2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Apr 27, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Student Life at Iona


Iona University strongly believes that the education experience of a student stretches far beyond the time in the classroom. In order to develop the entire person, Iona University offers a wide variety of activities and services to complement academic preparation. The Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (DEMSA) manages a number of these important functions primarily through the Dean of Students Office. These include The Center for Student Engagement (CSE), Residential Life, Commuter Services, The Office of Mission and Ministry, Counseling Center, Student Health Services, Recreation, Intramural and Club Sports, Student Performing Arts, as well as Career Development.

Athletics

The Athletics Department offers a wide variety of sports and intramural programs for all members of the Iona community to enjoy. Iona competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and fields 21 Division I teams. An extensive intramural program allows all students to engage in athletic activities. The Hynes Athletics Center houses the athletics staff and provides recreational and fitness centers. The Mazzella Multi-Sports Field is also available for recreational use.

Center for Career Development

The Gerri Ripp Center for Career Development, located on the second floor of Spellman Hall, assists students in every stage of their career development and job search process. A dedicated and professional team of career coaches works closely with students to help them identify skills and interests, determine possible pathways, and explore internship and full-time opportunities leading to meaningful careers after graduation. The Center partners with the campus community: faculty, staff, student organizations, alumni, and employers to engage students early in the career development process and to provide ongoing support. The Center hosts career programs and services that include: individualized career coaching; interview preparation; Handshake, a career management system providing thousands of internship and employment opportunities; on-campus recruitment; career panels; career fairs and a variety of networking and career preparation seminars.

Center for Student Engagement

The Center for Student Engagement is responsible for student engagement through the oversight and operations of the LaPenta Student Union, student diversity and leadership initiatives, major campus events and activities, and off campus and commuter services. The professional and student staff members within the Center work in collaboration with student leaders, campus partners, and the local community to fulfill these goals in addition to the mentorship and support of the more than 70 diverse student clubs and recognized groups on campus. All students are encouraged to enrich themselves through involvement in campus life, especially through accepting one of the leadership opportunities afforded through participation in a student club or organization. One of the goals of the office is to promote opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to further enhance relationships that develop in the classroom. Student Engagement encompass a wide spectrum of student interests from music, sports, and media, to opportunities to participate as a student in academic and professional organizations. Students are empowered to develop on-campus events while working closely with the professional staff of the Center for Student Engagement. The staff works closely with many campus partners for opportunities to experience New York City, wellness, alcohol and drug education, multicultural initiatives, art exhibits, concerts, and a wide variety of other positive outlets for innovative self-expression.

The Church of the Holy Family

The Church of the Holy Family, located on Mayflower Ave. just up from Loftus Hall, hosts the Iona University Sunday Mass at 6 p.m. weekly throughout the semester.

Counseling Center

The Iona University Counseling Center is a free, confidential space for students to find emotional and psychological support. Any currently enrolled Iona University student, whether full-time or part-time, residential or commuter, graduate or undergraduate, is eligible to receive care at the Counseling Center.  The Counseling Center is staffed by skilled clinicians with special training in college mental health. Clinicians work with students individually on a short-term basis and will help students find private, longer term therapy, if necessary. When appropriate, students engaged in therapeutic services at the Counseling Center receive short-term medication management.

Counseling Center staff provide outreach and education to the University community on a variety of mental health-related topics, including suicide prevention, interpersonal violence prevention, substance abuse awareness education, neurodiversity, mindfulness, and stress reduction.

Students can speak to Counseling Center clinicians about any issue of concern to them, whether it is a new or ongoing problem. At the Counseling Center, students can work through these issues and learn strategies to address them, within a setting of trauma-informed, expert clinical care. The Counseling Center is available to help students experiencing mental health crises and can connect students with local emergency care. The Dolce Postgraduate Fellow provides specialized services to students who are neurodivergent. Counseling, consultation, and referral related to substance abuse is also available.

To connect with a clinician for the first time, students can come in to the Counseling Center during walk-in hours, Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students whose schedules do not permit them to come in during walk-in hours can arrange a specific alternative appointment time. While on-site short-term counseling is not an appropriate treatment option for all students, walk-in sessions continue to be available to every student throughout their enrollment at Iona, whether or not the student is receiving therapy privately. There is no maximum number of walk-in sessions. Students can reach the Counseling Center by phone at (914) 633-2038. The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Spellman Hall. It is open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Students can follow the Counseling Center on Instagram @ionacounselingcenter.

Health and Wellness Center

The Student Health & Wellness Center provides health management for acute, urgent, or chronic illnesses. The goal is to provide evidence-based care to facilitate self-care and health maintenance allowing each student to achieve their optimal level of wellness.  

