Student Services at BSC

Student Affairs

Student Affairs, located at 220 Norton Campus Student Center on the second floor of the Norton Campus Center is easily recognized by its constant flow of students. Student Affairs handles a host of activities and services for students. Among these responsibilities are housing, student activities, student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and lost and found. The primary function of Student Affairs is to be of assistance to students in any way possible. If you have any problems, questions, or suggestions, feel free to come by. If Student Affairs can't help you, they will be able to direct you to someone who can. AND, if you don't have any questions or need any help, come by Student Affairs and volunteer your help!

There are always projects going on ... from making posters to planning programs and parties or organizing Homecoming. If it has to do with students, Student Affairs can probably be found helping in some way.

Religious Life

Important questions about God, self, and others occur during college. John Richardson, our Dean of the Chapel, coordinates Religious Life on our campus that responds to the journey of faith for all of our students. Working with campus ministers from various denominations and groups, Birmingham-Southern offers a Religious Life that reflects the diversity of our community. Yeilding Chapel serves as the central place for Christian activities with several different expressions of the Christian faith there every week. The Interfaith Campus Ministry Room in Hanson Solarium is a place where students from other religious traditions gather for discussion, prayer, and fellowship. It is also where the Interfaith Religious Life Council meets monthly. So, whether you are looking for worship, study, social activities, service projects, or simply someone to talk with, there's a place for you in Religious Life.

Emergencies

Should you have a medical emergency, contact Campus Police (x4700) day or night. Emergencies are generally handled by the emergency room at Baptist Medical Center-Princeton unless another facility is chosen. Other options for emergency care include UAB, Brookwood, St. Vincent's, and HealthSouth hospitals.

Counseling and Health Services

The Counseling and Health Services office is located on the second floor of the Norton Campus Center, and is open five days a week (specific hours are posted). Personal counselors are available by appointment to all current members of the college community and may address issues such as time/stress management, relationships, academics, family concerns, grief, as well as other issues the client wants to explore. Academic accommodations are also served in this office. Health Services will assist with minor illnesses and injuries, suture removal, strep throat testing, allergy injections, nutritional/diet counseling, and many others. Due to the number of students needing assistance, appointments are preferrable; however walk-in hours are also available. Referrals are made to physicians when deemed necessary. Career Counseling assists students with the career development process, which includes self-assessment, information gathering, and decision making. For further information or to make an appointment, call x4717.

Academic Resource Center

Want to stand out from the crowd?  Want to polish your assignments to be their very best?  Visit the ARC to learn how.  BSC’s Academic Resource Center has the goal of promoting the academic success of ALL students, and is your one-stop source for academic assistance.  Stop by the ARC office in HC 127 or call Kim Thomas at x7827.

E-mail arc@bsc.edu

Fitness and Recreation

Birmingham-Southern College has a program of physical fitness and recreation that offers a wide variety of physical activities and recreation programs. Students have an opportunity to participate in a wide range of sports and recreational activities through the intramural sports program. Because many students actively participate in some form of competitive sports, the broad intramural program plays a major role in the life of an activity-conscious BSC student. Many campus organizations field teams in most of the sports on the annual intramural schedule. Team sports include flag football, dodgeball, innertube water polo, soccer, basketball, volleyball, Ultimate (Frisbee), and softball. Individuals are given the opportunity to shine in such tournaments as tennis, table tennis, racquetball, 8-ball, H.O.R.S.E., free throw shooting, 3-point shooting, and foosball.

Another recreational opportunity available to BSC students, faculty members, and staff members is participation in 'Southern Outdoor Recreation (SOR). The participants in this organization have taken part in various outdoor-related activities, such as weekend white water rafting and canoeing trips, local hiking trips, spelunking weekends, mountain biking afternoons, and a spring break camping/hiking trip.

Check Cashing/ ATM

For your convenience, the Finance Office will cash personal checks up to $50.00. The Finance Office is located on the first floor of the Student Services building and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  An ATM, furnished by Regions Bank, is located in the second floor entrance of Norton Campus Center.  The Methodist headquarters houses a First Educators Credit Union with a 24 hour ATM on the outside of the building.

Commuting

Students who live in or near Birmingham have an option of being a resident or a commuter student.  For those who choose to commute, the following information is for you: after you have registered your car, you may park on any white curb.  As a commuter student, you are not required to purchase a meal ticket, although you may choose to do so.  The Cafe offers great places to eat and to meet people.  Commuters regularly gather during the break times each morning for food and conversation. There are two commuter representatives on the Student Government Association to represent you.  All student services from athletics to zoology field trips are available to you, so feel welcome to join in the programs and activities.  You can find out “what’s going on” by regularly checking your P.O. Box and by reading the notices and posters on the bulletin boards.  You may also “rent” a voice mail box for the year in the Dean of Students Office.

Computer Labs

Computer labs are located in Olin, Harbert, Norton, Humanities Center, Stephens Science Center, Hill Music Building, and the Library. Additionally, each residence hall room is equipped with computer access connections for each student in the room and wireless access in common areas.

