Student Life

Student Affairs

Office of the Dean of the College

The Vice President and Dean of the College, the chief student affairs officer, focuses on the overall personal and educational development of students as well as the integration of Colgate’s academic and campus life programs.

The departments within the Office of the Dean of the College provide holistic opportunities for students to develop ways of learning and living that are characteristic of a residential liberal arts education, guided by intellectualism, citizenship, accountability, diversity and inclusion, personal growth and wellness, and a lifelong connection to Colgate. 

Each student has access to an administrative dean who assists with personal and/or academic matters and provides information about the many support resources available at Colgate. These services include support for students admitted to Colgate through the Office of Undergraduate Scholars Programs and the First@Colgate program. In addition, the Office of International Student Services provides immigration and cultural adjustment support. The Office of Student Conduct is responsible for educating students about the expectations of living within a scholar community and for holding members of the community accountable and responsible for the choices they make.

Health, wellness and safety services support students with a variety of psychological and physical health concerns and with maintaining their overall health and well-being through Counseling and Psychological Services, Haven, Student Health Services, and the Shaw Wellness Institute. The Office of Campus Safety supports safety on campus. More specialized campus safety and preparedness is the responsibility of the Emergency Management and Environmental Health and Safety departments.

The Office of Residential Life supports students’ personal growth by providing residential and living-learning experiences that fosters a welcoming, enriching, and supportive community throughout their college years. Students’ residential experiences begin with orientation programs and membership in a Residential Commons, which establishes a strong foundation for scholarship and community through their first and second year, with the support of the First and Second Year Experience and Community Development Office.

Opportunities for student engagement and leadership are available through the ALANA Cultural Center, Office of the Chaplains, the office of Student Involvement (OSI), Office of Fraternity and Sorority Advising, LGBTQ+ Initiatives, the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE), and the Shaw Wellness Institute. These departments benefit from working closely together and with the guidance and leadership of the Dean of Students.

Career Services is a comprehensive center of career development support that empowers students to engage in strategic exploration and preparation in order to pursue a breadth of professional interests. The University’s four-year plan – starting in students’ first semester – provides students with a helpful structure to navigate this process while ensuring an individualized approach to meeting students’ unique needs.

Administrative Deans

Colgate has a wide range of educational opportunities and the University assigns an administrative dean and a faculty academic adviser to provide guidance.

Working collaboratively with faculty to address needs holistically, administrative deans assist students with interpretation of the University’s policies and procedures, as well as with questions pertaining to graduation requirements, leaves of absence, disciplinary matters, or emergencies or problems that may affect the quality of their academic work. Administrative deans are also available to assist with personal issues and may, at the request of the student, contact others in the Colgate community or elsewhere who may be better positioned to assist depending on the situation.

First@Colgate

Each year Colgate has the privilege of engaging with over 400 first-generation students that have chosen to pursue the opportunity for higher education at Colgate University. First@Colgate recognizes there may be unique challenges of being the first in one’s family to graduate from a four-year institution, the first to earn an undergraduate degree from an American institution of higher education or perhaps the first to navigate a more traditional path toward a bachelor’s degree. Committed to ensuring that students have the necessary resources, experiences and support to help them thrive at Colgate and beyond, First@Colgate provides a range of support for first-generation students. First@Colgate works in collaboration with campus partners to provide a variety of workshops and activities to ease the transition to college, to promote holistic wellbeing and to help first-generation students navigate college life. Through participation in First@Colgate, students are able to build community with peers, faculty and staff to form a network of support for the duration of their undergraduate careers.

International Student Services

The Office of International Student Services (OISS) understands that studying at Colgate as an international student may present unique opportunities and challenges, from immigration concerns to adjusting to life in a new culture and everything in between. OISS is committed to thoughtfully supporting the international student community from the time of admission to graduation and, working closely with campus partners to ensure a smooth and successful transition to student life in the United States. Some of the regulatory services provided are F-1 student immigration advising and support, SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) administration, and compliance with Federal Immigration Regulations. Additionally, students are supported through an international student orientation, cultural adjustment support, campus programs and events, international student storage and library and coordination of meals and activities during breaks. OISS is located in the Center for International Programs in McGregory Hall.

Office of Student Involvement

The Office of Student Involvement (OSI) supports Colgate’s commitment to extending liberal arts learning beyond the classroom. Its mission is to foster student-centered programming that creates a healthy and vibrant campus culture for all students. OSI advises students and organizations in planning educational and social events, facilitates collaboration between campus stakeholders, and promotes student leadership education and skill development. OSI provides resources and training for student leaders and group and organization advisers.

