The Student Government Association, through the elected Senate and officers of the student body, exercises general control over student clubs, organizations, and the funds which support these activities on the campus. There are a number of organizations on campus which provide an opportunity for students to participate in the type of extra-curricular activity in which they have an interest. Many of these organizations come under the fiscal control of the student government. Convocations, special events and entertainment are planned and provided by the Student Activities Board, an arm of student government.

Five honoraries—Tau Beta Pi, national engineering honorary; Blue Key, a leadership honorary which also recognizes scholarship; and Alpha Phi Omega, national service fraternity comprised of college students who adhere to the philosophy of Scouting; National Residence Hall Honorary, an honorary recognizing outstanding residence hall students; and Alpha Lambda Delta, a national honorary society for freshmen—have chapters at Rose-Hulman.

In addition, seven national department honoraries have chapters for the purpose of promoting scholarly activity in the various major areas of study. These honoraries include Eta Kappa Nu (electrical engineering), Omega Chi Epsilon (chemical engineering), Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics), Pi Tau Sigma (mechanical engineering), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Scabbard and Blade (military), and Upsilon Pi Epsilon (computer science). Membership in professional honoraries generally is limited to students in the top quarter of the junior and senior classes.

    Eight professional societies have student chapters at Rose-Hulman, including Alpha Chi Sigma, a professional society in chemistry, the American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Military Engineers, Association for Computer Machinery, Inc., and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

SOCIAL FRATERNITIES

    Ten national social fraternities are represented at Rose-Hulman and provide an integral part of the social life of the college. Five fraternities have houses on campus and the other chapters have substantial houses in residential districts of Terre Haute. In order of establishment at Rose-Hulman, these fraternities are Alpha Tau Omega, Sigma Nu, Theta Xi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Triangle, Phi Gamma Delta, Delta Sigma Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Chi Omega, and Delta Delta Delta.

    Although the roster of student activities changes from year to year as student interests change, there are normally 35 to 40 clubs and organizations of general appeal to the student body. These organizations include the band, chorus, drama club, astronomical society, auto racing association, camera club, chess club, orienteering club, ham radio club, rifle club, WMHD-FM radio club, Young Republicans, Young Democrats, weightlifting club, Rose Christian Fellowship, flying club, Circle K, cycling club, debate club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, game club, International Affairs club, karate club, a ski club, a Model U.N. club, a p.c. user’s club, and others. The school also is served by four student publications, The Thorn, a weekly newspaper; The Quarterly, a literary magazine; The Modulus, the campus yearbook; and The Rose Technic, a quarterly reporting on important technical events at the college.

    Rose-Hulman provides an extensive program of intercollegiate athletics, fielding varsity men’s teams in baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, rifle, soccer, tennis, track and field, swimming, and wrestling. Women’s varsity competition is offered in basketball, volleyball, cross country, tennis, swimming, soccer, and softball. The “Fightin’ Engineers” are affiliated with the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, which includes Centre, DePauw, Hendrix, Millsaps, Oglethorpe, Rhodes, Sewanee, Southwestern and Trinity. Rose-Hulman competes in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Intramurals and Recreation

    A well-balanced and progressive program of intramural sports includes school-wide competition in touch football, basketball, bowling, volleyball, softball, track, soccer, and racquetball. The Rose-Hulman Sports and Recreation Center also provides ample opportunity for free play, weight training, racquetball, aerobics, cardiovascular conditioning, and development of the lifetime sports.