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UNIVERSITY LIFE AND SERVICES

Graduate Residence Accommodations

The Office of Residence Life and Student Housing operates three apartment residence halls designated primarily for graduate students.
Moore Hall is designated for sophomores and above, including graduate students, and consists of two-person efficiency apartments. Each apartment has a kitchen/sleeping area and a bathroom. The kitchen area contains an electric stove, refrigerator, sink, garbage disposal, and dishwasher, as well as built-in cabinets, table, and two chairs. The bedroom area contains two single beds, two desks and chairs, two dressers, two closets, and a bookcase.

Martin Hall, an efficiency apartment hall, houses single and married graduate students, and married undergraduate students.

Hawk Hall, a one-bedroom-apartment facility, houses married students (graduate and undergraduate) with families. Families with no more than two children may be housed in Hawk Hall. Also located in Hawk Hall is the SMU Preschool and Child Care Center.

Special Housing Needs

Students having special housing needs because of a disability should contact the Department of Residence Life and Student Housing prior to submitting the housing application. Whenever possible, the housing staff will work with that student in adapting the facility to meet special needs.

General Housing Information

Each room or apartment is equipped with a telephone, local telephone service, voice mail system, and Ethernet connections to the University’s computer system. Renovated halls also have in-room cable television programming. All residence halls are air-conditioned, and some have individually climate-controlled rooms. Coin/card-operated washing machines and dryers are located in all residence halls. Meal plans are not required in graduate halls.

Applications for Residence

New graduate students should submit the completed application and contract to the Department of Residence Life and Student Housing with a check or money order for $100 made payable to Southern Methodist University for the nonrefundable housing deposit.

Priority of assignment is based on the date on which applications are received by the Department of Residence Life and Student Housing. Notification of assignment will be made by Residence Life and Student Housing. Rooms are contracted for the full academic year (fall and spring terms). Rent for the fall term will be billed and is payable in advance for students who register before August 1, and rent for the spring term will be billed and is payable in advance for students who register before December 1. Students who enroll after these dates must pay at time of enrollment. Rent for the full academic year will be due and payable should a student move from the residence hall at any time during the school year. Accommodations for shorter periods are available only by special arrangement with the Director of Residence Life and Student Housing before acceptance of the housing contract.

For more information, contact the Department of Housing and Residence Life, Southern Methodist University, PO Box 750215, Dallas TX 75275-0215; phone 214-768-2407. Fax: 214-768-4005. World Wide Web: smu.edu/housing. E-mail: housing@smu.edu.

Recreational Sports

Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports

Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports is a facility designed for Recreational Sports and Wellness. The new 170,000-square-foot expansion and renovation was completed in 2006. The center provides new racquetball courts, aerobic studios, an indoor running track, basketball and volleyball courts, climbing wall, bouldering wall, 25-meter, five-lane recreational pool, 15,000 square feet of fitness and weight equipment, lobby and café. Various fitness classes are offered. These facilities are open to SMU students, faculty, staff and members.

Intramurals

Many opportunities for team and individual competition are available through intramurals. Leagues offer year-long competition, and other leagues and tournaments cater to those interested in seasonal participation. The five major sports are football, volleyball, basketball, soccer and softball. Other sports and activities offered are bowling, golf, racquetball, tennis, track, swimming, weight lifting and game-room activities. Additional leadership opportunities are available for those interested in officiating or supervising various activities.

Sport Clubs

Sport clubs offer an opportunity for students interested in concentrated training and participation in a sport but who do not want to train and devote the practice time required for NCAA competition. These student-sanctioned clubs, funded by the Student Senate, offer competition with other university/college club teams in crew, cycling, ice hockey, lacrosse, fencing, racquetball, rugby, graduate rugby, sailing, judo, rock climbing, badminton, cricket, soccer and volleyball.

Aquatics

SMU Aquatics features a five-lane, indoor recreational pool and outdoor, zero-depth entry fountain pool known as “The Falls.” Students have opportunities to participate year-round in recreational swimming, sunbathing and competitive water sports such as water basketball, volleyball and polo. Classes offered include water fitness, triathlon training, adult swimming lessons and American Red Cross Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor certifications. Both pools also are available for student group reservations and private parties.

