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Student Development
(Click here to view the Student Development website)
Mission Statement
The Student Development Division supports the mission of Young Harris College by creating a campus environment that cultivates and celebrates the holistic development of educated, inspired, and empowered individuals.
Rules and Regulations
By enrolling in Young Harris College, a student becomes a citizen of the College community, which consists of everyone who works, lives, studies, and learns on the campus, as well as everyone who visits the campus. Each student’s personal life should be conducted in a context of mutual regard for the rights and privileges of others. It is further expected that students will demonstrate respect for the rights of students, faculty members, and other employees. Regulations which govern the lives and conduct of Young Harris College students are found in the student handbook, Guide to Student Life. Individuals should further recognize that group living requires some compromises and that some regulations are necessary in order to protect the individual rights and the welfare of the College.
Student Services
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
The College’s Counseling and Psychological Services office is located on the ground floor of Appleby Center residence hall. Students who are attempting to cope with life’s ongoing challenges are encouraged to meet with the College Counselor. Direct counseling services provided by the Counselor are confidential. Any student needing assistance beyond the professional abilities of the Counselor will be referred to community agencies or private professionals. The Counselor also provides programs in residence halls, in classrooms, at club meetings, or in similar settings. While emergency and crisis situations are given top priority, no problem is too small for consideration. The Vice President for Student Development, the Campus Minister, members of the faculty and other College employees are available to aid students in making the necessary social and academic adjustments.
Food Services
Through its contracted food service provider, Sodexo, Young Harris College offers a program of nutritious and balanced meals in the Grace Rollins Campus Restaurant, including late-night dining Monday-Thursday nights until 1:00 am. Students also have the option of healthy grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, and smoothies available through the Balance Café located inside the Recreation & Fitness Center. In addition to regular meal service, special dinners, picnics, and banquets are held throughout the school year. A private dining room may be reserved for special occasions. For groups traveling or planning an off-campus event, arrangements can be made for a sack lunch.
Health and Wellness Services
Health and Wellness Services is located on the ground floor of Appleby Center residence hall. This clinic is staffed by a registered nurse who maintains regular hours for walk-in visits Monday through Friday. Health care needs that cannot be managed at the campus clinic are referred to local physicians and hospitals. All students are required to complete and submit various health forms prior to beginning classes. Required health forms can be found on the Health and Wellness Services web pages.
Religious Life
Since the founding of the College in 1886 by a Methodist circuit-riding preacher, Artemas Lester, religious life has been an integral part of Young Harris College. Open to the entire campus for persons of every faith or no faith, the Office of Religious Life offers weekly worship services, religious groups, Bible studies, music groups, spiritual life retreats, Christian concerts, mission trips and other service opportunities to students who are nurtured and challenged to grow spiritually. Religious Life is supervised by the Dean of the Chapel and Minister to the College, who also provides pastoral care and counseling to students and other member of the campus community.
Residence Life
The Residence Life staff is committed to providing and maintaining clean and safe living environments conducive to intellectual and personal growth, where students can study and share ideas with peers, faculty, and staff whose culture, lifestyle, and opinions may be very different from their own. The Director of Residence Life manages the overall residential living program, while professional, live-in Resident Directors and student staff work with specific residence hall communities. The Residence Life Programming Model (PEAK Model), which is facilitated by Resident Directors and Resident Assistants, offers social and educational programs that provide students with countless opportunities to become integrated with campus life and culture.
Police Department
The Young Harris College Police Department is a certified police agency recognized by the State of Georgia. The department is staffed by certified officers with full police powers authorized to enforce College polices as well as all local, state, and federal laws. The campus is patrolled and an officer is on duty 24-hours a day, seven days a week, year-round. In addition to general safety and law enforcements services, the Police Department maintains campus crime statistics and reports, conducts educational programs, issues parking decals and enforces campus parking policies, provides safety escorts, lock-out assistance, and security and traffic/parking assistance for athletic and campus-wide events. The Police Department office is located adjacent to the common room in Manget residence hall.
