Student Services

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Academic Advising and Support Services

Advising is a cooperative process that assists students in developing an educational plan consistent with their life goals and with the liberal arts and sciences mission of the University. Advising is a shared responsibility between students and advisors. It empowers students by helping them develop skills in planning, decision-making, and self-understanding. Ultimately, advising fosters students’ growth as lifelong learners.

Through academic advising, students:

• learn to practice self-reliance and self-reflection;
• develop independent decision-making skills;
• learn to set priorities and evaluate their progress so that they get the most out of their Truman experiences;
• further develop an understanding of the meaning and value of a liberal arts education;
• learn to understand and articulate the connections between their course choices, co-curricular involvements, major, and future career plans; and
• learn about graduation requirements, campus policies, regulations, and resources.

Advisors have the responsibility to:

• know graduation requirements, campus policies, regulations, and resources;
• articulate the connections between courses, co-curricular involvements, majors, and career plans for students in their discipline including discussion of undergraduate research, study abroad, internships, and graduate or professional school opportunities;
• provide support, feedback, encouragement and criticism about attitudes, abilities, work habits, talents and behavior of advisees;
• help advisees identify interests and values, improve educational outlook, evaluate career options, and develop skill-building strategies;
• learn about the accomplishments, interests and academic concerns of their advisees;
• be accessible to their advisees; and
• follow University policies regarding student privacy rights including FERPA.

Advisees have the responsibility to:

• take the initiative for meeting regularly with their advisors and be prepared for the meetings;
• read the catalog and be familiar with graduation requirements, campus policies and regulations;
• provide their advisors with information about their interests, goals, educational and career plans;
• think critically about the relationship between the courses they choose to enroll in and their personal, professional, and intellectual goals; and
• take responsibility for fulfilling graduation requirements and accepting the consequences of their decisions.

Academic Support Services

Full-time professional advisors in the Center for Academic Excellence provide instructional and academic support services. They assist with such administrative tasks as freshmen summer registration and Truman Week, and they provide informational workshops on the LSP to new faculty and students. For students within the residence halls, the Center for Academic Excellence academic advisors offer student developmental, academic skill, and liberal arts career programming. These professional Advisors also maintain liaisons with the academic programs and other key administrative offices, such as Student Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, and the International Student Affairs Office. The intention of these connections is to provide systematic support for the academic, career, and personal needs of Truman students.

Advisors

During the summer before the first semester of enrollment, each student is assigned an advisor. All entering students work with a professional academic advisor within the Center for Academic Excellence. The Center for Academic Excellence advisors also work closely with faculty in the disciplines to provide guidance to declared majors.

Upperclassmen who have not chosen a major (“undeclared” students) continue to receive their academic advising from the professional advisors on staff in the Center for Academic Excellence. Those upperclass students who have declared a major typically have a faculty member who assists them with academic and career planning issues throughout the remainder of their Truman careers. Exceptions are sophomore psychology, business administration, and accounting majors who continue to work with professional advisors in the Center for Academic Excellence.

This advising assistance does not relieve the student of the personal responsibility to study the General Catalog and fulfill the requirements of the chosen degree; however, it does provide the student with a valuable resource for answering questions concerning courses, majors, and educational plans beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Student Affairs is responsible for the administration of a variety of facilities, services, and activities designed to enhance the out-of-class experiences of students. Student Affairs programs and services include Campus Recreation, Center for Student Involvement, Greek Life, ID Office, Leadership Development and Student Activities, Multicultural Affairs, Office of Citizenship and Community Standards, Residence Life, SERVE Center, Student Health Center, Student Union, University Career Center, University Counseling Services, and the Women’s Resource Center.

In addition to serving as advocates for student needs, Student Affairs contributes to the liberal arts and sciences culture of Truman State University through emphasizing the holistic development of students. Through services, activities, and programming, Student Affairs offers students opportunities to connect with Truman and the surrounding community; explore cultural and other forms of human diversity; demonstrate intellectual competence and reflective judgment; practice habits that promote physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being; and develop skills of effective leadership and responsible citizenship.

The Student Affairs Office is located in 1110 Student Union Building, phone (660) 785-4111, or online at http://saffairs.truman.edu.