Services provided include physical examinations for participation in sports activities, field placement or employment physicals. Other services include diagnostic testing, suture removals, administration of vaccinations, immunization review and compliance monitoring. The care of our students is provided by nurse practitioners.  

The Student Health & Wellness Center strictly adheres to the New York State Department of health immunization requirements. All students must provide proof of immunization for Measles, Mumps and Rubella before entering class or residence halls. Residential students must also provide proof of receiving the Meningitis vaccine within 5 years of entry to Iona.  

Documentation of all required health documents must be uploaded to the health portal (Medicat) by July 1st for the fall semester and January 1st for the spring semester.  

Undergraduate and graduate level students are not allowed to attend class in person or online until all health requirements have been reviewed and approved. Residential students will not have access to dormitory rooms pending verification of their Meningitis status.  

Required health forms include Authorization for Treatment of a Minor (if student is under age 18 years upon entry to Iona), Authorization of Release of Information, Health Insurance Information, Health Evaluation - History and Physical Examination, proof of MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) and Meningitis, TB Assessment, and proof of COVID vaccine, if received.  

The administrative and professional staff of the Student Health & Wellness Center conforms to HIPPA and FERBA regulations - state and federal mandates protecting students’ confidentiality, privacy, and informed consent. The student health record is maintained in accordance with professional and legal guidelines. Without the written authorization of a signed release of information by the student, no part of the student’s health record will be disclosed. The exception to the standard of confidentiality occurs when a student is assessed by a professional care provider to be a danger to themself or others.

ID Cards

Every student is required to keep on their person at all times a university-issued Iona ID card. This card is necessary to borrow materials from the library, use the Hynes Athletics Center, receive student discounts or utilize other services where an ID is required. This card will be recognized as long as the student is in good standing at Iona. The ID card can be obtained from the Campus Safety and Security Office located in LaPenta Student Union. As a regulation of the Code of Conduct students must provide it upon request to university officials, if asked.

Office of Mission and Ministry

The Office of Mission and Ministry invites students to grow in faith, engage in hands-on service to others, deepen their spiritual lives, and consider issues of peace and justice. Open to students of all religious backgrounds or no religious background, Mission and Ministry offers Sunday and daily mass, interfaith prayer services, retreats, weekly hospitality suppers, and active engagement in volunteer service locally and throughout the world. From offices in LaPenta Student Union (217) and Montgomery House, the department promotes annual programs such as the Week of the Peacemaker, Make a Difference Week, Heritage Week, Kairos retreats, and Coffee Houses. The Iona in Mission programs send students on service immersions as close as the Bronx and as far away as India. At Montgomery House student campus ministers live in a community setting that values prayer, service and simplicity. Each Thursday of the semester, the Office of Mission and Ministry invites all students to attend a free “Hospitality Supper” at 5:30 PM at Montgomery House. To learn more about the Office of Mission and Ministry’s work, please visit https://www.iona.edu/offices/office-mission-ministry.

Residential Life

The Office of Residential Life, located in the LaPenta Student Union, creates a community for our Gaels that is supportive of students’ academic endeavors, complements classroom learning, and that promotes individual development. With a variety of living areas, students are able to feel like they are home away from home. On-campus housing is available in Rice Hall, Loftus Hall, North Avenue, East Hall, Conese Hall, Hales Hall, and the On-Campus Houses.

Each residence hall is led by a live-in Residence Hall Director and Resident Assistant student staff members who provide a safe and secure living environment and promote community development among residents. Residence hall amenities vary from location to location.

Iona University offers housing to full-time undergraduate and graduate students.

University-provided housing is mandatory for full-time undergraduate students in their freshman and sophomore year, unless exempt from that requirement based on specific criteria, including but not limited to commuting from home, significant documented financial hardship, or certain statuses based on dependents or marriage.  Freshmen and sophomores are not permitted to rent a private, off-campus apartment or house. Those freshman and sophomore students who do not live in on-campus housing and are not exempted properly will be charged the full cost of housing and a meal plan as if they are living on campus.

School Closings

Class cancellations due to inclement weather will be announced on the homepage of the Iona University website at www.iona.edu in addition to official social media accounts. University students who have signed up for the Emergency Text Message System will receive a text notification. Students may also call (914) 633-2000.

Student Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct governs behavioral expectations of students at Iona and can be found as part of the Iona University Student Handbook, located on the Iona website. The community standards and student disciplinary process reflects an educational philosophy at the University. Students and staff that interface with students in any way should be aware of the Student Handbook and code of conduct as a means to promote the growth and development of the student body. Additionally, specific areas of University student life are covered by policy statements and procedural guidelines published by various offices charged with responsibility for certain functions. For help in clarifying these documents, students should consult the Dean of Student’s office.