Residence Halls
Since Scripps is a residential college, the nine residence halls are among the college’s most important buildings, for it is within them that our students live, study, and form the friendships that are important now, during their college years, and that will be significant later, after they complete their education. Unique in decor, floor plan, and architectural design, all the residences are comfortably furnished and have their own living, recreation, and browsing rooms. Included in the cost of a room are a direct dial telephone number, voice mail, and the capability to connect to the campus computer network and the Internet. The halls also vary with regard to size—housing from 24 to 110 students. Each residence is a microcosm of the College population, drawing as it does from all four class levels. Generally, students share rooms and suites while upperclass students, typically seniors, reside in single rooms. The College maintains four on-campus apartments in which upperclass students can do their own cooking and housekeeping. On campus housing, or off campus apartments sponsored and managed by Scripps is available to all full time students enrolled at Scripps. The College cannot guarantee housing to part-time students.
For those who wish to live with students who share the same language interests, there are four language corridors in the residence halls. Students must apply during the housing process to live in one of these corridors and are selected.
Each hall is self-governing. Residents elect their own officers and uphold their own policies. The College does not stand in loco parentis—in the place of the parent—but is confident in the maturity of its students, delegating the right of self-governance to them. There is an understanding that the dual principles of individual responsibility and consideration toward others will guide hall governance as well as individual behavior.
This way of life is both a privilege and a responsibility, so students who consider attending Scripps should be prepared to live in this kind of community and strive to foster its effectiveness. Students are required to abide by the law, all Scripps College policies and codes of conduct, as delineated in this Scripps College Catalog, the Guide to Student Life, and residence hall constitutions. Those who fail to do so may be subject to discipline, up to and including dismissal, as reason dictates.
Each year students are selected on the basis of their leadership to work as resident advisers to each hall. The residential life staff also includes four professional staff members who live in the residence halls and provide for the overall management of the residence halls.
Policies
Because of the residential nature of the College, students are required to live on campus. Exceptions may be made to this policy upon petition to the Dean of Students’ Office in cases where individual circumstances make it impossible or inadvisable for the student to live on campus. After the first-year residency requirement has been fulfilled, a student may apply to move off campus. The selection of students for off-campus living is done upon petition in the spring semester for the following year, with priority ordinarily determined by seniority.
Students who live on campus sign an agreement for the entire year. Students in attendance are expected to honor this agreement. Residence halls are closed during summer and winter vacations. It is the student’s responsibility to make other arrangements during these periods. All students living in a residence hall must subscribe to a Scripps meal plan.
All returning students participate in a housing draw during the spring semester for the following year. The allocation of housing is done by random lottery and students are expected to accept the room and hall they draw. The Claremont Colleges do not condone discrimination in housing.
Co-Curricular Opportunities
College Governance
One of the most important aspects of life at Scripps is its system of college governance. A serious commitment to the concept of shared responsibility is reflected in a plan that enables faculty, students, and administrators to work together for the continued development of the College.
The small size of the College makes this mutual participation important and also gives students the opportunity to participate in the curricular and policy-making functions of the College. Student representatives have the chance to manage practical affairs, to learn how to weigh issues in arriving at a decision, and to discover the worth of their opinions and judgments.
The internal student governance of the College is conducted by the Scripps Associated Students (SAS), comprised of elected student body officers, designated administrators, and one faculty member. SAS is primarily responsible for student matters relating to residential life and other co-curricular College policies. Meetings are open to members of the Scripps community. SAS is chaired by the president of the student body.
Community Building Organizations
Wanawake Weusi (“women of color” in Swahili), Family (Queer-Straight Alliance), and Café Con Leche, AASU (Asian American Student Union), and AASP (Asian-American Sponsor Program), located in SCORE and Kimberly residence hall, are student-run organizations whose purpose is to engage students in group specific political, social, and community dialogues, and provide community to LGBT students, students of color, and their allies at Scripps.
Peer Mentor Program
The Peer Mentor Program is a yearlong program designed to help new students in their adjustment to college. Every new student at Scripps College is assigned a Peer Mentor who is trained to be a resource for first-year and transfer students. These students are chosen each year through an application process.
Art
Scripps and The Claremont Colleges are well served with art events. The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps presents a program of exhibitions each year in historical and contemporary art as well as student and senior project exhibitions. The Claremont Graduate University’s Gallery presents a new contemporary show by a student or professional artist each week of the academic year, and the Clark Humanities Museum at Scripps allows students direct participation in the planning and installing of exhibitions. Several programs by Scripps and Pomona Colleges, and Claremont Graduate University bring professional artists to the campuses for workshops, demonstrations, talks, or discussions each month. Field trips are frequently organized to museums and galleries in and around Los Angeles.