Lockers

Lockers are provided as a service to students by The College.  These lockers are handled through the Office of Student Affairs and are located in the Commuter Lounge, 2nd floor of the Norton Campus Center.  Commuters have first priority during the first two weeks of each term.  To obtain a locker, come by the Office of Student Affairs and complete a locker agreement. 

Lost And Found

Lost and Found is located in the Office of Student Affairs, suite 220, of the Norton Campus Center.  If you discover you are missing something from glasses, to books, to keys, you should go to Student Affairs.  It usually takes a day or so for misplaced articles to be brought to Student Affairs.  Any identifiable objects are immediately forwarded to the owner.  Also, if you find an item please bring it to Student Affairs as soon as possible so that it can be returned to its owner.  You may call or come by 8:15am to 4:45pm, Monday thru Friday.

Mail Service

Birmingham-Southern has a U.S. Post Office on campus.  Your box number will stay the same for your entire stay at BSC.  The post office is located on the first floor of the Norton Campus Center.  A fax machine is located in the Bookstore, ext. 3073.  U.P.S. picks up and delivers from campus as well.

Break Housing

Access to campus housing over the breaks is a free service that is available to residents meeting the specific criteria. The residence halls are closed to students for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break. Each student who will need break-housing during these times must come into the Office of Residence Life to request the service each time there is a break.

Students who generally qualify for break-housing include:

1. International Students
2. Those students whose home is outside of the Southeastern U.S. and  are unable to go home.
3. Those students who live outside a 45-mile radius of the Birmingham area with a job that requires that they be here during this time. A letter on company letterhead from the employer of the student, stating the dates the student will be working, must be attached to the break housing form and submitted by the deadline or it will be returned.
4. Student athletes who have games during this time.

Laundry

Birmingham-Southern is pleased to provide students with coin-free laundry. All washers and dryers operate without the use of coins. The cost is included in the room fee. The machines have a count down feature that makes cleaning clothes more time and energy efficient.

Telecommunications

All rooms are equipped with a phone line that provides local phone service and a voice mailbox. Students do not need to bring answering machines; however, calling cards are necessary for long distance calling.  Instructions regarding use and guidelines for the voice mail system are provided at check-in and calling cards are available for purchase in the BSC Bookstore.

Parking

If you plan to keep a car on campus, you must register that car during registration.  Decals are required on every BSC vehicle.  Students may park in unpainted white curb areas or with parking brackets at anytime and green curb areas between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. M-F and all day Saturday and Sunday. There is an annual fee for the parking decal.

Dining Services

Birmingham Southern is currently under contract with Aramark Inc. The Norton Campus Center Food Court is the main dining venue. There are a variety of dining options available from 7 a.m to 12 a.m daily. Options include Subway, KFC Express, Fresh Tossed Salads and Pasta dishes, Pizza Bene', GrillWorks, Freshens, The Salad Garden, Home Zone and a variety of beverages, snacks and desserts. The Grill offers made to order food selections such as omelets & breakfast sandwiches, (during Breakfast and late night), burgers, fries, Veggie Burgers and a daily Grill Special. The Fresh Tossed area offers you the opportunity to customize your own Pasta dish, freshly prepared right in front of you! Pizza Bene offers Pizza by the slice, whole pizzas to go, Calzones, Asiago Rolls and Focaccia Dippers. The Home Zone features "Home Cooking" with a selection of meats, vegetables and a daily vegetarian entree. A variety of food is available for dine - in, take - out, or even catering, and may be purchased with a student meal card or cash. Each resident student is required to be on a meal plan.
For more information about Food Services at BSC please visit Aramark's Web Site or contact Aramark at 226-4713. 

The Attic is BSC's very own Coffee Shop featuring Starbucks coffees, espressos, lattes' cappuccinos, frozen drinks, pastries and gourmet desserts. The Attic is open from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am daily and from 7:00 am 10:00 am Monday through Friday during Fall and Spring Semesters. Students can use their meal cards or cash for purchases.

The Cellar offers many snack items, frozen entrees, a variety of beverages including 2 liter selections, health and beauty aids, sandwiches and salads, bread, lunchmeats, milk, ice cream and other items. The Cellar is open from 11:00 am to 1:00 am daily. Students can use their meal cards or cash for purchases.

Student Organization Accounts

If your organization wants to set up or needs to find out the status of its account, check with Student Affairs, ext.  4729.

Campus Police

Phone: x4700

Birmingham-Southern College has an excellent police force that is consistently rated as a service that students are most satisfied with.  Officers are trained to handle every kind of situation from medical emergencies to car trouble.  Birmingham-Southern takes great pride in its friendly and effective Campus Police staff.

A Campus Police officer is on duty 24 hours each day, seven days a week, at the Bruno entrance.  At specific intervals, officers patrol the residence hall quadrangle, Hilltop Village Apartments, the academic quad, fraternity houses, sorority townhouses, parking lots, and all open buildings.  Security call boxes are located all over campus and at the entrance of every residence hall. 

Residence hall doors are equipped with combination security locks that are changed monthly.  Additionally, each student is provided a key to his/her room.  Visitors on campus must be admitted through the combination doors by their host and escorted through the residence halls at all times.

As a service to the residents, Campus Police officers are always willing to check automobile fluid levels and air pressure in car tires preceding any breaks or long road trips.