Community Connections
Town and Gown have grown up together over the past 160 years. The life of the community and the life of the University intersect on many levels.
Pioneers Together
A brief history of Notre Dame and the community
In 1842, the civic leaders of a small but growing village on the St. Joseph River welcomed Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., a French priest whose aspirations were as ambitious as their own. The priest envisioned a great educational institution on the river's opposite bank. > More
A vital part of the Center for Social Concerns is partnership and outreach in the South Bend community. These efforts are expressed through community based learning partnerships with service and community organizations in the city. > More
The University's Campus Plan was adopted by the Board of Trustees in October 2002 to serve as a roadmap for future campus development. The plan will be updated periodically and will serve Notre Dame for generations to come, especially as it clearly defines the tenets of planning essential for campus growth and stewardship. > More
Notre Dame undergraduate students hail from all 50 states and, at last count, 36 nations. They are a diverse group of talented young people. Academically speaking, the current class of first-year students, selected from a pool of 11,491 applicants, truly represents the best and the brightest, arriving on campus with an average SAT score of 1367, eight points higher than last year's class. Thirty-five percent were ranked in the top five of their graduating classes, and 73 percent will receive AP credit for advanced course work taken at the high school level.
The move from on-campus to off-campus residence at times requires students to make compatible neighborhood life style changes. It is the expectation of the University that students living off campus conduct themselves in an exemplary and respectful manner. Students are expected to implement proactive and cooperative behaviors to foster positive relationships with neighbors. Conduct that disrupts and/or adversely affects the community's reputation, safety or security may subject the student to disciplinary action.
If you have a concern about student behavior in your neighborhood, you can contact the Office of Residence Life and Housing in Student Affairs at 631-5878. You can also register your complaint online using this Student Complaint Form