Campus Life

Belhaven University believes that well-rounded personal, social, spiritual, and academic development can best be accomplished within a Christian community. Therefore, in order to meet individual needs while working for the needs of the community, it is necessary to establish guidelines for conduct. Belhaven’s student handbook, The Kilt, describes in detail the guidelines governing student life and college community expectations. The system of standards set forth in the student handbook is intended to maintain a balance between individual freedom and the good of the community. Believing that every aspect of life should be lived to the glory of God, Belhaven University seeks to consistently apply these standards with a concern for the total development of the individual.

Belhaven reserves the right to withdraw and/or dismiss any student who, in its judgment, displays conduct in violation of the standards of the University.

Grievance Policy for Written Student Complaints

The student grievance or complaint policy insures that students have adequate lines of communication wherein to file written complaints. Students are encouraged to inform the proper university official, as described in this Catalogue and the student handbook, any time they feel one of their student rights or privileges have been denied.

Student Complaint Resolution  

Academic Grievances

Students wishing to file grievances on academic issues, including grades, should submit written appeals to the Academic Appeals Committee, which may be done through the Registrar’s Office. Appeals regarding course grades must be filed before the end of the next semester in which the grade was received. Decisions made by the Academic Appeals Committee shall be final. Academic grievances concerning a faculty member should be directed to the faculty’s department chairperson. In cases where the faculty member also holds the chair of the department, grievances should be directed to the division chairperson. In the case of division chairpersons, grievances should be reported to the Provost. Decisions made by the faculty member’s supervisor shall be final.

Academic Disability Accommodation

Belhaven University offers students disability support services in accordance with the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The student must self-identify to the ADA coordinator within the Office of Student Care (located in the Wynn Kenyon Think Center), provide current documentation, within 3 years, of the disability from an appropriate licensed professional, and complete the Belhaven ADA Request Form for accommodation. The student must provide such a request at least two weeks prior to the beginning of each semester for which the accommodation is requested. Approved accommodations will be made within a reasonable time period after completion of the official request and accommodation letters provided to students at the beginning of each semester.

Disabled Students Grievances

Belhaven University has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for the prompt and equitable resolution of student complaints alleging any action prohibited by regulations implemented by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other pertinent federal, state, and local disability anti-discrimination laws.

Academic Grievances

1. Applicants or students shall file complaints in writing with the Director of Student Care. A complaint shall contain the name and address of the person filing it and a brief description of the alleged violation. If the complainant needs an accommodation in order to file the complaint, he or she should inform the Director of Student Care.
2. Such complaints must be filed within forty-five calendar days after the complainant becomes aware of the alleged violation.
3. An investigation conducted by the Director of Student Care, as may be appropriate, shall follow the filing of a complaint.
4. The Director of Student Care shall issue a written determination regarding the complaint and a description of the resolution.  The Director of Student Care shall forward a copy to the student within a reasonable time.
5. A student may request a reconsideration of the case in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution. Persons with complaints should make requests for reconsideration to the Provost within ten calendar days of the date of the written determination issued by the Director of Student Care.
6. The Provost shall issue a decision regarding the appeal within a reasonable time, and this decision is considered final.

Non-Academic Grievances

1. Students shall file a written complaint with the Vice President for Student Development.  A complaint shall contain the name and address of the person filing it and a brief description of the alleged violation.  If the complainant needs an accommodation in order to file the complaint, he or she should inform the Vice President for Student Development.
2. Such complaints must be filed within forty-five calendar days after the complainant becomes aware of the alleged violation.
3. The Vice President for Student Development or University official shall investigate, as appropriate, following the filing of a complaint.
4. The Vice President for Student Development shall issue a written determination regarding the complaint and a description of the resolution within a reasonable time.
5. The student may appeal the decision in writing in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution.  This request for reconsideration should be sent to the Provost within ten calendar days of the written determination issued by the Vice President for Student Development.
6. The Provost will issue a decision regarding the appeal within a reasonable time, and this decision is considered final.