OSI partners with students to enrich the social, cultural, physical, and intellectual experience of life at Colgate. Emphasis is placed on understanding, appreciating, and engaging the rich diversity of interests and experiences in the Colgate community. Students are encouraged to take on membership in student organizations, and their initiatives are supported through coaching and mentoring in leadership and organizational management. OSI facilitates programs that challenge and support Colgate students in the development of important competencies. The function of the office is not only to produce high quality, inclusive programming, but also to provide the resources and support that enable students to pursue their interests and accomplish their goals. OSI also supports the student transition into the University and coordinates New Student Orientation.

Student Organizations

Colgate students have the opportunity to join more than 150 recognized student organizations. Some are purely co-curricular; others are related to specific aspects of the academic program or professional development. With the exception of fraternities and sororities, which have selective memberships, all student organizations are open to any student, although some are honoraries where membership is by invitation and voluntary. If students have interests that are not represented among the existing recognized student organizations, there is an opportunity to create a new organization. The ALANA Cultural Center, Office of the Chaplains, Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE), the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Advising, the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), and LGBTQ+ Initiatives are the coordinating departments for the majority of student organizations.

Opportunities for engagement include the following:

• Colgate Speaking Union – public oratory skills through debate teams, mock trials, Model UN
• Creative and Performing Arts – dance, student theater, and a cappella groups
• Cultural Engagement – celebrating diverse heritages, creating change
• Entrepreneurship – launching ventures
• Entertainment – spread joy and laughter
• Faith-based and Spiritual – practice faith, or explore new beliefs
• Fraternities and Sororities – lifelong community, service
• LGBTQ+ – building community, connections, and opportunities for outreach
• Outdoor Recreation – embrace adventure, recreational winter sports 
• Peer Education – opportunities to educate one’s peers through wellness, Haven, or other departments
• Professional Development – exploring options and preparing for success, pre-career engagement
• Politics – political debate and civic engagement
• Publications and Media – including the nation’s oldest weekly newspaper, WRCU radio, and and Colgate University TV
• Student Government Association – represent your campus community
• Sustainability – help steward the earth’s resources
• Volunteerism – making a difference locally and globally
• Wellness – promote a holistic lifestyle

Club sports and Outdoor Recreation are listed under “Athletics and Recreation.”

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association (SGA) is comprised of elected student representatives from each class representing their interests to the larger Colgate community and administration. Among other rights listed in the SGA constitution, every Colgate student has the right to vote, run for a position, and join recognized organizations. The elected officials of SGA are charged with improving campus life by promoting student concerns.

The SGA executive group is composed of the president, vice president, speaker of the senate, the parliamentarian, liaison to student organizations, and the treasurer, and senate-approved ad hoc positions. The president and vice president are the primary figures representing the SGA and its members to the administration, the faculty, trustees, alumni, and outside parties. Additionally, the president chairs SGA executive meetings that provide the forum for collaboration between the branches of student government and set the agenda for Senate meetings.

The SGA legislature is composed of the senate, speaker of the senate, parliamentarian, treasurer, and liaison to student organizations. The senate consists of 40 senators, 10 elected by each class. The senate holds weekly meetings to consider matters concerning the entire Colgate community. All meetings are open to the student body and all students are encouraged to attend. The Budget Allocations Committee (BAC) distributes the revenue from the student activities fee and meets weekly to hear funding requests from student organizations.

ALANA Cultural Center

The ALANA Cultural Center fosters understanding and appreciation of Africana, Latin American, Asian American, and Native American cultures and accomplishments. Sponsoring extensive educational, social development, leadership, and cultural awareness programming throughout the year, the Center collaborates with multicultural student organizations, various departments on campus, the Alumni of Color organization (AOC), and academic programs concerned with multicultural issues, cultural resilience, and self-advocacy and education. The ALANA Cultural Center designs and organizes programs and training, including those that aim to build the skills, strengths of self-advocacy, and knowledge to navigate their experiences to help students from historically underrepresented groups thrive. The Center promotes community-building and collaborative initiatives among cultural identities on campus and works with student groups to celebrate six heritage month celebrations, including but not limited to LatinX/Hispanic Heritage, Native American, Black History, Caribbean, Women’s, and Asian/ Asian Pacific Islander heritage month celebrations. Each year, the Center organizes approximately 100 programs and collaborates with more than 30 campus partners.

ALANA Cultural Center supports students’ personal, social, leadership and identity development efforts through individualized training and workshops for student groups and leaders. The Center extends its educational approaches through the work of ALANA Social Justice Peer Educators, Intergroup Dialogue Interns, and ALANA Student Ambassadors, including the ALANA-Palooza, Jamboree, MLK Week, Social Justice Peer Education, and the annual Social Justice Summit.

LGBTQ+ Initiatives

The Office of LGBTQ+ Initiatives enhances campus inclusion and provides support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer, and ally students, staff, and faculty through intellectual and leadership development, community building, outreach, and visibility. The office is located in the Center for Women’s Studies in East Hall. Regardless of identity, all students are welcome in the space. Annual programs include LGBTQ+ History Month, Intersex Day of Awareness, Transgender Day of Remembrance, QueerFest, Pride Walk, International Pronouns Day, a series of events for non-binary individuals and allies, Aromantic Awareness Week, Sex Museum, Safe Zone Trainings, and Lavender Graduation.