Outdoor Adventures

Outdoor Adventures comprises Outdoor Recreation (outdoor trips), The Rental Shop (renting outdoor equipment), SMU Climbing Center (climbing wall and bouldering wall), and Challenge and Team-Building Activities (incorporating a portable challenge course). SMU OA offers fun and challenging outdoor recreation activities, community-building programs and leadership opportunities through backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing and more.

Other Recreational Facilities

The Perkins Natatorium, the Barr Outdoor Pool, the Morrison-Bell Track, Moody Coliseum, outdoor tennis courts and open recreational fields combine to provide students with a full range of leisure possibilities.

Mustang Band

Founded in 1917, the Mustang Band was named the “Best College Marching Band” in Texas in Kirk Dooley’s Book of Texas Bests. Long known as “the hub of SMU spirit,” the band represents the University at football and basketball games, produces the Pigskin Revue during Homecoming and performs at special University- and community-related events. Membership is open to all SMU students by audition, regardless of major, and scholarships based on need and ability are available.

Spirit Squads

The Cheerleading Squad, Pom-Pom Squads and Peruna mascot are integral parts of SMU’s spirit tradition and are national award winners, having participated in the NCAA Collegiate National Championships. Along with the Mustang Band, they make SMU’s spirit contingent a superb one.

Health Services

SMU Memorial Health Center

The University’s health facilities are located in the SMU Memorial Health Center, 6211 Bishop Boulevard. An outpatient primary care clinic, specialty clinics, pharmacy, and lab/X-ray facilities occupy the first floor. The Psychiatric Service, the Counseling and Testing Center, and the Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention are located on the second floor. The Health Center (smu.edu/healthcenter) is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc. (AAAHC).

Outpatient Medical Services. SMU provides a convenient, economical medical clinic for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury, as well as for immunizations and continuation of treatment such as allergy injections. The clinic is staffed by physicians, registered nurses, pharmacists, lab and X-ray technologists, and other consulting physicians (gynecologist, orthopedist, dermatologist, dentist) essential to the provision of high-quality health care. Physicians are available by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The facility is closed during student holiday periods. For primary care and specialist physician consultation, call 214-768-2141 for appointments.

Patient Observation. When ordered by a staff physician, a student may be held in observation between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Observation is available for most types of nonmajor medical treatment. When necessary, students are referred to medical or surgical specialists in Dallas. The patient will be responsible for the costs of these services.

Acute/After Hours Care. For emergency care after clinic hours, it is recommended that students go to the emergency room of any major Dallas hospital.

Costs. Undergraduate and graduate students paying the full fee (which includes a health service fee) receive fully covered primary care physician services for that term. Specialized physician care and lab, X-ray, pharmacy, and supplies will be charged at below usual and customary rates charged by other providers. Students not paying full fees (taking 11 credit hours or less) have the option to pay the health fee at registration for Health Center privileges. If the health fee is not paid at registration, students may pay the full fee of $120 per term or a $45 per-visit fee upon arrival at the Health Center for physician consultation.

Student Insurance. The University offers a Student Injury and Sickness Insurance policy that provides coverage at the SMU Health Center and at selected clinics or hospitals. Brochures are available through the graduate schools’ admissions offices and at the Health Center business office.

Pharmacy. A complete pharmacy with registered pharmacists is open during clinic hours.

X-ray and Laboratory Services. X-ray and laboratory tests are done for nominal fees. All X-rays are interpreted by a radiologist. Gastrointestinal and certain other special X-ray procedures are referred to a specialist.

Immunizations. All students are required to have an SMU medical history form on file in the SMU Health Center before registration. To comply with SMU policy, all students must provide proof of immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, mumps, rubeola (red, or regular, measles), rubella (German, or three-day, measles) since 1980. These immunizations must be documented by a physician, public health record, or school health record. Students will not be allowed to register without compliance. Immunizations are available at the Student Health Center after arrival at SMU.

Class Absence Due to Illness. Students should schedule appointments with physicians at times when classes will not be missed, especially when there is neither an emergency nor an acute illness. The Health Center does not issue excuses from classes for illness. This is a matter between the student and the professor.

Notification of Parents. Students are encouraged to call one or both parents when ill. Parents or guardians will be notified in cases of serious illness.

