Tusculum University recognizes the importance of a well-rounded University experience to each student’s life. The Office of Student Affairs is primarily concerned with programs and services that create an environment conducive to personal and group development. As a result, the Student Affairs staff supports and encourages varied co-curricular programs for students that, when combined with the academic program, provide an enriched University environment.
Students’ Rights and Responsibilities
Each student possesses individual rights and responsibilities in the context of the University community. Tusculum encourages an atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and consideration for the rights of others. Tusculum University is a distinctive educational community whose members are committed to the cultivation of the Civic Arts and institutional core values.
Academic Resource Center
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) exists to meet the academic needs of both daytime, Greeneville campus University students and Adult and Online Studies University students. The ARC houses the offices of Academic Advising, as well as the University’s two Student Support Services TRIO Programs. ARC provides services to help students reach their full academic potential.
Academic Advising provides academic counseling regarding course scheduling and selection of majors. Advising personnel also monitor academically at-risk students to ensure they are accessing services to improve academic performance. Other services provided by the ARC include assistance with time management, problem solving, and coordination for tutoring services.
The Academic Resource Center is located on the top floor of the Niswonger Commons building on our Greeneville campus. Academic Resources Center services are provided by staff members located at the Knoxville Regional Center and Morristown Center to students enrolled in the Adult and Online Studies’ programs.
Athletics
Athletic activities at Tusculum University are provided at both the intercollegiate and intramural levels. A wide range of intramural sports are offered throughout the year for competition among Tusculum students, while 24 men’s and women’s varsity teams compete with teams from other colleges and universities.
Tusculum University is a member of the South Atlantic Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Varsity sports for men are baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer tennis, track and volleyball. Varsity sports for women are basketball, cheerleading squad & dance team, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track, indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. Athletes who participate in these teams may earn varsity letters. Athletic scholarships are available to varsity athletes who qualify.
Pioneer Launch
Pioneer Launch is a program for those students who feel as if they are not quite prepared for the academic rigors of collegiate courses. This program provides participants with a unique experience designed to jumpstart their academic success.
Campus Activities
The campus calendar of events boasts films, dances, seminars, plays and many other types of events. The University sponsors these functions to enhance the educational experiences of Tusculum students. Students have the opportunity to attend events and performances such as bands, speakers, comedians, magicians and a variety of novelty acts that visit campus throughout the year.
Career Readiness
The cornerstone of career readiness is Tusculum’s QEP (quality enhancement plan) which fully integrates career readiness into curriculum.
Students are encouraged to begin career development upon entering Tusculum and continue throughout their University experience. Career exploration begins with freshman orientation. In capstone courses, students are taught how to make a successful resume or CV, and networking/interviewing skills. Throughout the curriculum, the QEP focuses on assisting our students in developing strong collaboration techniques, a highly necessary skill to be successful in the work force.
Career Readiness coordinates internship, experiential learning, and job shadowing through collaboration with the colleges and provides multiple online career resources through the Tusculum website, including information about standardized examinations and graduate programs. Students are encouraged to reach out to their advisor, dean of their college, and the career services coordinator for assistance with any aspect of career readiness.
Counseling and ADA Services
Counseling and ADA Services provides mental health counseling and disability services at no cost for currently enrolled students of the University. Counseling and ADA Services offers secular and Christian-Integrated services in a timely manner within a safe, respectful, nonjudgmental, and confidential environment. Services are available at a level of professional care that promotes emotional well-being, spiritual growth, academic success, diversity and healthy interpersonal relationships.
Students seeking, either, or both, counseling services and accommodations due to a documented disability should contact the Counselor/ADA Coordinator located in the Library.
Students may also request an appointment using the online Request for Services Form.
ADA Services (Support Services for Individuals with Disabilities)
Tusculum University affirms its intent to comply with federal regulations regarding persons with disabilities, specifically with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment or admission. Tusculum University makes available to qualified students with disabilities those reasonable accommodations or services as are necessary to provide such students with unrestricted access to the learning environment and the opportunity to demonstrate academic achievement. In order to procure services or classroom accommodations, the qualified student is responsible for self- identifying and directing all requests for accommodations or services to the Counselor/ADA Coordinator. Upon review of the documentation, provided by the student, Counseling and ADA Services will assist the student in working with the faculty to secure appropriate classroom accommodations.