Residence Halls

Residence halls enhance the college experience by offering many outside the classroom educational opportunities to resident students. Close proximity to campus resources affords resident students the opportunity to become easily involved in campus activities. Resident students also tend to be more satisfied with their college experience, and are even more likely to graduate. For these reasons, all full-time freshmen and sophomores (under 54 credit hours), single and under the age of twenty-one, are required to live on campus, with the exception of those students who live off campus at the permanent address of their parents or legal guardian. Campus housing is for undergraduate students (ages 17 - 26) enrolled in the traditional program. The University reserves the right to deny on-campus housing and recommend alternative housing options.

The coordination and management of each residence hall is accomplished by a professional Resident Director (RD) who lives in the hall. Resident Assistants (RAs) are Belhaven student leaders who live with the students and assist the RD in maintaining an environment in each hall that is conducive to living and learning. Both RDs and RAs are personally and professionally committed to a biblical worldview that integrates Christian faith with the learning environment. For more information, contact the office of Student Life in Room 203 of Cleland Hall or call 601-968-5969.

Residence halls are not open during Christmas break, May term, and summer sessions.

Chapel Attendance Policy

Chapel is held weekly (Tuesdays 9:35-10:25 a.m. and 11-11:50 a.m.) in the Concert Hall of the Center for the Arts. All full-time traditional undergraduate students must register for one of the Chapel sections each semester they are enrolled as a full-time traditional undergraduate student at Belhaven. All students who are not exempt from chapel are required to attend a minimum of 8 sessions each semester they are enrolled at Belhaven. Chapel attendance is included in the student’s transcript as a satisfactory grade and a pass grade is a requirement for graduation. A detailed explanation of the chapel attendance policy is published in the student handbook, The Kilt.

The purpose of the Belhaven chapel program is to bring together the entire campus in a shared, spiritually enriching hour that collectively enables us to be challenged to explore the depths of God’s truth, grace, and love. Respectful of the diversity of traditions and experiences consistent with Belhaven’s Statement of Faith, services are designed to allow all of us to be challenged with the central truths of the Gospel. Chapel is not offered as a substitute for involvement in a local church nor designed to provide the type of consistent worship experience unique to an individual church.

Life Quest (Belhaven University’s Quality Enhancement Program)

Life Quest is a program that has been designed by faculty and staff to enhance traditional student awareness of personal calling and improve student preparedness for their career paths. Life Quest focuses on providing a foundation based on individual strengths discovery as related to personal calling that is reiterated and refined from freshman year through graduation.

Belhaven Basics BU 101 & BU 102

BU 101  and BU 102  are designed to guide students through a process of identifying, developing, and applying their individual strengths in several areas crucial to success in their academic and career journey. The topics studied in BU 101  & BU 102  challenge students to examine their strengths, motivations and calling in order to prepare them academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas, which is Belhaven University’s mission.

The courses challenges students to explore different topics and experiences as they relate to personal strengths. Through the use of the StrengthsFinder^© and TruMotivate assessments, students discover their top five “Signature Strengths” and Motivations and learn how to develop these gifts to achieve success in academics, understanding others, and career. The course takes students through three areas of knowledge as related to personal strengths with the goal of clarifying major and career choice.

The one-hour credit course meets throughout the fall semester.

Warren A. Hood Library

The Warren A. Hood Library houses more than 95,000 items. In addition to book and periodical collections, the library provides access to a vast array of electronic databases, electronic books, media collections, archival materials, and reference materials for all fields of study at Belhaven.

Research Guides and A-Z Database lists are accessed through the Library web page ((https://www.belhaven.edu/academics/resources/library/) and also provides a large collection of online full text databases including 24 databases within EBSCOhost, Business Education in Video, ATLA Religion Database with ATLA Serials, ERIC, JSTOR, Art & Architecture Complete, Nexis Uni (formerly LexisNexis Academic), IBISWorld, medici.tv.edu, CREDO Reference, A-R Music Anthology, ProQuest Global Newstream including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal database. Additionally, library patrons have access to more than 158,000 e-books. These e-books are accessible 24/7 through Blazenet from any computer with an internet connection. The library is an invaluable resource for Belhaven users at all campuses to access essential resources via the internet.

The physical library is open approximately 95 hours per week during the Fall and Spring sessions. Hours are slightly reduced during holidays, breaks and during the summer session. The library hours are intended to sufficiently provide Belhaven faculty, staff, students, and administration access to collections, services and professional assistance.