Music
The Music Department and the Joint Music Program offer several ensemble opportunities as well as lessons in piano, voice, and violin. The Claremont Concert Orchestra is an auditioned, full symphony orchestra, with members from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges. The ensemble specializes in the performance of music from the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. A Chamber Music class is offered for players of string and wind instruments as well as the piano, who wish to gain a knowledge of chamber music literature and experience in playing in small ensemble groups.
The Claremont Concert Choir is a large ensemble that specializes in choral-orchestral works and other choral music of the past 400 years. The choir consists of singers, selected by audition, from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges,and performs with the Claremont College Orchestra at least once per year. Advanced singers may also participate in the Claremont Chamber Choir, an auditioned subgroup of the Concert Choir, which performs programs of mostly a cappella music from the 16th century to the present throughout the year, both on and off campus. The choirs are members of the Pacific Southwest Intercollegiate Choral Association. In addition to Music Department offerings, a number of informal, student-run vocal a cappella groups regularly meet, with significant overlap of membership between them and the choirs.
Dance
The Scripps Dancers present several concerts annually. Dances are cast at open auditions and anyone with a desire to choreograph, dance, or work on production is invited to participate. There are frequent special dance events including master classes, films, lecture-demonstrations, and field trips. Scripps students are also quite involved with the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company.
Drama
The drama organization of Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, and Pomona Colleges presents four major productions each year. Plays are cast at open auditions and everyone with a desire to act or to work backstage is invited to participate.
International Groups
Foreign language extracurricular activities are designed to offer students an opportunity to speak and hear French, German, Spanish, and Italian outside the classroom and to deepen their understanding of other cultures and people. Film programs, public lectures by guest speakers, weekly foreign language tables, informal discussion groups, and various social events are organized by students with the assistance of the French, German, Spanish, and Italian faculty. Recent major events have included a colloquium on French poetry, a week-long French Film Festival, a German symposium on Thomas Mann, and a Baroque Survival and Revival Symposium sponsored by the Spanish faculty.
Among the many activities offered are the “Quartier Français” (French Quarter), the “Deutsche Viertel” (German Quarter), the Spanish Corridor, and the Italian Corridor. These corridors allow students who share a love for that particular language and culture to live within a subcommunity of a residence hall. Each quarter is directed by a native speaker of the language. Students speak French, German, Italian, or Spanish on a daily basis as they participate in every organizational aspect of the language quarters’ activities. These activities include the Scripps French Film Program or German Film Program; a weekly French, German, Italian, or Spanish Table; study breaks, and various other cultural endeavors. Students who enjoy these languages and wish to improve their linguistic skills are welcome to apply for admission.
The International Intercultural Association and groups representing students from all over the world also provide activities fostering international communication and understanding.
Athletics
Scripps participates in a three-college, co-educational athletic program with Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd Colleges. Women’s intercollegiate teams are fielded in cross country, soccer, and volleyball in the fall; basketball and swimming/diving in the winter; and golf, softball, lacrosse, tennis, track, and water polo in the spring.
To meet the eligibility requirements established by the colleges and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a student who intends to participate in intercollegiate athletics must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of study, maintain good academic standing, and sustain satisfactory progress toward a degree. Any Scripps student enrolled in three or more courses (12 semester units) and not on academic probation meets these “full-time program,” “good academic standing,” and “satisfactory progress” requirements.
A student who has been placed on academic probation must petition and obtain approval from the Committee on Academic Review in order to continue participation in intercollegiate athletics. As part of the petition, the student’s coach and faculty adviser must submit to the committee written statements concerning the student’s request.
In addition, other sports are available on a club or intramural level or through physical education classes. Club sports offered include skiing, sailing, cycling, rock climbing, and fencing. Intramural sports include flag football, inner-tube water polo, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and softball.
Athletes who register for team and intramural sport activities may receive physical education credit. (See “ Physical Education ” and “Quarter Credit Course Limits ” in this catalog.)
Because the desert, ocean, and mountains are within an hour’s drive from Claremont, there are exceptional opportunities for all sports. Of particular interest to many Scripps students is the Outdoor Women’s Leadership (OWL), as well as The Claremont Colleges Ski Club, the Harvey Mudd Sailing Club, and On the Loose, a 5-College outdoors club.