Campus Recreation provides programs, facilities, and services for enhancing the health and well being of students, faculty, and staff.  The Fitness/Wellness Program offers personal training, well-being information, and a myriad of noncredit classes from step aerobics to resistance training to yoga.  Intramural Recreational Sports sponsors healthy competition in individual and team sport activities.  The Student Recreation Center contains many areas for self-directed activities: three-court hardwood floor gym for basketball, volleyball and badminton, jogging track, aerobics/dance studio, auxiliary gym with multipurpose floor for indoor soccer, roller hockey, and other activities and a weight room and fitness areas filled with exercise equipment.  The Student Recreation Center is an auxiliary operation supported primarily by student fees.  Information is posted online at http://recreation.truman.edu, or you may call (660) 785-4847. 

The University Career Center is located on the third floor of the Student Union Building, the center of student activity on campus. The Career Center’s main goal is to assist students in their own individualized career decision making process. This assistance includes but is not limited to the exploration of academic majors, the development and critique of resume and cover letters, mock interviewing, and all parts of the internship and job search. The Career Center coordinates campus interviews for various companies, sponsors career fairs, posts job opportunities, and offers workshops on career planning, job search, and graduate school admission topics.  The career resource library and website provide students with information on an array of career-related topics.  Career Center staff are available for individualized and group career assistance. To learn more, please visit http://career.truman.edu

The Center for Student Involvement (CSI) is teh programmatic branch of the Student Union Building. It strives to promote and provide quality programs, services and resources that enhance the co-curricular experience. The CSI staff work to build a supportive environment where all students develop transferable skills through student organizations, programs and leadership opportunities.  In addition to programmatic offerings, CSI also advises the Homecoming Committee, SERVE Center, Women’s Resource Center and the three fee based organizations.  To learn more, please visit http://csi.truman.edu.  

Mission Statement: The Truman State Department of Public Safety will provide a safe, secure, and orderly learning and living environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors and establish a partnership with the University community to protect life, property, and the rights and dignity of all individuals.

The Department of Public Safety consists of the University Police Department, Parking Services and University Fleet Vehicles. The University Police Department provides both emergency and non-emergency assistance to the University community.

The Department offers escort services, houses the central lost and found department, provides safekeeping for firearms and provides crime prevention programs, including rape aggression defense. The Department encourages everyone to report crimes which occur on campus to the University Police Department.

The Department of Public Safety is located in the General Services Building (formerly Grim-Smith) at the corner of Franklin and Patterson Streets. Please enter the Department of Public Safety from the west side (Franklin Street) under the drive thru canopy.

The Department of Public Safety has a receptionist on-duty daily from 7:30 am to 10 pm except for University Holidays. A police officer, however, is on-duty 24 hours and can be reached in an emergency by dialing 911; non-emergency (660) 665-5621. Parking Services or distribution of Parking Decals hours are Monday-Friday 8 am-2:30 pm.

Emergency: 911
Central Dispatch (non-emergency): (660) 665-5621
Department of Public Safety: (660) 785-4176
Web site: http://police.truman.edu

Access to Services and Accommodations through the Disability Services Office

The Disability Services Office (DSO) at Truman State University is here to assist any student with a disability to transition and matriculate through courses at the university level. The following framework is intended to assist students, parents and other interested parties in the process of gaining access to services at the post-secondary level.

An individual is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act when the individual has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone who (a) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits that person in one or more major life activities (such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, performing manual tasks and caring for oneself), (b) has a record of such impairment or (c) is regarded as having such an impairment. In an educational setting these may include but are not limited to reading, writing, note taking, listening, seeing, test taking, performing manual/motor-based skills, class attendance, or participation in laboratory activities. 

Unlike K-12 schools, it is the student’s responsibility to self–disclose the disability and provide adequate documentation to the DSO. The student is also responsible for requesting accommodations in a timely manner and abiding by the accommodation procedures agreed upon with the DSO.

