Student Life
Notre Dame offers its students a quality education, made possible by an excellent faculty, advanced research facilities, experienced administration, and a well-developed educational philosophy. Education here also extends far beyond coursework and research to students’ development and formation grounded in the University’s Catholic, Holy Cross mission, which seeks to educate both the mind and the heart.
The Division of Student Affairs exists to enrich the experience of all Notre Dame students by offering services, resources, and engagement opportunities designed to develop students to their full potential as individuals, community members, and future leaders in the Church, society, and world.
Comprised of six areas, the Division coordinates University programs and resources that promote community, faith, wellness, belonging, service, engagement, and discernment on behalf of the University’s student body.
Residential Life
Residential life is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Notre Dame experience. At Notre Dame, residential life is designed to form undergraduate communities that are inclusive of all members; dedicated to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of each individual; and characterized by a collective sense of care and concern for the common good and service to others. The residence halls also form the base of many students’ spiritual, athletic, social, and volunteer service activities.
Each of Notre Dame’s 33 undergraduate residential communities has an atmosphere and character of its own. Unique traditions in each hall generate a feeling of loyalty and camaraderie among its residents. Well-trained rectors, assistant rectors, and senior resident assistants provide multiple layers of pastoral care for the students who call a Notre Dame residence hall “home.”
First-year students, sophomores, and juniors are required to live on campus for six semesters. Study abroad facilitated through Notre Dame Global automatically counts toward the fulfillment of the six-semester expectation, with other exceptions considered on an individual basis. Several hall leadership roles, along with incentives to stay in the halls, are available to seniors.
Spiritual Life
Notre Dame is a professedly Catholic place, which means—at its core—all are welcome. Beliefs are strengthened by a commitment to God, to one another, and to the human family in love and service while at Notre Dame and throughout life.
Campus Ministry is rooted in the Catholic tradition and inspired by the charism and spirituality of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and works to bring education, the Catholic faith, and the hope of the Cross to students and the broader Notre Dame community. The office is dedicated to inspiring students to engage others about their faith and discovering their gifts for exercising leadership while at Notre Dame and within the wider Church. The office ministers faithfully and fervently to all students, regardless of denomination, faith tradition, or level of education at the University.
Campus Ministry encourages participation in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church; offers opportunities for small group discussions, pilgrimages, retreats, and service; aids in personal and vocational discernment; supports worship and personal prayer; and provides pastoral care.
Health and Wellness
Student Health and Wellness supports the Holy Cross tradition of wellness with premiere services, resources, and education to promote the development of healthy students and to foster campus well-being. Centers, offices, and initiatives that help the area to achieve its mission include University Health Services, the University Counseling Center, the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being, and the Center for Student Support and Care, which includes both the Care and Wellness Consultants and Sara Bea Accessibility Services.
Career and Professional Development
The Meruelo Family Center for Career Development coordinates career-related services for students as well as prospective employers. Services include career coaching and development, self-assessments, workshops, career fairs, and mock interviews. Students are encouraged to begin visiting early in their years at Notre Dame to begin discerning their futures.
Diversity and Engagement
The area of Diversity and Engagement aims to nurture belonging and inclusion among all students while further engaging underrepresented voices throughout the Notre Dame community.
Comprised of the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Multicultural Student Programs and Services, the Gender Relations Center, and the Office of Student Enrichment, the area exists to serve a diverse student population at Notre Dame by providing mentoring opportunities, peer engagement, and resources in support of the University’s Catholic, Holy Cross mission.
Student Development
The area of Student Development supports the growth and formation of Notre Dame students through a wide range of programs, services, facilities, and activities that encourage healthy behaviors and the cultivation of community.
Departments that make up this area are the Family Resource Center, University Bands, the Office of Community Standards, RecSports, the Student Activities Office, and Student Media.
Clubs and Organizations
Notre Dame has over 500 student clubs and organizations for interested students, which encompass academic, athletic, cultural, performing arts, social service, and special interest pursuits.
Student Government
The unique blend of elements that gives the Notre Dame community its identity has shaped the character of the student government.
The greatest influence on the student government is the system of residence halls, which not only provides students with a place to live, but also serves as the principal center for social interaction on campus. Each hall has its own government, consisting of a hall president, vice president, cabinet, and judicial board, which works in cooperation with the hall staff to develop the best possible environment for its residents.
The relatively simple structure of the student government has evolved gradually in response to changing attitudes and needs of the student body. At the head of the student government is its chief executive officer, the student body president. Although the duties of the job have tended to vary with the priorities of each officeholder, in general, the president represents the interests of the student body in all areas of life at Notre Dame.
The most representative student government groups are the Hall Presidents’ Council and the Student Senate, both of which meet weekly to discuss the various aspects of University life and coordinate activities among the halls and across campus.
The Campus Life Council was created by the University’s Board of Trustees to allow for discussion among students, faculty, and administrators concerning life on campus. The council is empowered to pass resolutions recommending student life policy changes to the administration.
The programming arm of the Student Senate at Notre Dame is the Student Union Board. This board coordinates such events as lectures, plays, concerts, movies, and more.
Student Conduct
A Catholic university is a society composed of students, faculty, and staff whose primary purpose is the pursuit of Christian wisdom. The society can exist only in an atmosphere of responsibility and good order. The University seeks, therefore, to provide those conditions and opportunities best suited for educating students.
Students registering at the University of Notre Dame agree to abide by the regulations concerning student conduct set forth in du Lac, A Guide to Student Life. du Lac is available online at dulac.nd.edu.
The University reserves the right to deny the privilege of enrollment to any student whose conduct or attitude is believed to be detrimental to the welfare of the institution.