Online Handbook
Before You Leave
Before you leave home, you should talk some things over with your parents-especially things
like spending money, what to bring, and what not to bring. After you have thoroughly read this
(in booklet form or online), give it to your parents and let them read it
as well. Participants in previous programs have found the following information very helpful.
What to bring:
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A pillow and sheets for an extra long twin bed; there is no linen service available. |
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Towels, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.-do not forget that you are staying for three weeks; bring enough for the whole session. |
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An inexpensive throw rug to place at your bedside
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A pair of old flip-flops to wear in the shower. You will share a shower with five other people in your suite and the tile can get cold and slippery. |
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A plastic cup to wash out your mouth with after you brush your teeth. |
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Laundry bag and laundry detergent-if you run out, you can buy some on campus. |
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Cool and comfortable clothes-shorts are fine for classes. Please read the Dress Code on page 13.
Do not forget clothes to play in, and
nicer clothes for dances, religious services, etc. Bring comfortable shoes, because you will be walking to and from classes. |
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A light jacket or sweatshirt. The classrooms can be cold
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A bathing suit and beach towel if you want to use the pool. Girls, no string bikinis. Guys must wear lined swimming trunks. |
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A pair of old shoes that won't be ruined if you wear them through mud or water. |
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A hat, for keeping the sun off your face during outings, and sunscreen! |
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An inexpensive camera and film. Put your name on it! |
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An umbrella or raincoat--it often rains during the month of June and you may be required to walk across campus
in rain. |
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A clock radio or alarm clock. |
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A small music system is acceptable. Label it and your CDs
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A blanket, as the dormitory is air-conditioned. Some students prefer several thin blankets for layering. The air conditioners cannot be turned off and on by a student (they are out of reach), so the blankets come in handy. |
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A notebook, pencils, pens, and any other school supplies you'll need (you can buy extras at the campus store). |
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The following calculators for certain classes:
Albegra I: bring a TI-83 Plus or TI 84; Algebra 2: bring a TI-83;
Pre-calculus: bring a TI-83; Geometry: bring a TI30x.
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A small footlocker or suitcase with a lock (if you have one) for storage of valuables. |
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Your Student Handbook |
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A musical instrument, sheet music, dance costume, CD, or anything else you'll need if you want to participate in the talent show. It is awesome and is always held on the last Friday night at 6:00 pm in the Auditorium of Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts. |
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A calling card for dorm phones. There are only a few phones in the dorm and they are NOT pay phones. You may bring a cell phone to call home during the program (see cell phone policy)
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Spending money. $75 should be plenty, unless you need to replace your key or your ID (See the "Campus Life Section").
Discuss your budget with your parents before you come to ADVANCE. The program fee covers
almost all expenses, including meals, books, a T-shirt, and most activities. If $75 is not sufficient for the duration of the program or
your travel home, your parents can mail you money orders. We recommend that you bring some cash and some traveler's checks or money orders to replinish your cash. Money orders and traveler's checks should be made out to "Cash". As we have no way of cashing out-of-town personal checks, they should not be brought or sent.
Make sure to bring quarters for laundry and vending machines, since laundry machines only accept quarters. |
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Prescription medication that you take daily or over the counter medication that works best for you. At the time of check in you must tell the medical consultant and your RA all medications that you brought to ADVANCE. The medical consultant will decide if you may keep the medicine in your room or if it is to be kept in your RA's room. |
What not to bring:
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Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, or drug paraphernalia. Violation of this rule will result in
immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Cigarettes, other tobacco products, matches, lighters, or candles. Violation of this rule will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Knives or other weapons. Violation of this rule will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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A car, motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, rollerblades or other moving vehicles. |
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Refrigerators--the dormitory circuits are not designed to handle the amount of power required
to run additional electrical appliances. Cooking appliances of any type are also prohibited. |
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Televisions and VCRs:both are in the dormitory common areas for your use. |
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Computers of any type. Computers are available for use by students in specific courses and for limited use by the other students (though everyone will have an opportunity to check their email if they so choose). |
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Role-playing games or strategic war games as well as video game systems of any type (Game boys).
