STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The activities program and student organizations, which form an integral part of this program, constitute the best opportunities for students to achieve educational relevance in leisure time activities. Through participation in campus activities, students are provided with the opportunity to integrate the experiences of the classroom with everyday experiences of living and working in a society of people of varied interests, ideas, and values. The student activities program is therefore considered an extension of the classroom and hence an important part of the total educational program of the university.
There are over 100 student organizations recognized and active on the Loyola campus. They are classified in the following categories: academic and professional organizations, club sports, social fraternities, honorary fraternities and organizations, service organizations, social sororities, special interest organizations, and student communications media. A complete listing of all recognized organizations is contained in the Student Handbook.
The Office of Student Activities also serves as a communication link between the off-campus student population and university programs and services. Commuters comprise approximately 80 percent of the undergraduates, and the university recognizes its responsibility for responding to their unique needs. This office therefore provides an apartment listing service, locker rentals, literature on campus programs and services, and a session during orientation specifically for commuter students.
Communication is further enhanced by the publication of Loyola After Dark and the Commuter Connections. These publications are used to keep commuters in touch with Loyola life. This department also acts as an advocate for commuter concerns and needs to the university administration.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
The Student Government Association (SGA) consists of elected members representing the four colleges and the School of Law. The SGA acts as the voice of the student body to the university. Through this body, students act as members on most of the university committees in an effort to insure input in areas of student concern. The SGA enacts legislation, provides services, and assists student organizations through sponsorship and funding of events. Meetings of the SGA are held once a week and are open to all students and members of the university community. Freshmen have the opportunity for representation through special freshman elections held each fall semester. All freshmen are eligible to run for one of these elected positions.
UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMING BOARD
As a primary part of the development of the whole person, the University Programming Board (UPB) serves as a base for student interaction and involvement. The UPB is a student-run organization dedicated to providing educational, cultural, social, and recreational programs for the Loyola community.
Through activities such as outdoor movies, mini-music festivals, contemporary lectures, art gallery exhibitions, and performing arts, students can discover other cultures, learn about current events, and be exposed to aspects of life never imagined before. The six committees of the UPB have sponsored Asian New Year celebrations, virtual reality exhibits, student art showcases, prominent speakers, the Loyolapalooza Music Festival, and Loup Garou.
The UPB encourages students to get involved in the life of the campus. By doing so, students will broaden their leadership and communication skills and gain decision-making experiences they can apply to situations later in life.
THE UNIVERSITY CENTER AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The Joseph A. Danna Center is the university center for Loyola University. Its mission is to provide services, facilities, and programs for the entire university community. Objectives established for the university center by the Danna Center Advisory Board aim at making it a campus center where all members of the university can meet, formally and informally; provide services and facilities to the university; complementing the educational goals of Loyola by providing cultural, social, and recreational programs; and maintaining the center as an open forum where all sides of issues may be discussed.
The University Programming Board is the campus-wide programming entity responsible for delivering the cultural, social, and recreational programs for the university. This organization, whose membership consists of student volunteers, establishes a vital link to quality out-of-classroom experiences.
The facilities of the Joseph A. Danna Center provide the environment for the University Programming Board, the Student Government Association, and student organizational activities. In addition to containing food services, a bookstore, lounges, Student Affairs offices, meeting rooms, student organization offices, an art gallery, a service mall, and recreational areas are located in the center.
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
The Department of Recreational Sports provides opportunities for Loyola students, employees, and alumni to participate in competitive and noncompetitive, organized and informal sports and fitness activities. It is the express purpose of Recreational Sports to meet the diverse needs of the university community with a broad-based, comprehensive program including intramural sports, extramural sports, club sports, noncredit instructional programs, open recreation, and special interest programs. Students participating in all sports are responsible for ensuring that they are medically able to withstand the rigors of the physical activity in which they plan to engage. Likewise, all students should have sufficient personal injury insurance in the event of an accident.
The Recreational Sports Complex is a multipurpose sports facility which includes: courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball, badminton, soccer, and floor hockey; racquetball courts; an Olympic-style natatorium for swimming and diving; a whirlpool; a suspended jogging track; a weight-lifting/conditioning area; and the Loyola Athletic Hall of Fame. It also has locker rooms, each with a sauna and steam room. Students are admitted free with their university ID card and may purchase memberships for immediate family members.
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
The Loyola Wolfpack intercollegiate athletic program competes in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), Division I, as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Loyola currently fields teams in the following sports: men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, baseball, women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. By a student referendum conducted in 1991, the program is financially supported by a student fee dedicated to the intercollegiate athletic program. Loyola offers athletic scholarships in men’s and women’s basketball.
CENTER FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Center for Student Leadership Development offers a wide variety of opportunities for students interested in developing and/or refining skills in leadership. Organizational Leadership is offered through special studies, as theoretical and experiential academic courses for the Emerging Leaders Program. The Resident Assistant Preparation course is offered to students serving as resident assistants in the residence halls, and a practicum in higher education is offered to students interested in working in student affairs as a career opportunity.
Workshops on issues affecting student leaders, skill development, and programming are offered throughout the year. An annual regional student leadership conference is held each spring and the Student Leadership Recognition Banquet is held in April.
The Student Development Transcript program is used to officially document student’s involvement in leadership when applying for professional or graduate school or for a professional job. More information can be obtained about any of the center’s offerings by calling the Office of Student Affairs at (504) 865-3030.