Health Service Records. All health service records are confidential. A summary or copy of medical records will be sent to another health care provider or physician only when a written release is given by the student. Records are not made available to parents, SMU administrators, faculty or staff without the patient’s written consent. Records are available otherwise only when subject to court subpoena. It is the responsibility of the student to forward billing receipts for health services to the parent for insurance purposes. These itemized receipts, which contain confidential medical information, are given only to the patient.

Counseling Services

Psychiatric Services. The Psychiatric Service provides psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention and group/individual/couples psychotherapy for students. All interviews are conducted on a voluntary and confidential basis. There is no charge to students who have paid the University health fee. Any laboratory tests or pharmaceuticals ordered will be charged to the student. Appointments may be scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling 214-768-2860.

Counseling and Testing Services. The Counseling and Testing Services takes a proactive position to facilitate healthy student development and maintain and enhance students’ psychological and emotional well-being. A comprehensive array of psychological services is provided to SMU students, including short-term counseling, assessment, crisis intervention, outreach and consultation. While many students cope quite well with college life, others experience difficulties that interfere with their academic performance and/or social interactions. Students can seek confidential help for concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, career/life planning, learning disabilities, sexual identity, eating/body image concerns and sexual assault/sexual harassment matters. If the needs of the student exceed the resources of the center, appropriate referrals in the community will be furnished. While counseling services are provided to SMU students at no cost, a modest fee is charged for educational assessments. First-time appointments must be made in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, second floor, Memorial Health Center. Subsequent appointments may be scheduled in person or by calling 214-768-2211.

Testing Services. Counseling and Testing Services also offer testing to the Dallas-area community. These services include on-campus administration of national testing programs such as the SAT, LSAT, GRE Subject, PRAXIS and TASP. Other testing offered includes CLEP tests and correspondence examinations for other universities. For additional information, call the center at 214-768-2269.

Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention. These services provide a free and confidential source of help and information to the SMU Community on issues related to substance abuse and addiction. Appointments for counseling or assessment can be made between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling 214-768-4021.

SMU Preschool And Child Care Center

The SMU Preschool and Day Care Center is a fully licensed center open throughout the year to students, faculty, and staff. Children ages one month through five years are accepted, subject to space availability. Hours of operation are 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fees are adjusted to the age of the child. For more information, contact the Director, SMU Preschool and Day Care Center, Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX 75275; 214-768-2278.

Code of Conduct

The following are University procedures and standards with which every student must become familiar. The University considers matriculation at SMU an implicit covenant and a declaration of acceptance on the part of the student of all University regulations. Judicial Affairs, part of the Office of the Dean of Student Life, assists students in their personal development by providing a fair judicial system that issues consistent sanctions for behavior that is incongruent with the University’s expectations for students.

Conduct. Standards of conduct are established through faculty, student and administrative efforts and are under continuous evaluation by the entire University community in order to assure reasonable and fair limits. At SMU, the student is assumed to have a high degree of loyalty and responsibility to the University and its well-being, as well as to himself or herself in personal, social and intellectual pursuits; the student’s behavior both on and off campus is evidence of this.

Students at SMU will discover that they are encouraged to exercise a great amount of personal freedom as well as accompanying responsibilities. Through their personal capacities for intelligent thought and action, mature students understand that there are situations in which certain behavior must be modified for the benefit of others. The University stands firm in its commitments to the rights and freedoms of students, expecting in return the same respect and concern.

The University expects all students to be responsible citizens and to abide by all federal, state and local laws. Personal irresponsibility – including, but not limited to, that evidenced by dishonesty, gambling, hazing, irresponsible conduct and the misuse of drugs and alcohol – renders a student subject to disciplinary action. Although most specific regulations pertain to a student’s behavior while on campus, a lack of personal responsibility and integrity is always considered grounds for discipline no matter where it occurs. Due respect for the entire University community, faculty, staff and one’s fellow students is always expected.

Students are required to identify themselves when asked by a properly identified faculty or staff member, or by another student serving as a University staff member. Persons who are not members of the University community and without business on campus may be asked to leave.

Disciplinary Action. Clear disciplinary procedures are an important part of the mission of SMU as an educational institution. The intent of the system of due process at SMU is to be educational and not merely punitive for students. The goal continues to be to produce quality citizens. It is pertinent to the purpose of discipline to remember that self-discipline is part of the entire educational process, whereby the student becomes more fully aware of the importance of responsibility for oneself and others. Anytime a student displays irresponsible behavior, that student will be subject to discipline.

