While the government of Boys State is in the hands of the citizens themselves, the Board of Directors feel the responsibility to their trust very keenly and have seen fit to establish a "Decalogue of Conduct" to which all boys who are admitted to citizenship are expected to conform.  Citizenship is contingent upon a boy's acceptance of the principles of conduct enumerated in the Decalogue.  Citizens who violate the letter or spirit of these regulations are subject to dismissal from Boys State without refund of fees and may be barred from further participation in the program.  The Decalogue of Conduct is as follows:

1.  All Citizens shall observe the rules of common courtesy and decency in their relations with each other.  They shall be amenable to rules, ordinances and Statutes of the government of Boys State, and shall cooperate with all duly elected or appointed citizen-officers.  They shall respect the authority of counselors and shall conform to requests made by them in the line of duty.

2.  No citizen shall haze another citizen, or attempt to do him bodily harm in any form or manner either as an individual or as a member of a group.

3.  Citizens shall refrain from offensively boisterous or rowdy personal conduct in meetings, in the dormitories, or on the grounds, and shall eschew the use of lewd, profane or obscene language, or the possession of obscene pictures of printed material or signs.

4.  Citizens shall respect property rights, whether the property be that of another citizen of Boys State or of the State of Illinois.

5.  Citizens shall obey the laws of the State of Illinois and the regulations of Boys State proscribing possession of firearms, fireworks, and explosives.

6.  Citizens shall comply with the laws of the State of Illinois and the regulations of Boys State proscribing the transportation, retention, or use of any form of intoxicating liquor or drugs, and shall not influence or encourage any other citizen in the use of tobacco.

7.  Citizens shall refrain from participation in games of chance, or in any form of gambling.

8.  The operation of an automobile by a citizen while at Boys State is forbidden, despite parental approval.

9.  Citizens shall remain within the limits of the Boys State area of the campus.

 

Grounds for Dismissal

In addition to routine disciplinary action taken by the counseling staff for minor infractions of the rules or standards or conduct, from time to time charges of serious disciplinary violation occur, which if determined to be true, may give rise to dismissal.  Such conduct includes the possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs, either on or off campus; assault upon another person; theft; deliberate damage or destruction of private or public property; deliberate false reporting of a fire; protracted failure to participate in scheduled activities; or gross disobedience or gross misconduct.  Such violations may also be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies. 

No citizen shall be dismissed without having first been provided a hearing before the Camp Director or his designee.  The accused citizen is entitled to confront all witnesses, except in extraordinary circumstances involving severe threat to the witness, as determined by the Camp Director or his designee.

In all cases of dismissal, written notification of the action taken and reasons therefore shall be provided to the citizen's parents.

 

Room Searches

While the Board of Directors undertakes to preserve the privacy of its citizens, it reaffirms its authority to enter and search any room or other area of the campus where there is clear indication that alcohol or illegal drugs may be stored or used, or when it is deemed necessary for the health, safety or welfare of the citizens, or where there is clear indication that standards of conduct are being violated, or to protect university property.  The occupants of the room will be notified of the reasons for any room search.

Such inspection will be undertaken only with advance approval of the Camp Director, Dean of Counselors or Executive Officer.  Such inspection will be conducted only by the County Counselors, Dean of Counselors, Assistant Dean of Counselors, Executive Officer, a member of the University's residence staff or a campus or local law enforcement officer.

This policy of room search does not apply to routine inspection of all rooms conducted daily on a scheduled basis to maintain an orderly and sanitary condition nor to routine bed checks, routine efforts to locate citizens, routine discipline checks or emergency situations.

 

Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of the Board of Directors of Premier Boys State to conduct all aspects of its operation in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual preference, age, physical handicap or marital status