The Office of Student Development provides essential services to the achievement of Covenant’s educational goals. Student Development is responsible for building a co-curricular community that enhances academic inquiry, provides a safe campus environment in which to live and study, and designs co-curricular opportunities that seek to educate students personally, socially, physically, vocationally, and intellectually - all of which are areas of spiritual growth.
Student Development provides the following services: New Student Orientation, Student Life, Residence Life, Intercollegiate and Intramural Athletics, Housing, Academic Support, Student Success, Student Government, Intercultural Program, Priesthill Center (Health and Counseling Services), Standards of Conduct Enforcement, Practical Service and works in association with the Chapel.
Please refer to the Student Handbook on the Covenant Website at www.covenant.edu/studenthandbook for information regarding student Standards of Conduct and other Student Development program details. Questions can also be directed to the Office of Student Development at 706.419.1107. or email studentdevelopment@covenant.edu.
Covenant College and Intercultural Engagement
Covenant College acknowledges the need, in a fallen world, for joyful diligence in service for the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ, and, consequently, for the obedient pursuit of justice and righteousness throughout human society. Our commitment to intercultural engagement at Covenant College is grounded in an understanding of biblical mandates regarding the nature of the Kingdom of God.
This commitment is summarized by the following statements.
- The Covenant College community should reflect, as far as possible, the peoples of God’s kingdom within the United States and around the world. We work actively to become a more culturally representative community.
- Covenant College recognizes the participation of men and women from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds within the body of Christ. We encourage, therefore, the study of cultural inquiry in human cultural traditions, and encourage appropriate appreciation and demonstration of diversity in all areas of college life.
- Covenant College actively seeks to strengthen the bond of Christian unity across cultures, ethnic heritages, social classes, and genders, while subjecting all beliefs and practices to careful biblical scrutiny.
- Covenant College seeks to model educational practices that reflect the biblical call to justice, dignity, and impartiality in both personal and institutional relationships.
In order to implement practices consistent with these commitments, Covenant College is committed to intercultural engagement programming rooted in the best of the Reformed and evangelical traditions. Our goal is to help students become global Christians who possess the skills, knowledge, dispositions, and values that will enable them to serve effectively in a rapidly changing and pluralistic world.
ADA and Accessibility Services
Covenant College offers otherwise qualified students with a disability reasonable accommodation in accordance with the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students may complete the Disability Accommodation Application to apply for academic, housing, emotional support animal, and/or dining accommodations and submit current documentation of the disability from an appropriate licensed professional. Students requesting accommodation on the basis of a specific learning disability should provide current documentation from a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis of a full range of cognitive and psychiatric disabilities (e.g. Psychologist). An IEP or 504 plan is typically inadequate in this regard. All documentation and questions should be directed to disabilityservices@covenant.edu.
Students who are receiving disability accommodations are encouraged to establish a relationship with the ADA Coordinator to receive additional training and assistance in working with disabilities as a college student.
Academic Accommodations
Reasonable academic accommodations will be granted on a case-by-case basis at the recommendation of the Associate Dean for Student Success following receiving and approving the required official documentation. The Associate Dean for Student Success can also make recommendations for additional accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Any student who qualifies and may need academic accommodations should contact the Center for Student Success as early in the semester as possible.
For students to receive appropriate accommodations, the course instructor must receive official notification of eligibility from the Center for Student Success, and students must speak directly to their instructor concerning their specific accommodations BEFORE a due date for an assignment or BEFORE the day of an exam. If the professor cannot make arrangements to provide the additional proctoring, the Associate Dean for Student Success should be contacted for assistance.
Housing Accommodations
Any housing accommodation request must be made through the Associate Dean of Students for Residence Life. Requests for information regarding Emotional Support Animals should be directed to the Associate Dean for Student Success.
Dining Accommodations
In Dining Services, we take our guests’ food allergies and special diet needs seriously. If you have a food allergy, intolerance, or physician ordered diet, please contact covenantdining@covenant.edu to fill out the Allergenic and Dietary Need form. Documentation from the student’s treating physician will be required for consideration of changes to meal plan requirements.
Center for Student Success
The Center for Student Success was established to provide academic support, personal coaching, and tailored resources aimed at helping students succeed during their time at Covenant. The Center works toward these goals by providing:
- Academic support for students struggling to manage their time or who need assistance in cultivating positive study habits in order to keep up with the fast pace of college academics.
- Accessibility and Disability Services. Those with questions about attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, or with any diagnosis that impacts performance in the classroom are strongly encouraged to contact the Associate Dean for Student Success.
- Student Care for those who are struggling with mental health, adjusting to life in college, or under difficult life circumstances.
At Covenant, we believe that every student is created in the image of God, has unique gifts and aptitudes, and that this is a place where students of all abilities can grow, learn, and thrive. Our Center for Student Success works toward that end with each and every student who walks through their doors.
Involuntary Withdrawal
Covenant College cares a great deal about the safety and well-being of its students, and considers these to be one of its highest priorities. Students are encouraged to prioritize their health and safety and take action towards wholeness and recovery, even if that delays academic progress. At times, a student may experience an inability to function successfully and safely in an academic and/or a residential setting. In such circumstances, a student’s continued presence in the Covenant community may present a direct threat and/or significant risk to him or herself and/or others, or it may present a substantial disruption to the educational process. In these situations, Covenant may initiate an involuntary withdrawal when a student exhibits behavior that could disrupt the academic process or present a danger to the student or other members of the College community.
The Involuntary Withdrawal Policy is not a disciplinary policy or process. It is not intended to be applied to situations where a student violates the Standards of Conduct. There may be situations in which both the Involuntary Withdrawal Policy and the Standards of Conduct policy apply.
If necessary, the Dean of Students or his/her designee will convene an Evaluation Team to review the case and make appropriate recommendations. Following the review of all relevant information, the Evaluation Team will report its findings and recommendations on continuing the enrollment status of the student to the Dean of Students and/or his/her designee. In doing so, it will consider both the welfare of the individual student and the Covenant community. The Dean of Students and/or his/her designee will then make the final determination as to whether the student should remain at the college, and if so, under what conditions. A student who fails to cooperate with either the evaluation process or with the conditions set for his/her continuance at the college may be suspended on a summary basis or an Involuntary Withdrawal may be invoked.
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