Student Engagement and Success from Student Affairs

The Division of Student Engagement and Success from Student Affairs creates communities that provide a sense of belonging and engages students to be successful. To achieve this mission, Student Engagement and Success from Student Affairs provides outstanding programs and services for students in the following departments: Assessment & Strategic Initiatives, Campus Recreation, Center for Leadership, Service and Outreach, Dean of Students Administrative Office, Lance Zimmerman Department of Student Involvement & Family Relations, Residence Life, Rodeo Activities, Student Counseling Services, Student Government Association, Student Health Services, Student Media, and University Police.

Assessment & Strategic Initiatives

Assessment & Strategic Initiatives promote holistic student success by contributing to a culture of continuous improvement for departments within the Division of Student Affairs. In addition, Assessment & Strategic Initiatives assist with University-wide assessments such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Administered assessments provide stakeholders with data to make evidence-based decisions in order to offer relevant programs and services. 

Campus Recreation

Campus Recreation provides a variety of recreational activities and events to meet the physical fitness and/or personal enjoyment needs of students, retirees, faculty/staff, and spouses. Extracurricular opportunities are coordinated and implemented to provide intramural team and individual sports, self-directed activities, and special events.

  • The Recreation Sports Center is a 70,000 square-foot facility, housing a weight room, climbing wall, four racquetball courts, men’s and women’s locker rooms, outdoor pursuits equipment check-out, three basketball/volleyball courts, three badminton courts, and two classrooms. The second floor includes two group fitness rooms, cardio machines, a three-lane track, and the administrative office suite. 
  • The Aquatics Center is an 8-lane/25-yard indoor lap pool with a wet-dry classroom and locker rooms. The outdoor pool consists of a leisure area with tanning ledges for students. Memberships are available for students, faculty, staff, retirees, graduates, spouses, and community members.
  • The Vance Terrell Intramural Complex is equipped with all-purpose fields to serve organized and open recreational activities. Intramural Sports programs played at this facility include flag football, soccer, and softball while Sports Clubs include rugby, lacrosse, and soccer.
  • Fitness/Wellness programming is available to meet the fitness and wellness needs of Campus Recreation students and members. Examples of wellness include Group Fit classes, weight room and cardio areas of the facility, personal training services, and wellness workshops.
  • Tarleton Challenge is an energizing ropes course learning experience through a combination of high and low elements conducted by trained facilitators. Participants enjoy safe, fun, unique, and innovative opportunities to promote group and personal growth and team-building, as well as communication and trust.

For more information visit  www.tarleton.edu/campusrec or call 254-968-9912.

Center for Leadership, Service, and Outreach

The Division of Student Engagement and Success from Student Affairs houses the Center for Leadership, Service, and Outreach where students have opportunities to connect, network, engage, and gain valuable skills to guide them in their future out-of-the-classroom experiences.

Leadership and Service Programs

Tarleton Leadership Programs intend to instill the university's core values into students. Through programs and organizations, students will gain experience and receive guidance to foster growth and development and help create student leaders that become community leaders. Tarleton Leadership and Service Programs host Tarleton Round-Up, an annual Tarleton Day of Service, and advise student leadership organizations like Tarleton Serves. Students also have opportunities for leadership training and professional development through events such as Leadership 101. Leadership and Service Programs encourage students to make a difference by volunteering. Students who earn 189.9 volunteer hours during their time at Tarleton can receive a graduation cord to wear as they cross the stage. Students seeking to learn about their strengths may take the free StrengthsQuest Assessment to learn their top 5 strengths and how to apply and develop these strengths throughout their college career. Students may be invited to be members of Omicron Delta Kappa, a National Leadership Honor Society. Please call 254-968-1899 for more information.

The Division of Student Affairs proudly hosts the annual Leadership and Service Awards Banquet each spring semester. Students are recognized for their accomplishments and are celebrated with a special event hosted in their honor.

