
automobile on campus provided it is properly
registered with the College. Student parking
is permitted only in certain designated areas.
St.
Thomas Aquinas
College
assumes no liability for cars, motorbikes, or
other vehicles or their contents while on campus.
All vehicles must be registered through the
campus Security Office. There are restrictions
on Student Parking in the McNelis Commons
and Aquinas
Village. Visitors to these areas are requested
to park on the main campus in order to avoid
being issued a summons or having their vehicles
towed.
RESIDENTIAL
LIFE
The
St. Thomas Aquinas College Office of Residential
Life is committed to establishing a positive
atmosphere in the student residences that presently
consist of Aquinas Village
and McNelis
Commons. This positive atmosphere complements the academic
experiences. Through the efforts of the Residence
Life staff, students have the opportunity to
grow in life skills such as assertiveness, mediation,
wellness, how to respect and celebrate difference,
how to develop self-esteem and how to succeed
academically. In addition, the Office of Residence
Life coordinates both social and educational
events to facilitate the development of supportive
communities. Opportunities are provided through
the Resident Assistant position and Residence
Life Council for the development of leadership
skills.
OFF-CAMPUS
HOUSING
The
Office of Residence Life maintains lists of
off-campus living quarters located throughout
the county. This list is available to students
who desire to live away from home but who do
not wish to reside on-campus. The College does
not assume responsibility for students who live
in these off-campus facilities. Any contractual
agreements entered into are between the individuals
and the respective landlords.
COUNSELING
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Counseling
and Psychological Services (CAPS) is a component
of Student Personnel Services at St. Thomas Aquinas College.
The office provides a variety of comprehensive
services designed to assist and promote the
personal growth and development of students.
CAPS,
located on the upper level of the Student/Alumni
Center offers career counseling to current students
and alumni. Personal counseling is available to current students that are matriculated
and enrolled for a minimum of six credit hours.
CAPS
services fall into three broad categories, some
of which overlap:
I. Career Planning Services, II. Testing Services,
and III. Personal Counseling
Services.
Career
Planning Services
Students
are encouraged to come to CAPS early in their
academic career to meet with a counselor. The
staff will be able to help students with their
questions and identify other resources that
will be useful to them.
Career planning emphasizes clarification
and exploration. Students unsure about career
directions or about their interests, skills,
values, or personality style will be assisted
in clarifying their thinking. The staff will
help St. Thomas students explore pertinent career
options.
CAPS
provides
career counseling and helps in career explorations;
CAPS does not provide academic advisement, nor
does CAPS place students in internships. CAPS
collects and posts job opportunities
that come to the College. Services focus on
assisting students in identifying their plans
and providing them with skills needed for job
pro-curecurement.
Job seeking is most productive when one is clear
about interests, values, skills, and goals.
Information
CAPS
is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-
5 p.m., during the Academic Year. Evening hours
are also scheduled at selected times throughout
the year. During Special Sessions (Winter/Summer),
the Office is also open daily.
Credential
Files
Credential
folders are filed in CAPS. Every senior is encouraged
to register with the career office and establish
a placement folder, which will be maintained
through the senior year and after graduation.
References are solicited by the student and
are kept in a credential folder. Copies of the
file are sent to prospective employers after
students give written permission to release
the records. After the first free mailing, a
fee of three dollars ($3.00) is required for
each additional mailing.
Individual
Counseling
Individual
career counseling is available on an appointment
basis. In career counseling, each student has
the opportunity to evaluate his/her skills,
values, talents, and interests in terms of possible
career opportunities. Career information is
available in the Career Resource
Center
to supplement the student’s self-evaluation.
On-Campus
Recruiting
Representatives
of business and industry visit St.
Thomas to recruit professional
positions during the academic year. Recruiting
schedules are posted in the CAPS Newsletter,
the Thoma, and on
posters around campus. Students are requested
to make appointments for interviews in advance.
Workshops
Workshops
in job-hunting techniques, resume writing, interview
techniques, dining etiquette and salary negotiation
are conducted throughout the year. Students
are encouraged to participate in these workshops
to improve their career search skills.
Job
Listings
Notices
of part-time and full-time positions are posted
on the glass-enclosed bulletin board at the
entrance of Aquinas Hall and on the bulletin
board in the upper level, Student-Alumni Center. Information about employment opportunities
is available at the CAPS Office.
Testing
Services
Information
is available about other testing programs such
as GRE, PRAXIS, NYSTCE, LSAT, and GMAT. CAPS also provides vocational testing services in order to
assist career counseling.
Personal
Counseling Services
Students
are initially seen for a consultation. A determination
of appropriate services will be discussed with
the student after the consultation. Services
are available to students. Students are seen on
an appointment basis for consultation, evaluation,
treatment, or referral services. The services
are confidential. Information about a student
who has contacted the service is not available
to anyone outside the office unless the student
has given his/her prior written consent to release
such information, except in the case of an emergency.
Psychological
Testing is available as an important part of
the personal counseling process. Testing
can provide pertinent and
objective information about students’ psychological
and social adjustment to the demands of their
environment.
Individual
personal counseling involves discussion and
exploration in regard to any concerns, feelings,
or problems that students might have. They range
from those that arise during the course of normal
development to more serious emotional disturbances
that might interfere with their adjustment to
the college. Short-term psychotherapy and crisis
intervention services are also available. Referrals
to outside practitioners and agencies are made
when appropriate or at the request of the student.
All services are available without cost.