Students seeking accommodations due to a documented disability should contact the should contact the Counselor/ADA Coordinator located in the Library.
Counseling Services
Counseling Services are available to assist students with issues that interfere with academic progress and personal growth. Services comply with Health Information Protection Portability Act (HIPPA) and state laws that govern mental health services. Counseling services may include individual and group counseling, mental health and personal and social adjustment assessments, crisis intervention, expressive arts and educational programs, and referrals to community providers. Students and counselors collaborate to identify services and supports to aid students to achieve their academic and personal goals.
Students in the Adult and Online Studies program living in Tennessee and taking classes entirely online may receive ongoing counseling services from the university using the Counseling and ADA Services virtual office. The office is available by appointment only. Those living outside of Tennessee must seek counseling services from a professional licensed in the state, territory, or country of residence.
Student Support Services and ARCHES
Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally-funded entity sponsored by the TRIO Programs division of the United States Department of Education that particularly targets first-generation (neither parent/guardian has a four-year Bachelor’s degree) and low-income students, as well as students with disabilities.
Tusculum University hosts two Student Support Services programs-one known simply as SSS that exclusively serves daytime Greeneville campus University students, and one known as ARCHES that serves undergraduate Adult and Online Studies students on all campuses and online. Students will complete an application and income verification process to be considered for this program. These programs offer participants assistance with academic development through a variety of enrichment activities. Specific services include tutoring, financial literacy counseling, mentoring, academic advisement, facilitation of graduate school enrollment, grant aid, and cultural enrichment activities.
Tutoring Center
The Tusculum University Tutoring Center is a cooperative venture between the University and the Student Support Services TRIO program.
The mission of the center is to help students hone academic skills to ensure success in their scholarly pursuits. The Tutoring Center offers a variety of free services including course-specific tutoring in mathematics, writing, laboratory sciences, humanities and social sciences. To deliver high quality services, the Tutoring Center employs degreed and peer tutors who are nationally certified by the National Tutoring Association to provide high quality individualized and group tutoring sessions.
The Tutoring Center staff collaborates with faculty members to ensure that services address specific academic challenges so that students successfully master course content. Additionally, the Tutoring Center offers a variety of academic workshops and schedules DSST testing for Tusculum University.
The Tutoring Center is located on the top level of the Thomas J. Garland Library and the hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Evening tutoring sessions take place Sunday- Thursday from 7p.m.-9 p.m., on the second floor of the Garland Library, behind the circulation desk. The complete schedule tutoring center can be viewed at the Tutoring Center website.
The Knoxville and Morristown sites are served by degreed tutors that are available by appointment for AOS students. Students that qualify for the TRIO program ARCHES have access to a 24/7 on-demand online tutoring support program called TutorMe. TutorMe provides professional/degreed tutors to support students who are unable to attend an in-person session.
Veteran Services
The Veteran Services Office provides student veterans at all Tusculum sites guidance and assistance in all issues related to their veteran status. This includes providing assistance on their Veterans Administration (VA) education benefits to assisting with campus, local, state, and federal resources to providing veteran programs and initiatives to assist student veterans succeed during their University experience.
The office goal is to reach, recruit, retain, and reengage student veterans. Community outreach to veterans, veteran organizations, and military units to ensure veterans (and in some cases their dependents) understand their education benefits/opportunities; recruiting veterans when their goals match the program offerings of Tusculum; retain them throughout their University programs with veteran-friendly activities, events, and programs; and reengage them post-graduation through internships and employment opportunities. Mentoring, encouraging campus and community participation, and involvement in leadership roles are also objectives of the Veteran Services Office. The Veteran Services Office will also assist dependents of veterans who are attending Tusculum using dependent or survivor’s VA education benefits.
Tusculum University proudly participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. If you are receiving 100% entitlement to the Post 911 GI Bill ® (GI Bill is a registered trademark of the Veterans Administration) and if your tuition exceeds the VA cap, there would be no out-of-pocket expenses to the student.
Prior Learning Credits for Military Experience and Training
Military service members and veterans may receive additional transfer credits for their experiences and training while serving in the military. These credits are awarded through military education transcripts and an evaluation of their military skills and training (as verified by their DD Form 214). Tusculum University will award all credits that the American Council of Education recommends provided there is/are equivalent courses at Tusculum and those credits will apply to the students chosen degree program.
