Washington College Course Catalog Academic Information & Policies
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WASHINGTON COLLEGE COURSE CATALOG ACADEMIC INFORMATION & POLICIES 2019-2020 Discrimination and Harassment Policies Policy Statement on Discrimination Washington College does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other legally protected classification in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities or with respect to admission and employment. The designated coordinator to ensure compliance with Title IX of the Educational Act Amendments of 1972 is Candace Wannamaker, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator - Casey Academic Center, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620, phone number (410) 778-7752. The designated coordinator to ensure compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is, Andrea Vassar, Director of Academic Skills, Clifton Miller Library, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620, phone number (410) 778-7883. For additional information and/or to file a complaint contact the Director, US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, Suite 515, Philadelphia, PA 19107, or local fair employment practices agencies. Policy on Students with Disabilities Students who have a qualifying disability that may affect their pursuit of a Washington College education are eligible to receive reasonable academic accommodations. Accommodations for students with documented disabilities will be tailored to meet the student’s individual needs and will comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and with subsequent federal legislation pertaining to the disabled and their rights. Requests for accommodation and/or variation in degree requirements, accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation, should be submitted in writing to Maggie Harris, the Disability Access Specialist, Clifton Miller Library, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland, 21620; phone number 410-778-5799. Graduation Rates Washington College, in compliance with the Federal Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990, publishes the percentage of students who enter the College as first-time, full-time students and then graduate in six years or less. Six-year graduation rates at Washington College typically range between 70 and 76 percent. Catalog Notice While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in the Catalog as of its publication date in June 2019, it must be understood that all courses, course descriptions, designations of instructors, curricular and degree requirements, and other academic information 2 contained herein are subject to change or elimination at any time without notice or published amendment to the Catalog. In addition, Washington College reserves the right to make changes at any time, without prior notice, to other programs, policies and regulations, procedures, fees and charges, and other information that is described in this catalog or on any page that resides under the DNS registration of washcoll.edu. Washington College provides its website, Catalog, handbooks, and any other printed materials or electronic media for general guidance. Individuals assume any risks associated with relying upon such information without checking other credible sources such as the student’s faculty advisor, the Provost/Dean of the College, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Assistant Dean for First Year Experience and Student Success, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, or the Registrar. In addition, a student’s or prospective student’s reliance upon information contained within these sources when making academic decisions does not constitute, and should not be construed as, a contract with the College. 3 Diversity Statement We, the students, faculty, staff, and Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College, welcome, invite, value, and support a diverse community of individuals. We strive to create a place where all can study, work, and thrive. We believe in the worth, dignity, and safety of human beings of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, gender identities and/or expressions, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, cultural backgrounds, cognitive or physical abilities, emotional and behavioral characteristics, ages, and educational levels. In the pursuit of academic excellence, we endeavor to be a community made up of people from a variety of backgrounds with differing perspectives, life experiences, religious, philosophical and political beliefs, lifestyles, and ideologies. We pledge to create a respectful and supportive environment for collaboration, empathy, and the building of meaningful relationships among members of Washington College. We commit to fostering a more equitable, inclusive, an d engaged community that embraces all the complexity that each person brings to campus. ● We will empower all members to contribute ideas, ask questions, contest assumptions, and revise points of view through civil debate. ● We will confront and challenge attempts to dehumanize others through prejudiced attitudes, behaviors, and practices that exclude, demean, or marginalize any individual or group. ● We will encourage alumni, parents, visitors, guests, and the wider community to respect and embrace the values and behaviors that we embody. Our promise is to cultivate a continuous desire and ability to understand and meaningfully engage with different perspectives and experiences, including those of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups. We seek to contribute to the full intellectual and emotional development of every person and to the enrichment of our local, regional, national, and global communities. 4 Our Mission Mission Statement Washington College challenges and inspires emerging citizen leaders to discover lives of purpose and passion. Core Values We share these values of our founding patron, George Washington: integrity, determination, curiosity, civility, leadership, and moral courage. We offer academic rigor and self-discovery in a supportive, residential community of well-qualified, diverse, and motivated individuals. We develop in our students habits of analytic thought and clear communication, aesthetic insight, ethical sensitivity, and civic responsibility. Unhurried conversation and close connections with an exceptional faculty and staff complement a broad curriculum of study. A beautiful campus, ready access to exciting cities and the Chesapeake Bay, and engagement with cultures and communities locally and around the world afford our students ample resources and opportunities for personal exploration and shared challenges. We prepare our students for rich and fulfilling lives; for myriad and unpredictable opportunities; for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and productive endeavor. Vision Statement The enduring values of Washington College—critical thinking, effective communication, and moral courage—move the world. 5 A Brief History The first college of the new nation, Washington College was founded in 1782 to educate citizens for the vital task of democracy. So closely linked to the creation of a new nation, our history truly distinguishes Washington College from other selective liberal arts colleges in the country. Prominent among the colonial leaders who worked to establish this institution of higher education to prepare the citizens of a new democracy was our nation’s first president, George Washington. “I am much indebted,” Washington wrote in 1782,” for the honor conferred on me, by giving my name to the College at Chester.” In this letter to his friend, the Reverend Dr. William Smith, General Washington also expressed the hope that the fortunes of the incipient college would prosper, and donated “the trifling sum of Fifty Guineas as an Earnest of my wishes for the prosperity of this seminary.” Two years later he consented to serve as a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors, a position he occupied until 1789 when he became President of the United States. He accepted an honorary degree from Washington College in 1789. Yet more important than the gifts of his money, time, and name, George Washington shared with this “infant seat of learning” his vision for a better future achieved through education. He knew that it would take an educated citizenry to put the new nation on the right track, to lead government, to start businesses, to promote peace. He also understood that by granting the College at Chester permission to bear his name, it would forever be linked to the ideals he valued. Our mission—to prepare our students to make meaningful contributions in their world—remains the same two centuries later, and those values of scholarship, character, leadership, and service to others continue to resonate at Washington College. The College’s first president, the Rev. William Smith, was a prominent figure in colonial affairs of letters and church and had a wide acquaintance among the great men of colonial days. Joining General Washington on the Board of Visitors and Governors of the new college were such distinguished leaders as John Page, Robert Goldsborough, Joshua Seney, and His Excellency William Paca, Governor of Maryland. The Maryland legislature confirmed its first college charter upon Washington College on October