Our Mission

The Department of Residential Life at Bemidji State University is committed to fostering safe, caring environments that encourage academic success, respect, personal growth, and a sense of responsibility toward our community and global society.

Our Values

• Altruism - unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
• Trust - in ourselves and others.
• Inclusiveness - recognizing, appreciating, and celebrating differences and similarities.  Honesty - behaving in accord with stated and implied values and principles.
• Empathy - understanding others' feelings or difficulties.
• Opportunity - providing for growth for self and others through involvement.
• Excellence always striving toward a further goal, growing, never complacent.
• Fairness - behavior and attitudes that reflect fair play and openness.
• Respect - for oneself and the esteem and value of others, environment, and community.
• Love - dedicate self for the purpose of enhancing one's own or another's good.

Our Goals

Community

• Partner with students and staff members to develop community expectations that encourage civility, respect for others and property, and individual rights and responsibilities.
• Provide a dining service that offers quality and value.
• Support our students and the University mission by collaboratively working with other offices on campus.

Academic Success

• Provide environments that are conducive to student learning and fostering student success
• Develop learning opportunities that complement the academic mission of the University
• Provide current technologies, programs, and facilities that support academic success

Student Growth

• Provide resources and support for successful transition to and from the collegiate experience
• Support and challenge students to foster autonomy and personal growth
• Utilize policies, procedures, and activities which lead to self exploration and enhance respect for oneself and others
• Encourage student awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the diversity of individual backgrounds, beliefs, and ideas
• Encourage participation in community service and cultural awareness activities to enhance understanding of one's role in a larger society and the need to contribute positively to it.

Facilities

• Share responsibility with our residents for maintaining safe, clean, and comfortable facilities.
• Access facilities and program on a continuous basis in order to plan for improvement and growth
• Practice fiscal responsibility in managing facilities and resources

Staff

• Serve as caring and supportive models of ethical and professional behavior
• Serve as advocates for residents with their concerns and act as a resource
• Empower staff through interactive training, personal supervision. And leadership development
• Provide staff with strategies for developing community and meeting the needs of students
• Follow a comprehensive staff selection process that is international and fair and that results in the hiring of outstanding staff