POLICIES

Code of Conduct

The faculty and staff of the Rutgers Summer Arts Institute (Program) are committed to ensuring an environment for all students that is safe, respectful, and conducive to learning and musical expression.

Conduct that detrimentally impacts this environment will not be tolerated.

The following list indicates examples of unacceptable behaviors and their possible consequences, including immediate dismissal from the Program. This is not a comprehensive list and the university reserves the right to dismiss a student from the Program for misconduct as its discretion. The student and a parent/guardian should read, discuss, and ensure that they understand all parts of this code of conduct before completing registration.

• Violation of local, state, or federal law (e.g. drug or alcohol use; theft; vandalism).

• Behavior that indicates the student may present a danger to the health or safety of themselves or others (e.g. fighting, violence of any kind).

• Behavior that impinges upon the rights, property, or achievement of others or that interferes with the orderly conduct of Program activities (e.g. sexual harassment; bullying (physical or verbal); defiance towards faculty and/or staff, unauthorized recording, taping and/or posting).

• Failure to Participate – Students are expected to work hard throughout the program. An ongoing refusal to participate in program activities (e.g. missing class; failure to complete assignments) may require parent/guardian involvement and/or result in dismissal from the Program.

• Failure to Cooperate with Peers – Students should be prepared to work and create cooperatively as part of a team, and unwillingness or incapacity to do so may require parent/guardian involvement and/or result in dismissal from the Program.

• Disruptive Behavior – (e.g. interrupting class; vulgar language; demeaning or insulting another student or their artistic skill). Parent/guardian involvement required; may result in dismissal from the Program.

• Other behavior deemed inappropriate by a faculty or staff member may require parent/guardian involvement and/or result in dismissal from the Program.

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Assumption of Risk

I understand that my child, or Program participant for whom I am guardian, (“Child”), will participate in the Rutgers Summer Arts Institute, where they will receive instruction from and collaborate with professional working artists in their fields of interest. In addition to faculty members, my child will be supervised by counselors and staff members. If my Child is participating in a residential program, counselors will be living in the dorms with them overnight and available 24/7.

This document (“Agreement”) covers all aspects of my child’s participation in the Program. In this Agreement, “Rutgers” means Rutgers, its trustees, officers, employees, trainees, students, volunteers, and agents.

• Program Risks: I understand that participation in the Program involves risks that Rutgers cannot eliminate, including, among others, risk of property damage, illness, bodily injury, permanent disability, and death.

• Medical Needs: I understand that the faculty and staff of the Program are not licensed medical professionals. If my Child must take medication during Program hours, it is my Child’s responsibility to administer the medication properly. In case of emergency, the Program faculty and staff will call 911 and any emergency contacts listed.

• Assumption of Risk: – I voluntarily take responsibility for all risks of participating in the Program.

• Release: In exchange for Rutgers allowing my Child to participate in the Rutgers Summer Arts Institute, I release Rutgers from all legal and financial responsibility for any harm that I, my Child, or our property might suffer as a result of my Child’s participation, even if the harm is caused by Rutgers’ negligence.

• Indemnification: I agree to indemnify and hold Rutgers harmless from (that is to say, I agree to pay or reimburse Rutgers for) any costs, penalties, legal fees, or judgments (“Costs”) that Rutgers has to pay related to my Child’s participation in the Program, even if the Costs resulted from Rutgers’ negligence.

• Governing Law and Jurisdiction: The laws of New Jersey shall govern, and the courts of New Jersey shall interpret this Agreement.

• Binding Agreement: This Agreement shall legally bind me, and my Child, family members, spouse, estate, heirs, administrators, or personal representatives.

• Severability: If a court decides that any part of this Agreement cannot be enforced, I agree to change that part to make it enforceable. If the unenforceable part cannot legally be changed, it will be severed, but the rest of the Agreement will remain in effect.

• Agreement: By completing my Child’s Program registration, I agree that I have read and understood this Agreement, and I do so voluntarily and without  relying on anything Rutgers wrote or told me except what is written above.

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Media Release

The staff of the Rutgers Summer Arts Institute are eager to document the exciting work of our students to share with their families and with our broader community. This may include filming concerts and performances, photographing students during program activities, and capturing the work they create via photography and film. Any media captured will be shared on our website, social media accounts, and possibly used in our future marketing efforts.

We are committed to using images and videos responsibly, and we understand that families have differing comfort levels with program images and videos being shared on social media, YouTube, and Rutgers websites. Before the program begins, families will have the opportunity to specify which media sharing they approve of. If you designate that you do not authorize this media release please be sure to complete this Media Release Form and submit to communityarts@mgsa.rutgers.edu. 

Financial Updates

We are grateful for your continued trust in us to provide an exceptional collegiate experience for your artist! As of 2025, To maintain the high quality and sustainability of our programs, we introduced 4.12% + $0.30 fees for credit card transactions and 1.53% + $0.50 fees for ACH transactions. These modest fees will help to cover rising costs associated with credit card processing so that we are able to maintain our vibrant programming and the quality of instruction.

Payment

• Online registration is required of all participants.

• Registration is not complete until the $100 non-refundable deposit is paid or a waiver is granted. If you are unable to pay the registration fee please contact us at communityarts@mgsa.rutgers.edu.

• Participants have the option to pay in full at the time of registration or to set up a payment plan for installment payments. Please be aware that all credit card fees are applied per transaction.

• Registrations made after May 1, 2026 are subject to a late fee of $100.

• In order to finalize our rosters and complete residential and dining arrangements, full payment is required by June 1st. Please note that after this date, we can no longer guarantee your child’s enrollment in the program. Additionally, all payments made to date will remain non-refundable.

Administrative Cancellations and Changes

• Rutgers Community Arts reserves the right to cancel courses with insufficient enrollment or to change instructors when warranted.

• In the event a course is canceled by Rutgers Community Arts, a full tuition refund will be issued to those who have registered.

• All published course schedules are subject to change.

• Please refer to our website for up-to-date course information.

Refunds and Cancellations

Please review our policy carefully before registering. All refunds are subject to the terms and conditions outlined below.

• A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your reservation. This deposit ensures your booking is confirmed and reserved exclusively for you. In the event of cancellation, this deposit will not be refunded, regardless of the circumstances.

• Cancellation on or before April 30: Reservation cancellation on or before April 30,  will receive a full refund of any payments made, excluding the non-refundable deposit.

• Cancellation between May 1 and May 30: Reservation cancellation between May 1 to May 30 will receive a refund of 50% of the total cost, excluding the non-refundable deposit.

• Cancellation on or after June 1: Reservation cancellation on or after June 1 are permitted, however no refunds will be issued for any payments made.

Please note that this cancellation policy is designed to protect both parties involved. The non-refundable deposit ensures that the service provider is compensated for holding the reservation, while the specified deadlines offer some flexibility for cancellations within certain timeframes. However, once the final cancellation deadline passes, the reservation becomes non-cancellable, and refunds will not be provided.

Coupons

Students may qualify for a 10% discount under the following categories.

• Early Bird Discount: (10%) Applicable for registrations completed on or before February 28, 2026. Automatically applied.

• Rutgers Affiliate Discount: (10%) Available to child(ren) of Rutgers University staff and faculty, valid during open registration period through April 30, 2026. Please email us from your RU account to receive the RU Affiliate discount code. 

• Sibling Discount: (10%) Applicable to sibling registrations through April 30, 2026.

  Please email us to receive the Sibling discount code. 

• Discounts cannot be stacked- for example, if you have siblings registering early – they will not be staggered with 10% for siblings and another 10% for early birds.