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Religious & Spiritual Life
Religious & Spiritual Life functions to provide an open and collaborative environment in which members of the campus community can nourish their spirits as well as puruse religious inquiry and practice.
Any religious organization or group that wishes to function on campus must be recognized by the Student Government Association. As with all student organizations, it is a requisite that any such group have a faculty/staff advisor who will not only represent the group but be responsible for the activities of the group. Additionally, religious organizations or groups may wish to have a religious/spiritual leader associated with their organization. All religious/spiritual leaders will serve the campus on a voluntary basis and participate in an annual appointment process by the Vice President for Student Affairs. Recognized organizations, after consultation with the Interim Associate Dean of Students, may schedule the regular use of the Spiritual Center.
Our campus Religious/Spiritual Leaders make time to see students, faculty and staff by appointment in the Spiritual Center. They can also be located and contacted to setup a time and location at their organizational web pages.
Spiritual Center
The College of New Jersey's s Spiritual Center is conveniently located near Norsworthy Hall, New Residence Hall and Decker Hall. It's beauty is enhanced by utilizing materials from the old Alumni Chapel. The foyer is made with the slate floor of the Alumni Chapel and the stained glass has been reconstructed to offer a beautiful view for the meditation room. Even the alter has been made, with the wonderful support of our former baseball coach, Rich Dell and his family, with the wood of the old Chapel.
The Meditation Chapel is open seven days a week, 8:30 am to 11:00 pm, to all members of the campus community for quiet contemplation, prayer and meditation. The worship space is available on a scheduled basis and must be used for religious or spiritual purposes. Worship services, sponsored by TCNJ student organizations are given priority in the scheduling of the center
In addition to hosting regular religious worship services and spiritual programming, the Spiritual Center is available for weddings, christenings, or other religious or spiritual centers. Contact Conference & Meeting Services, 609-771-2797 for scheduling and pricing.
Councils of Religious & Spiritual Life
Under the direction of the Dean of Students Office, councils of volunteer religious/spiritual leaders, faculty/staff advisers to religiously affiliated student organizations and the student leadership of religiously affiliated campus organizations will meet regularly to develop and enact the mission of Religious & Spiritual Life, as well as to identify and coordinate programming and to discuss relevant issues. All active faith groups associated with Religious & Spiritual Life are required to participate in this effort. In addition, to ensure that Religious & Spiritual Life represents the entire campus and not just the currently recognized groups, a Faculty Senate member, a Staff Senate member and a Student Government Association member will be invited to participate.
Though gathering the various constituencies into one group is ideal, the number of people engaged in this effort is too large to assemble as one active working group. As a result, two councils have been formed
- Religious & Spiritual Life Student Advisory Board - consisting of the leadership of their faith-based student organizations
- Council for Religious & Spiritual Life - consisting of Volunteer Religious/Spiritual Leaders and faculty/staff advisers of faith-based organizations
Each council will meet monthly and one meeting of the combined councils is held at least once a year. Additionally, an executive council consisting of the co-chairs of the two boards will meet with the Associate Dean prior to these meetings to coordinate agendas. These groups will use these meetings
Appropriateness & Accountability for Religious/Spiritual Program Content:
Campus religious/spiritual groups and/or volunteer religious/spiritual leaders maintain independent responsibility for their programming, practices and expressions of faith. Religious & Spiritual Life’s recognition of these entities is not an endorsement by The College of New Jersey of these programs, practices or expressions of faith. These entities are considered to be the experts on program content regarding their specific faith and/or religion. However, student groups and volunteer religious/spiritual leaders recognized by Religious & Spiritual Life are subject to all college policies governing facilities, grounds, personal conduct or behavior, and safety and security.
