Campus Life Resources

Office of the Vice President for Campus Life

The Office of the Vice President for Campus Life oversees the Pace Center, the Department of Athletics, the Office of Religious Life, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students, and Princeton University Health Services. The mission of all areas of Campus Life is to foster a community that reflects the highest aspirations of its members; to create an educational environment that encourages leadership, citizenship, collaboration, and respect for intellectual diversity; and to enable individual growth and enrich the entire University community. The Office of the Vice President for Campus Life is in 220 Nassau Hall. (258-3056, web.princeton.edu/sites/campuslife)

Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students

The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students supports the academic mission of the University by providing students with opportunities for personal, cultural, social, and professional development that complement the rich and challenging academic life of Princeton. The deans and the directors of the Davis International Center, the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, the Women's Center, and the LGBT Center provide individual counseling and advising; coordinate orientation programs for new students; oversee disciplinary processes; manage crisis intervention protocols; provide training and support for residential college advisers; offer guidance and support to student groups and the Undergraduate Student Government; and initiate programming efforts on issues of interest to students and the broader University community. (258-3055, www.princeton.edu/odus)

Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding. “Advancing the Science of Human Relationships and Community Building” is the motto for the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, which focuses on enriching and enhancing the Princeton experience for students by exploring issues of diversity, equity, and cultural pluralism.

The programming of the center reaches beyond its walls to educate and engage the broader University community regarding issues of cultural pluralism and to encourage wider community participation. Activities and programs that enrich campus life, while contributing to the advancement of democratic inclusion, social justice, and meaningful equality, also enhance the multicultural consciousness and empowerment of our students.

The center encourages and supports the exploration of diverse heritages, values, and cultural experiences by offering a wide range of co-curricular activities and programs throughout the academic year including faculty/student lunches, ethnic celebrations, speakers series, campus community dinners, workshops, presentations, lectures, dialogue groups, art exhibits, movies, film festivals, support groups, social mixers, study groups/study breaks, and off-campus outings. (258-5494, www.princeton.edu/~caf)

The Davis International Center arranges welcome receptions, campus orientation opportunities, and area tours for graduate and undergraduate international students and visiting scholars. It provides an English language proficiency program and sponsors speakers, international music and dance concerts, art exhibits, and national and international festivals. The center also produces regular video programs that present the perspectives of international students, scholars, and faculty to a wider audience, both on campus and on state cable networks. Of particular interest to undergraduates are the center-sponsored Diversity Tables, at which students gather in residential college dining halls to discuss issues of diversity and multiculturalism. (258-5006, www.princeton.edu/~intlctr/)

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Center is by, for, and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, and allied members of the Princeton University community. The LGBT Center works to create a safe and supportive academic environment through providing educational opportunities and advocating for the needs and concerns of LGBT students.

The center's goal is to enhance the Princeton University campus community and to ensure the advancement of students’ academic pursuits by creating an open and affirming environment void of homophobia, heterosexism, and gender bias. (258-1353, www.princeton.edu/lgbt)

The Women’s Center provides a forum for the exploration of gender issues from many perspectives as well as a supportive atmosphere for women. It offers educational, social, and cultural programs for the campus community. Open to all members of the University community, these programs are designed to promote discussion on issues concerning women from all social classes, racial and ethnic groups, abilities, and sexual orientations. It is also a clearinghouse for information about women and gender issues on campus. (258-5565, www.princeton.edu/~womenctr)

Residential Colleges

You have been assigned to a residential college where you will live and dine for the next two years and with which you will be associated for your four years at Princeton. The residential college setting is designed to integrate your residential, social, and intellectual experiences and provide a smaller community in which you can make friends and find ready guidance and advice about many of the academic and social issues you will encounter during your first two years. The college has a staff of professional and peer advisers to whom you can turn with almost any question or concern. You will find that the college offers opportunities to build a vibrant social community through activities such as dances, films, and performances as well as many off-campus subsidized trips to Broadway shows and other cultural and athletic events in New York City and the surrounding area. (www.princeton.edu/Siteware/ResColleges.shtml)

The Residential Living Policies and Dining Services Guide, a source of information about room and board at Princeton, can be found at facilities.princeton.edu/housing/a_undergraduate. You will find it particularly helpful as a resource for finding staff to call if you have questions. (Housing Department 258-8000)

The residential colleges have residential college advisers (RCAs) who are undergraduates in their junior or senior year who work as teams, advising freshmen and sophomores and providing programming on social issues (such as race, alcohol use and other health-related topics, and roommate conflicts). RCAs serve as friendly, informed, and accessible resources for students in their residential colleges and as vital communication links between University administrative offices and organizations and students in the colleges.

RCAs, and all the college staff work to build community within the college and to help individual students reach informed, responsible decisions about matters of personal concern.

Frist Campus Center

Frist Campus Center is a world-class facility where undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni come together and build campus community. The center fosters opportunities for individuals and student groups to meet and interact formally and informally and to engage in programs and activities that enhance learning.