Tusculum University’s support for currently serving military students complies with all Department of Defense requirements, policies, and guidelines for institutions of higher learning. Guidelines affecting military students are addressed throughout this catalog. These include, but are not limited to the following.
Tusculum University:
1) Provides each student with a clear and complete explanation of available financial aid, including Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
2) Bans employees from receiving bonuses, gifts and/or gratuities for the purpose of securing enrollments of Service members or obtaining access to tuition assistance funds.
3) Refrains from high-pressure recruitment tactics for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments.
4) Will disclose basic information about the educational institution’s programs and costs, including tuition and other charges to the Service member when requested.
Military students should speak to their military service Education Services Officer (ESO) or counselor prior to enrollment at Tusculum University to understand military service requirements.
There is a dedicated veteran student lounge at the Knoxville Regional Center where our Adult and Online Studies student-veterans can study, relax, work on group projects, etc.
For more information, contact the Veteran Services Office at 423.636.7371 or visit https://web.tusculum.edu/veterans/.
Cultural Activities
The “Acts, Arts, Academia” program series sponsors events on campus throughout the academic year. A series of art exhibits are displayed throughout the year in the J. Clement Allison Gallery in the Shulman Center. A variety of music, theatre and dance events-including presentations from Theatre-at-Tusculum, Tusculum Arts Outreach, the Tusculum Band Program and Tusculum University Community Chorus-take place in the Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium and the David F. Behan Arena Theatre.
Dining Service
The University cafeteria, located in the Niswonger Commons, and the snack bar facilities located there and in the lower level of the Garland Library, as well as the Meen Center, serve a variety of well- balanced, enjoyable meals and on-the-go dining options.
All resident students are required to participate in one of the University’s meal plans. Commuting students who wish to eat in the cafeteria may pay as they go or purchase meal plans providing discounted rates in the Business Office. Dining dollars may be applied to purchases made at the snack bar locations and from the full-service Chick-fil-A located on campus in the Niswonger Commons.
Health Services
Tusculum University provides students with general first aid support and guidance in accessing community medical services.
Two fully-equipped hospitals are within easy access of the campus. Both hospitals are approved as Class A by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Each student is encouraged to select a personal physician upon arrival in Greeneville.
Locations and Facilities
Adult and Online Studies programs are offered at four locations: the main Greeneville campus and sites in Knoxville, Morristown, and online. All locations provide instructional support and educational services that meet the needs of adult students. All locations are approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and meet federal guidelines. In addition to the services and resources provided at each location, students have access to all resources (e.g. library, career counseling, tutoring) via the Internet or by phone.
Computers with Internet access are available at each location to ensure access to these resources. All sites have computer labs that are available to students. An extension of the Thomas J. Garland Library on the Greeneville campus is housed at the Knoxville Regional Center.
Motor Vehicle Regulations
Any student wishing to maintain a motor vehicle on campus may do so by registering the vehicle with the Office of Campus Safety. More details regarding Motor Vehicle Registration and parking policies are available in the Office of Campus Safety.
Non-Academic Code of Student Conduct
Conduct which embodies these values and further identifies the rights and responsibilities of community membership is provided in the Student Handbook. For more information about the code of conduct and how to register a student concern, please refer to the Student Handbook online.
Organizations
Students, faculty and staff have formed a variety of campus-based organizations in support of special interests and needs.
The University encourages the formation of clubs and organizations for social interaction, the exploration of interests, and as an effective method of developing leadership and other skills. Check with the Office of Student Affairs for a complete organization listing or information regarding the formation of a new campus group.
Organizations include honorary and professional groups, a literary magazine, service organizations, special interest groups and sports clubs. An annual activities fair is held at the beginning of each semester. Contact the Office of Student Affairs for specific dates and times.
The following is a sampling of student organizations at Tusculum University:
ALPHA CHI promotes and recognizes scholarship. Membership is open to juniors and seniors ranking in the top tenth of their class.
BONNER LEADERS is a student-led service learning opportunity that requires students to be highly committed to community service. The Bonner Leader Program transforms students to have vital roles in society for nurturing and mobilizing thoughtful, caring, and diverse leadership dedicated to community service. At the core, Bonners believe in educating the whole person, and that learning occurs in multiple contexts and developmentally over time. Bonner Leaders engage in community building, gain leadership skills, learn professionalism, and develop practical skills.