Intramurals
The YHC Intramurals program provides students the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports such as flag football, volleyball, soccer, softball, Frisbee golf, and basketball. Through this program, students are offered ways to stay active, increase physical fitness and promote emotional well-being while competing in a structured and friendly atmosphere. Information and schedules for the various intramural activities and tournaments is available online, or by visiting the front desk in the lobby of the Recreation and Fitness Center.
Campus Activities
The mission of the Office of Campus Activities is to provide Young Harris College students with opportunities to become involved in on and off campus experiences designed to enhance the development of the whole person. The office supports the College’s academic programs and complements the overall educational experiences of students through development of, exposure to, and participation in social and cultural events. Many of the programs offered through the Campus Activities office are planned and implemented by the student-led Campus Activities Board (CAB). The office also supports the activities of over 40 other student organizations that welcome student participation, energy and leadership. With honorary and service organizations, religious fellowship groups, club sports, fraternities and sororities, and special interest clubs, there are activities and organizations that appeal to every student’s interests.
New Student Orientation
Young Harris College’s orientation program, Students Together for Advising, Registration, and Transition (START), provides incoming new and transfer students with the information and skills necessary to make a successful transition to college life at YHC. All new students are required to attend a summer START program preceding the opening of the fall term or an abbreviated START program preceding the opening of the spring term. During START, students and parents are informed about policies, procedures, academics, and extracurricular life. During this time students will review their class schedule with an academic advisor, have an opportunity to meet YHC faculty and staff, and take part in social activities geared to help them get to know their future classmates.
Common Reading Program
YHC’s Common Reading Program is a first year experience initiative that brings together the campus community by requiring all first year students to read a common book in the weeks prior to their first semester of enrollment. The program allows new students to participate in a shared experience which encourages community dialogue and personal reflection with their peers as well as faculty and staff. Each year a book is chosen by the campus community and the themes of that book are integrated into a number of activities both inside and outside of the classroom throughout orientation and the academic year.
Student Conduct Council
The Student Conduct Council is in place to evaluate the student conduct system, recommend policy and procedural changes, recommend sanctions for student conduct violations, and oversee and populate the Hearing Board and Traffic Appeals Board. The Council is comprised of 6-10 students elected by the student body, 3 staff, and 3 faculty members. The Associate Dean of Students manages the student conduct system and serves as the advisor to the Student Conduct Council.
Intercollegiate Athletics
(Click here to view the Intercollegiate Athletics website)
Young Harris College believes that participation in intercollegiate athletics is inherently beneficial and promotes values, cooperation, responsibility, fair play, loyalty, tolerance, and respect for authority, which will have a positive influence on the student athlete during the collegiate experience and throughout life. YHC fields intercollegiate teams in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s baseball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and competitive cheerleading.
The athletic teams at YHC have had a rich history of success while a junior college with several teams winning regional championships and the women’s soccer team winning a National Championship in 2006. Several student-athletes have been drafted by professional leagues and have had success as professional athletes.
The Department of Athletics Staff seeks to instill in athletes the realization that they are indeed fortunate to possess the abilities of mind, body, and spirit that allow them to attend college and participate in athletics. We believe that athletics benefits the athlete, the College, and the surrounding community. Ability-based scholarships give athletes an opportunity to receive a quality education, to fulfill their dreams of participating in collegiate sports and to enter doors to future endeavors both on and off the field. Young Harris College students, faculty, and staff benefit from interaction with athletics. The teams also offer the local community an opportunity to see quality athletic competition at a minimal cost and attract many visitors to the College.
Buildings and Grounds
(Click here to view the Building and Grounds website)
The main campus of Young Harris College comprises approximately 485 acres, containing 25 major buildings in the core campus. The College owns more than 200 additional acres of wooded mountain land adjoining the main campus. A trail runs from the campus to the top of Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia.
The Academic Success Center offers a computer lab and tutoring and study space. It also provides academic counseling, disability services, assistance with English as a second language, and study skills seminars. It was home to the College’s presidents from 1930 to 1960.
The Adams-Galloway House, located on Highway 76, houses faculty offices for the Department of Mathematics.