Truman State University and the DSO are responsible for providing an opportunity for the student’s educational success. At the post-secondary level, accommodations are customized for each student to the extent that the specific impact of the disability is appropriately accommodated. To determine the eligibility for services that provide equal access to educational activities, a three part assessment is utilized. This assessment process requires: 1) documentation of the disability, 2) an accommodation history, and 3) an intake process with the DSO.

Disability Documentation

Students must provide written documentation of any current disability that limits one or more life activities. The documentation generally should contain the following information:

1. Verification of the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards.
2. A complete disclosure of any testing measurement tools/scores, prepared by a licensed clinical or educational professional familiar with the history and functional implications of the disability. The report should use adult scales and be current (usually within the last three years). The report should be typed on professional office letterhead, dated and signed. 
3. Evidence of a current impairment as well as an historical review as appropriate.
4. A link between functional limitation(s) and specific accommodation requests, based on formal and informal assessment and testing. The impact of the disability on a post-secondary setting should be included when possible. Evidence of a correlation between the assessment and the needed accommodation should be provided. 
5. In the case of multiple disorders, documentation for each area is required and must be relevant to the requested accommodation(s).

For specific documentation requirements, please refer to our website at http://disabilityservices.truman.edu.

Accommodation History

Although a copy of an IEP or 504 Plan are not essential, they can be helpful in determining accommodations that made a positive difference in the student’s high school education. Many services provided in high school are continued at the post-secondary level. Please be aware that due to the differences between the Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) and the ADA, some of the accommodations previously granted to a student may no longer be available to that student in a post-secondary situation. An example of this would be modified assignments.

If a student requests an accommodation in a post-secondary setting that was not utilized in high school, supporting documentation needs to be clear in substantiating this need. Many times this has come about with new testing or testing recently completed on an adult scale.

Cafeterias which serve the residence halls are open to all students, faculty, and staff.  Off-campus meal plans are available to students who do not live in University housing and may be purchased at the Cashier’s Window of the Business Office.  Students who live in residence halls are issued a student photo identification card which they must bring with them to each meal.  Students living in the residence halls and Fair Apartments have the option of a 225 block meal plan with zero dining dollars, 210 block meal plan with 50 dining dollars, a 185 block meal plan with 100 dining dollars, a 165 block meal plan with 150 dining dollars, 145 block meal plan with 200 dining dollars, or 20 meals per week plus 50 Dining Dollars.  Students who live in Campbell Apartments, Randolph Apartments, or Patterson House may add a meal plan for an additional fee. The dining dollars include a designated amount of additional funds that can be used during designated times and Sunday evenings at Mainstreet Market, Jazzman’s, Freshens, and the Convenience Stores to purchase additional food, or in the Residence Halls for meals outside of their chosen meal plan.

The Student Health Center, located mid-campus in the McKinney Center, is staffed by a physician, nurse practitioners, registered and licensed practical nurses, and a medical receptionist.  The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. when classes are in session.  Visits to the clinic are on an appointment basis and may be scheduled through a secure online student portal. Insurance billing is provided as a service to students who submit their insurance information.

All incoming students are required to submit a confidential medical history which includes proof of immunizations.  Students who do not provide the required information are blocked from class registration for the following semester.  Students requesting a waiver from the immunization policy for medical or religious reasons must have titers performed.  In the event of a disease outbreak, any student who is not immune by titer or proof of immunization may be required to leave campus due to state regulations.

The International Student Affairs Office (ISAO) encompasses International Admissions and International Student Services. The mission of the International Student Affairs Office is to recruit a diverse and highly qualified international student population and empower them to be successful at Truman and throughout their lives.

The ISAO plays a unique role in the lives of international students. Part family member, part advisor, part mentor, part teacher, part guide, part enforcer, part social director, and part friend- the staff begins their support of the students during recruitment and continues to build that relationship throughout their time at Truman and beyond.

Studying in a different country where every aspect of the culture, education, and social experience is unfamiliar creates a void for students that the ISAO works to fill by utilizing teams of current American and International students in a “Students Empowering Students” model that facilitates independence, satisfaction, and success in new international students.

For more information, contact the International Student Affairs Office, Kirk Building 120. Phone: (660) 785-4215; Fax: (660) 785-5395; E-mail: intladmit@truman.edu. For online information, read the ISAO website at http://iso.truman.edu.