BUSINESS CLUB AT TUSCULUM promotes enjoyment and understanding of business administration; develops leadership abilities through participating in career education and social activities; assists students in establishing realistic employment objectives; promotes high standards in ethics, workmanship, and scholarship, and develops competent, aggressive leaders in business.
COLLEGE DEMOCRATS is an organization for students supporting the Democratic party and sponsoring events to raise awareness about civic engagement and social responsibility.
COLLEGE REPUBLICANS is an organization for students supporting the Republican party and sponsoring events to raise awareness about civic engagement and social responsibility.
COMMUNITY CHORUS is open to all community members. No auditions are required. Academic credit may be earned.
DEBATE TEAM is an organization for students interested in sharpening their debate skills through practice and competition.
EDUCATION CLUB @ TUSCULUM is an organization for students planning to pursue a career in education.
ENGLISH STUDENTS ORGANIZATION (ESO) fosters a sense of community and camaraderie among the English Department, other departments and organizations on campus and members of the surrounding community.
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES (FCA) is a student led non-denominational organization that promotes Christian principles among student athletes and the general student body. FCA is open to all students and not just athletes.
GARDENING SOCIETY is an organization for students interested in gardening.
GREEN TEAM is a student organization dedicated to making campus cleaner and greener. The Green Team manages the mixed paper recycling program at Tusculum’s Greeneville campus. In addition to recycling education and operation, the Green Team serves as a resource for sustainable practices and healthy living.
HONORS STUDENT ORGANIZATION is an organization of students who are members of the Honors Program.
KAPPA DELTA PI INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY IN EDUCATION is an honor society for students seeking a career in education.
LAMBDA ALPHA EPSILON (ACJA) is the collegiate chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association.
MAGIC THE GATHERING CLUB has been established to imbue its membership with a sense of companionship, entertainment and social enrichment based around a common interest in the card game Magic the Gathering.
OMICRON-PSI is an undergraduate and graduate honor society for students in the Adult and Online Studies programs. Students who achieve a GPA of 3.50 or higher are invited to join.
OPEN DOOR SOCIETY is a group of individuals focused on providing a safe, welcoming environment of support to homosexual, bisexual and transgendered individuals while providing education about issues to the University community and providing a commitment to service.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS STUDIES CLUB serves the interests of Physical Education majors and other interested students by providing peer support for developing professionalism in the field of Physical Education.
π-ONEER U is an organization of devoted math enthusiasts, including both math related majors and non- majors.
PIONEER ANIME CLUB exists for the purpose of giving fans of Japanese animation a place to view new productions and share interests with like-minded individuals.
PIONEER BAND is established to provide a variety of musical cultural expressions to the community and provide an outlet for the musically inclined to express themselves and achieve the highest levels of musicianship.
PIONEER FISHING CLUB is open to all Tusculum University students interested in learning more about fishing and participating in fishing trips.
PIONEER FRONTIER (Student News Magazine) is the news medium at Tusculum University. Students are responsible for all aspects of production and distribution.
PIONEER GAMING CLUB is a group of students from all across campus who enjoy all types of video gaming-PC, Xbox, Playstation, etc. They host bi-annual marathon gaming programs and weekly gaming meetings.
PIONEER STUDENT ATHLETIC ADVISORY COUNCIL (PSAAC) acts as the voice of the student-athletes and serves as their voice to the athletics administration as they seek to enhance the total student-athlete experience by developing leadership skills, promoting welfare and fostering a positive image to the community.
PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY is an elite student organization dedicated to promote and fortify the mission of the institution. As an ambassador, each member serves as an extension of the undergraduate admission office-to aid in tours and various service projects sponsored by admissions. For more information on how to become a member, contact the Traditional Office of Admission in person, by phone or e-mail.
PSI CHI is an International honor society for students.
PSYCHOLOGY CLUB serves the interests of psychology majors by providing peer support for developing professionalism in the field of psychology.
SCIENCE CLUB serves the interest of science majors or students interested in science by providing educational opportunities and opportunities for professional development.
STUDENTS OF MUSEUM AND STUDENTS OF HISTORY (SMASH) is an organization of students within the history and museum studies disciplines who are focused on excellence within their field.
STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION is dedicated to building a body of servant leaders who upon graduation will advance the interests and connectivity of alumni and Tusculum University; establish, foster and promote relationships among the University community, and further the quality of the institution.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SGA) is the governing body for the student body. SGA provides an official voice to represent students to the administration and the Board of Trustees. It is the vehicle for expressing and addressing student concerns and a means to democratically determine allocation of student organization funding.
STUDENT NURSING ORGANIZATION serves the interests of Nursing majors and other interested students by providing peer support for developing professionalism in the Nursing Sciences.
TENNESSEE INTERCOLLEGIATE STATE LEGISLATURE (TISL) is a group of students interested in the inner working of state government. These students come from all majors. They compete at a state level annually in a mock legislature that takes place in the state capitol.
THEATRE-AT-TUSCULUM provides many opportunities throughout the year for involvement in theatre through scheduled productions. Students may audition for roles in productions or volunteer to assist backstage.
TUSCULUM ACTIVITIES BOARD (TAB) develops a wide variety of activities for the whole campus community including such events as: comedians, coffee house entertainment, dances, movies, Casino Night, outdoor recreational activities, and educational speakers, as well as many other student-oriented activities.
TUSCULUM ARTS OUTREACH provides a variety of opportunities for theatrical or other artistic involvement in the larger community.
TUSCULUM REVIEW is an annual literary journal that publishes fiction, non-fiction and poetry by well- established and emerging writers from around the world. Edited by Tusculum University professors, the volunteer staff is made up of students who read and consider submissions as well as help in the design and layout of the review. Students hold positions of responsibility including managing editor, poetry editor, fiction editor and non- fiction editor.
Orientation
Orientation for Adult and Online Studies (AOS) Programs
New AOS students are invited to participate in an online self-paced orientation prior to the beginning of each semester. This orientation provides information beneficial to the adult student, taking face to face or online courses. Resources include helpful and informational videos from key Tusculum University faculty and staff members.
Orientation and Welcome Week for Daytime Programs Offered on Greeneville Campus
All new daytime, on-campus students are required to attend an Orientation session in the summer prior to arriving at Tusculum for classes. During Orientation there are sessions dedicated for families so they can better support their students throughout college. New students are also required to attend Welcome Weekend, which is the weekend prior to the start of the academic year. New students check into their residence halls at this time. In addition to the full-group sessions, resident, commuting, transfer and international students meet to discuss issues that are unique to their respective groups.
Pioneer Peers
All new students entering one of our daytime Greeneville campus programs will be paired with a mentor, who is an upperclassman at the University. This mentor will help students transition to Tusculum as well as navigate through the different aspects of university life. Pioneer Peers will also attend Tusculum Experience classes with their groups, thus continuing the mentorship throughout the first semester.
Residence Life
Because Tusculum is a small University, the style of life on campus is that of a community, a group of people-students, faculty and staff-working, learning and living together. Attention is given to individual and community growth both in and out of the classroom.
Living on campus increases the level of involvement in both academic and co-curricular activities and, therefore, heightens the impact of the total University experience. Programs in residence halls are designed to encourage students’ intellectual growth while developing healthy social and interpersonal skills. Each hall has its own elected council to provide leadership in activities, student conduct and the general living environment. In addition, resident assistants are students carefully selected and trained as staff members to provide peer counseling, Programming and policy support. The Office of Student Affairs staff provides supervision and support of all housing operations and programs.
Students are housed in Katherine Hall, Haynes Hall, Welty-Craig Hall, the Charles Oliver Gray complex, apartment buildings and campus houses. Room and roommate assignments for new students are made by the Coordinator of Student Housing after the returning students have made their room selections.
All Tusculum students enrolled in any of our daytime Greeneville campus programs are required to live on campus with the exception of married students, single students with a court-recognized dependent, students living at the primary residence of their parents or guardians in Greene County or a contiguous county, students over 23 years of age, military veterans with more than one-year active duty service or students granted an exception by the Housing Committee.
Rooms are furnished with single beds (twin, extra-long), mattresses, dressers, desks and chairs. Room license agreements are for the full academic year unless other arrangements are approved in advance. Laundry facilities are conveniently located in each residential area and operate free of charge to residents.
Student Complaint Policy
For the most up to date information regarding the student complaint policy, please visit https://web.tusculum.edu/life/student-feedback-written-complaints/.
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