The COVE

The Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (the COVE) is Colgate’s center for service, citizenship, and community building, fostering commitment to social responsibility and civic engagement within the Colgate community. The COVE supports 38 student-led community-based teams (volunteer groups); offers paid office student interns and literacy tutoring positions in local elementary schools; offers alternative break service opportunities; serves as a resource to the faculty for developing and teaching service-learning courses; sponsors an internship program; offers a pre-orientation service program; leads voter education and voter registration efforts on campus; participates in campus life initiatives; offers topical, skill-based learning opportunities; raises awareness for local, national, and global social issues; and provides programming in social change–oriented career choices. The COVE includes a lounge, conference room, and staff offices.

Fraternity and Sorority Advising

With a history dating back to 1856, Colgate currently recognizes five national fraternities and three national sororities. Fraternities and sororities emphasize shared values and responsibilities, provide leadership opportunities, create life-long friendships, and allow members to live together in chapter houses owned by the University. Fraternities and sororities at Colgate are advised by professional staff members and receive guidance and support from their national headquarters as well as from their organizations’ alumni advisers. Affiliation with these organizations may occur during the sophomore year.

Nearly all students who join a fraternity or sorority blend their involvement with other extracurricular and athletic activities, undergraduate research, and/or employment.

University policies regarding the recognition of fraternities and sororities conduct and membership can be found in the Colgate University Student Handbook.

The Office of the Chaplains

The college years are often when people begin shaping and refining their fundamental life commitments. The Office of the Chaplains serves the Colgate community by cultivating strong, active faith communities and providing a dynamic, friendly, and supportive place in which students can seek answers to life’s biggest questions. Students are encouraged to become the best versions of themselves, growing as people of integrity and commitment. It is the hope that, through participation in Colgate’s religious communities, students will be brought to a greater understanding of and fidelity toward their own traditions.

Interfaith partnership is a strongly held value at Colgate. The interfaith dynamic recognizes substantive differences while also promoting respect and friendship across religious lines. Since college provides significant opportunities to explore the ways in which others make sense of the world, the chaplaincy program promotes interfaith understanding and cooperation.

In embracing Colgate’s motto, “For God and Truth,” the Office of the Chaplains works collaboratively with members of Colgate’s faculty and staff to provide students with intellectually robust ways to integrate their religious and ethical commitments with their academic pursuits.

The Colgate Buddhist Community meets regularly for meditation. The organization collaborates with faculty and staff members and the group facilitates discussions on Buddhist thought and how to integrate the teachings into the lives of busy college students.

Colgate Christian Fellowship, the student-led chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, maintains close relationships with churches in the area as well as the Colgate chaplains. The CCF sponsors weekly large-group meetings, regular small-group bible study, speakers, social events, and service projects.

The Colgate Newman Community is centered in the celebration of the Eucharist and seeks to create a faithful Catholic community on campus. It has four primary concerns: the worship of Jesus Christ, service and hospitality to the needy, education and spiritual formation, and building community through social activities.

The Hindu Student Association gives Hindu students an opportunity to observe their religion and provides the community a chance to learn more about Hinduism. In addition to regular prayer meetings, the HSA celebrates Hindu holidays, including organizing an annual Diwali festival with prayers and festivities.

The Colgate Jewish Union is a student-led organization that promotes Jewish religious, intellectual, and cultural life. The Saperstein Jewish Center houses kosher kitchens, a library of Judaica, and a lounge space. It is also home to a sanctuary where students lead services and prepare Shabbat dinner weekly.

The Muslim Student Association provides an opportunity for Muslim students to worship, to socialize, and to educate themselves and others about Islam. The student-led group holds regular Friday Jummah prayers, Quranic study, Eid celebrations and iftar meals, halal dinners, film screenings, discussions, and excursions. The Muslim Prayer Room with male and female wudu stations, located at 110 Broad/Interfaith House, is available to all Muslim students, staff, and faculty. To request GateCard access please email the chaplains office at chaplainsoffice@colgate.edu.

University Church, Colgate’s Protestant community, is committed to embodying the diversity of the Body of Christ by celebrating a range of worship styles and ministry emphases. Worship is followed by dinner together. Music is rich and varied, preaching is biblically centered, and the Lord’s Supper is celebrated regularly. Led by the Protestant Campus Minister, University Church life includes Bible study lunches, speakers, social events, and service projects.

The Secular Association of Skeptical Students seeks to alleviate the stigma against non-theists by promoting education, cooperation, community service, and active involvement in the interfaith movement at Colgate. Through philosophical discussion and guest speaker events, students have an opportunity to add their non-religious views to the interfaith discussion.

