Residential Sites - Student Life

The following information applies to students attending Young Students residential sites:

Introduction
In addition to their course work, our students enjoy a rich experience outside the classroom. They live on campus under the supervision of resident assistants (RAs) and participate in a variety of activities held each afternoon and on the weekends. More importantly, they get to know other students like them—students whose interests are diverse and who share their exceptional academic abilities and love of learning. Lasting friendships develop as students learn from each other both in and out of the classroom. Throughout the residential program, we focus on helping students have a good time in a safe, supervised environment.

Although helping students have a positive social experience is important to us, prospective students should know that their primary goal while enrolled in the program is to succeed in their academic endeavors. Students unable to make academics their first priority should not attend our program.

Supervision
While students are ultimately responsible for their own conduct, administrative, instructional, and residential staff all work together to provide clear guidelines and careful supervision. Outside class, students are supervised by RAs, who are typically college students selected on the basis of academic record, related work or volunteer experience, recommendations, and performance in an interview. RAs live with the students in the residence halls, providing support, enforcing rules, and fostering a safe and inclusive community. The RAs, as well as instructors, teaching assistants, and administrators, are prepared to help students adjust to the academic demands of the program and to the experience of being away from home.

Housing
Students live on single-sex halls with their RAs and are not permitted to visit opposite-sex halls. Students on the same hall share a bathroom. Most students are assigned to double rooms, but we cannot guarantee a particular housing arrangement. Whenever possible, students are assigned roommates of a similar age who are studying a related subject. We are usually unable to accommodate roommate requests. 

Each RA group has approximately 15 students. The RA group is an important part of the residential experience as it provides students with a sense of identity and belonging within the larger CTY community.

Daily Schedule
The daily schedule at a site is quite full. Students are required to attend all classes and activities, and there is little unstructured time. Generally, students attend class from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with short breaks in the morning and afternoon and a longer break for lunch. Between the end of class and lights-out, students attend recreational activities, return to class for a 90-minute session, have dinner, and enjoy additional activities. The exact schedule varies by site, depending upon the availability of appropriate facilities. Each day concludes with a hall meeting. Lights-out is at 9:30 p.m.

Afternoon Activities
When students are not in class, they attend activities planned and supervised by the resident assistants. The RAs’ goal is to offer a variety of activities so that all students can find something they enjoy doing each day. Activities range from the standard fare of board games, athletics, and arts and crafts to the more unusual (e.g., The Search for Kermit).

Facilities
Facilities vary by site, but may include a gymnasium, tennis courts, outdoor fields, a pool, and music practice rooms. These facilities are shared with other programs and are supervised by our staff only during scheduled activity periods. For these reasons, individual training programs and practice schedules cannot be accommodated. Students are not permitted to use campus weight rooms.

Technology at the Site
Our sites have very limited computer access for students, for academic purposes only. We design our courses with these limitations in mind (e.g., our instructors expect hand-written work). CTY ensures, however, that students do have computer access when necessary for academic purposes. In order to maximize community engagement and to minimize distractions, CTY limits the use of cell phones, mp3 players, and other technologies.

Weekends
Classes do not meet on weekends, with the exception of Sunday evenings. Instead, all students participate in a full schedule of on-campus recreational and social activities, which are supervised by the RAs and administrative staff. In addition to sports and games, weekend activities include special events such as carnivals, socials, movies, and a talent show. Some students choose to attend religious services. Students also have down time in the mornings to catch up on laundry or just relax and talk with friends. The weekend includes a mandatory 90-minute class session on either Friday afternoon or Sunday evening.

July 4
On July 4, students attend their classes and activities as usual. They may participate in a picnic or other special event recognizing the holiday.

Visits
Weekend all-site activities allow students to establish friendships and forge strong connections within the CTY community. With that in mind, we discourage families and friends from visiting students and taking them off campus. In fact, homesickness is often intensified by visits from parents. However, parents are permitted to pick up their children for off-site visits, which we will help coordinate.

Expectations for Student Conduct
We expect our students to meet the highest standards of behavior, both in personal deportment and in dedication to academic pursuits. To this end, students must adhere to the Center for Talented Youth Honor Code, which requires them to uphold personal and academic integrity, respect the ideas and property of others, and ensure that those around them do the same. In addition, students are expected t

• strive to do the best work possible in their courses
• respect individuals of different races, cultures, religions, genders, sexual orientations, ages, disabilities, and national origins
• behave in a friendly, cooperative, and responsible manner toward all persons in the program community and in the larger school and local communities
• attend all class sessions, meals, activities, and meetings
• observe all rules for student conduct.

We cannot accommodate students who are unwilling or unable to live up to these expectations.

At each site, students learn about our standards for behavior, including site rules. While specific rules vary somewhat from site to site, community standards throughout our programs are basic and consistent. They include a commitment to academic integrity, respect for all members of the community, regard for the basic rules of physical safety, and cooperation with adult supervision.

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

• 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
• being on an opposite-sex hall
• leaving their halls after lights out
• stealing or vandalizing property
• keeping prescription or over-the-counter medication in their possession (see Medical Information for limited exceptions)
• possessing or using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs
• bullying or hazing
• undermining the safety or wellbeing of self or others (including threats).

No tuition refunds will be made to students dismissed from the program. If a student damages property, the cost of repair or replacement is added to the student account balance.

Prohibited Items
The following items should not be brought to the sites:

• weapons of any kind (including pocket knives and martial arts devices)
• any flame-producing device (including matches, lighters, and firecrackers)
• role-playing game books or other items associated with role-playing games
• trading cards
• pets of any kind
• products that damage surface finishes
• televisions, computer/video games, or DVDs
• bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, skates, scooters, or shoes with wheels
• water guns
• halogen lamps, refrigerators, or cooking devices
• laser pointers.

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