Student Life

Residential Life Rules

  • During the Academy, students must remain on the Truman campus unless accompanied by a preceptor, a staff member, or a parent or guardian.
  • The following are prohibited: alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs; cigarettes, tobacco products, e-cigarettes, vaping products, matches, candles, and incense; coffee pots and other cooking appliances; tampering with fire equipment; and damage to University property. Students who possess or use alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, or any type of vaping/tobacco products will be immediately dismissed from the Academy.
  • Students are expected to behave maturely. They will be expected to show respect to the faculty, staff, fellow students, and themselves. Students who use disrespectful or obscene language is not tolerated.
  • Rules are discussed with the students on the first day of the Academy.
  • Any student who is unable to meet expectations will be asked to leave. The Academy reserves the right to dismiss a student without refund for disruptive, unsafe, or violation of any rules/expectations.  Parents will be responsible for any and all costs associated with early return home due to dismissal, including (if applicable) airfare, ground transportation to the airport, and staff expenses.

Academic Discipline

Students are expected to work to the best of their abilities. The students who excel at the Academy are those who take responsibility for their own education and have a genuine desire to learn. An exceptional level of maturity and emotional stability is essential to succeed in this fast-paced environment.

Students who demonstrate a lack of effort in the classroom or who engage in disruptive behavior will work with their instructor(s) to resolve the situation. If inappropriate academic behavior persists, a conference may be held involving the student, the Director, and the Dean of the Academy. The Academy reserves the right to dismiss a student without refund for lack of effort or disruptive behavior in class.  Parents will be responsible for any and all costs associated with early return home due to dismissal, including (if applicable) airfare, ground transportation to the airport, and staff expenses.

Attendance Policy

In order for students to receive the full academic benefits of the Academy, they must remain on the campus for the entire one-week session.  We believe strongly that completion of the whole program is a primary objective of attendance.  While activities such as athletics, recitals, and scholastic competitions are worthwhile on their own, they divert students’ attention from a student’s Truman State University Band Academy classroom experience when they are in conflict.  Because the academic experience is intensive, students are normally not able to “catch up” if they miss any class time.  Because many class assignments employ group work, lab partners, and so forth, a student’s absence may also significantly impact the work of others.  Students will not be permitted to leave the Truman State campus for activities not associated with the Academy.  The only exceptions will be for medical or family emergencies as determined by the Dean.  Students who leave the Academy for any other reason will not be allowed to return.  For a variety of reasons, including fairness in the application of this policy, appeals of this policy not grounded in medical or family emergencies will not be considered.

Students may be dismissed from the program for any of the following reasons:

  • Possessing or using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs (students possessing any of these items will be immediately dismissed from the Academy);
  • Not attending to their academic work in a satisfactory manner;
  • Cheating, plagiarizing, or committing other acts of academic dishonesty;
  • Being in restricted areas of campus, or leaving campus, unaccompanied by a staff member, preceptor or  parent/guardian;
  • Being in an opposite-sex wing of the residence hall;
  • Leaving their halls after lights out;
  • Stealing or vandalizing property;
  • Keeping prescription or restricted over-the-counter medication in their possession (see Medications for limited exceptions);
  • Bullying or hazing;
  • Undermining the safety or well-being of self or others (includes threats).

Students will be given a warning of possible dismissal for the following reasons:

  • Students who use disrespectful or obscene language;
  • Students who demonstrate a lack of effort in the classroom or who engage in disruptive behavior;
  • Inappropriate behavior or violations of rules.

The Director will refer students involved in repeated or serious incidents to the Dean, who serves as the head disciplinarian. The Dean has the authority to dismiss students based on inappropriate behavior inside or out of the classroom. Students expelled from the Academy will not receive a refund.

Living On Campus

Housing

Students live with their preceptors in single-sex floor or wing of a residence hall on the Truman campus. Students will be given room assignments when they check in. Most students are assigned to double rooms, but we cannot guarantee a particular housing arrangement.  We do not take roommate requests, however to the extent possible, students are assigned roommates of a similar age.

Room Furnishings

The University furnishes most rooms with bunkable/loftable beds, standard twin-sized mattresses (36” x 76”), a dresser or drawers to share between residents, closets or wardrobes, and window mini-blinds. All residence hall rooms have a desk with drawer space for each resident. You may want to bring a mattress pad or “eggcrate” foam padding, bed linens, pillow, light blanket, and clothes hangers.

Residents using extension cords are strongly encouraged to use grounded 3-prong, 15-amp minimum, extension cords and/or surge protectors. All electronics or appliances must be UL approved and in good, working condition. Please refer to the “Things to Bring” and “Things NOT to Bring” lists below when considering what electrical devices to bring.  This will be provided with your Welcome Information provided prior to program arrival.

