Please carefully read through the guidelines below before submitting an appeal.
You will want to read to see if you have grounds for an appeal as outlined in the appeal guidelines. 

Students may incur charges on their student accounts for room and equipment damages, improper checkouts, cleaning, lost keys, lockout key rental, university break-period housing, contract breakage penalties, and other concerns. These charges are rooted in student actions with expectations and financial penalties outlined by Residence Life. Language regarding those expectations and processes are shared with students in their housing contracts, printed mailings, departmental websites, emails from Residence Life, and /or other official communications.  All students are expected to read, understand, and ask clarifying questions about the information they receive as it is shared by Residence Life.

Appeals will be considered when the concern is rooted in at least one of these approved appeal criteria:

• The student’s belief that the facts surrounding the student behavior are untrue.
• Residence Life not providing the information or terms to the student.
• Residence Life not upholding its contractual obligations after notice from the student and attempts by Residence Life to remedy the concern after being notified.

Appeals will not be considered when the concern is rooted in:

• the student not knowing or understanding terms and expectations shared with all students.
• the student not remembering that they signed a contract for housing on campus.
• the student withdrawing from the university.
• the student not agreeing with the terms and expectations shared with all students.
• the student’s personal or family financial hardships.

To begin an appeal of charges, students must first wait for the charges to appear on their student account. Once the charges post, the student can submit the appeal using this form. Appeals must be submitted by the student with whom Residence Life has a contract. Appeals submitted by parents, relatives, and friends will not be accepted. The student will receive notice within five business days acknowledging receipt of the appeal request.

The Assistant Director of Residence Life will use the information available to decide if a student is responsible for the housing charges or if the charges should be removed. A second appeal can be made to the Director of Residence Life. These appeals can be made by emailing the Director at reslife@truman.edu. Second appeals are not a rehearing of the original appeal. Second appeals can only be made if:

• New information has emerged that was unavailable at the time of the hearing and could materially impact the decision of the initial appeal submission.
• The finding of “responsible” is not supported by substantial evidence.
• The sanction(s) imposed is not proportionate to the severity of the violation(s).

All this information comes from the Housing Appeals section of the Residence Life rules and policies. Before submitting an appeal, you are encouraged to read the appeals section in its entirety at the website found here.

Student Information

Appeal Information

Below you can attach your letter of appeal. To be considered, your appeal letter must:

• Specifiy charge(s) being appealed and the amount of the charge(s).
• Be rooted in an approved appeal criterion listed above.

Preferred format for the appeal letter is PDF so the appeal can be read on all technology platforms. Other common document formats will be accepted as long as the format can be read by staff. The appeal letter can be addressed to the "Housing Charges Appeal Officer." You may also attach up to three files as supporting document for your appeal.