Fraternity and Sorority Life

Fraternity and Sorority Life at Tarleton provides opportunities for brotherhood/sisterhood, scholarship, leadership, and service. Chapters include service, social, and professional interests. They offer numerous activities that include community engagement, philanthropy events, and social activities. The variety of fraternities and sororities on campus allows students the opportunity to belong to one that will best fit their needs. Recruitment is held during the first few weeks of the fall and spring semesters. Students who are strong leaders in serving their communities may be considered for membership in the Order of Omega which recognizes Greek-based leadership and academic achievement. For more information go to www.tarleton.edu/stulife/greeklife or call 254-968-1876.

Community Outreach

Student Engagement and Success from Student Affairs seeks to provide students the opportunity to become engaged within the civic community in which students reside while attending Tarleton. Civic engagement may take place by becoming a registered voter, participating in local, state, and national elections, attending community events, volunteerism, and being a good neighbor in both on- and off-campus living environments. Student Affairs Community Outreach will encourage students to live Tarleton’s core values.

Dean of Students Administrative Office

The Dean of Students Administrative Office provides essential support to students in the following areas: student conduct, Campus Assessment Response Evaluation (CARE) team, student concerns, temporary accommodations, and absence requests. Our team is committed to student success by promoting and leading with dignity and creating a culture of belonging and well-being. By advocating, empowering, and supporting students we facilitate growth and character-building throughout their college experience while engaging family members and university partners. All students are expected to act with integrity, excellence, and respect while attending Tarleton State University and to follow the Student Conduct Code. Through advocacy, our office is committed to student success and dedicated to helping students find answers and resolutions to their problems. In addition, the Dean of Students Administrative Office oversees support services that students may need while attending classes. These services include guidance/support for any student concerns and academic support during temporary medical leave or a death of an immediate family member. For additional information and support visit: https://www.tarleton.edu/deanofstudents/, email deanofstudentsoffice@tarleton.edu or phone 254-968-9080.

The Lance Zimmerman Department of Student Involvement & Family Relations

While academic success is the highest priority, participation in co-curricular experiences will enhance social development, leadership skills, and communication competency. The Lance Zimmerman Department of Student Involvement & Family Relations adds an important dimension to the university experience. Through involvement in student organizations, co-curricular activities, and leadership opportunities, students will develop marketable skills that will carry them beyond the gates of Tarleton to their chosen field of employment. In addition, the department coordinates programs that support and engage families in the Tarleton experience.

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), Tarleton Activities Board (T.A.B.), Texan Trail Transcript (TTT), and the Tarleton Parents Association (TPA) are just a few of the programs coordinated by the department. Learn more at TexanSync or call 254-968-9490.

Residence Life

Work performed by staff in Residence Life transforms students through a community experience that promotes intentional connections to peers, faculty, staff, resources, and invaluable learning experiences.

Tarleton State University offers at least 12 residential communities that provide a wide variety of room designs and price points to meet the needs of our diverse student body. Each residential community offers a unique and comfortable environment for students. Residence hall rooms are equipped with bedroom furniture, cable TV (TV not provided), and Internet/WIFI as well as a combination refrigerator/freezer with a microwave unit. Apartments are similarly equipped but without microwave units and some contain in-unit laundry equipment. Laundry facilities are offered in each residence hall. Hall staff members live on-site and among the residents to provide students with the assistance needed to succeed socially and academically.

Effective August 2023, all undergraduate students, including students classified as first-year students, have a one-year on-campus residency requirement. Regardless of the on-campus room/building assignments, residents are required to purchase a meal plan. First-year students must select at least a 12-meals/week meal plan. Visit https://www.tarleton.edu/housing/meal-plan-details.html for specific information regarding meal plans. 

On-Campus Housing Requirement

Residing on campus creates an environment where students experience more success. Therefore, Tarleton supports an on-campus living requirement of:

One (1) academic year for:

  • all “First Time Freshman” students who are younger than 21 years of age, prior to the start of the first registered semester.

  • all “Transfer” students who are younger than 21 years of age with less than 12 credit hours excluding dual credit hours, prior to the start of the first registered semester.

As a resident of campus housing, a student must have a meal plan for use in University dining facilities. The housing contract occupancy period is the entire academic year, which includes both the fall and spring semesters.

A student may request an exemption to the campus residency requirement for one of the following reasons:

  • The student graduated from high school at least two years prior to the start of the semester.
  • The student will be 21 years of age or older prior to the start of the semester.
  • The student is a married student or a single parent with at least one dependent child.
  • The student currently resides in and will continue to reside, in the established primary residence of a parent or legal guardian within 45 miles of the Tarleton State University Stephenville Campus.
  • The student will reside with a sibling who is a registered student at Tarleton State University and will reside at the address that is located within 45 miles of the Tarleton State University Stephenville Campus.
  • The student is a transfer student with 60 or more successfully completed transfer credit hours that are not AP/Advanced Placement and/or dual credit hours.
  • The student is taking eight credit hours or fewer as a part-time student.
  • The student has a financial hardship.
  • Acceptance to Texas A&M University in College Station after enrollment in Tarleton State University's Program for System Admission (PSA). 

A student may request an exemption to the campus residency requirement by submitting the Off-Campus Request Form. To access this form, students log into the Housing link through DuckTrax on MyGateway. Each Off-Campus Request should be carefully reviewed for required documentation as part of the submission process. 

It is recommended that students not arrange to live off-campus until the Off-Campus Request Form with supporting documentation has been reviewed and approved by the Department of Residence Life staff. Submission of the Off-Campus Request Form can only occur through the housing portal, which is accessed by the student. For more information about exemptions to Tarleton's Campus Housing Residency Requirement or the Off-Campus Request Form, call the Department of Residence Life at 254-968-9083 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Housing Application

Housing application information is available online at Apply for Tarleton Housing. Students may complete their housing application through their "student" tab found after logging in through MyGateway. A $100 non-refundable application fee must be submitted with all applications. Applications are processed for assignment in order of the date they are completed. A housing application is not complete until the $100 non-refundable application fee has been submitted and the student has been admitted to the university. Contact the Department of Residence Life at 254-968-9083 or visit www.tarleton.edu/housing for more information.

ACE & Living-Learning Communities

Tarleton's approach to residential living is centered around Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) which place students next to classmates from the same meta major, or with similar interests, so connections can happen naturally. Each meta-major cluster is a group of majors or fields of study that, together, form an Academic and Career Engagement Community (ACE Community). A Living-Learning Community is a smaller cohort of students (approximately 30 students) pursuing a common academic purpose and experience. Living-Learning Community students will be assigned together in a cluster of rooms in a specific residential area and will be enrolled in specific courses required for their program. Some opportunities might be available for students to participate in Living-Learning Communities designed around a learning experience or housing environments such as the Honors College or Tarleton’s Corps of Cadets. These students live together in a residence hall and commit to fulfilling the requirements identified for the learning experience outside of the classroom. Students benefit from the relationships established among their peers, faculty, and staff associated with each Living-Learning Community and typically experience increased levels of academic success. Residence Life will make every effort to place all incoming students into a Living-Learning Community program using the information students submit through their Housing Application/Contract. Students will be assigned to an appropriate Living-Learning Community based on space availability. Students unable to be assigned to a Living-Learning Community, due to space availability, will be assigned to an available space on campus. For more information, view the Academic & Career Engagement links on our website: www.tarleton.edu/housing or call the Department of Residence Life at 254-968-9083 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Meningitis Vaccine

Texas Legislative Bill 4189 requires each student assigned to live on-campus to provide proof of a meningitis vaccine obtained no less than 10 days prior to the first day of class. For more details about this requirement, go to www.tarleton.edu/admissions/bacterial-meningitis.html or call 254 968-9125.

Rodeo Activities

The Office of Rodeo Activities provides students the opportunity to remain involved in rodeo activities at the intercollegiate level as they study for their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Tarleton State University is a member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) and competes in the Southwest Region as one of the largest teams in the nation. The Tarleton Rodeo team provides students with the opportunity to be a part of and participate in events such as the Halloween Rodeo, 10 NIRA-sanctioned rodeos, and various fundraising events. Interaction with the Stephenville and surrounding communities allows students to meet with potential future employers once they complete their degrees. Scholarships are available for rodeo athletes based on success both academically and in the arena. For more information go to www.tarleton.edu/rodeo or call 254-968-9187.

