2009-2010 Course Catalog:
Community Life

Campus Location and Facilities

The new Trinity Lutheran College Campus Center opened Fall Semester 2008 in Everett, Washington. The main building is located at 2802 Wetmore Ave., at the corner of California St. and Wetmore Ave.

The Campus Center has four floors devoted to classrooms, administrative offices, faculty offices, the library, a student store, and a commons area. The center is served by a parking garage connected by a skywalk. Student housing is nearby, as is the YMCA, which is available for students to use at no extra charge to them.

About Everett, Washington 

Everett, recently named an “All-America City”, is a great place to call home. In a region brimming with world renowned landmarks, corporations and scenery, Everett boasts some of best of the Puget Sound.

Downtown you will find the Everett Events Center, a northwest destination for exciting events from racing to concerts. On the waterfront, the community enjoys the second-largest marina on the West Coast and nearly fifty miles of shoreline!

Three professional sports teams; Everett Silvertips ice hockey team, Everett Hawks football team and AquaSox minor league baseball team call Everett home, with affordable tickets and thrilling competition.

Along with more than 1,600 acres of beautiful parks, trails and playgrounds, Everett has a revitalized downtown with shops, churches, businesses, restaurants, housing, and now, a fully accredited four-year biblically centered liberal arts college - Trinity Lutheran College! Like any major community, however, it also needs ministry and is a venue in which classroom theories are worked out in real life. Everett is a great place to experience college life.

Just 35 minutes to the south of Everett is Seattle, the “Emerald City,” boasting some of the tallest skyscrapers west of the Mississippi. Seattle is a cosmopolitan city with many facets. It is the crossroads of commerce with Asia and the gateway to Alaska. Second only to New York in live theater, it is rich in opportunities for cultural development and entertainment. Continually rated as one of America’s most livable cities, Seattle and its surrounding area were appraised by Rand McNally as America’s number one best vacation spot, making it a great weekend get-away.

For those who prefer glistening icy pinnacles to glittering crystal towers, the Pacific Northwest has no shortage of mountains to inspire spiritual retreats and winter fun. Rising well over two miles into the sky, the Cascade Mountains point like marble cathedrals toward the heavens. Mt. St. Helens and her sleeping grandfather, Mt. Rainier, are two famous names among five equally majestic volcanic peaks. Fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking abound. In the winter, it is a wilderness of pristine Arctic splendor; and in the summer, the music of innumerable cascading streams, for which the mountains are named, flows over hillsides painted orange and red by the leaves of Indian paintbrush.

Community Life Goals

Our goal is to assist students in integrating the biblical knowledge they gain in class into their personal lives and their ministry to the world. We believe the Bible reveals values and guidelines to help develop Christian character and virtues. We desire to demonstrate equally the forgiving grace of God and God’s standards of life for a Christian community, believing that the Gospel is more powerful for positive community transformation than the Law. 

Community Life Opportunities

Associated Student Body
Every student who is registered at Trinity is a member of the Associated Student Body (ASB). Members of the ASB elect student officers who represent student opinions in decision-making and action. The Student Council is made up of executive officers, plus the chairpersons of each student commission, and intramural sports, and residential, commuter, and international student representatives. The Commissions plan and facilitate various events such as worship, social events, athletic, and special emphasis weeks.

Worship
Trinity is committed to the spiritual growth of each student. In order to facilitate spiritual growth, both individually and corporately, each member of the community is encouraged to worship regularly at chapel services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Weekly times of Prayer and Praise are also scheduled. Each student is encouraged to worship regularly with and participate in a local congregation.

Service Learning Practicum
God calls every Christian to a lifestyle of service. Since its beginning, Trinity has affirmed that call by providing opportunities for students to discover their spiritual gifts and talents and to learn to use them for the sake of others. Because Jesus came to serve, not to be served, service is taught and practiced as a way of life. Full-time students are required to participate in the Service Learning Practicum. Students volunteer two to four hours of public service each week in a variety of places, serving people who have a variety of needs. Sites of service include churches, hospice homes, long-term care centers for the elderly, tutor centers, urban mission agencies, youth centers, preschools, and more. Faculty members are involved as advisors and fellow servants.

Intramural Sports
A wide range of intramural sports are possible. Popular activities have included volleyball, soccer, basketball, flag football, and softball. A variety of activities are included in the program to match the skills and interests of as many students as possible.

Club Sports
Students have opportunity to be active in Club Sports within the Everett/Seattle community. These sports may include volleyball, rowing, soccer, hockey, basketball, and recreational skiing.