These games are too time-consuming and distracting for our short, intensive program. |
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Pets of any kind. |
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Pagers are prohibited. Telephones that require calling cards are available for your use in the common
areas of the dormitories. We are now allowing students to bring cell phones so that they may easily contact their parents in the evening. Please read the cell phone policy on page 14 and abide by it. |
Keys, Cards, and Security
You will be issued a room key and an ID card at check-in. If either
the ID card (which also serves as your meal card and library card) or the room key is lost at any time, it must be replaced immediately. A replacement fee wll be charged for each item ($30 for a key and $10 for the ID). You are strongly advised to keep your dorm room locked at all times. The dormitory
will be monitored at all times, and is accessible only to ADVANCE
personnel. However, individual rooms must also be kept locked in order to ensure
security for personal items. ADVANCE will not be responsible for lost
or stolen items.
Emergencies
If you are involved in an Emergency, your parents will always be
contacted immediately by the appropriate ADVANCE staff. If your parents
will be leaving home for an extended time, they should give the ADVANCE
office and your RA a telephone number where they can be reached, or that
of another relative. If your parents need to reach you because of an emergency,
there ae several numbers they can call. They should try these numbers:
| Caddo Dorm Office: |
(318) 357-3180 |
| ADVANCE Office: |
(318) 357-4500
(318) 357-4448
(8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F) |
| NSU Police Department: |
(318) 357-5431 |
These telephone numbers are meant for emergencies only and are not intended
for general use or relaying messages. If your parents wish to reach you more directly,
the number for the phones on each hall are provided on the next page.
Your parents should copy these numbers down and keep them after you leave
for the program in case they are needed.
Routine health problems and daily medictions will be handled by ADVANCE's
Medical Consultant, a Registered Nurse. In an emergency, you will be taken to the Natchitoches Parish Hospital.
You must have adequate health insurance coverage for such situations and we must have complete insurance records on file in order to obtain emergency medical treatment.
Please be sure to complete and return the enclosed medical examination
form, indicating your health insurance coverage. Please remember to include copies of both sides of your insurance card(s). You will not be allowed
to complete registration or move into the dorm without the completed
medical forms and copies of both sides of your insurance card(s).
Post Office
The RAs will distribute mail once a day. There is a U.S. Post Office
and mailbox on the campus; stamps and mailing facilities are available
there from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Your parents and friends should address
their mail to you in the following way:
| Regular
| Packages
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| Your Name
| Your Name
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| ADVANCE Program
| ADVANCE Program
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| NSU Box 5671
| NSU, 334 Caspari St., 106 Fournet Hall
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| Natchitoches, LA 71497
| Natchitoches, LA 71457
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Telephones
There are only three phones in the dorm and they are located on the hallway of each floor. These phones are NOT pay phones and require a calling card. The phones are very busy during peak hours (any time you are not
in class)! You may want to prearrange times for your family and friends to call you, or call collect
yourself, since you will not usually be in your rooms during activity periods. You may not bring
a pager, but we are now allowing students to bring a cell phone. It may only be used in the dormitory in the evening. Please read the entire cell phone policy on page 14 and abide by it. The area code for Natchitoches is (318). The dorm phone numbers
are:
| Caddo Hall Office: |
357-3180 |
| First Floor Lobby: |
357-7012 |
| Second Floor Lobby: |
357-7014 |
| Third Floor Lobby: |
357-7036
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Honor Code
As an ADVANCE student, and thus part of the Northwestern State University
community, you are expected to adhere to high standards of conduct both on and
off campus and to accept personal responsibility for your conduct and its
consequences. You are responsible for your behavior: maintaining honesty,
truthfulness, fairness, civility, and concern for others inside or outside the
classroom. Dormitories, the dinning hall, classrooms, other facilities and all
equipment should be used respectfully and kept clean at all times.
To encourage the responsible upkeep of your room, you RA will be responsible
for completing a room check card before ADVANCE begins. When you and your parents
check in, your RA will brief you as to the condition of your room before you
unpack. At the close of the program, you, your parents, and your RA will examine
the condition of your room again. If no damage has been done, your RA will report
that your room passed inspection. However, if this is not the case, you must pay
for any damage caused by your conduct. You are responsible for any damages done
to your room based on the pre- and post-inspections.
Inappropriate behavior or violation of ADVANCE rules will result in the
filing of an incident report with the Coordinator of Residential Life, who serves
as head disciplinarian, and with the Director of the program. Any student involved
in repeated or serious incidents may be referred directly to the Coordinator of
Residential Life and ultimately the Director. The ADVANCE Program maintains the
right to dismiss a student on the basis of inappropriate behavior.