The Office of Alumni Services houses the Office of Alumni Services.
The Beetle Lab houses space for scientific research and beetle rearing that supports the YHC Hemlock Project’s mission to counteract destruction of hemlock trees in north Gerogia by the Hemlock Wooly Adegid parasite.
The Berry Tennis Center is named in honor of Irene Hackney Berry and was given to the College as a part of the estate of Irene Hackney Berry. This facility serves as the home to a pro shop, locker rooms and offices for the tennis, golf, and cross country programs.
The Bob and Gayle Nichols Tennis Complex, built in 2010, is located on Highway 76 and is home to the College’s men’s and women’s tennis teams. The 12 lighted courts provide the College with the facilities to host intercollegiate tournaments and events.
The Campus Gate Art Gallery is a beautifully restored building that hosts exhibitions and installations by professional arts throughout the year as well as the annual student juried art exhibition.
The Carter and Irene Berry Campus, named in honor of Carter and Irene Hackney Berry, was given to the College as a part of the estate of Irene Hackney Berry.
The Center for Appalachian Studies and Coummunity Engagement leads initiatives centered on service learning, Appalachian studies, community engagement, social justice and sustainability. The facility also provides an office for the Academic Service Learning and Bonner Leaders programs, faculty offices for the Department of Religious Studies, office and work space for student leaders and space for meetings and seminars.
The Center for Writing and Speaking features writing and speaking labs equipped with a variety of communication tools and resources and staffed with tutors to help students with written and spoken communication.
The Charles R. Clegg Fine Arts Building, completed in 1965, is named in honor of a former president of the College. The Clegg Building contains the Hilda D. Glenn Auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,060 and a large stage and orchestra pit for theatre and music presentations. The Clegg Building also houses studios, practice rooms, a choral rehearsal room, and classrooms for the Division of Fine Arts.
The Cross Country Trail utilizes the immediate campus and surrounding area and is one of the most scenic and challenging in the state. Approximately two miles in length with a compacted gravel surface, the course incorporates a variety of challenges for runners, traversing mountainous and flat terrain, crossing bridges and short stretches of pavement. The course includes switch-back portions and connecting loops making it possible to easily add to the length of a meet.
The Duckworth Library was named for J. Lon Duckworth, ‘20, an alumnus and trustee of the College and Henry Duckworth, ‘17, an alumnus and benefactor. Completed in 1969, the facility includes a wireless network, a 24-hour study room, and a variety of seating options including study carrels and group study areas. The library complex also houses the Office of Information Technology. The Duckworth Library contains a diverse collection of materials to support teaching and learning. The main collection contains more than 45,000 volumes, including audio-recordings, DVDs, and bound periodicals. In addition, the Library subscribes to over 53,000 electronic books and more than 170 active periodicals. The Byron Herbert Reece collection, the Merle B. Mann collection of Indian artifacts, Vietnam Veterans Oral History project, and the Ogletree Lincolniana collection are housed in the library. Most of the library’s holdings are accessible through the library’s online catalog, available through the library’s homepage. The library’s services and resources extend far beyond the walls of Duckworth Library, providing students and faculty with access to an xcellent collection of databases and electronic texts and journals, provided by GALILEO, (Georgia Library Learning Online) that can be searched from anywhere, on campus or off. Through an international network of libraries, library staff can also obtain materials that are not available locally. Reference librarians are available to assist users with services and collections during most of the hours the library is open. In addition, they visit classes, teach workshops, and schedule individual research consultations. Through its collections, facilities and services, the Duckworth Library upholds its mission to support teaching, learning, and research at Young Harris College.
The E. D. Rivers Softball Field, named in honor of alumnus, Governor E. D. Rivers, is used for intercollegiate women’s softball.
The Fine Arts Annex, located across the street from the main campus, houses renovated classrooms and media-specific studio space, including a painting studio, a drawing studio and a 3D sculpture studio. The facility also house faculty offices for the Department of Art, which include individual studio spaces.
The Frances Wood Wilson Soccer and Lacrosse Field, used by the women’s soccer team and men’s and womwn’s lacrosse teams, honors the wife of Fred B. Wilson, a trustee and benefactor of the College. Funds for construction of the facility were provided by the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation.