The Office of Judicial Affairs assists students in their personal development by providing a fair judicial system that issues sanctions for behavior that is incongruent with the University’s expectations for students. Depending on the degree of misconduct, a student may be subject to judicial sanctions ranging from a judicial reprimand to expulsion from the University. Should a student be asked to leave the University, he or she should do so in an expeditious and peaceful manner. The student should remain off campus until he or she receives written permission from the Dean of Student Life Office to return to campus. In the event of such separation, a student is still responsible for University financial obligations.

The University believes in student representation on all disciplinary bodies. To ensure fair due process for all students in the judicial process, the student is granted an impartial hearing and the right to appeal to the University Judicial Council. A student who is appealing a sanction may remain in school until the decision and penalty are reviewed, unless considered harmful to the University, to any individual or to himself or herself. All actions by the council are subject to presidential review. Having voluntarily enrolled as students at Southern Methodist University and assumed a place in the University community, all students are presumed to be knowledgeable of, and have agreed to abide by, the rules and regulations set forth in the Student Code of Conduct, as outlined in the SMU Student Handbook. This book is available from the Dean of Student Life Office, third floor, Hughes-Trigg Student Center, or online at smu.edu/studentlife.

Loss of Personal Property. The University is not responsible for the loss of personal property belonging to students in any building or on any grounds owned by the University, whether the loss results from theft, fire or unknown cause.

The Honor Code of Southern Methodist University

Intellectual integrity and academic honesty are fundamental to the processes of learning and of evaluating academic performance, and maintaining them is the responsibility of all members of an educational institution. The inculcation of personal standards of honesty and integrity is a goal of education in all the disciplines of the University.

The faculty has the responsibility of encouraging and maintaining an atmosphere of academic honesty by being certain that students are aware of the value of it, that they understand the regulations defining it, and that they know the penalties for departing from it. The faculty should, as far as is reasonably possible, assist students in avoiding the temptation to cheat. Faculty members must be aware that permitting dishonesty is not open to personal choice. A professor or instructor who is unwilling to act upon offenses is an accessory with the student offender in deteriorating the integrity of the University.

Students must share the responsibility for creating and maintaining an atmosphere of honesty and integrity. Students should be aware that personal experience in completing assigned work is essential to learning. Permitting others to prepare their work, using published or unpublished summaries as a substitute for studying required material, or giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in the preparation of work to be submitted are directly contrary to the honest process of learning. Students who are aware that others in a course are cheating or otherwise acting dishonestly have the responsibility to inform the professor and/or bring an accusation to the Honor Council.

Students and faculty members must mutually share the knowledge that any dishonest practices permitted will make it more difficult for the honest students to be evaluated and graded fairly and will damage the integrity of the whole University. Students should recognize that both their own interest, and their integrity as individuals, will suffer if they condone dishonesty in others.

The Honor System

All students at SMU, with the exception of those enrolled in School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Cox M.B.A. School, are subject to the jurisdiction of the Honor Code and as such will be required to sign a pledge to uphold the Honor Code. The Honor Council is composed of approximately 27 students selected through an application and interview process by the Honor Council Executive Board and five faculty members nominated by the Faculty Senate. The council’s responsibility is to maintain and promote academic honesty.

Academic dishonesty is defined broadly as a student’s misrepresentation of his or her academic work or of the circumstances under which that work is done. This includes plagiarism in all papers, projects, take-home exams, or any other assignments in which the student submits another’s work as being his or her own. It also includes cheating on examinations, unauthorized access to test materials and/or assisting another student in gaining any unfair academic advantage. Lastly, it includes academic sabotage, defined as intentionally taking any action that negatively affects the academic work of another student. Failure to prevent or report academic dishonesty by another may be considered participation in a dishonest act.

Suspected cases of academic dishonesty may be handled administratively by the appropriate faculty member in whose class the alleged infraction occurred or referred to the Honor Council for resolution. Suspected violations reported to the Honor Council by a student or by an instructor will be investigated and, if the evidence warrants, a hearing will be held by a board composed of five members of the Honor Council.

Any appeal of an action taken by the Honor Council shall be submitted to the University Judicial Council in writing no later than four calendar days (excluding school holidays) after notification of the Honor Council’s decision.

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