Other Clubs and Organizations
The Student Investment Fund, established in 1973 with a gift of $50,000 from a Scripps alumna, has more than doubled over the last decade and a half to more than $100,000. It is managed entirely by a student board of directors responsible to the student body at large. Nine students are elected each year by the student body to serve on the board of directors. The board selects an adviser from the faculty or administration of The Claremont Colleges and may also engage private investment counselors. While the primary purpose of the fund is to provide a learning experience for students in the management and investment of money, income from the fund provides support for student activities and programs.
The Economic Society provides Scripps economics students with a regular opportunity for an exchange of information and mutual support through dinner meetings once a semester on campus. Special guests join the group for discussions of topics of particular interest to members, including public policy and private sector issues, graduate school and professional pursuits, academic concerns, personal finances, and current events, and an annual on-campus dinner meeting.
Scripps students may participate in the Claremont McKenna College Forensic Society, a joint activity of CMC, Scripps, and Pitzer students. Members engage in public debates, extemporaneous speaking, round-table discussions, and practice of parliamentary procedure. The society has been notably successful in national and regional intercollegiate debate and speaking competition.
The Motley Coffeehouse, the popular, student-managed coffeehouse at Scripps, is open daily. The Motley is frequented by students from all the campuses and features entertainment in the evenings, as well as a menu of coffees, teas, and pastries.
Students of the Claremont Colleges participate in a variety of political groups that sponsor speakers and activities related to political issues. Such groups include Democrats of The Claremont Colleges, Claremont Colleges Republicans, Greenpeace, NOW, and the James Madison Society.
Concerts and Lectures
Scripps College sponsors a wide range of special campus events, including lectures, art exhibits, concerts, and dance performances. The Bessie Bartlett Frankel Chamber Music Festival presents concerts by visiting chamber music ensembles, and “Friday at Noon” concerts are offered by members of the music faculty. The Clark Lectureship brings to campus distinguished women scholars to give public lectures and special seminars for students, and the Philip Merlan Memorial Lectureship in Philosophy and Comparative Literature sponsors a lecture or series of lectures by a noted scholar. The Sojourner Truth Lecture brings to campus prominent African American women who, in addition to giving public lectures, are available to students for group discussions and individual conferences. The Mary Patterson Routt Lecture in Professional Writing sponsors talks by professional writers. In addition, The Claremont Colleges Center for the Performing Arts offers a full array of programming featuring artists from both classical and popular fields.
Publications
The Scripps Voice is a biweekly newspaper published entirely by Scripps students. La Semeuse is the Scripps College yearbook produced each spring by Scripps students. The Scripps Journal is an annual publication of interdisciplinary academic writing by Scripps students, selected and edited by the Writing Program faculty.
The Guide to Student Life is the official student handbook, and Scripps students are held responsible for all policies and information it contains as well as the policies and procedures contained in this catalog.
Rules and Guidelines
Student Rights and Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended provides Scripps College students with protection of the privacy of their records maintained as permanent files by the College and with the right to access those files. A student’s permanent records are confidential and access to them is restricted to the student who is the subject of the file and others as defined in the Guide to Student Life including individuals employed by Scripps or another of The Claremont Colleges with legitimate educational interests and need to know, to individuals or organizations with which the College contracts for specific services related to the legitimate educational interest of students, and to designated governmental officials or to outside entities that are designated by them. A student may request that access be allowed to other specified individuals, and may waive rights by written notice to the College. The Act allows the College to publish certain factual information about students (known as “directory information”) in directories and announcements unless the student specifically requests the College not do so. For further information and definition of terms, students should consult the registrar and the Guide to Student Life, Section 3.00.
The following categories of information about students are “directory information” at Scripps College under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and may be released:
Name
Campus Address: Scripps mailbox will be released as the mailing address.
Campus Email Address: Scripps College email address
Dates of Attendance and Enrollment Status (full-time or part-time)
Classification (first-year, sophomore, and so forth)
Majors and/or Minors
Degrees, Certificates, Honors and Awards received (including the Dean’s List)
Date of Birth
Photo
Previous Academic Institutions Attended
Activities and Sports including height and weight of athletic team members
Permanent address and telephone numbers are not included in “directory information.” The College, normally through the Dean of Students, reserves the right to disclose non-directory information if it determines that the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or of other individuals.
Students contemplating restricting the above directory information are cautioned to consider very carefully the consequences of such a decision. Information requested by prospective employers, off-campus friends, and similar inquirers would become inaccessible if restricted. Student names would not appear on the published Dean’s List at the end of each semester when address, attendance, classification, majors, or honors and awards are restricted.