Colgate Christian Athletes supports students as they strive to live a Christian life at Colgate and for those who simply wish to inquire about the Christian faith. The group meets weekly, led by the Protestant Campus Minister.

Heretics Club is a lunchtime discussion series meant to elevate the conversation on campus about life’s “big questions.” Through lectures and discussions among a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students, the series demonstrates that people of different religious convictions and worldviews can have meaningful and productive conversations about ultimate ideas. 

Weekly Reflections is a morning program featuring faculty, staff, and student speakers providing their thoughts on matters of personal significance.

Area congregations Students are also welcome to worship with area congregations. Please consult the Chaplains’ Office for a complete list.

Student Services

Integrated Health and Wellness

Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Haven, and the Shaw Wellness Institute work closely together to deliver high-quality health and wellness services to students. The collaboration between these departments offers holistic treatment and proactive measures in support of students’ success at Colgate.

Student Health Services

Student Health Services’ mission is to provide high-quality, confidential, and equitable healthcare and education to empower all students. Services include general medical treatment for minor injuries or surgery; acute and chronic medical conditions; sexual and reproductive health exams, testing, and treatment; mental health and gender-affirming care; immunizations; allergy injections; and travel counseling. Mental health care services are provided in collaboration with Counseling and Psychological Services and Mantra Health, a telepsychiatry provider.

Student Health Services is staffed by a full-time physician/director, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and a team of nurses and administrative staff during business hours, held each weekday and during limited hours on Saturdays (except during University holidays and recesses). Urgent care and emergency room services are available locally through Community Memorial Hospital. 

Student Health Services adheres to New York State Health FERPA regulations and NY State Public Health laws and regulations. Medical information is strictly confidential and may be released only with the written or verbal permission of the student, unless required by law. The medical record is not accessible to anyone other than the professional staff of Student Health Services and other Colgate medical professionals. In case of a serious medical emergency, a student’s emergency contacts and the students administrative dean will be notified.

Medical Coverage Students with pre-existing health problems, injuries, or disabilities are invited to contact the director of health services to discuss their health needs and the availability of local or out-of-town services. Students are responsible for providing transportation to healthcare facilities outside of Colgate.

The university requires students to carry acceptable health insurance. Colgate offers a health care plan that is available for all students through Haylor, Freyor, & Coon. Visits or consultations at Student Health Services are free. There may be some charges related to on-site testing and medication dispensing.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Counseling and Psychological Services, located in Conant House, is staffed by psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors representing a wide range of backgrounds, training, and professional interests. Students are offered counsel on a variety of psychological, interpersonal, and academic problems that may interfere with educational and/or personal development.

Information shared by students during counseling is held in the strictest confidence and will not be communicated by staff members to anyone unless requested by the student, required by law, or in order to avoid what appears to be a clear and imminent danger to the student or others. Information would be released only after careful deliberation and then only to appropriate persons.

Individual and group psychotherapy and counseling are provided free of charge. In addition, outreach programs (addressing a variety of issues including eating disorders, stress management, and relationship concerns), emergency services, crisis intervention, and consultation are offered to individuals and student groups.

Services are available during business hours while Colgate is in session. Emergency services are available for after hours and weekends throughout the year.

Students with pre-existing conditions are invited to contact counseling and psychological services staff to discuss their needs and the availability of local or nearby services.

Haven

Haven, located in the garden level of Curtis Hall, is Colgate’s sexual assault resource center. Professional staff at Haven provide confidential trauma-informed clinical care for survivors of sexual assault and other forms of partner violence. Services include individual counseling, group therapy, consultation, and crisis intervention, as well as sexual assault awareness, prevention, and educational outreach and programming in collaboration with on- and off-campus partners.

Shaw Wellness Institute

The Shaw Wellness Institute promotes the holistic development of students, encouraging them and other members of the Colgate community to lead healthy, balanced, and purposeful lives. The institute’s work includes the identification and prioritization of health issues that impact student success; individualized services for alcohol and other drugs and nutrition; resources and support for students managing disordered eating, body image, or eating disorders; skills-based workshops and training on a range of health-related behaviors; peer-led health education; coaching and bystander intervention workshops; and collaboration with campus partners on wellness programs and services.

First and Second Year Experience and Community Development

A student’s first and second year experience at Colgate should be one that creates inclusive environments where students explore opportunities for growth, engage in meaningful shared experiences, and thrive as self-directed learners.   

We empower students to make the most of their time and to find a home within their Commons Residential Community at Colgate. The Office of Student Involvement (OSI) coordinates a robust and comprehensive complement of programs to support students transitioning into and becoming established members of the university community.  Throughout the first and second years at Colgate students will have the opportunity to heighten their sense of belonging, navigate campus resources, foster their intellectual curiosity, engage with staff and faculty, prioritize well-being, and create lifelong friendships.

