Mission

Mission

Residents work on a group project in a lounge.University Residential Life (URL) strives to promote a sense of community and encourage the growth and development of each student in a variety of living environments. Our program seeks to complement the academic mission of Northwestern University by providing students opportunities for learning in a safe, diverse, and respectful environment.

Vision

Engage and educate: Creating communities of learners, leaders, and responsible citizens.

Assumptions

To realize these purposes, URL accepts certain underlying assumptions and pursues a set of general objectives. These assumptions and objectives are enumerated below.

  1. The value of the individual Each Northwestern student is a unique individual of worth and deserving of human dignity and respect.
  2. Learning takes place in residence halls The co-curricular education should emphasize core values and life skills such as: Career Development; Civic and Community Engagement; Intra and Interpersonal Competence; Ethics and Values; Healthy Living; Intercultural/Multicultural Competence; Leadership Development; and Responsible Independence.
  3. Personal growth and development Personal growth is a result of appropriate challenge and support of the student. Students should be empowered to grow through leadership experiences, peer counseling and advising, faculty, staff, and peer interactions, and exposure to issues of diversity.
  4. Responsible behavior Student conduct is the result of the interactive process of people and their environment. Inappropriate behavior should be confronted and addressed in both an educational and interventionist manner. Exemplary behavior should be acknowledged and supported. Student conduct is monitored by peers and University employees to ensure the rights of individual students and the best interest of the University.
  5. Need for community The University community should create a sense of care among students in order to enable them to creatively deal with life's challenges. A sense of community and service to community should be encouraged, celebrated, and supported.
  6. Student needs change As Northwestern students enter and leave the campus community their needs change and evolve. In order to address these needs, Residential Life must perform its service in a proactive, adaptive manner.