Student IDs

Students will receive a meal card at orientation on arrival day, but not a formal ID card.  Students should keep this card available for all meals.  They must be returned at the end of the week.

Meals

All meals beginning on arrival day during check-in through the day of check-out will be provided by the University.  No cooking is allowed in the residence hall rooms.

The dining services on campus offer a wide selection of food at every meal, and their menus are varied enough to accommodate:

  • vegan/vegetarian
  • Vegetarian Meals: Meatless entrees are available on the regular menu. The meatless entrees may contain animal products (milk, cheese, eggs).
    • Students who prefer not to eat animal products may choose from items on the regular menu and the salad bar.
    • Special, non-animal-product menu plans are not available.
  • gluten free
  • other dietary needs
    • If your student requires other special dietary needs or has food allergies, please contact us at least two weeks before you arrive so that we can plan for these needs and provide food services with this information.
  • Specific Food Allergies:
    • Please provide details on the Medical Information Form.
    • Most students with food allergies manage by selecting from the variety of items available on the regular menu and salad bar.
    • If a student’s food allergies include reactions to airborne allergens (such as hypersensitivity to peanuts) please note this on the form but also contact us two weeks prior to your arrival so that we may provide this information to food services.

Keys

Student rooms are required to be locked at all times. Students are issued a room key when they receive their room assignment, which they are responsible for maintaining and returning on the day of departure.

Telephone

The best times to reach students are 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. So that students can receive adequate sleep, please refrain from calling students after lights out 11 p.m. or before 7 a.m.

Cell Phones

It is essential for students to be focused in class, engaged in activities, or sleeping at night. Therefore, while we allow students to keep their personal cell phones, the use of these phones will be asked to be limited during activities. Truman State University Band Academy assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of cell phones or for the misuse of cell phones, including exceeding plan limits or use by unauthorized persons.

Truman State University Band Academy Administrative Office:
(660) 785-5384

By FAX – Truman State University Band Academy Administrative Office:
(660) 785-7202

Visiting Students

During the session, we prohibit family, friends, and significant others from visiting students and taking them off campus. Students are only on campus for one week, and their activities are tightly programmed.

Custody Issues

Please indicate any issues you believe we should be made aware of and provide copies of pertinent legal documentation.

Health Services and Insurance

The Director is responsible for the health and wellness of students while in attendance.  They will be the point of contact with parents/guardians about any health issues their children may be experiencing.

The Academy has an arrangement with a local physician to care for its students. Whenever possible, the Director will contact parents before the Academy takes their child to the physician; however, sometimes notification may occur afterwards.

Emergency medical services are available at Northeast Regional Medical Center. All students must submit medical history forms and a copy of their health insurance card, which the Director will keep on file. Students will be responsible for any co-payment at the doctor’s office, hospital, or pharmacy at the time of the service. Those students with long-standing medical conditions should request their physician to forward relevant information to the Truman State University Band Academy.

Medications

All student medications must be turned in to the Director upon check in. The Director will supervise students bringing medications. These include prescriptions and over-the-counter medicine such as Tylenol, allergy medicine, and cold medicine. NO medications are allowed to be kept in student rooms (with the exceptions of inhalers, epi-pens, and similar rescue medications, which shall be approved on a case by case basis).

Students must self-administer the medication, as directed by the parent or physician, and the Director will log all medications taken. We do make available, upon request by the student, common over-the-counter medications in the Med Room. Parents are strongly advised to note any allergies or potential drug interactions with prescribed medications on their child’s medical form. In addition, parents are urged to have a conversation with their children, before they come to Truman State University Band Academy, about any over- the-counter medications they feel comfortable/uncomfortable with their child selecting.

Exception:  Parents may authorize their children to retain maintenance medications, provided the medications have no potential for abuse, and missed or discontinued dosages present no risk. A waiver of responsibility is required.

Please Note:  While the Director is responsible for overseeing students well-being, they are not a licensed nurse or medical professional.  Health decisions beyond those involving parental instructions will begin with the student, where simple decisions are possible, and end with parents/guardians and local physicians.

Laundry

Washers and dryers are available in the residence hall at no cost. Given the short duration of the Academy, we recommend students avoid the use of our laundry facilities, however, they are available if needed.  While the machines are at no cost, students needing to use the laundry facilities will need to bring their own supplies (detergent, etc.)

Personal Belongings/Lost and Found

Students are responsible at all times for the safe keeping of their personal belongings. We urge students to label all of their belongings, including clothing, with their first and last names. Truman State University Band Academy is not responsible for theft or other loss of, or damage to, students’ personal belongings, including athletic equipment and musical instruments. When considering whether to bring an expensive item, families may wish to investigate possible coverage under their own homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. In general, we recommend that students leave valuables at home.

The Academy will maintain a lost and found box. Clearly labeled items are the most likely to be successfully returned. The Academy cannot be responsible for items left behind at the end of session.