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President’s Welcome

Dear Bearcat,

We are thrilled that you have chosen to invest these critical years of your life at Southwest Baptist University. We take

our mission very seriously: we aim to equip you to become a servant leader who will impact your home, church, and

world for the glory of Jesus Christ.

rich relationships with others and know that you are seen and loved. Likewise, we long for you to be inspired and

For His Glory and our joy,

Rick Melson, Ph.D.

Table of Contents

will only be made when they are considered to be in the best interest of the University community. Any changes made

within a given academic year of the Student Handbook will be delineated by red text and dated.

(*denotes online/8-week term courses)

August 1

Deadline for cancelling fall semester courses

12

Faculty and Staff Back-to School workshops

13

Division Head Workshop

14

College Meetings

22

*Last day to add or drop Term 1 courses

27

Last day to add or drop full-term courses

30

Last day to add full-term courses for international students and students

returning from active military duty

Labor Day – No classes, offices closed

SBU Clubs and Organizations Servant Leadership Fair

17

*Midterm grades due for Term 1

18

*Last day to withdraw from Term 1

Fall Break – No classes, offices open

11

*Last day of Term 1

14

*Term 2 begins

15

*Final grades due for Term 1

15

Midterm grades due for full-term undergraduate courses

Pre-registration for Spring courses

17

*Last day to add or drop Term 2 courses

25

Last day to withdraw from full-term courses

Employee Christmas Banquet, Marketplace, Bolivar Campus (tentative)

Last day of classes

9-12

Final Exams

12

Academic Honors Night

13

Deadline for cancelling spring semester courses

16

Final grades due by noon for 16-week courses

17

Final grades due by noon for Term 2

Christmas Holiday – No classes, offices closed

The University

University Mission Statement

Principles & Expectations

in any form on examinations and presentations of the ideas or writings of others without proper credit.

Statement on Christian Lifestyle

Scripture also demands that believers demonstrate a lifestyle that is distinctively different from that of non-believers.

those attitudes produced by the gift of the Spirit, practicing truthfulness in all relationships or activities, and exhibiting

our dedication to Christ through our commitment to excellence in daily work or academic activities. A Christian lifestyle

avoids such specific sins as greed; jealousy; pride; lust; bitterness; uncontrolled anger; prejudice based on race, sex, or

Furniture

Students may not remove furniture from residence hall rooms or move furniture in residence hall lobbies without

permission of the Resident Director. Students may furnish their room as space permits and with the approval of the

Resident Director. All common space furniture must be provided by the Residence Life Staff.

replace and should include the original framework and mattresses of the beds. All lofts must be constructed with 4x4s

and 2x4s or be solidly structured.

doorways. Lofts may have a solid wood top instead of using the bed frames for this residence hall.

Emotional support animals may not be brought into University housing without expressed approval from the Office of

1600 University Avenue

Email: residencelife@SBUniv.edu

are on break.

Students assigned to university apartments and/or houses are provided the option of residing in those facilities during

designated breaks and holidays.

Check-Out

At the end of each semester, and prior to leaving for school breaks or vacations, all residents must check out with a RA or

make prior arrangements with their Resident Director. Students who fail to properly check out of their housing facility

will be cited with a class-A violation.

Examples of improper checkout include failure to do any or all of the following:

checkout, the student’s room must be returned to its original condition. Fines may be assessed after check-out by any

residence life staff member.

Campus Apartment

Apartment residents have the option of choosing from the following lease agreements: Fall/January/Spring; Fall Only;

January/Spring; June Only; July Only; June/July. Upon expiration of their lease (if it is not extended), tenants must: check

out with a Residence Life staff member at the end of the lease term, return the key(s), clean, and remove all personal

items from the apartment. Items not removed will be discarded or donated.

assigned tenants of the apartment/house, if it is not properly cleaned, will be assessed a flat fee for cleaning purposes to

be determined by the Resident Director or Assistant Resident Director. Apartments will be checked periodically for

cleanliness. Violations will be handled in the same manner as in the residence halls.

Off-Campus Housing Policy

Fall and spring semester applications received after the filing dates will be assessed a $100 late filing/processing fee.