Intercollegiate Athletics
Based on student interest, Trinity Lutheran College strives to meet the desires of students to compete in sports on an intercollegiate level. The Office of Student Services will support a competitive sports based on student interest level.

Food Services
Food service is another opportunity for students to engage as a community and dialog about the ethics, health aspects, and cultural values surrounding food. The college seeks to provide affordable, healthy, and ethically obtained food for its students, and discuss the challenges and options for doing so with the students. See the Student Handbook for details on schedules, prices, and options.

Residence Life

Trinity Apartments:  Trinity offers private, furnished rooms for every full-time student. Living within the Trinity community in student housing is a valuable enhancement to the educational experience. Therefore, all single students under 21 years of age in their first year of college are required to live in the residence halls unless they live at home with a parent or guardian.

Married Student Housing:  A limited number of studio, one- or two-bedroom apartments are available for married students on a priority basis.

Family Housing:  A limited number of family two-bedroom apartments for full-time students with children are available on campus on a priority basis.

Director of Community Life & Resident Assistants:  The Director of Community Life lives on campus, has responsibility for the security and well-being of the residents, and is on call for emergencies. Student Resident Assistants are selected to serve as liaisons and facilitators within the residence units.

Residence Hall Hours:  For security purposes and because a rested body and mind are most conducive for learning, students are expected to comply with residence hall rules and regulations. Quiet hours are established out of respect and consideration for neighbors.

Laundry Facilities:  Each of the Trinity Apartment buildings has a laundry room equipped with a coin-operated automatic washer and dryer, located on the basement level.

Mail Services:  Mailboxes are provided for each student living in the Trinity Apartments.

Internship Semester Housing:  Students who will be gone from campus during the fall semester, interim, or spring semester for Field Experience may retain their living spaces on a space-available basis.

Housing During Breaks:  Residence halls are open during Thanksgiving. Limited housing is available during Christmas break for students who apply and pay the additional $12 per night cost for this option. There will be no food service during these breaks. The campus and Trinity Apartments are closed during the Fall Retreat.

Summer Housing:  Summer housing is available for those students employed by the college. For other returning students, housing is available for rent.

Commuter Students

Trinity strives to be a community of learners who help each other grow through academic study and personal interaction. A significant number of students live off campus, and it is important that these students be an integral part of the life of the community. Commuter students will benefit more from their education if they maintain a level of personal and spiritual interaction with the faculty and on-campus students, in addition to time spent in the classroom. They are encouraged to obtain a parking pass for the covered parking structure as well as a key to the bungalow, in order to take part in community building experiences.

Security     

Although security coverage is provided, there is no foolproof way of preventing loss of property through theft or vandalism. Therefore it is imperative that all members of the Trinity community contribute by being alert to the safety and security of the campus, and promptly reporting any suspicious circumstances to the Student Services Offices or Residence Life Staff.

Trinity is not responsible for personal property, including vehicles and bikes parked on campus. Items found on the campus will be kept in the lost and found. Unclaimed items will be disposed of after 30 days.

Responsibilities and Policies

Trinity believes the Bible gives guidance for Christian living. Therefore, we believe that as Christians we are called to live a distinctive lifestyle in this world, characterized by love and respect for others. Recognizing that the Scriptures do not provide specifics regarding all social practices, they do, nonetheless, advocate self-control in that which is harmful or offensive to others. Therefore, policies for conduct that contribute to the goals of the college and encourage harmonious and effective community living have been adopted.

These policies have been established by the Community Life Committee composed of representation from the faculty, staff, and students and are outlined in detail in the Student Handbook.

Some specific policies include:

Firearms and Explosives:  The possession of firearms, ammunition, fireworks, gun look-a-likes, or any other lethal or dangerous devices is prohibited on campus.

Tobacco:  The use of tobacco in any form is not allowed within any of the campus facilities.

Alcohol and Drugs:  The use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the Trinity campus. Washington State Law prohibits the use of alcohol by persons under 21 years of age, or making alcohol available to persons under 21 years of age. Students breaking the law or abusing alcohol will be subject to disciplinary action. The use of unlawful and hallucinogenic drugs is not permitted on or off campus and will also be subject to disciplinary action. The Student Services staff provides educational programming on the issues.

Vehicles and Parking:  See Student Handbook for details.

Sexual Misconduct/Harassment:  Human sexuality is presented in the Bible as a good and gracious part of God’s creation. Members of our community have the right to work, study, and communicate with each other in an atmosphere free from unsolicited and unwelcome communication of a sexual nature. Trinity will take action to prevent and eliminate inappropriate behavior of this nature. Individuals who engage in this behavior may be subject to disciplinary action, as well as criminal and/or civil prosecution. Students who believe they have been the subject of any sexual harassment or who have concerns about the appropriateness of the behavior of a student or employee should report the alleged act immediately to a Resident Assistant, Director of Community Life, Director of Health Services, Vice President of Student Services, or Security personnel.

