Northeastern acknowledged the growing diversity of its student body by inviting a Catholic chaplain to the campus in the 1950s and a Jewish chaplain in the 1960s. In a sea change in the late 1960s, the university abandoned its long-standing office of Dean of Chapel and invited the various chaplains ministering to the students to form a collective religious office, with the chairmanship rotating among them. But for others, it is a landmark, a refuge, even a surrogate home. Squirreled away in the Ell Building, the modest rooms are welcoming, the door always open. Alice Scott, the office secretary for eighteen years, sits at a desk prominently positioned for greeting visitors.
Students wander in for appointments or impromptu meetings.
The chaplains advise the student religious groups, counsel individuals, and refer students to nearby religious centers such as Hillel on Parker Street and the St. Ann University Parish and Student Center on St. Stephen Street. Although affiliated with the Spiritual Life office, the student religious groups operate independently. Most have ties to specific churches or denominations. Some, like Campus Crusade for Christ and Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, are branches of national or international organizations. The Christian Student Union and International Students Inc. are specific to Northeastern.