Mission Statement
The mission of the Office of Campus Programs is to support and complement the University's academic mission and enhance the educational experience of students through exposure to and participation in social, cultural, recreational, intellectual, and governance activities. As supported by research (Astin, Boyer, Kuh, et. al.) participation in co-curricular activities is a significant factor affecting students' satisfaction and persistence in college.
A primary focus of the mission of the Office of Campus Programs is the concept of student involvement. The Office is committed to providing opportunities for students to be involved in experiences on campus which enhance their overall development. Involvement occurs for individual students at three levels - each an area of concern for the Office of Campus Programs:
1. Spectator Level of Involvement - Student attendance at events which expose them to new experiences, perspectives, and opportunities.
Such involvement activities would include lectures, concerts, visual arts programs, athletic events, recreation and leisure activities, entertainment and performing arts events, and community celebratory occasions.
The Office of Campus Programs provides spectator opportunities for the campus:
through the advisement of campus organizations specifically established for the purpose of delivering programs to the campus,
through the development and promulgation of program policies and procedures,
through the management of campus space reservation services, and
through the coordination of information services designed to market the program opportunities available on campus.
2. Participant Level of Involvement - Student involvement over time as a member of an organized group activity on campus.
Such activities would include membership in student organizations, leisure learning courses, team sports, and campus administrative and governance committees.
The Office of Campus Programs supports participation opportunities:
through marketing activities to promote the opportunities for and the benefits of involvement on campus,
through marketing activities to promote the opportunities for and the benefits of involvement on campus,
through support services designed to enhance the success of existing student organizations,
through direct advising of individual campus groups on campus including Student Government Association, Greek letter organizations, and major campus programming groups, and
through administrative support and facility management of the Greek Life residential program.
3. Leadership Level of Involvement - Student commitment to making a difference within an organizational or institutional context through leadership and responsible citizenship roles on campus.
Such roles would include both formal and informal leadership positions in campus organizations, representative posts in institutional governance bodies, peer educator positions in campus service units, and community service volunteers.
The Office of Campus Programs enhances leadership opportunities for students:
through credit bearing leadership classes, workshops, conferences, retreats, and other leadership development programs,
through coordination of peer leadership training programs,
through recognition programs designed to acknowledge and reinforce the contributions of individuals and groups to the campus,
through organizational information sessions and officer training programs, and
through leadership and volunteer service initiatives.
The mission of the Office of Campus Programs also incorporates the following:
1.Community Development - The Office is committed to sponsoring and supporting programs which enhance a sense of community on campus. Such programs include Homecoming, New Student Celebration, Art Attack, and campus awards programs.
2. Multicultural Perspective - In all of its programming and service efforts, the Office of Campus Programs strives to affirm each individual as a member of the community, foster recognition and appreciation of different cultures, and facilitate and nurture a collective sense of purpose that encompasses a pluralistic perspective.
3. Responsive Management - Providing top quality customer service to the campus and involving students in administrative decision making are two important management principles of the Office of Campus Programs.
4. Research - As a part of a large public research university, the Office of Campus Programs is committed to conducting on-going research on leadership and the impact of involvement on student development in coordination with other Student Affairs units.
5. Student Advocacy - Through participation in campus administrative and governance committees and in other arenas for institutional decision making that affects the lives of students, the staff members of the Office of Campus Activities are committed to advocating on behalf of students and their development as individuals and the importance of the co-curricular opportunities in their total educational experience.
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Historical Note: Although the Office of Campus Programs at the University of Maryland at College Park was created in the summer of 1992, the functions performed by this office were previously managed by the Office of Campus Activities, originally established in 1975. The new name for this unit came as a part of administrative action to consolidate three departments - the Office of Campus Activities, the Stamp Student Union, and the University Book Center. These units were consolidated to eliminate redundancy and reduce costs in administrative support services within the Division of Student Affairs.