Residential Life

A four year residential liberal arts education furthers civic engagement, respect for all aspects of diversity and inclusion, belonging in community, intellectual engagement, and living with integrity.

Colgate’s residential environment supports students’ formal education through experiential and co-curricular experiences, centering the student as an author and co-constructor of learning. The space provided for residential students to grow and learn are rooted in the ideas of critical thought and civic discourse steeped in academic tradition. The Office of Residential Life strives to create experiences that will foster student personal development and cognitive growth as a result of living in our residential community.

The communities within student living areas offer a variety of experiences. These experiences include:

• Residential Commons - Each of the four Commons is a community within which students live for their first two years, and with which they continue to affiliate throughout their four years on campus. 

• Sophomore residential seminars — academic courses with a housing and international travel component

• Theme Housing - communities with a specified scholarly or personal interests. Engagement and experiential learning in the community is centered on the theme of the community.

• Interest Groups - students can form groups around a topic in order to further learn skills, center academic thought, or engage in civic discourse around a common topic.

• Opportunities to live in community as part of a fraternity or sorority

• Residences offering junior and senior students more independence

Community leaders live in residence and assist the Office of Residential Life with the fulfillment of the departmental mission. Community Leaders foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our residential students. They develop one-on-one relationships with their residents and help them make connections with fellow peers, faculty, and staff on Colgate’s campus. Community Leaders create a supportive, engaging environment for all residents with attentiveness to safety and security. They serve as role models, are effective listeners and excellent resources, demonstrate pride in their communities, and care for their residents.

Colgate provides vibrant and diverse options for campus living, including traditional residence halls, thematic communities, townhouses, and apartment complexes. The university housing agreement is for a period of one academic year. Students are expected to live on-campus for all four years of their undergraduate experience. A very limited number of seniors are granted approval to live in private off-campus housing.

The Office of Residential Life is committed to student learning and growth and to promoting a purposeful and inclusive environment through shared expectations. This is accomplished by promoting healthy, safe communities where individual members are valued and respected; fostering personal growth and success; and challenging and supporting students in making meaningful and responsible contributions to society. The department is managed by the Director of Residential Life and is staffed by residential life professionals who provide guidance and support to all students.

Each living community on campus is overseen by an Area Director for Residential Life who is responsible for its overall operation, including staff and resource management, community development, and administrative functions. The Community Leaders (student staff members) serve as mentors and sources of information to assist students in making their Colgate experience as fulfilling as possible.

Residential Commons

The Residential Commons program at Colgate seeks to infuse intellectual engagement and community development into the residential experience. All first and second-year students live in one of four Residential Commons, each with its own unique personality and characteristics, under the leadership of faculty and staff directors and affiliated faculty members. Upper-level students maintain an affiliation with their respective Commons for life, whether formally, by continuing to live within the Residential Commons or its social house, or informally through mentoring opportunities and participation in events and programs. Through the Residential Commons program, Residential Life and the Dean of the College Division in partnership with faculty and the Dean of the Faculty Division, strive to provide students with a home away from home that is rich with opportunities for intellectual and social engagement and reflects the academic rigor of the classroom and the sense of belonging students feel across the University.

The residential facilities that comprise each Residential Commons are as follows: Brown Commons: Andrews, Burke, East, Gate House, and 100 Hamilton Street; Ciccone Commons: Curtis and Drake; Hancock Commons: Bryan Complex and 113 Broad Street; Dart Colegrove Commons: Pinchin, Stillman, and West.

Sophomore Residential Seminars

Sophomore Residential Seminars (SRS) are a unique and immersive living-learning experience during the sophomore year. SRS students have opportunities to build deep academic communities based on common interests and sustained interactions with SRS faculty members and guest speakers in their living communities. Students selected for the SRS program live among members of their class and reside together in a larger Residential Commons, enriching the intellectual engagement within that community. The capstone experience is a 7-10 day trip in January or May that extends the academic experience out of the classroom and into the real world.

Theme Housing

One of the attractive features of Residential Life at Colgate is the opportunity to live in small, self-governed communities in which students have specified scholarly or personal interests. Engagement and experiential learning in the community is centered on the theme of the community. Some of these communities have strong links to academic departments and faculty mentors. Colgate also offers opportunities for small groups of students interested in living together. All provide students with opportunities for growth, leadership, and community.

Theme housing offers diverse housing options such as La Casa, Afrikan Diaspora, The Loj, Creative Arts Society, Interfaith, Pink Haus, and Asia Interest House. 