Indicating Plans for the Following Semester and Withdrawing from Scripps
Refer to the Enrollment section of the catalog.
Medical Regulations
The College does not assume responsibility for the complete medical care of its students. The Claremont Colleges have a medical center, counseling center, and Health Education Outreach Program to assist students.
An accident and hospital reimbursement plan is available to all full-time students to protect against major costs. Students, particularly those whose homes are overseas or who are not covered under some other policy, are strongly urged to subscribe. The College plan is designed to supplement the care provided by the Health Service. It includes benefits for accidental injuries, hospitalization, surgery, doctor’s visits in the hospital, emergency care and ambulance. Detailed information is available from the Health Service.
All international students attending Scripps on a student or other visa are required to carry health insurance. Evidence of current health insurance will be necessary, and registration privileges may be withheld or preregistration cancelled if a student’s health insurance coverage is not current. Please contact the Dean of Students’ Office for information about health insurance available to international students.
Upon entering the College, a student is required to complete and return the entrance physical form, which includes a requirement for a tuberculin skin test. If that test is positive, the student is required to have a chest X-ray. New students are also required to provide documentation of current immunizations for measles and rubella. Failure to meet these requirements will result in suspension of registration and class attendance until the requirements have been met.
Beginning in fall 2012, Scripps College requires that all new students (new first-year students and new transfers) must carry health insurance throughout their enrollment at the College. Students will be enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan provided through The Claremont Colleges unless the student provides private insurance policy information to the College and waives enrollment in the Student Health Insurance Plan. Additional information and the enrollment/waiver form may be found on the Scripps College Portal.
Possession of Automobiles
Parking facilities on campus are limited. On-campus students will be charged a parking fee. All cars must be registered with Campus Safety.
Insurance
The College does not assume responsibility for loss or damage of personal property or personal injury. This includes damage that may be incurred by fire, flood, etc., in College facilities, including residence halls. It also includes the incidence of theft in such facilities. Families and students should inspect their own insurance policies and determine whether the limits are sufficient to cover the student’s belongings in Claremont. Students not covered by a family policy are encouraged to secure renter’s insurance, particularly if they plan to bring expensive equipment to campus. Students are also urged to carry medical insurance (see Medical Regulations).
Services
Communication with Students
The Scripps College community encourages each student to develop a sense of personal responsibility and an ability to make life-affecting decisions. To further this development, community members communicate directly with the student whenever possible in matters involving the student’s education. They try to help each student reach informed decisions about educational and personal matters by providing information and personal counseling. At a student’s request, the College will communicate directly with family or with other individuals outside the College. The College is happy to discuss matters of concern with families, while respecting the wishes of the students. In the case of a medical emergency, the College will consult the student if possible, but reserves the right to contact the immediate family or the person(s) listed on the Emergency Information Form.
The Claremont Colleges also maintain a counseling center, Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services, staffed with eight psychologists or professional counselors. Students are encouraged to use the center, described under “Health and Counseling ,” whenever such services seem appropriate or necessary.
Ethnic and Student Services Centers
The centers devoted to the development of educational and co-curricular programs designed to meet the needs and goals of ethnic minorities are the Office of Black Student Affairs and the Office of Chicano/Latino Student Affairs. There is also a Queer Resource Center The centers serve students from all The Claremont Colleges through the establishment of special courses, counseling, development of research projects, and involvement in community relations.
International Students
International students must maintain full-time enrollment status to maintain their F-1 visa status. They also must report all changes in address (including residence hall room changes) to the Department of Homeland Security through the registrar’s office. Current health insurance (either through the College plan or independently) is also required. The Scripps Designated School Official for communication with the Department of Homeland Security is the registrar. The registrar signs student I-20 forms for them to leave and reenter the United States; maintains communication such as address changes with DHS through the SEVIS system; assists students to apply for both curricular and post-completion practical training; maintains copies of health insurance verification; and other required services for international students.
In addition, an intercollegiate international student center, International Place, provides programs and services to international students including a homestay prior to fall classes, information and referrals, and programs such as a weekly lunch discussion on global issues.
Career Planning & Resources
Career Planning & Resources (CP&R) promotes career development by working with students as they envision, formulate, and move toward future goals. The staff is committed to providing exceptional services as it empowers and educates students, and builds relationships with professional colleagues and the Scripps College community.
