Student Affairs Mission Statement

The Division of Student Affairs supports the Suffolk University mission by striving to provide a welcoming, supportive and engaging environment that enriches the academic, social and personal experiences of all students, where the full potential of success can be achieved. Our goal is to empower and develop the multiple facets of the identities of our students (artistic, spiritual, athletic, leadership, academic, etc.), which will in turn help to shape the Suffolk community and beyond. 

The guiding principles of our work include:

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT & ADVOCACY

• Assist students to actively embrace and craft their experience at Suffolk, while teaching the aptitudes of self-advocacy, intellectual curiosity, leadership, personal responsibility, and lifelong learning.  Engage students in developing personal and professional skills needed to be successful in life.

EMBRACING DIVERSITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE

• Foster awareness, respect and appreciation for individual experiences, beliefs and ideas by cultivating a genuine understanding for the rich diversity of our community.  Engage in conversations related to power and privilege in our society.  Promote a community that is inclusive and supportive of independent opinions, that encourages students to be involved with the process of change and where differences are celebrated.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

• Provide opportunities for students to become invested in their community’s quality of life while empowering them to positively change their surroundings.  Instill the value of civic responsibility through increased awareness of social issues, volunteerism, and community involvement by providing meaningful opportunities for active participation in service to others.

HOLISTIC CARE & SUPPORT

• Create an environment where students, staff and faculty actively and sensitively support one another as equal members of the Suffolk University community, as well as cultivate empathy and compassion for those members who are the most in need.  Focus on enabling students to manage personal and academic problems that can inhibit growth and development.

The Student Affairs Division is comprised of the following departments:

• Athletics
• Career Services & Cooperative Education
• Disability Services
• Diversity Services
• Health & Wellness Services 
• Interfaith Center/Campus Chaplaincy
• New Student Programs & Orientation
• Performing Arts
• Residence Life & Summer Programs
• S.O.U.L.S. (Suffolk’s Organization for Uplifting Lives through Services)
• Student Activities
• Student Affairs Office

The Division of Student Affairs actively embraces and respects the University’s non-discrimination policy:

Suffolk University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status in its employment, admission policies, or in the administration or operation of, or access to its academic and non-academic programs and policies.  It does not discriminate on the basis of disability in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.