Student Life Departments

The departments in Student Life include Campus Recreation and the Hunthausen Activity Center, Residential Life and Housing, Student Activities and Leadership, and the Wellness Center/ Health and Counseling.

Campus Recreation and Hunthausen Activity Center

Campus Recreation and the Hunthausen Activity Center (HAC) provides students with the opportunity to engage in recreation, fitness, intramurals and outdoor programming. The facility consists of a climbing tower, bouldering wall, outdoor recreation center, multi-purpose exercise rooms, gymnasium, cardiovascular equipment and weight equipment. The purpose of the center is to promote the health and wellness of Carroll College students and employees. 

Hunthausen Activity Center is managed by the Director of Campus Recreation who provides leadership opportunities for student employees to supervise facilities and programming. Building managers, desk workers, fitness instructors, intramural officials and Carroll Adventures and Mountaineering Program (CAMP) leaders will gain valuable employment experience in the operation of the Hunthausen Activity Center. Students will benefit from educational programming on outdoor recreation which will be supplemented by CAMP hiking, backpacking, and camping trips.

Carroll employees, spouses and retired employees have the opportunity to use the Hunthausen Activity Center. The intent is to promote the sense of community between Carroll College students, staff and faculty through the use of a common recreation and fitness facility.

The rules, policies and procedures for the building can be found on the Hunthausen Activity Center web page. It is expected that all who use the building are familiar with the policies and procedures outlined at https://www.carroll.edu/hunthausen-activity-center/policies-procedures.

Counseling Services

Counseling Services assist students by promoting their emotional, social, and behavioral growth in order to help them achieve their academic and personal goals. Individual counseling and workshops are utilized to address issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, peer pressures, and life decisions. Students learn how to develop action plans to address developmental issues or personal goals. Services are free and confidential.

Counseling services can be a helpful resource to college students who may be facing issues involving transitions in their life including starting college, living away from home, exploring personal relationships or struggling with value clarification. It is important for students and their families to understand that the counseling offered at Carroll College is short-term and cannot replace or substitute as a service for long-term counseling, psychiatric services or the treatment of mental health issues with medication. Referrals to mental health care professionals in the Helena community can be provided. As with all referrals to health care professionals, billing for services are handled by the health care professional with insurance providers.

Health Services

Health Services staff assist students in providing direct services to support their health and wellness, and in educating students on personal health care. Students learn about their health from a registered nurse on staff full-time, and from the nurse practitioner who has weekly clinic hours at the Health Center. Immunizations, flu shots, consultations or referrals, simple laboratory procedures and regular clinic hours for non-emergency care are provided through the Carroll College Health Center. All records are confidential unless a waiver form is signed by the student to release information to others. Health services also include the loan of crutches, vaporizers and ice bags, etc.

Fees for supplies, labs and procedures are nominal. Payment or billing arrangements are required at the time of service for all immunizations and services. The Health Center does not submit to insurance for payment, however students/parents can submit for reimbursement from their insurance companies.

Each student is required to have a completed health form and validated immunization record on file in the Health Center. Students are strongly encouraged to receive the required immunizations prior to coming to Carroll. However, staff can administer needed immunizations if necessary.

Residential Life and Housing

Residential Life and Housing staff assists students in learning how to live in community on a residential campus. The friendships and life experiences developed by living on campus provide students with many unexpected benefits that positively impact the academic, occupational, recreational, spiritual, mental and emotional maturity of students. Students learn by daily practice how to develop healthy eating, sleeping, study and social habits. For these reasons, students are required to live in college housing for three years (six semesters)* and are encouraged to live all four years in college housing.

To promote a positive living and learning environment, Residential Life and Housing is responsible for educational programming, group activity advising, leadership development, student conduct, peer counseling, housing administration and resource referral. A Resident Assistant (RA), a student paraprofessional trained to address the needs of students, lives on each residence hall floor. In each area, one RA also serves as a Senior Resident Assistant (SRA). The Senior Resident Assistant serves alongside the professional staff in the Senior Staff On Call rotation and provides additional administrative support for the area. An Area Coordinator is a professional staff member, trained in hall administration, community development and staff supervision. The Area Coordinators oversee and support the residence halls and the campus apartments. Area Coordinators are supervised by the the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life and Housing. 

* Please Note:  When the 2023-2024 Handbook was published in Fall 2023 this section referred to the former two-year live on requirement.  We apologize for the confusion, but the 3-year live on requirement for housing is noted accurately in the Room and Board Requirements and Rates of the Catalog, the Housing Policies and Housing and Meals sections of the Student Handbook, on the Student Life/Housing and Dining webpage and in the Housing and Meal Plan Exception Form

Student Activities and Leadership

Student Activities and Leadership staff offer students a wide range of programs and activities that reflect the social, cultural, intellectual, recreational and self-governance needs of students within the context of the mission and vision statement of Carroll College. Carroll provides a full range of opportunities through organizations, student government, clubs, and volunteer programs. Through participating in these activities students learn valuable social and leadership skills which will positively impact their lives now and into the future.

With over forty recognized campus programs and organizations, Carroll College offers students a wide range of interest groups to explore. Examples include: The Prospector, the campus newspaper; Colors, the college literary magazine; and the Associated Students of Carroll College (ASCC), Carroll’s student government.

Other opportunities for students to have fun, get involved, and strengthen leadership skills include but are not limited to, academic clubs, special interest groups, campus programming, concerts, entertainers, speakers, dances, Homecoming, and coffeehouse nights. All these events provide students with an opportunity to engage in activities outside of the classroom.