Residential Life Rules
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Respect and follow the directions of RAs, TAs, instructors, and other supervisors. |
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Smoking and the use of other tobacco products at any time is prohibited. Candles, lighters and matches are prohibited. Violation of this rule will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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The use or possession of alcoholic beverages and/or illegal drugs is prohibited and will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Gambling is not allowed and will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Students may not leave the campus unless they are accompanied by an authorized staff member and they have the permission of their RA. A student must have written permission (provided 24 hours in advance) from their parents to leave the campus with another adult. That adult will have to present a picture ID. |
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Cars, motorcycles, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, and other moving vehicles are not allowed. |
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Role-playing games or strategic war games as well as video game systems of any type are prohibited. These games are too time-consuming and distracting for our short, intensive program. |
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There will be no intervisitation of males and females in dormitory rooms. Intervisitation is allowed in approved, supervised areas which will be shown to all students upon their arrival at ADVANCE. |
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Inappropriate public displays of affection are not allowed at ADVANCE. |
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Pets of any kind are not allowed. |
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Misuse of fire extenguishers and the sounding of false fire alarms will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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All students must be on their own hallway and in their own living groups by 10 p.m. each night. |
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Quiet hours will be observed from 10 p.m. until bed check. At 10:30 p.m. each student must be in his or her assigned bed with the lights out. |
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All students must sleep in their assigned dorm rooms each night. Students may not leave their respective dorm rooms until 6 a.m., except in the case of an emergency or to use the restroom. |
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Students may not leave the dorms before 7:00 a.m. |
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Possession of fireworks or weapons of any kind are not permitted and will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Willful damage or vandalism to University or Louisiana School property or another individual's property is not allowed and will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Students must obey all Louisiana State and Federal laws. Failure to do so will result in immediate dismissal from the program. |
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Follow any other guidelines presented during the program by any staff member. |
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Good common sense, respect, and consideration for others and their property should be practiced daily. |
Dress Code
Students should remember that ADVANCE, while a summer program, remains an educational environment. They should therefore dress in a manner that does not distract from the primary academic mission of the program and should maintain appropriate standards of modesty and safety in attire. Students should wear modest clothing that fits in a reasonable manner (not too tight or too baggy) and is not too revealing. Specific rules for proper attire at ADVANCE include (but are not limited to) the following:
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No shorts or skirts that are too short. Shorts and skirts should fit so that they never reveal undergarments, whether the student is standing, sitting, bending over, or reaching for something above. Habitual violators of this rule will lose the right to wear this type of apparel. |
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No bare midriffs or cleavage are to be shown. Shirts should cover these areas whether the student is standing, sitting, bending over, or reaching for something above. |
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No spaghetti-strap tank tops. Sleeveless tops are to have a strap at least an inch in width and must adequately cover undergarments in order to be worn without a covering or undershirt. |
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Profane or offensive language or images on T-shirts or other articles of clothing are prohibited. These include (but are not limited to) language, graphics, or scenes which are suggestive, crude, vulgar, violent, or racially motivated, or promote the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any illegal substance or activity. |
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Swimwear shall be modest and not too revealing. String bikinis and other kinds of overly revealing swimsuits are prohibited. Guys must wear a lined swimming trunk. |
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The ADVANCE staff and administration retain the right to determine whether particular articles of clothing are inappropriate. |
Please keep in mind that this Dress Code is in place to ensure that ADVANCE remains an academic environment and that clothing worn by students never presents a disruption to that environment--not to punish kids arbitrarily. The ADVANCE staff and administration do not wish to spend valuable time and effort seeking out Dress Code offenders; we will be forced to do so, however, if student dress becomes a distraction. Please do not test us on this issue--leave the inappropriate clothing at home.
With parental permission students are allowed to keep a personal cell phone for use in the residence hall, or when signed out to go off campus. Phones may not be used in the classroom, cafeteria, during the evening study, on the way to or from classes or after lights out at night.
The ADVANCE Program assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen cell phones, and/or unauthorized calls made. The residential staff shall not be responsible for holding or storing cell phones for students, nor shall they be responsible for monitoring who a student is calling, or when.
Pagers are not allowed.
Students who are awarded places in the ADVANCE Program are expected
to work to the best of their abilities. Please remember that part of
being challenged is working hard. Most likely, you will need to work
harder this summer than you ever have before. If a students's classroom
work is unsatisfactory, he or she will work with the instructor and TA
to resolve the situation. If academic problems persist, a conference will
be scheduled involving the student, his or her instructor, and ADVANCE's
Director. In the case of continuing academic difficulties, the student's
parents will be contacted to dicuss solutions.
ADVANCE reserves the right to dismiss a student from the summer program for lack of effort, disruptive behavior in class, unexcused absences or disruptive behavior in the dormitory.
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