The library staff is well trained to assist all faculty and students with a wide range of research activities. It is the librarians’ intent that each student at Belhaven develops transferable skills to ensure life-long learning through instruction and skilled use of the materials (both physical and online) available through the Warren A. Hood Library as well as any library or research facility throughout the world.

The library staff strongly encourages reference consultations. Professional librarians are available for subject specific reference consultations. Advance appointments may be scheduled by contacting the library at 601-968-5948 or at askalibrarian@belhaven.edu. Patrons are encouraged to carefully describe their research needs at the time the appointment is made, thus allowing library staff the lead time necessary to plan the best use of the library’s collections. Interlibrary Loan services are also available to ensure access to resources that are not owned by the library.

The Office of Student Care and The Wynn Kenyon Think Center

Located on the main level of the Warren Hood Library, the Wynn Kenyon Think Center houses the primary advising and academic support services and programs that are developed from the collaborative efforts of the Office of Student Care.

Understanding that “space matters”, the Think Center provides an innovative and dynamic location that supports collaboration, individual work and peer assistance through flexible furnishings, work spaces and technology.

Incorporating academic support, ADA Accommodations, and the Think Center Space, The Office of Student Care strives to provide a variety of valuable services for Belhaven students from admission to graduation. Think Center staff work with students in areas of academic adjustment such as study skills and time management and in helping students understand more about their own thinking processes and how they best learn. The majority of academic tutoring takes place within the Think Center. Tutoring schedules are sent to students at the beginning of each academic semester. The center is also available to students as a general “touch-down” space for working individually or with others.

Barnes and Noble Bookstore

In addition to textbooks and supplies, the Belhaven Bookstore, located in the McCravey-Triplett Student Center, offers a variety of Belhaven memorabilia such as shirts, mugs, trade books, and Christian books and music. https://belhaven.bncollege.com/shop/belhaven/home

Intercollegiate Athletics

The Intercollegiate Athletics Department of Belhaven University is committed to the vision and mission of the University through athletic participation and competition. The Athletics Department exists to lead student-athletes to compete for championships and to mature as men and women created in the image of God. The Department is responsible for the recruitment, orientation, leadership, development and retention of student-athletes in seventeen intercollegiate sports. Athletics provides a unique environment for demonstrating and teaching the virtues of self-control, patience, love, service, respect for authority, ethics, leadership, hard work, and dedication as they relate to the teachings of Jesus Christ and biblical principles. The department will take every opportunity to use athletics as a platform for sharing the Gospel.

The Belhaven Athletics Department is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, participating in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross-country, football, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s tennis, and volleyball as a member of the American Southwest Conference. The Athletics Department also sponsors cheerleading and marching band.

Intramural Athletics

As an extension of the office of student leadership, the intramural program supports the University mission by providing opportunities for students to participate in a variety of sports activities. These activities are designed to promote exercise, leadership development, and fun. Throughout the year, the Coordinator of Student Leadership and Intramurals plans and schedules competitive activities such as indoor soccer, pool, basketball, ping-pong, volleyball, and dodgeball.

Social Life and Recreation

Belhaven University provides opportunities for wholesome recreation. When available, students may use the auxiliary gymnasium, tennis courts, lake, weight room, and university bowl. The office of student leadership plans events such as concerts, dances, service projects, trips, and other various programs. The Belhaven Leadership Council (BLC), the student government arm of the student body, also plays a primary role in representing students and in planning activities to enhance campus life.

The following is a list of student organizations in which students are encouraged to participate:

Publications

Briefly Belhaven is published five times a year for alumni by the office of alumni relations.

The Brogue, a literary journal devoted to creative writing and other fine arts at Belhaven, is published once a year under sponsorship of the Creative Writing Department.

The Kilt, the student handbook, is published by the office of student life and provides information regarding policies, procedures, regulations and services.

The Tartan, a publication for alumni and friends, includes news of alumni and campus events and is published twice a year by the Office of University Relations.

White Columns, the student yearbook, is published annually. Students work with faculty and staff advisors to produce this printed record of the school year, all from a student perspective.