Student Involvement

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Truman State University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and a charter member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA, www.themiaa.com). The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 21 sports, 11 for men and 10 for women:

MEN Football Basketball Swimming Soccer Cross Country Indoor Track Outdoor Track Tennis Golf  Baseball Wrestling

WOMEN Volleyball Basketball Swimming Soccer Cross Country Indoor Track Outdoor Track Tennis Golf  Softball

Intercollegiate Athletics is committed to enhancing the University’s commitment to a liberal arts education by providing a positive experience for student-athletes which promotes wholesome educational and athletics opportunities. The Athletic Department is located in Pershing Building and on the Internet at http://gobulldogs.truman.edu.

Forensic activities constitute one of the oldest learning communities at Truman State University. It is truly a liberal arts activity in that intercollegiate speech and debate is a mix of psychology, critical thinking, research, current events, and communication. Truman competes in debate and individual events. The forensics program is one of the leading full-service forensics programs in the nation, ranking among the top ten parliamentary debate programs in the nation during most of the last decade and among the top ten programs nationally in its individual speaking events division during several years in the same period. Truman won the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Championship in 2000 and 2004 and has placed twenty-eight teams in elimination rounds of the national championships since 1999. The program placed fifth at the National Forensic Association tournament in 2003. Truman has held several Missouri forensics championships since 2001 and routinely earns several hundred awards and other honors during each invitational tournament season.

Since 1914, students have chosen to become members of fraternities and sororities at Truman State University because of the advantages these organizations provide. Greek-letter societies were founded on the ideals of leadership, scholarship, community service, friendship, and diversity. Truman’s organizations continue to uphold these ideals and high standards. The Office of Greek Life strives to provide guidance and support for students’ co-curricular Greek involvement. The staff work in partnership with Greek organizations to develop programs and policies which encourage a sense of belonging, promote self-governance, challenge students to gain new skills and knowledge, and enable students to participate in positive individual and societal change. The Office of Greek Life is located in the Student Union.

The purpose of the SERVE Center is to provide organization, direction, and student services that facilitate the responsible citizenship of Truman State University students through community service. The center promotes civic responsibility as an integral outcome of a liberal education. The SERVE Center seeks to foster improved relationships between the University and community by matching volunteer human resources of the University with community needs. These opportunities allow students to reflect upon their experiences and consider societal needs as forces shaping future societies. Within the context of the University’s core values of broadly educating students, increasing students’ understanding of moral and ethical challenges, and preparing students for effective living in a democratic society, SERVE seeks to accomplish the following two goals:

• Facilitate the development of Truman students into responsible, enlightened citizens.
• Promote a climate conducive to student involvement through participation in community service.

The Center offers students the opportunity to gain experience through voluntary service with community and public agencies. The SERVE Center maintains a listing of community service needs and helps students select placements appropriate to their interests, academic preparation, and aspirations for the future. Volunteer service is available with human service agencies, government organizations addressing human and social needs and community betterment groups. The Center assists student organizations, fraternities, sororities, and residential halls in finding appropriate philanthropic and service activities for their members and residents. For more information about service opportunities at Truman, contact the SERVE Center at (660) 785-7222.

All of Truman’s student media are professionally advised and student staffed. Many of the staff positions are paid or offer opportunities for experienceship or course credit. Each of the media enjoys its own brand identity, but also operates under the umbrella of the Truman Media Network and collaborates to provide convergent coverage to the campus, the local community, and the broader community on the Internet.

DETOURS

DETOURS is a regional magazine distributed twice a year to subscribers throughout Northeast Missouri, into Iowa and Illinois that serves as a travel guide to the Midwest. It features articles on local folklore, personalities, history, arts and crafts, and a variety of travel and leisure events. Since its 1996 debut, Detours won a 2002 first-place Mark of Excellence Award for best student magazine, the Apple Award for the best general interest magazine at a four-year college in both 2006 and 2007, and most recently, one of the highest honors in student journalism, the Magazine Pacemaker Award.

INDEX

Index, the campus newspaper, is published weekly throughout the academic year with Internet news updates posted year round. It covers local, state, and national issues of interest to the local community as well as to the University and is distributed at several community newsstands. The oldest of the Truman student media, the Index is celebrating its 75th year in publication and operates from a newly renovated convergent newscenter. Recognized nationally as a five-star, All-American college paper, it earned national awards for the best non-daily collegiate newspaper in 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008.

KTRM-FM

KTRM broadcasts on-air in HD-radio at 88.7. Known as “The Edge” to its listeners, KTRM provides a forum for widely diverse forms of programming ranging from Alternative Rock music, to specialty music shows, to informational shows. Besides talk shows with prominent local figures, the informational programming includes daily news covering world, national and local issues, as well as sportscasts and live coverage of Truman sports events when possible. KTRM also simulcasts special programs such as political debates and election coverage with News 36 KTRM-TV.

News 36 KTRM-TV

News 36, the half-hour television news program, airs multiple times weekly on the campus cable Channel 36 and the community cable Channel 3. The student reporters and producers capture and edit in digital video, with access to the newswire satellite feed of CNN Newsource. The show is produced live in a new state-of-the-art digital television studio. The Missouri Broadcast Educators Association recognized KTRM-TV for their work on multiple occasions in recent years, most recently in 2006 for Convergent Coverage of the Missouri state elections and of the economy in Northeast Missouri.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES BOARD

The Student Activities Board (SAB) is dedicated to providing quality entertainment for Truman State University, while enhancing the University experience. Activities, which are funded by the student activities fee, include concerts, movies, comedians, entertainers, Dog Days, and local talent performances. All students with a minimum 2.5 GPA are eligible to apply for membership in this 35-member volunteer organization. Selections are made two or three times per year by an application and interview process. This is a great way to learn out-of-class skills and programming experience.

STUDENT SENATE

The Truman State University Student Government is the official elected governing body of the Student Association and exists to represent the present and long-term interests of the Student Association. The President of the Student Association, three Senior Senators (Senators who have been on Student Government for at least one year), and twelve Senators are elected in the spring to serve terms for the following year. Two Senior Senators, four Senators, a Graduate Senator, four Incoming Senators, and any positions left vacant following the previous election are elected in the fall. The Student Government operates four standing committees, including Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, External Affairs, and Technology and two subcommittees under Student Affairs, including Campus Environment and Campus Diversity. The Student Government is funded by a $2 per semester per student governance fee. This fee is refundable at any time during the semester by filling out a brief survey available by contacting the Student Government Treasurer. To learn more or to get involved, visit the Student Government’s Web site at http://senate.truman.edu.

FUNDS ALLOTMENT COUNCIL

The Funds Allotment Council (FAC) is an independent council of Student Senate and is comprised of six appointed members and three elected members. The Council strives to provide educational and entertainment opportunities for students by financially subsidizing activities organized and sponsored by campus organizations. Chartered student organizations planning speakers, conferences, concerts, or other events are eligible to apply for funding. Any FAC-funded event must be open to the entire University community. The Council is funded by a portion of the campus activities fee paid by students each semester. The Council also provides funding to chartered organizations competing in intercollegiate activities.