Fraternities and Sororities

The residence halls that house the eight recognized fraternity and sorority chapters are owned by the University, and their residents are held to the same high standards as students residing in other living units. Each chapter house is managed by the Office of Residential Life and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Advising. Seven of the chapters employ chefs that provide meals to all chapter members. Each chapter has a chapter meal plan that is a requirement of organizational membership. Juniors and seniors of each organization are eligible to live in the chapter facility.

University Apartments and Townhouses

Colgate manages and maintains three apartment complexes (Newell, Parker, and University Court) and a townhouse complex that accommodate juniors and seniors. The units are furnished and have complete kitchens. While first-year and sophomore students are required to be on a Colgate meal plan, junior and senior residents, who reside in these apartments, typically do their own cooking, although they are also welcome to purchase dining hall meal plans.

Meal Plans

First-year and sophomore students are required to be on the most comprehensive meal plan offered. Juniors and seniors may choose from a variety of meal plan options, or can forego a meal plan altogether. All meal plans provide flexibility for use in any of the dining facilities, at a wide variety of times.

Off-Campus Housing

Consistent with its four-year approach to residential education, Colgate students are required to live on-campus for all four years. Colgate does allow a small number, approximately 30% of the senior class, to live in private off-campus apartments and other housing units. The option to live independently off campus provides students with the opportunity to develop the skills needed to manage a household, live as part of a broader community, and to accept the responsibilities attendant to this privilege. The experiences that students gather through negotiating a lease, paying rent, managing routine expenses, cooking for themselves, and living among neighbors of varied ages and backgrounds can be invaluable in preparing them for life after college.

Because the residential campus experience is a core component of Colgate’s educational model, the University limits the number of students allowed to live off campus. Seniors who wish to live off campus must apply to the Office of Residential Life, which after a conduct eligibility review, will facilitate a lottery process to determine the recipients of the small number of off-campus spaces available.

University Governance

The University Governance System

An Academic Affairs Board and a Student Affairs Board, both of which are composed of faculty members, students, and administrators, participate in the development of policies concerning academic and extracurricular life. In addition, several liaison committees that report to the faculty and Student Senate act in an advisory capacity to members of the president’s cabinet.

The faculty and the Student Senate may review decisions of the Academic and Student Affairs Boards, hear regular reports from the liaison committees that affect their principal areas of interest, and also recommend that the boards and committees act in any area under their jurisdiction.

University Code of Student Conduct

Students at Colgate University accept membership in an academic community dedicated to the pursuit of intellectual and personal growth. As a liberal arts institution, Colgate seeks to provide opportunities for students, both inside and outside the classroom, to develop critical thinking, integrity, judgment, a common experience of learning, and appreciation of cultural and ethnic diversity, as well as the social and ethical values necessary for community life.

Colgate expects that its students will not lie, steal, cheat, or engage in dishonest or unlawful behavior, including behavior that damages University property, the personal property of another individual, public property, or any other behavior that inflicts physical or emotional harm on oneself, another person, or the community. In addition, students will not engage in behaviors that impede other students’ opportunity to learn, or a faculty member’s ability to teach, or that interferes with the academic objectives of the University. Colgate students must abide by all University policies and procedures and comply with directions of University officials acting in performance of their duties.

The System of University Standards and Student Conduct resolves possible violations of the University Code of Student Conduct by matriculated or enrolled Colgate students on or off campus. It is not a substitute for any civil or criminal court proceedings. Students on campus, as well as off campus, are subject to federal, state, and local laws.

As part of its disciplinary structure, Colgate maintains a University Student Conduct Board composed of students, faculty members, and administrators. It hears cases involving violations of the University Code of Student Conduct.

The procedures and rules for student discipline are published in the Colgate Student Handbook.

Academic Honor Code

The Colgate Student Handbook outlines Colgate’s standards of academic integrity and the Academic Honor Code. The handbook defines academic dishonesty and outlines how cases of suspected academic dishonesty are reported, investigated, and resolved.

Campus Safety

Colgate’s Campus Safety department is committed to maintaining the safety and security of the campus community in a caring, respectful, and professional manner. The team actively builds community with students on campus while taking seriously its mission to keep students and the campus community safe. 

Campus Safety is always operational, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and occasions when the University is closed, conducting continuous patrols of campus buildings and grounds, by vehicle, foot and bicycle. Campus Safety personnel are licensed New York State security guards; they are not police officers and do not carry weapons. For police, fire and emergency medical response on and near the campus, Campus Safety works in close partnership with local and regional first responders, including the Hamilton Village Police, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Hamilton Fire Department and Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps (SOMAC).  

Visit the Campus Safety website for detailed information concerning safety and security services, resources and programming, including information on Gate cards, ID card access, parking, permitting and vehicle registration, and personal safety and emergency readiness resources such as: Colgate’s Safety Preparedness Guide (important guidance for a wide range of emergency situations); Colgate ALERT (the University’s mass emergency notification system); and, the Colgate Guardian app (a direct connection to campus safety, Colgate services, support and resources, anonymous reporting, a safety walk timer, and more).

Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Your Right to Know)

 The Higher Education Act (HEA), as amended in July 2010 by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), specifies campus safety reporting and disclosure requirements. Colgate meets these requirements by way of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. In compliance with federal requirements mandated by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act [20 USC 1092(f)], the Campus Safety department is responsible for preparing, publishing, and distributing the report by October 1 of each year for the purpose of disclosing and disseminating certain information regarding campus safety and security; crime reporting, disclosure, and statistics; fire protection systems and fire statistics; emergency management; and campus safety and security policies and procedures. Find the publication at colgate.edu/clery-compliance or request a hard copy from Campus Safety at -315-228-7333. Colgate submits crime statistics to the U.S. Department of Education through a web-based data collection system that can be viewed at ope.ed.gov/security. 

Emergency Management

Colgate’s Emergency Management program is designed to maximize emergency preparedness, fortify community safety, preserve university property, restore normal operations in the event of an emergency, and provide responsive communications to all appropriate parties. This program is also intended to ensure full compliance with applicable local, state, and federal life safety regulations and cooperation with relevant public agencies charged with disaster control.

The program includes general campus safety advisories; emergency communication systems; locations of all emergency telephones, automated external defibrillators and aid stations; fire alarm inspection and testing, Keltron fire alarm supervising station, and the Emergency Response Plan (ERP). The ERP provides the basic framework for the university’s emergency response and incident command. It applies to all units of the university and may be activated in the event of campus, local, regional, or national emergencies. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is composed of cross divisional staff and supports the Incident Commander (IC) under the direction of the Executive Group (EG) to respond to emergencies.

Environmental Health and Safety

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) provides safety and advisory services to the entire campus community. EHS supports a safe learning, living, and working environment at Colgate University by promoting health, safety, and environmental protection through the development of comprehensive programs for training and consultation, risk evaluation and mitigation, emergency response, hazardous materials management, and regulatory compliance. 

EHS is committed to supporting a community where safety is valued and is seamlessly integrated into the work in our offices, shops, laboratories, and classrooms.

Athletics and Recreation

The Division of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics offers a stimulating and carefully planned variety of individual and team activities for the experienced, as well as inexperienced, participant. While Colgate’s varsity teams compete against some of the strongest teams in the nation, the intramural and club sports programs offer both competitive and noncompetitive recreational and instructional opportunities in extremely broad-based programs.

The campus governance system, through the Committee on Athletics, provides for faculty and student input into the varied programs of the Division of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics. The committee acts as an advisory body to the director of the division. Committee reports may go on to the Academic Affairs Board, faculty, or Student Senate.

Intercollegiate Athletics

Scope Colgate is a member of NCAA Division I and proud of its intercollegiate athletic traditions. The University has played an active and distinguished role in intercollegiate athletics since 1886 and currently fields teams in the following sports for men and women: basketball, cross country, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field; football and golf for men; and field hockey, softball, and volleyball for women. All teams compete in the Patriot League, with the exception of men’s and women’s ice hockey, which are members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, and men’s rowing, which is a member of the International Rowing Association.

Athletics Awards A varsity or a participation award is granted based on the number of years an athlete is a member of a varsity team.

The division recognizes outstanding scholar athletes through the Patriot League Conference and the Eastern College Athletic Conference. See also Honors and Awards: Athletics  for information about Colgate awards for scholar athletes.

Athletics Managers Students who enjoy affiliation with sports but are not members of varsity teams can pursue their interests in athletics by serving as managers.

Other Athletics Activities

Club Sports provide additional opportunities for involvement in sports, many of which are not normally offered through the intercollegiate varsity program. Competition is generally on a higher level than intramural sports, yet not as formal or intense as that at the varsity level.

The clubs are headed by student officers, and most are student coached. Although the University subsidizes these clubs, most require membership dues to help defray costs.

The following clubs are active at this time: badminton, baseball, women’s basketball, curling, cycling, equestrian (English and Western), fencing, field hockey, figure skating, golf, ice hockey, indoor rock climbing, juggling, lacrosse, martial arts (aikido, American karate, and tae kwon do), rugby, running, sailing, ski racing, soccer, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and water polo.

Intramural Sports at Colgate have a rich tradition. Many activities are offered throughout the academic year, ranging from team sports such as, basketball, billiards, broomball, dodgeball, flag football, ice hockey, indoor soccer, soccer, and softball, to individual or dual activities such as trap shooting and bowling.

In the team sports, round-robin competition is established within leagues, culminating in all-university championship playoffs for the top teams. In the individual and dual sports, either elimination tournaments or championship meets determine all-university champions. Fees are charged for bowling and trap shooting.