Discipline:  We seek to encourage students in their Christian growth and maturity, realizing a Christian is responsible to God, and to those given the responsibility of leadership under God, and to their community. It is the intention of Trinity to resolve violations of established policies in a way that will maintain respect for each person with a redemptive concern. We all share the responsibility for fulfilling and maintaining the community and lifestyle expectations.

From a biblical perspective, all discipline is redemptive in nature, seeking to reconcile the individual to God and to his/her neighbor. To accomplish this, Trinity attempts to model the biblical ideal of redemptive discipline as outlined in Matthew 18:15-18. Students are encouraged to be accountable to and for each other. Should any dispute require further clarification and resolution, the Resident Assistant becomes involved, then the Director of Community Life. The next step involves the Dean of Students. In rare incidents the Judicial Board may intervene.

Student Life Covenant:  Upon arriving at Trinity, the college campus community, the on-campus residents, residence hall floor members and roommates will engage in a facilitated dialog that will result in the crafting of values and standards that they all agree to uphold. This process is designed to foster faith, self-understanding, personal responsibility, and community involvement. It encourages critical thinking in an environment of openness, freedom of expression, and respect for one another. It applies while a community member is on campus, involved in college activities, representing the college or otherwise acting in a manner that reflects adversely on the college.

Traditions and Special Events

Opening Convocation:  Opening Convocation is the celebrative worship service opening the academic year each fall. Students together with their families and friends are invited to participate in this special event.

Fall Retreat:  The Fall Retreat is held the first weekend of every fall semester. The entire Trinity community will spend the weekend on campus engaging in service, learning, fellowship and relaxation. 

Discipleship Week:  Discipleship Week is scheduled for one week every fall semester. This is a time to focus on the call to Christian discipleship through special chapel speakers, worship services, and servant events.

Mud Bowl:  Mud bowl is a flag football game in mid-October.  Alumni, current students, faculty and staff divide into two teams: Washington vs. The World.  The office of Alumni Relations sponsors a large tailgate party which includes members of the Board of Directors. 

Advent Festival Concerts:  Advent concerts, usually held the first weekend in December, are a highlight of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Additional choir concerts are held throughout the academic year. Friends and alumni also attend these inspiring concerts.

Mission Emphasis Week:  Mission Emphasis Week is a special focus week in spring semester. During this week the community is exposed to global needs and opportunities for service through guest speakers, seminars, and an opportunity fair, featuring summer, short-term, and long-term vocational mission opportunities.

World Awareness Week: World Awareness Week is the spring semester week set aside for special speakers to examine a facet of world affairs. A student-faculty committee selects the topics. Speakers are invited from around the United States and are often sponsored by the Staley Lecture Foundation.

Gals Dinner for Guys/Guys Dinner for Gals:  Students plan dinner and a night of entertainment for the opposite sex!

Awards and Honors Chapel:  Awards Chapel is a special event in spring when students come forward to receive scholarship awards and financial grants for the following academic year.  Students, faculty and staff are honored for their contribution to the Trinity community and for their achievements. Next year’s student leaders are presented at this time.

Family Weekend:  Family Weekend is held each spring semester. Parents and family come to campus to spend time with their child, attend classes, tour the campus, visit with faculty and staff and much more. The weekend is wrapped around the annual theater arts event Playfest.

Trinity Art Exhibition: During spring semester, alumni, faculty, staff and current students submit personal art work to be displayed. Photography, sculpture, painting, and various other mediums of visual art are presented.

Playfest:  An ever-changing theater event involving students and other members of the Trinity community is held on campus each spring semester in conjunction with Family Weekend.

Spring Retreat:  The Spring Retreat is held every spring semester. The entire Trinity community comes together at an off-site retreat location in order to celebrate the end of the year with games, activities, worship, relaxation, recreation and fellowship.

Athletic Tournaments:  May include but are not limited to dodge ball, 3 on 3 basketball tournament, volleyball, pillow polo, ultimate Frisbee, and croquet.

G.T.s:  G.T.s are “Get Togethers” in the Trinity Apartments led by the R.A. team. G.T.s are weekly fun events and activities to strengthen community life.

Baccalaureate: Baccalaureate is a worship service held the evening before commencement.

Commencement: Commencement is a time-honored ceremony that recognizes and honors the completion of the graduates’ academic work and service.