Those engaged in a liberal arts education create a community based on freedom of choice. By making individual choices, students meet the challenge of a rigorous academic and rich out-of-class experience. Self-governance encourages students to become responsible, respectful, and accountable members of the campus, town, and global community.

Self-governance is a community philosophy that gives students a high degree of freedom in governing their community, particularly their living environment. SGA and the Hall Councils are responsible for the process of self-governance. The College always reserves the right to implement student life policies that it believes are in the best interest of students.

• You are responsible for your community. That is, you work at a variety of levels to build, maintain, and contribute to the campus, local, and global community.
• You are accountable for your choices. That is, you take ownership for your actions, opinions, and beliefs.
• You are accountable for preventing your actions from infringing or violating others' rights.
• You are responsible for speaking and listening to others to reach shared understandings.
• You are responsible for addressing situations and communicating concerns about issues that undermine community or individual rights, whether they be your own or others.

These principles of self-governance are supported through:

• an administrative structure intentionally designed to challenge and support students in governing themselves
• an academic structure encouraging choice through an open curriculum
• a campus community committed to social consciousness and community involvement.