Informal Recreation Informal “drop-in” recreational time is made available so that students can participate at their leisure. Except for physical education classes, intercollegiate athletic practice times, and formal intramural time, most facilities are scheduled for open recreation. Popular activities include basketball, ice skating, racquetball, squash, swimming, tennis, and fitness training.

Fitness Fitness and wellness programming are in high demand at the state-of-the-art Trudy Fitness Center. Colgate offers a wide range of group exercise classes for all fitness levels. Group exercise classes are offered throughout the academic year and are a fun and social way to be physically active. Class offerings include yoga, indoor cycling, aerobics, Pilates, dance fitness and high intensity interval training. In addition, Colgate Recreation offers fitness center orientations, workshops on various health and fitness topics and personal training services. Personal training is a fee-based service and all Colgate Personal Trainers are certified professionals by an accredited organization.

Outdoor Education The mission of Colgate’s Outdoor Education Program is to provide the community with experiential opportunities that emphasize safety, environmental awareness, and technical skills, while promoting personal growth and group development through rediscovery of the natural world. Students may earn physical education credit for participation in outdoor education activities and courses. Outdoor education courses offered for physical education credit are noncompetitive in nature and are designed to meet the needs of beginning- and intermediate-level participants. Courses taught include flat and whitewater kayaking and canoeing; backpacking; Nordic skiing (classical, skate, and telemark); caving; rock, ice, and tree climbing; snowshoeing; wilderness survival; fly fishing; winter and summer camping; geocaching; peak and day hiking; and backcountry cooking.

The program also includes a selective and intensive leadership staff training program through which student leaders are taught technical outdoor skills, environmental education, safety awareness, and group facilitation skills. Staff training consists of classroom time and experiential outings, including camping trips to the Adirondacks and a Wilderness First Responder medical certification course.

For more information about the Outdoor Education Program and its offerings, see Physical Education.

Athletics Facilities

Abrahamson Tennis Courts

• Eight outdoor courts

Athletics Fields

• 400-meter all-weather track
• Andy Kerr Stadium and Frederick H. Dunlap Stands - varsity football and lacrosse
• Beyer-Small ‘76 Field
• Football practice fields
• Harry Lang Cross-Country and Fitness Trail
• Hooks Wiltse Field - varsity softball diamond
• Intramural and club fields
• Soccer practice fields
• Tyler’s Field - outdoor artificial surface practice and competition field, field hockey and lacrosse

The Beattie Reserve

• 85-acre wooded area with a mile-long nature trail for hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing; a 30-foot diameter yurt with woodstove and outhouse; and an Adirondack-style lean-to for camping, located near campus on Bonney Road

Class of 1965 Arena

• Steven J. Riggs ‘65 Rink
• Tighe P. Sullivan ‘83, P’16, ‘17, ‘19 Reception Suite
• Equipment and training rooms

Colgate University Seven Oaks Golf Course

• Practice range
• Robert Trent Jones championship course

Glendening Boathouse

• Home for varsity rowing programs and recreational sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and rowing on nearby Lake Moraine

Huntington Gymnasium

• Facilities for physical education classes, club and intramural sports, and recreation:
  • Angert Family Climbing Wall
  • Basketball/volleyball courts
  • Group Exercise Studios
  • Gymnasium
  • Huntington Equipment Services
  • Indoor Cycling Studio
  • Mark P. Buttitta ‘74 Varsity Weight Room
  • Martial Arts Studio
  • Persson Dance Studio
  • Sauna
  • Squash, handball, and racquetball courts

Harry H. Lang Cross-Country Course

• Intercollegiate cross-country course for men and women
• 10-km cross-country ski trail system

Grace L. Lineberry Natatorium

• An L-shaped, 50-meter, 6-lane pool, with a 50-yard competition area, one- and three-meter diving stations, and movable bulk-heads that allow the pool to be separated into three teaching areas

Outdoor Education Base Camp

• Classroom and meeting space for outdoor education courses and activities
• Outdoor equipment rental center with an extensive inventory of camping, backpacking, skiing, and snowshoeing equipment
• Resource library of maps, books, and videos

William A. Reid Athletic Center

• Geyer/Campbell Sports Medicine Center
• Howard Starr Hockey Rink
• Wesley M. Cotterell Court - basketball and volleyball

Charles H. Sanford Field House

• 200-meter track
• All-purpose practice surface
• Batting cages
• Doering First Aid Room
• Long- and high-jump areas
• Tennis courts - four indoor

Trap Range

• Trap range and club house facility

Trudy Fitness Center

• A state-of-the-art fitness center available to members of the campus and local community; with common space for exercise, wellness-related activity, and cardiovascular and strength equipment

ROTC Program

Students attending Colgate can participate in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) through a program administered at Syracuse University. ROTC offers two- to four-year programs with the opportunity for merit-based scholarships. For more information, call the Syracuse University ROTC program at 315-443-2462, or view information online at armyrotc.syr.edu.