The Goolsby Center for Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, completed in 1993, is named in honor of G. Milton, ‘16 and Ophelia Roberts Goolsby ‘16. This 40,000-square-foot building provides 12 classrooms and 20 offices for Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences faculty. In addition, the Goolsby Center contains a conference room, the 158-seat Wilson Lecture Hall, and the Dobbs Theatre, a “black-box” style performance venue.
The Grace Rollins Dining Hall is named for the late Grace C. Rollins, a generous benefactor along with her late husband, O. Wayne Rollins, who served as a trustee of the College for 21 years. The building includes an attractively decorated public dining area, a faculty/staff dining area, and the Robinson Dining Room, a private dining area named for College trustee J. William Robinson, which seats 40 people and is designed for audio-visual presentations. The building was completely renovated in 2007.
The Maxwell Center for Mathematics and Sciences, completed 1979, is named for Alva Maxwell, ‘14 and Edna Stephens Maxwell, who gave many years of devoted service to the College. Mr. Maxwell served on the College’s Board of Trustees for 63 years, and, for 16 of those years, he served as chairman. The history of the family of Mrs. Maxwell is intertwined with that of Young Harris College. Her grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Louise Haynes Stephens Sanderson Robertson, gave the original parcel of land upon which the College was established. This multipurpose classroom building houses the physical and biological sciences, mathematics and the O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium.
The Myers Student Center, named for Dr. T. Cecil Myers, ‘40, provides a space for study, recreation, and gathering. In addition, the Myers Student Center is used for special occasions such as dances, receptions, and lectures. It is located on the bottom floor of Sharp Hall.
The O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium, located in the Maxwell Center for Mathematics and Science, was made possible through the philanthropy of Wayne and Grace Rollins. With seating for 109 people under a 40-foot dome, the planetarium features a GOTO “Chronos” star projector and a Sky-Skan definiti fulldome digital projection system.
The Observatory, located on the campus of Brasstown Valley Resort just a few minutes from campus, benefits from its high elevation and access to the wonderful dark skies of northern Georgia. In addition to the main telescope housed in a 15-foot dome, the facility also contains piers which mount two 8-inch scopes. The observatory has a number of other telescopes that can be used on the site as well. The main telescope is a Meade 16-inch reflector with Schmidt Cassegrain optical design. The observatory is located at an elevation of over 2000 feet on the flanks of Brasstown Bald, the tallest peak in Georgia. The high elevation, combined with the relatively low light pollution in the area, make for excellent viewing conditions on clear star-filled nights.
The Office of Planning and Assessment is located on Oak Street on the back of the main campus. It houses office space for the Vice President for Planning and Assessment and staff.
The Outdoor Leadership Center serves as the home base for outdoor leadership classes and programs. The center includes three faculty offices, a large classroom space, common area, full-size kitchen, reading and computer work stations, and land and water equipment storage. A large green space in front of the facility and a wooded area behind the building are readily used as outdoor classrooms.
The Phillips House houses faculty offices for the Department of Communication Studies.
The Pruitt-Barrett Administration Building was constructed in 1949 and was renovated and expanded in 1986 and 2000. The building is named in honor of two benefactors of the College, J. C. Pruitt and Guy Barrett. The Pruitt-Barrett Building houses the Office of the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, Office of Admissions, Office of Student Development, Business Office, Financial Aid Office, Registrar’s Office, and the Academic Advising Center.
The 57,000-square foot Recreation and Fitness Center opened in 2010. The two-story facility features a 37-foot-high rock climbing wall beside a fully equipped weight room and fitness center. An elevated jogging track surrounds the 1,100-seat basketball and volleyball arena. It also includes the Balance Cafe, fitness classrooms, and office space for recreation and athletics staff. The building is LEED certified.
