Academic Advisor: a faculty member who helps students select their courses each semester and plan for the future.
Brick Pit: area between residence halls and academic buildings. Site of many events throughout the year.
The Burrow: a cafe, located on the first floor of the Student Life and Technology Center. The Burrow's lounge area includes several tables and couches. Students, faculty, staff, and guests enjoy this area for study groups, organization meetings, and simple relaxation. It's also near the game room.
Campus Kitty Week: a Senate-sponsored weeklong series of fund-raising events held during the spring of each year. Each residence hall and several campus organizations sponsor various activities throughout the week. Proceeds from the week are distributed among various designated local charities.
Candlelight Carol Service: the Hendrix College Choir's featured fall semester performance. Approximately 2,500 people attend this Arkansas holiday tradition each December. The Candlelight season opens with four performances on campus in Greene Chapel during the last week of classes. The Choir follows this with a regional four-day tour singing in United Methodist Churches across the state.
The Circle: the parking lot between the three girls' residence halls. Many residents of Martin and Couch will debate the usage of this term, arguing that the parking lot in between their residence halls is the true "Circle." (See Martin/Couch Circle)
Comp: a comprehensive examination taken by Hendrix seniors after the completion of all coursework in a particular field of study. One of the requirements to receive distinction in your field of study is to do well on your comps.
Coffeehouse: sponsored by Social Committee once or more a semester; this popular campus-wide event allows students to showcase their talents.
Daihatsu: with no main road leading through campus, the Daihatsu are the vehicle of choice of the Hendrix College Physical Plant. It is the secret wish of most students on campus to ride in one before they graduate from Hendrix.
Dean's List: students who, at the end of a given semester, have completed three or more courses and earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA).
Disco Tray: a highly coveted relic from the 60's, these are glittery cafeteria trays that some believe bring good luck
Explorations: a required one-semester course for freshmen. It is designed to facilitate the transition of new students to the Hendrix community and to enhance students' potential for success in their collegiate studies. Each section of Explorations is a "learning community" that is co-enrolled in Journeys.
Faux Rush Week: Hendrix's version of Rush Week (since we don't have Greek Life); different events are hosted by each residence hall.
Ghost Roast: annual Halloween Party where students come dressed in outrageous costumes (most untraditional). Usually held in the brick pit.
Independent Study: individual work on a special topic of study that is supervised by a faculty member or administrator. A student's academic department must approve the project in advance, and a faculty member or administrator must agree to oversee the work before he or she can begin.
Journeys: a one-semester, common course required of all first-year students. It is grounded in the college's motto "unto the whole person" or "toward a fulfilled person." The motto thus implies trajectory, a sense of movement or development, from one state of being or one way of living to another. It implies, in short, the notion of journey. This course takes the concept of journey as its touchstone and explores how different cultures and different people have made sense of their own life journeys. Each section of Journeys is a "learning community" that is co-enrolled in Explorations, the first-year seminar.
KHDX: the student-operated radio station. Broadcasting at FM 93.1 from the first floor of the Student Life and Technology Center, the "10 watt tower of power" allows students to DJ their own radio shows.
Major: upper division study in an academic department, following an established sequence of courses and fulfilling specific requirements. Majors are declared by the end of a student's sophomore year or by the beginning of his/her junior year.
Martin/Couch Circle: the circle drive located between Martin and Couch containing some of the most desirable parking spots on campus.
Minor: concentration in a field outside of a student's major. A minor generally requires six approved classes, but requirements vary between fields. Students should seek the aid of their academic advisor in order to declare a minor.
Multicultural Development Committee (MDC): a standing committee of the Student Association. MDC promotes personal growth, community education, and positive social change by acknowledging the shared similarities and encouraging respect for differences concerning culture as it pertains to -- but is not limited to -- race, political views, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or disability.
Murphy: a program that shows foreign films and brings authors and lecturers to campus. The Murphy offices are located within the Murphy House, which also offers coffee and tea to students and professors during the week.
Odyssey: a program that offers credit and, sometimes, funding for extra-curricular projects and activities within six categories: artistic creativity, global awareness, professional leadership and development, service to the world, undergraduate research, and special projects. Many classes and on-campus activities are also pre-approved for Odyssey credit.
OR Leader: a current Hendrix student, selected by the Peer Leaders during the Spring of the previous year, trained to guide new students during Orientation week and build excitement for the upcoming year.
Orientation Peer Leader: a current Hendrix student selected by the Student Orientation Coordinator to aid in the selection and training of Orientation Leaders. Peer Leaders also aid in the facilitation of activities during Orientation week.
Pre-Req: short for prerequisite; a course a student must complete prior to taking a higher level course. To find out about prerequisites, your son or daughter should check the Hendrix College Catalog or see his or her advisor.
The Profile: the College's student-run newspaper. The Profile was the first college newspaper in Arkansas to be located on the Internet.
Resident Assistant (R.A.): R.A.s are students who have been through a thorough selection process and intensive training program. The R.A. accepts responsibility for policy enforcement, community building, educational and social programming, and peer counseling. The R.A. is a basic source of information and referral help. He/she assists residents in adjusting to campus life, including academic concerns, facility concerns, roommate relationships, and homesickness as well as other matters. The resident to R.A. ratio is 25/1.
Shirttails: dance competition for freshmen
Social Committee (SoCo): a standing committee of the Student Association. Its purpose is to plan and coordinate social activities such as movies, concerts, dances, coffeehouses, and novelty acts on campus.
SoCo 54: Social Committee's annual party based on Studio 54 in New York. Lots of fun: people usually dress in 70's attire, plus there are cage dancers!
Study Carrel: an individual study area located on both floors of the library.
Sun Porch: the foyer on the second floor of the Student Life and Technology Center, at the entrance of the cafeteria. Many students leave their book bags here while eating their meals. Also, many student organizations set up tables along the wall to publicize upcoming events. Also serves as a location to promote campus events by posting posters and allowing students to sit and recruit others for various activities.
Syllabus: the course outline usually distributed the first day of class, with a brief overview of the course. It generally includes the assignments, exam dates, grading system, and attendance policy.
Toad Suck: the name of a local area park. During the first weekend of May each year, thousands of people come from around the state to attend the Toad Suck Daze festival in Downtown Conway. For the legend of Toad Suck, visit the Official Toad Suck Daze website.
Toga: annual toga party in the spring.
Transcript: the official record of a student's academic work that is maintained and updated each semester by the Office of the Registrar. An Odyssey transcript also records each student's participation in Odyssey projects.
Troubadour: the College's yearbook.
VZ Luau: annual beach-themed party thrown by Veasey Hall, similar to a spring fling.
Veasey Beach: the grassy area located between Veasey Hall and the Bailey Library. The area is occupied during warm weather by students looking for a place to study or relax.
Warriors: the Hendrix College mascot.
Welcome Week: during the first week on campus, when there are many events geared towards freshman -- lasting memories and friendship are guaranteed.