Students whose applications are denied may appeal the decision with Vice President of Student Life.

Commuter Student Policy

To be eligible for commuter status, a student must either meet off-campus housing requirements or reside with his or her

these qualifications may apply for commuter status by submitting the Off-Campus and Commuter application via eRez.

Once the form is approved, the student will remain assigned as a commuter until the student’s parent or legal guardian

moves residencies or the student wishes to change his or her status.

Students living in on-campus housing who wish to change to commuter status must submit the Off-Campus and

Commuter application by November 1 if applying for the spring semester or April 1 if applying for the fall semester.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours for all on-campus housing facilities (including apartments/houses) are Sunday-Thursday 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

musical or other instruments) that would cause a disturbance to persons in neighboring premises. All stereos must be

University regulations. The schedule for and the frequency of room checks will be determined by the Resident Director.

Room Entry Fee

A $25 charge may be assessed by the Residence Life Department and/or the Office of Safety and Security for residents

who are locked out of their room and/or apartment/house.

Dorm Guest Policy – On-Campus

Guests of the opposite gender in residence halls are restricted to the hall’s lobby areas. Members of the opposite gender

resident’s rights of privacy within his or her room. The presence of a guest should in no way interfere with the rights of

the roommate or other residents.

Each visitor is required to sign in at the office of the residence hall and must leave his/her student ID with the office

worker at the front desk. The visitor must sign the hall’s participation sheet beside the name and room number of the

host. The host must escort the guest to the room. All room doors must be kept open at all times and a Resident Assistant

will be on the floor(s) during Open House to monitor and enforce policy. Guests may only visit in the room of their host

and each host is limited to a maximum of four guests per visit.

Guest Policy – Campus Apartments/Houses

room/kitchen areas. Violations will be dealt with accordingly.

Overnight Guests

Residents of all on-campus housing (including apartments) may be permitted to have overnight guests of the same

gender for a maximum of two consecutive nights, provided that all roommates and the Resident Director give advance

approval. All overnight guests must be registered with the Resident Director. Persons under 16 years of age may not be

overnight guests at any time without the written permission of the Resident Director. The hosting resident will be

responsible for the conduct of guests at all times and must be present with the guest at all times. All guests are required

to behave in a way consistent with the University Principles and Expectations, as outlined on pages 8 and 9. Hosting

overnight guests of the opposite gender will result in a disciplinary referral to the Office of Student Life. Guests staying

Response to Residence Hall Staff Members

directed to staff in the following hierarchy: the Resident Assistant, Resident Director, Director of Residence Life, and the

Vice President of Student Life.

violation and a fine or community service. After 12 a.m., all entries and exits must be made through the hall’s front door.

Entry must be gained by using the card-access security system. If your student ID card has been misplaced or stolen,

please contact Safety and Security at (417) 328-1556. Misplaced and stolen ID cards may be replaced at the Office of

Safety and Security located in the Goodson Student Union.

Lounges and Recreation Rooms

Students of the opposite gender may visit in the main lobbies of each residence hall between the hours of 8 a.m.- 10 p.m. if

invited by a resident of that residence hall. Lounges and recreation rooms outside the main lobby of each hall are for use

by all residents of the hall. Considerate behavior is, therefore, in everyone’s best interest. If inappropriate behavior is

displayed, the Resident Director may ask guests to leave the lounge or recreation area.

Residence Hall Curfew

Curfew will be required of all first semester undergraduate students residing in University housing unless otherwise

waived by the Vice President of Student Life.

Sunday – Thursday — 12 a.m. (midnight) to 6 a.m.

considered a Class-B student conduct violation.

Second-semester students may earn the privilege of having curfew regulations removed if they fulfill the following

requirements:

If an individual who is on curfew needs to be out beyond curfew for a reasonable cause, a late pass may be obtained from

the Resident Director up to eight times per semester. Passes should be obtained by 10 p.m. prior to use. When the

Resident Director is not on call, the on-call Resident Assistant may issue a late pass.

Curfew Violations

At the beginning of each semester, individuals on curfew will be given four free misses for curfew. After 5 misses, a fine

All posters, which must be stamped, or sales promotions; e.g., coupons, must be approved by the Office of Student Life.