Student Counseling Services

Student Counseling Services provides mental health and wellness support to the Tarleton State University student body. We offer a variety of services to meet the wide array of our students’ needs, from mental health training, collaborative outreach, and wellness workshops, to a variety of clinical services including counseling groups, single-session individual appointments, and brief, individual counseling. Our clinicians are generalist counselors who are licensed to practice in the State of Texas. When a higher level of care or specialization is necessary, we coordinate and/or refer to appropriate providers. We provide consultation to our campus community, work collaboratively across departments and divisions, and promote resiliency, connection, hope, and healing across our community. Student Counseling Services is committed to diversity and meeting the needs of an ever-changing university community. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 254-968-9044 or stopping by the Wellness Center on the Stephenville Campus or the counseling center on the first floor of the Ft. Worth Learning Center (entrance by the flagpoles). All counseling services are confidential within the limits outlined by Texas Law and professional ethics. For more information go to www.tarleton.edu/counseling or call 254-968-9044.

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association is the representative voice of Tarleton students and it is directly responsible for bringing the interests and concerns of students to the attention of the administration and university community. Within SGA is the Freshman Representative Council designed for new incoming students to begin their leadership journey.  For more information, go to the Student Government Association website: www.tarleton.edu/sga.

Student Health Services

Student Health Services provides health care services to students enrolled at Tarleton State University including the Stephenville, Fort Worth, Midlothian, RELIS-Bryan, and Waco locations.  The student health fee covers office visits. Reasonable fees are charged for treatment, injections, tests and medications. Identification card presentation is required with each visit.

Services provided include prescription and over-the-counter medications, treatment of minor/acute illnesses and injuries, suturing of simple lacerations, removal of simple skin lesions, services of a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, administration of allergy injections as directed by the student’s allergist, consultations regarding any health problems (including referrals), blood pressure checks and the continuation of health care following surgery or illness as directed by a physician.

Students who have graduated from a public school in Texas should have current immunization status. The State of Texas requires students who will be living on campus for the first time to show proof of vaccination against Bacterial Meningitis. The vaccination for Bacterial Meningitis must be received at least 10 days prior to moving on campus. Tuberculosis (TB) testing, tetanus, meningitis, influenza (fall semester only), and hepatitis B vaccines are available at the Student Health Center. Physical exams and women’s health exams and birth control are also available for a reasonable fee. Health literature is available for personal and educational purposes.

All x-rays, laboratory tests, and medical services conducted outside of the Student Health Center are performed at the student’s expense. Student Health Services is an advocate for the physically disabled. The university offers students a comprehensive injury and sickness insurance plan through the Texas A&M System to cover students beyond the resources of Student Health Services. For more information, call 254-968-9271 or go to www.tarleton.edu/healthservices.

Student Media

The department of Student Media guides the production of JTAC News, the official Tarleton State University student newspaper; the Grassburr, the annual yearbook for Tarleton State University; and manages the on-campus print shop, The Source. The department manages marketing and communication efforts for the Division of Student Affairs. Publications and marketing projects may be conceptualized, developed, and produced by student staff. As a student-driven department, Student Media offers Tarleton students various opportunities to gain hands-on experience, develop critical personal and career skills, and create powerful portfolios. For more information, call 254-968-9056 or visit www.tarleton.edu/studentpublications. Learn more about JTAC News at www.jtac.com.

University Police Department

The safety and security of the campus community is the number one priority of the University Police Department. Staffed by fully licensed police officers, the department operates around the clock and every day to ensure a positive environment for students to live, learn and interact. Additionally, the department offers safety escorts across campus vehicle jump-starts for dead batteries and will unlock your car if your keys are locked inside. Call 911 for emergencies or 254-968-9002 for anything else. We are always just a phone call away.