One of the many unique features of the center is the interaction between the social and academic aspects of the University. The center provides a place for a variety of social, cultural, and entertainment programs, such as a film series, lectures, and late-night activities. It is also the home of the Near Eastern and East Asian studies departments and many academic classes. The building also contains a number of special interest centers, including the Davis International Center, the Women's Center, the LGBT Center, the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, the East Asian Library, and the Pace Center.

The Welcome Desk at Frist Campus Center is a key point of contact for the Princeton University community and campus visitors. It is also the headquarters for the Orange Key Guide Service. The reservation and scheduling office, also located at the Welcome Desk, oversees the reservation process for all available spaces at the campus center. It provides and coordinates special event services, such as audiovisual needs, housekeeping, room setups, security, and catering. Dining Services provides catering for any programs or events held at the center. (258-1766, www.princeton.edu/frist)

The Student Volunteers Council (SVC) offers opportunities for students to reach out to the larger community through participation in weekly community service projects, as well as numerous special programs and break trips.

Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation

The Department of Athletics provides a wide range of intercollegiate, intramural, and physical education programs for all levels of ability. Princeton sponsors 38 intercollegiate varsity teams (20 men's and 18 women's teams) and more than 30 sport club teams, involving more than half of the undergraduate student body. In addition, more than 65 percent of students participate in the intramural program, and more than 4,500 faculty, staff, alumni, and students participate in physical education programs. The athletics department manages the facilities and resources used for Princeton's collegiate athletic contests, which frequently also are used for regional and national competitions. The facilities also provide venues for local community events. (258-3534, www.princeton.edu/Siteware/AllAthletics.shtml)

The Office of Religious Life

The Office of Religious Life represents Princeton University's nurturing of and support for the many religious communities flourishing on the campus. The deans of religious life are committed to creating and sustaining opportunities for the expression of religious faith and to promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation. They also seek to strengthen the bonds uniting persons of faith with all people of good will. Together with the various campus chaplains, the deans are available to all members of the University community for conversation and personal support. We hope we can help make your transition to campus life an exciting and rewarding experience.

Murray-Dodge Hall houses the Office of Religious Life and provides a home for student meetings, worship, study, and informal gatherings. Sunday services, convocations, concerts, film screenings, and theatrical productions take place in the University Chapel, which is open daily for prayer and meditation. (258-5460, web.princeton.edu/sites/chapel)

The Café is an informal meeting place with refreshments such as free home-baked cookies, coffee, hot cocoa, and herbal teas. The Café sponsors musical performances and poetry readings and is open from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in Murray-Dodge Hall.

The Chapel Choir performs concerts and music for Sunday morning services and other University services held in the chapel.

Ecumenical Christian Worship draws students, faculty and staff, and town residents for worship and community interaction. Sundays at 11 a.m. in the University Chapel (10 a.m. in the summer).

The Center for Jewish Life is the foundation for the Jewish campus community for students, faculty, and staff. The center provides cultural, social, religious, and informal educational activities and provides facilities including an auditorium, a sanctuary, and kosher dining services. The center is home to a variety of Jewish student groups, including a cappella singers, Hillel hikers, the Social Action Committee, and the Princeton Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Hallelujah! is a student-led interdenominational worship service in the African-American church tradition. Hymns, contemporary gospel music, praise songs, testimony, and altar prayer create a sanctuary for students who desire to deepen their faith. Sundays at 1 p.m., Murray-Dodge Hall. (web.princeton.edu/sites/chapel/Hallelujah.htm)

The Religious Life Council is made up of students who provide visibility for the strength and diversity of religious life on campus, as well as valuable educational resources for the University community. The council’s mission is to deepen the understanding of all religious faiths, to explore the connection between intellectual life and spiritual growth, and to encourage interfaith discussion of moral issues and life choices.

Some Student Religious Organizations

University Health Services

Princeton’s health center is a fully accredited health care facility. University Health Services is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, special services counselors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, a health educator, and technical and administrative personnel. Staff physicians have special expertise in pediatrics and adolescent medicine, family practice, internal medicine, sports medicine, and preventive medicine. Clinical services include outpatient services, inpatient services, and sexuality education and counseling. The Counseling Center provides short-term individual counseling, an alcohol and drug program, an eating disorders program, as well as group counseling regarding personal, social, and academic issues. Topics include image and identity for students of color, support for students of color, eating disorders recovery, food preoccupation, adult children of alcoholics, and bereavement. (258-3141, www.princeton.edu/uhs)

The health education program offers programming and information on many health care issues and engages student peer educators as participants in health advising. The SHARE program provides confidential counseling and support, as well as information regarding sexual harassment and assault. (258-5036, www.princeton.edu/uhs/ss_hpw_peer_education.html)

Ombuds Office

The University Ombuds Office is a confidential and neutral office that assists students, faculty, and staff by resolving problems that arise in the University. By offering options for resolution and by serving as a mediator between disputants, the ombuds officer provides an informal response to problem solving.

The ombuds officer also makes recommendations to the president and provost concerning University efforts to provide a healthier campus climate on issues concerning race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, and disability. (258-1775, www.princeton.edu/ombuds)

top | July 2007