The mission of the Multicultural Affairs Center is twofold. First, by focusing on recruiting, supporting and retaining students of color (African American, Native American, Asian American and Latino), the Center helps these students make the academic, social, and personal transition from high school to college and become active and successful throughout their Truman career. Just as important, the Center’s creative and thought-provoking programming seeks to create a pluralistic and integrated University environment and to foster understanding among the diverse populations of the Truman community.

Multicultural Affairs sponsors a wide variety of exciting programs. Examples of academic programming include the Scholastic Enhancement Experience (SEE) Scholars Program; our ongoing collaboration with the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program; and Directions, an orientation program for freshmen from underrepresented populations. In addition, Multicultural Affairs sponsors a tutoring program, study halls, and a peer mentoring program. The department also sponsors cultural programming to encourage a campus-wide understanding and appreciation of diversity. These include Montage, the annual Truman Week program; Unity, the campus celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King; and heritage month activities spread throughout the year.

All vehicles parked in University parking lots are required to obtain and properly display a valid Truman State University parking decal. Faculty, staff and students may register vehicles on their TruView homepage by selecting “Register Your Vehicle” under View & Update Personal Information.

The regulations pertain to all vehicles, including, but not limited to, motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, trucks, automobiles, and buses. A campus map with Parking and Traffic Regulations may be picked up any time at the Department of Public Safety or may be viewed on our Web page, http://police.truman.edu.

Students and faculty/staff who own, maintain or operate motor vehicles on the University campus are responsible for violations regardless of whether or not that individual had possession or was operating the motor vehicle at the time of the violation. It is the responsibility of the owner to advise any driver of University rules and regulations. Lack of space is not an acceptable excuse for violation of any parking regulation.

Parking decals remain the property of the University and are issued to park in designated areas. Parking decals serve as permission to park and do NOT guarantee a parking space close in proximity. Decals are NOT transferable from one vehicle to another.

Students have one week from the first day of the fall and spring semesters to register vehicles. After the initial registration period, a vehicle must be registered within 48 hours from the time it is brought to the University.

All vehicles in University parking lots must have up-to-date registration and should be operational. In the event that a vehicle becomes disabled, please notify the Department of Public Safety at (660) 785-4176.

Residence Life oversees seven residence halls and four apartment complexes, all with modern living facilities and located within easy walking distance of the academic buildings.  The residence halls range in size from 68 to 550 residents.  Approximately 70 percent of the rooms are two-person, with the remaining rooms housing one, three, or four students.  Upper-level students have the option to live in University apartments.  These apartments are furnished, with utilities paid, and offer an optional meal plan through Food Service.  Based on their preferences, students in the residence halls may choose from such options as single-sex wings or co-ed living arrangements, and large or small buildings.  A sorority-defined community is also located on campus. The residence halls also offer themed learning communities focused on Service, Pre-Med majors, transfer, and Foreign Language Immersion.

Professionally-trained, full-time live-in Hall Directors, Graduate Community Directors, Community Coordinators, and Student Advisors/Apartment Managers work in the on-campus residences to assist students in adjusting to and succeeding in college life.  The Residence Life staff employs a student developmental model to help students mature in their interpersonal skills, in balancing independence and communal responsibility, and in establishing their self-direction and life-goals.  Numerous social, recreational, or competitive leisure activities and opportunities for peer leadership also exist in the residence halls.  Residence Life has web-based resources that outline the policies, services, and building information for all of the residential facilities on campus.  Specific housing information is distributed to first-year students at the time of their room placement; upper-level residents may obtain updates via their e-mail account, checking the website http://reslife.truman.edu/, or visiting the Residence Life Office.

The Truman ID card serves as a multipurpose identification card, library card, meal card (when a meal plan has been purchased), and Residence Hall access. The card may also serve as an ATM/Debit card when the cardholder has a U.S. Bank checking account and the card is activated. The Truman ID Card Office is located in Missouri Hall 1100. The hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

The ID cards are non-transferable and University property. As such, forgery, alteration, or misuse may result in disciplinary or monetary sanctions. The ID card should be carried at all times while on campus property to identify oneself when requested.

A $25.00 replacement fee is charged for lost and stolen cards. (The ID Office accepts checks or charges to your student account. Go to the University Cashier to pay with cash or debit/credit card). A lost or stolen card should be reported to the ID Office, Missouri Hall 1100, (660) 785-4123. After office hours, a lost or stolen ID card should be reported to the Department of Public Safety, (660) 785-4176. If your Truman ID card has been lost or stolen and it has been activated to act as your U.S. Bank ATM/Debit card, notify U.S. Bank immediately at 1-800-872-2657.

Located on the first floor of Kirk Building, the Center for Academic Excellence is a multi-faceted peer academic support program that provides the Truman community with a range of programs and services designed to enhance both individual learning and in-class performance. The center provides tutoring services (individual, group, online) in a variety of courses, supplemental instruction (academic assistance program that utilizes regularly scheduled peer-assisted study sessions), TruSuccess Consultations (individual study skills consultations), and TruSuccess Workshops (study skills and learning strategies workshops). The Center also provides advising to freshmen and select upper classmen. See the website for more information and tutoring schedules at http://successcenter.truman.edu.

The Student Union Building is the community center of Truman State University. Many students use the Union to enjoy a meal from Mainstreet, a coffee from Jazzman’s, or a smoothie from Freshens. On the lower level, you find the Truman Bookstore filled wall to wall with items for students such as Truman apparel and textbooks for the semester. There are also free play video games and ATM machines on the lower level. This area is also home to the Student Involvement Center which encompasses organization mailboxes, the Student Activities Board, the SERVE Center, the Student Senate Office, the Women’s Resource Center and the Funds Allotment Council. These are just a few of the main services our building houses. The Union also holds the Student Affairs Office, Career Center, Center for Student Involvement, Sodexo Offices, Student Union Information Center and the Reservation Office. All of these departments join forces and pool resources to make our Union the place where students want to be on campus. If you are looking for the ‘living room’ of campus, you are always welcome to hang out in the HUB with your friends!   

A number of services are available to students, prospective students, or community members through the Assessment and Testing Office. Various standardized tests are administered via paper and pencil-based or computer-based modes of testing. Housed within Assessment and Testing is an ETS Institutional Computer-based Testing Center (CBT) and a Pearson VUE Select CBT. In most cases, results can be interpreted to the student by testing personnel. Tests administered include:

1. Tests for college freshmen and seniors as required by the University as part of the University Assessment Program.
2. Undergraduate admissions tests serving local community needs: American College Testing Program (ACT).
3. CLEP tests for course credit. (See the Academic Policies and Procedures and the Transferring In and Testing Out sections of this catalog.) A brochure explaining opportunities for credit by examination is available from the Registrar’s Office or on their website at http://registrar.truman.edu.
4. National tests for admission to graduate and professional programs: Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and GRE Subject Exams.
5. National and state tests for students and the community for evaluating proficiencies, licensing or certifying purposes; actuarial exams, the Praxis Series exams, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) exam, Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam and IT exams.
6. Proctoring Services for online or correspondence exams.

University Counseling Services (UCS) provides affordable and confidential individual, group, and relationship counseling free of charge to all registered Truman students. In addition, the staff of UCS provides educational programming and consultation and referral services to the University community. For more information, please visit the UCS website at http://ucs.truman.edu.

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) works to broaden the minds of the campus community by providing programs, services, and facilities to meet the educational, personal, physical, and safety needs of students on campus.  The Center’s staff seeks to encourage the development of self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-confidence, promoting leadership opportunities, and serve as a catalyst for change.  Located in the Student Union Building, the WRC is unique because it was created by students, for students, and is run by students.  For more information call (660) 785-7224 or visit http://wrc.truman.edu.

The Writing Center, located in McClain Hall 303, provides the University community with a comfortable environment for writers to talk and write. Writing Consultants work with writers at all levels of competence, from all disciplines, at any stage of the writing process – inventing, drafting, revising, and editing – or for sharing ideas about writing strategies and techniques. The Center serves writers either by appointment or during walk-in hours without an appointment. For more information, call (660) 785-4484.