The Rollins Campus Center, opening in Aug. 2014, is a new $41 million, 125,000-square-foot facility designed to catapult the student experience into the 21st century. It houses four distinct areas: a 60,000-square-foot, multi-purpose student center; the 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Zell and Shirley Miller Library; an expanded Grace Rollins Dining Hall; and a 350-seat, versatile Charles Suber Banquet Hall. Some highlights of the facility include space for student organizations, activities and services in the third-floor Mary Warren Loft, a multimedia theatre with stadium seating for 25, dining options from a Chick-fil-A Express, a Starbucks coffee shop, and a game room with pool tables, big-screen televisions and gaming consoles. The glass, brick and stone facility has been designed to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The building will boast many sustainable features, including the use of geothermal wells, and is expected to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
Sharp Hall, built in 1912, is the second oldest building on campus. Last renovated in 2009, Sharp Hall houses the Myers Student Center, YHC Bookstore, and offices of the President, Academic Affairs, Advancement, and Human Resources.
Sharp Memorial United Methodist Church, constructed in 1949, is a memorial to a former president of the College, Joseph Astor Sharp.
The Susan B. Harris Chapel, a memorial to the wife of Young L. G. Harris, was built in 1892. Last updated in 2009, the Chapel is used as a general assembly hall for vespers, concerts, and lectures. The Chapel is the oldest building on campus and is more closely associated with the traditions of the College than any of the other buildings.
The Zell B. Miller Field, named in honor of former Governor and U.S. Senator, Zell B. Miller, ‘51, is used for intercollegiate baseball.
Residence Halls
The Appleby Complex, named for alumnus and trustee, Scott B. Appleby (class of 1895), was first occupied in 1961 and is composed of two units: Center and West. Center and West are arranged in two-room suites with a connecting bath. Center has space for 116 students; West has space for 44 students. Each division has an apartment for a resident director, a common room, and a laundry room.
Enotah Hall, completed in 2010, is a state-of-the-art, LEED Silver-Certified facility and accommodates 200 students. Each unit has two double-occupancy rooms with two baths, a living room, and a kitchenette. The building contains four Wenger music practice rooms, study rooms, a conference room, and an apartment for the residence hall director. The Enotah Hall Amphitheatre is located between the two residential wings.
Hillgrove Hall, completed in the fall of 2002, contains 48 rooms and accommodates 96 students. Each room has its own bathroom. Also within the hall is an apartment for a resident director, a TV lounge, a computer room, and a laundry room.
Manget Hall, completed in 1956 with funds given to the College by Mr. Scott B. Appleby (1895), honors the memory of Mr. John Manget. The building includes 11 units and accommodates 67 students. Each unit has three two-person rooms with two baths and a living room. Also within the hall is an apartment for a resident director, a common room, and a laundry room.
Rollins Hall, completed in 1986, honors the late O. Wayne Rollins, who served as a loyal trustee of the College for 21 years prior to his death in 1991. The building includes 11 units and accommodates 88 students. Each unit has four two-person rooms, two baths, and a large living room. Also within the hall are guest quarters, an apartment for a resident director, a common room, and a laundry room.
The Village, completed in 2011, offers an apartment-style housing option for upperclassmen. The 13 two-story houses located on Maple Street accommodates 248 students, in apartment configurations that each feature four private bedrooms, a living area, kitchen, and washer and dryer. The “village” residential atmosphere is enhanced by expansive porches, areas for grilling, and abundant green space.
The Towers, completed in 2013, offers a unique housing community for first-year students. The Towers are made up of three separate buildings connected through a shared central building. Located close to the center of campus,The Towers boasts incredible views of the surrounding mountains, campus, and the future site of the Rollins Campus Center. The Towers are configured around community-style shared spaces in order to promote community among residents and engagement within the residence hall. The complex currently features 226 beds with a number of amenities. The rooms are double occupancy with a study area, cable television access, wireless internet access, and ample closet space. Each floor includes a shared lounge common space with a 55” flat screen TV, wireless internet access, spa bathrooms, and a laundry facility. The Towers are designed and constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards and is expected to earn LEED certification. It is the fourth new construction project to be completed as part of Young Harris College’s strategic plan to make the transformation to four-year status and will be the fourth to earn LEED certification. |