CP&R offers individual career counseling and assistance in choosing a major, finding jobs and internships, applying to graduate/professional schools, and exploring alternative post-graduation opportunities. Other services include daily drop-in hours, skill-building workshops, and videotaped mock interviews as well as annual programs such as the “Life After Scripps” series, the annual Resume Book for seniors, and a myriad of alumnae panels and industry-specific events throughout the academic year. CP&R has also recently launched the “Emerging Professionals Program,” a seminar series preparing students for the world of work.
Scripps College participates in the joint 7-College recruiting program, giving students access to on-campus recruitment activities and job fairs across the Claremont Colleges. In addition to a library of books and resources within CP&R, students also have direct access to thousands of jobs and internships listings online through The Gateway, the Nationwide Internship Consortium (NIC), and the Liberal Arts Career Network (LACN).
Annually, CP&R coordinates grant funding intended to support student internships. Funding for these grants vary each year and are made possible through the generosity of alumnae, family, and friends for the College. Students also benefit from personal connections with nearly 1,500 alumnae, parents, and friends of the College involved in the Life Connections program. Many excellent resources including the student-written bog, “Beyond the Elms” and the “Career Services Guide” are also available to students.
Refer to Student Employment for information on working on campus.
Student Employment
Student employment opportunities exist across the Claremont University Consortium. Scripps College strongly recommends that students work no more than 20 hours per week. A job should not interfere with the demands of academic coursework and students should use good judgment about the amount of time spent on employment, both on- and off-campus.
The Student Employment Coordinator in Career Planning & Resources is available for questions regarding student employment policies and procedures. Those eligible for Federal Work-Study should refer to Financial Aid for more information.
Office of the Chaplains
The Interfaith Office of the Chaplains guides and nurtures students in the explorations, observances, and questions of religious and spiritual life. The Chaplains assist students in making contact with members of their own community of belief, coordinate and oversee a wide variety of worship services, activities, programs, interfaith events and pastoral counseling.
Among the faiths participating at McAlister are the Buddhist, Catholic, Christian Science, Hindu, Jewish, Latter-Day Saints, Muslim, PAGAN, Protestant, Unitarian, Zen, and other communities. Social justice and service learning programs are organized by the Chaplains’ Community Service and Activities Coordinator.
The McAlister Center for Religious Activities, located adjacent to Honnold/Mudd Library, includes a chapel, fireside lounge, library and the Chaplains’ offices.
Weekly Services at McAlister Center are as follows:
Catholic Masses - 9:30 am & 4:30 pm Sundays: in Lounge
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Meeting – 4:15pm Wednesdays: in Lounge
Jewish Services - 5:30 pm Fridays followed by Shabbat Dinner
Jumu’ah Prayers - 1:15 pm Fridays: in Chapel
Meditation – 7:30am (Zen) & 8:00pm (Exploring Meditation) Wednesdays: in Lounge
Protestant Services - 11:00 am Sundays: in Chapel
Health and Counseling Services
The Claremont Colleges maintains a health service for students while the colleges are in session. Two full-time physicians, three part-time nurse practitioners, and a staff of nurses provide office care at Student Health Services located at 757 College Way. Consultation and treatment at Student Health Services are available to students without charge, but bed and emergency care are not provided. There is a charge for medicines, laboratory tests, missed appointments, non-emergency walk-in appointments, and special supplies. Consultation and treatment by specialists in all fields can be arranged when needed. Excellent hospital facilities are available in the community. Outside consultation and emergency care are arranged by Student Health Services, but are not financed by the College, and payment for them is the responsibility of the individual student. For this reason, medical insurance is required. Student Health Services care is available throughout the school year except for winter and summer vacations.
Monsour Counseling Center and Psychological Services (MCAPS) is also located at 757 College Way. The center has a staff of eight PhD psychologists and professional counselors who provide therapeutic, preventive, and educational services to help students develop emotionally and cope with the stresses of college and life. Individual and group therapy is offered and is provided confidentially. Referrals are made to mental health resources in the community when necessary. Workshops and structured groups are offered on topics such as stress management, assertiveness, procrastination, myths and facts about alcohol, eating disorders, and intimate relationships. Students with personal concerns or those simply wishing to talk with someone are welcome. There is no charge for the services of the Counseling Center; fees for services provided off campus within the community are the responsibility of the student.
Advising and Counseling
Personal advising is a primary responsibility of the Dean of Students’ Office, which includes the dean, two associate deans, and the residential life staff. This staff works in coordination with the Counseling Center, the Health Service, the Chaplains of The Claremont Colleges, the Office of Black Student Affairs, the Chicano/Latino Student Affairs Center, and International Place. |