Recognized organizations or individuals wishing to make products available to students must acquire approval from the

Office of Student Life.

Deliberate Damage to Property

Deliberate damage to property (whether personal property or University property) is considered a violation of the

University’s student conduct policy and will result in appropriate disciplinary action.

Fire Hazards

The possession of candles, candle warmers, incense, fireworks, firearms, flammable items, or any other open flame

apparatus is prohibited. Halogen lamps, heating units, and hot plates are also not allowed. Power surge protector strips

are recommended and should have a self-contained circuit breaker. Residents are advised to keep a flashlight on hand in

the event of an extended power failure.

Emergency Procedure and Drills

In accordance with State law and for the safety of students, fire and tornado drills will be conducted at various times. The

University will conduct other emergency procedure drills as needed. All residents must participate and comply with the

directions of the drill. Procedures will be posted in each residence hall and/or instructions will be issued by a residence

life staff member.

Southwest Baptist University officials may search any University-owned building, property or locker, including

residence halls and individual rooms within halls. These areas may be searched when there is reasonable suspicion that

individuals or contents within the University-owned building, property or locker, including residence halls and

individual rooms within halls are in direct violation of University, local, state, or federal policy or laws.

When a University official determines there is reasonable suspicion for a search, an official search may be conducted only

by authorization of the President, Vice President of Student Life, or Director of Residence Life, except in the case of an

immediate and clear emergency involving safety and health. If the President or Vice President of Student Life are not

available, another executive officer of the University may provide authorization.

patrol officer, lead officer, associate director of safety and security, or director of safety and security, in the presence of a

witness who must be an employee of the University or a law enforcement official.

Prior to searching a University-owned building, property or locker, including residence halls and individual rooms, an

attempt to notify the occupant of the purpose the search should be made. If the occupant does not respond to the

The employee conducting the room search should have a written description that includes the following information:

should be included with the above documentation. Upon the conclusion of the search, the occupant will be informed of

the outcome.

Automobiles on University property are subject to search. A complete search of automobiles may be conducted under the

same procedure as individual residence hall rooms, where there is reason to believe they contain articles, which are not

permitted on University property and/or are in violation of University, local, state, or federal policy or laws.

Missing Student Notification Policy

In compliance with the Missing Student Procedures 20 USC 1092 (j) (Section 488 of the Higher Education Opportunity

Act of 2008), it is the policy of Southwest Baptist University’s Student Life and Safety and Security offices to investigate

any report of a missing student who resides on-campus at SBU. This policy, as seen on the Safety and Security section of

SBU’s (www.SBUniv.edu) website, establishes a framework for cooperation among members of the University

community aimed at locating and assisting students who are reported missing.

When an on-campus residing student is reported absent from the University for more than 24 hours without any known

reason, SBU’s Safety and Security should be notified immediately. Upon notification, SBU’s Safety and Security will

investigate each report and make a determination whether the student is missing in accordance with the missing student

policy.

If a missing student is under 18 years of age and not an emancipated individual, the University is required to notify a

custodial parent or guardian of the missing student not later than 24 hours after the determination by SBU’s Safety and

SBU’s Killian Health Center

Southwest Baptist University (SBU) Killian Health Center, located inside the Meyer Wellness Center, is open from 8:00

a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday, during fall and spring semesters.

Appointments begin at 9:00 am. Office hours are limited during Summer Session.

Students are encouraged to make an appointment prior to their arrival at the Killian Health Center. This will ensure a

Required Immunizations

Tuberculosis Screening Questionnaire

Missouri Senate Bill 197 requires new or transfer students attending any college or university in the State of Missouri be

screened for Tuberculosis (TB). The screening must follow the Center for Disease Control protocols that screen

individuals based upon their time outside the United States, and their possible exposure to TB, or those who are likely to

have come in contact with someone who has TB. The legislation requires colleges and universities to place a hold on a

To obtain documentation for a class absence (one or more days), a student must be seen at the Killian Health Center by a

medical professional on the first day of the class absence.

Student Insurance

Chapel: The Heart of the SBU Experience

participants are asked to follow the chapel behavior guidelines listed below: