Information for Truman Parents

Parent Luncheon Q & A

These are the questions and answers provided during the Parent Luncheon.  You are welcome to view the Parent Questions Slide Presentation.

Q: Does my student need to bring a computer?

A: No. Computers are available 24 hours a day in all of the residence halls. We also have large staffed computer labs in Violette Hall and Pickler Library.


Q: How does my student access email and the Internet?

A:  Students are able to access electronic resources such as email and Internet using the wireless network service or conveniently placed Ethernet jacks. Wireless network access is available in all of our buildings and in most outdoor locations. Ethernet jacks are installed in every dorm room and study areas around campus.


Q: Does Truman offer any discounts for computers and software?

A: No, Truman does not offer any discounts, but many vendors offer discounts to Truman students. Dell and Apple offer discounts directly to students. Microsoft offers significant discounts on software through a partnership program called E-Academy. Information concerning E-Academy is available at http://its.truman.edu/purchasing/.


Q: What if I think my student will have the most difficulty managing their money?

A: Setting a budget for yourself is an important part of managing your money and tracking your spending is important for staying within that set budget. Encourage your son or daughter to have a set budget and maintain a record of what they are spending. This will help tremendously in learning how to manage their money and to set priorities for what they want to spend their money on.


Q: What if I am worried about how we will pay for Truman?

A: We have two different types of payment plans at Truman. The first one is the Standard Payment Plan and requires payment in full of all fees by the end of the first week of classes each semester (August 29th for the Fall 2008 term). A finance charge of ¾% per month is charged on any unpaid balance and a $50 late fee is charged if the balance is not paid by the final due date – November 20 for fall, April 20 for spring and July 5 for summer.

The second payment plan is the Flexible Payment Plan. This plan requires 25% of the total balance be paid by the end of the first week of classes each semester and the remaining 75% can be paid in monthly installments as long as payment in full is received by the final due date - November 20 for fall, April 20 for spring and July 5 for summer. A finance charge of ½% is charged on the unpaid balance each month and a $50 late fee is charged if the balance is not paid in full by the final due.


Q: As a Truman parent, how can I make payment arrangements for tuition, room and board?

A:  Your son or daughter can sign up for the Flexible Payment Plan (available online at http://businessoffice.truman.edu/forms or at the Student Accounts Office in McClain Hall, room 105). This plan requires 25% of the total balance be paid by the end of the first week of classes each semester and the remaining 75% can be paid in monthly installments as long as payment in full is received by the final due date - November 20 for fall, April 20 for spring and July 5 for summer. A finance charge of ½% is charged on the unpaid balance each month and a $50 late fee is charged if the balance is not paid in full by the final due.


Q: Can my student bring a car to campus?

A: Yes. All cars must be registered with the Department of Public Safety. Permits cost $50 for the school year. You will be mailed a registration form this summer or you can pick up a form from the DPS table during the Orientation Activities Fair. Your student's permit will be in their packets they receive on Freshman Move-In day. The permit does not guarantee a parking spot but allows the car to be parked on campus.

Residence hall students will get a “green” permit. This allows them to park in the lots with the “green” designation by the residence halls. Commuter students receive a “blue” permit. This allows them to park in the “blue” lots.

For more information and a parking map, visit the Department of Public Safety web site at: http://police.truman.edu.


Q: How safe is campus?

A: The Truman State University Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a fully commissioned police department that works very closely with Federal, State, County, and Local Law Enforcement agencies to provide proactive law enforcement services to the Truman campus. Commissioned police force means that the police officers at DPS have the same arrest powers as other police officer in the State of Missouri. DPS is also a member of the Adair County E911 Central Dispatch Center.

DPS has complete police authority to apprehend and arrest anyone involved in illegal acts on-campus. Violators are subject to criminal prosecution, fines, and imprisonment. DPS may also refer the violator to the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards or other appropriate University administrative office.

Through coordination with local law enforcement agencies, any criminal activity engaged in by students at off-campus locations of student organizations, is monitored and recorded. This information is provided to the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards for any action or follow-up that may be required.

All residence halls at Truman State University are co-ed. Each has its own visitation policy. When entering a residence hall during late evening/early morning hours, the resident either carries a key to enter the hall or checks in with the night monitor on duty. Professional resident directors and resident assistants, who are members of the Residential Living staff, live in the residence halls and are on call 24-hours-a-day.

The Physical Plant Department maintains the University buildings and grounds with a concern for safety and security. They inspect campus facilities regularly and promptly make repairs. The University campus is well lit, and further lighting improvements are being made in parking lot areas and along pathways frequently traveled by students. In addition to public access phones in each building, there are 20 emergency telephones strategically located throughout campus, directly connected to the Adair County E-911 Dispatch Center. Most of the University's academic buildings are opened weekdays by the Physical Plant staff members in the morning and locked by the Department of Public Safety in the evening. On weekends, the Department of Public Safety opens and closes buildings as needed. In addition, the University's locksmiths maintain strict control and are on call 24-hours-a-day.

Throughout the academic year, the Department of Public Safety along with the Residential Living staff and other University organizations, sponsor crime prevention programs for the University community, which teach individuals how to reduce their risk of being victimized. Some of the programs offered include: personal safety and awareness, sexual assault awareness, theft and burglary prevention, alcohol awareness, and bicycle safety and security. Information on security and reported incidents of crimes are provided to students and employees regularly through bulletins, crime watch (potential crime warnings), posters, brochures, and the student newspaper.

Truman State University will make every effort to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone. In the event a serious crime occurs on the campus, the University Department of Public Safety (DPS) will provide the university community with a timely warning via university-wide mailing, e-mail, and posting throughout the campus. The same protocol will be followed for emergency situations. The timely warning will also appear on the DPS web site at http://police.truman.edu. Click on the “Campus Watch” icon located in the lower right corner of the DPS home page. (The “Campus Watch” icon will only appear in the event of the issuance of a timely warning.) The notice will provide information about the incident and crime prevention/safety information. All crimes that are reported are entered in the daily crime log and reports are filed with a unique identification number. This daily log contains the nature of the crime, date, time, general location, and disposition of the complaint. Students must sign up to receive text message alerts. This can be done via the “Tru-View” web site.

The cooperation and involvement of students and employees is important to the success of a campus safety program. They must assume responsibility for their own personal safety and the security for their personal belongings by taking simple, common sense precautions. Precautions might include the use of the escort service when traveling alone at night. Room doors should be locked at night and whenever unoccupied. Valuable items such as stereos, TV's, and cameras should be marked with engraving instruments, which are available free of charge at Public Safety. Bikes should be registered with Public Safety and secured with a sturdy lock. Cars should be locked and parked in well-lit areas with valuables placed out of sight. All students, faculty and staff should report suspicious acting individuals or any unusual incidents to the Department of Public Safety.

For more information, visit the Department of Public Safety web site at http://police.truman.edu.