Eastern Mennonite University
Campus life
Campus life
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### Expectations for community members

Eastern Mennonite's 361\-word "Community Lifestyle Commitment" was adopted by the board of trustees in 2001\. With this document as a guide, the institution expects its employees and students to commit themselves to a lifestyle based on "clearly stated expectations \[to] promote orderly community life," coupled with "trust in and responsibility to one another". It calls for "stewardship of mind, time, abilities and finances" and takes the unusual step of asking for "social responsibility in my standard of living and use of economic resources". EMU expects community members to "respect and abide by the university policy that prohibits the use of alcohol and tobacco on campus or at university functions and the misuse of alcohol off campus".

The statement also asks community members to refrain from "sexual harassment and abuse, pornography, acts of violence, abusive or demeaning language and the use of illegal drugs" as well as "sexual relationships outside of marriage". However, the school does permit homosexual activity within the confines of marriage.

### Campus ministries

Residential undergraduates, faculty, and staff gather for twice\-weekly chapel services planned by the campus pastoral team. Voluntary [Bible study](/wiki/Bible_study_%28Christianity%29 "Bible study (Christianity)") and worship also occur in smaller settings during the week and on weekends.

The Campus Ministries program sponsors activities such as campus\-wide chapels on Wednesday and Friday mornings, a student\-led praise\-style service on Sunday evenings, monthly hymn sings and Taize worship services, annual "spiritual life week", and service experiences under the Young People's Christian Association."Campus Ministries," [http://www.emu.edu/studentlife/campus\-ministries/](http://www.emu.edu/studentlife/campus-ministries/) . Retrieved 25 October 2011\. Campus Ministries is led by the three trained pastors, assisted by students at various stages in their education including seminary students at EMU. Pastoral Assistants live in residence buildings and plan voluntary weekly activities."Student Staff," [http://www.emu.edu/studentlife/campus\-ministries/ma\-pa/](http://www.emu.edu/studentlife/campus-ministries/ma-pa/). Retrieved 25 October 2011\.

### Outdoor and indoor recreation

[thumb\|Bicycle Lane on Eastern Mennonite University Campus](/wiki/File:Bicycle_Lane_on_Eastern_Mennonite_University_Campus.jpg "Bicycle Lane on Eastern Mennonite University Campus.jpg") As a result of EMU's location, bicycling is popular among the faculty and students as a means to commute, do errands, and for recreational jaunts around the countryside, both on and off roads.Nathan Kauffman. "College Street Bike Co\-op: 'Because It Sounds Cooler than College Ave.'", The Weathervane Online, 25 February 2010, <http://weathervane.emu.edu>. Retrieved 16 August 2010\.

Other popular outdoor activities are [kayaking](/wiki/Kayaking "Kayaking") \& [canoeing](/wiki/Canoeing "Canoeing"), [swimming](/wiki/Human_swimming "Human swimming"), [golfing](/wiki/Golfing "Golfing"), [hiking](/wiki/Hiking "Hiking"), [horseback riding](/wiki/Horseback_riding "Horseback riding"), [hunting](/wiki/Hunting "Hunting") \& [fishing](/wiki/Fishing "Fishing"), [spelunking](/wiki/Spelunking "Spelunking") and [skiing](/wiki/Skiing "Skiing") \& other winter sports at nearby private and public parks and centers, such as [Shenandoah National Park](/wiki/Shenandoah_National_Park "Shenandoah National Park"), [George Washington and Jefferson National Forests](/wiki/George_Washington_and_Jefferson_National_Forests "George Washington and Jefferson National Forests"), and Massanutten Four\-Season Resort."Experience Harrisonburg, Va.," www.harrisonburgtourism.com. Retrieved 16 August 2010\. On campus, students, staff and faculty maintain a greenhouse, an arboretum, and a large vegetable garden."How 'green' is EMU?", www.emu.edu/begreen. Retrieved 16 August 2010\.

Indoor recreational features include gyms (for [basketball](/wiki/Basketball "Basketball"), [volleyball](/wiki/Volleyball "Volleyball"), [indoor soccer](/wiki/Indoor_soccer "Indoor soccer"), etc.), fitness center with exercise equipment, and climbing wall."Eastern Mennonite University". U.S. News \& World Report – The Ultimate College Guide, 2010 Edition, p. 1648 Swimmers head 2\.1 miles to the year\-round municipal swimming pool at Westover Park."Driving directions to Harrisonburg Parks \& Rec Department via Waterman Dr." <https://maps.google.com>. Retrieved 17 August 2010\.

### Athletics

[thumb\|EMU Turf Field](/wiki/File:EMU_Athletic_Field.jpg "EMU Athletic Field.jpg") EMU's sports teams are known as the Royals. In most sports, EMU competes as [NCAA](/wiki/NCAA "NCAA") Division III, a member of the [Old Dominion Athletic Conference](/wiki/Old_Dominion_Athletic_Conference "Old Dominion Athletic Conference"). Sports include [field hockey](/wiki/Field_hockey "Field hockey"), [cross country](/wiki/Cross_country_running "Cross country running"), [basketball](/wiki/Basketball "Basketball"), [volleyball](/wiki/Volleyball "Volleyball"), [soccer](/wiki/Soccer "Soccer"), [baseball](/wiki/Baseball "Baseball"), [softball](/wiki/Softball "Softball"), indoor and outdoor [track and field](/wiki/Track_and_field "Track and field"), and [golf](/wiki/Golf "Golf").

### Extracurriculars

Two\-thirds of EMU's students participate in [intramural sports](/wiki/Intramural_sports "Intramural sports"), playing against peers as well as college employees, in friendly, often coed competitions.Bonnie Price Lofton. "2,000 Untold Stories," Crossroads Magazine, Fall/winter 2009\-10, p. 34\. In 2009–10, dozens of teams competed at various levels in [basketball](/wiki/Basketball "Basketball"), [billiards](/wiki/Billiards "Billiards"), [floor hockey](/wiki/Floor_hockey "Floor hockey"), [flag football](/wiki/Flag_football "Flag football"), [golf](/wiki/Golf "Golf"), [table tennis](/wiki/Table_tennis "Table tennis"), and [dodgeball](/wiki/Dodgeball "Dodgeball")."2009 Rec Sports Champions. www.emu.edu/studentlife/recsports/gallery0910 Retrieved 16 August 2010\.

Beyond physical activities, students at EMU are involved in clubs and groups typical of college campuses, such as student government, the student newspaper, literary magazine and theater productions."Clubs and Organizations," www.emu.edu/studentlife/clubs. Retrieved 16 August 2010\.

### Music

Students participate from a variety of choral and instrumental musical groups, including men's, women's, and mixed vocal ensembles, as well as chamber and wind ensembles, a [jazz](/wiki/Jazz "Jazz") band, and a chamber orchestra. EMU's music department is home to the proficient hymnal editor, faculty member, and chamber singers director Ken J. Nafziger, who also directs and conducts the annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival and the Winchester Musica Viva.


What are some benefits of participating in clubs and organizations on campus?