Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014
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Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014 MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS Mission Statement LeMoyne-Owen College provides a transformative experience educating students for urban-focused leadership, scholarship, service and professional careers. Vision Statement To be an exemplary historically black college providing an excellent liberal arts education that transforms urban students, institutions and communities. ACCREDITATION LeMoyne-Owen College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of LeMoyne-Owen College. The Commission on Colleges should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support that LeMoyne-Owen College is non-compliant with a Commission requirement or standard. The Division of Education at LeMoyne-Owen College is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs at LeMoyne-Owen. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to K-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure or other purposes. LeMoyne-Owen College is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and is approved to offer programs leading to licensure by the Tennessee State Department of Education. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction . 4 History . 5 Admission . 6 Tuition and Fees . 10 Financial Aid . 14 Scholarships . 25 Endowed Scholarships . 27 Student Life . 29 Academic Policies . 32 Credit Hours . 39 Special Academic Programs and Services . 44 Policy on Intellectual Property, Patent and Invention . 49 Academic Divisions and Degree Offerings . 55 College Competencies . 59 The Curriculum . 60 LeMoyne-Owen College Board of Trustees . 230 Administration and Professional Staff. 232 Members of the Faculty . 234 INTRODUCTION WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT I still feel and think the same way I did when I entered this institution as a freshman 50 years ago; that LeMoyne-Owen College is truly a jewel of Memphis and the Mid-South. We sincerely hope that your interest is a serious one that extends beyond the confines of this catalog. The programs that are contained herein enable students to pique and explore their interests, expand their knowledge base and masterfully prepare for careers and positions of leadership. Students may learn and expand their intellect in 21 major programs that lead to the baccalaureate degree. These major programs provide opportunities for in-depth study of a variety of disciplines and prepare students for diverse careers and/or continued graduate/professional study. The College’s nationally acclaimed liberal arts Core curriculum develops skills in critical thinking, computation, communication, creativity and research through study in the arts and sciences. LeMoyne-Owen classes are generally small and instruction is conducted in a variety of formats to meet the diverse needs of students. The campus is active and lively day and night. Varied cultural and social activities complement the academic program and provide students a rich array of fulfilling opportunities. The College’s revitalized neighborhood includes the new STAX Academy and Museum, the heart of Soulsville, U.S.A. This complex is devoted to the wonderful history of Memphis music, and some College music classes are part of that exciting new facility. Through several outreach programs, students have numerous opportunities to meaningfully participate in, assist and serve the surrounding community. Dedicated faculty and staff ensure that LeMoyne-Owen students are challenged in their studies as they experience a supportive environment. Students are provided with the knowledge of and expected to master an array of competencies including knowledge of Afro-centric heritage/history, appreciation of diverse cultures, quantitative and qualitative research skills, use of technology, social responsibility and service to humankind. By attending LeMoyne-Owen, students will join the ranks of such distinguished graduates as Memphis Mayor Dr. W. W. Herenton, Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representative of the State of Tennessee Lois DeBerry, civil rights activist and former NAACP Executive Director Dr. Benjamin Hooks, nationally respected linguist Dr. Irma Ewing Cunningham, me and many others. Visit our attractive campus located just three miles from downtown Memphis. Experience the warm, friendly atmosphere, interact with faculty and staff and enroll in this 148-year old College that continues to be a beacon of hope. Johnnie B. Watson President LeMoyne-Owen College HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE The merger of LeMoyne College and Owen Junior College in 1968 joined two institutions, which had rich traditions as private, church-related colleges that have historically served Black students, founded and developed to provide higher education to students in the Mid-South area. LeMoyne Normal and Commercial School opened officially in 1871, but it actually began in 1862 when the American Missionary Association sent Lucinda Humphrey to open an elementary school for freedmen and runaway slaves to Camp Shiloh soon after the occupation of Memphis by federal troops under General Ulysses S. Grant. The School was moved to Memphis in 1863, but was destroyed by fire in the race riots, which followed the withdrawal of federal troops in 1866. Lincoln Chapel, as the school was then known, was rebuilt and reopened in 1867 with 150 students and six teachers, but the small school was beset by financial problems. In 1870, Dr. Francis J. LeMoyne, a Pennsylvania doctor and abolitionist, donated $20,000 to the American Missionary Association to build an elementary and secondary school for prospective teachers. The first years were difficult ones, primarily, because of the toll that the yellow fever epidemic took on school personnel, but under the leadership of the third principal, Andrew J. Steele, the institution experienced three decades of growth and development. In 1914, the school was moved from Orleans Street to its present site on Walker Avenue. In that same year, the first building, Steele Hall, was erected on the new campus. LeMoyne developed rapidly; it became a junior college in 1924 and a four-year college in 1930, chartered by the State of Tennessee just four years later. Owen College began in 1947, when the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention bought property on Vance Avenue to build a junior college. After several years of planning, the school opened in 1954 as S.A. Owen Junior College, named in honor of a distinguished religious and civic leader, but the name was later changed to Owen Junior College. The merger of Owen and LeMoyne Colleges in 1968 joined two religious traditions at the same time that it reinforced the institutions’ shared purpose of combining a liberal arts education with career training in a Christian setting. ADMISSION Admission Requirements LeMoyne-Owen College does not discriminate in its admission of students on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. LeMoyne-Owen College does not discriminate in its admission of students on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship or other protected criteria. Priority deadlines are as follows: April 1st for the fall semester; November 1st for the spring semester; and March 1st for the summer term. The Office of Admissions and Recruitment receives and processes all applications, evaluates credentials, and issue notices of acceptance to students. Inquiries regarding admission to the College should be addressed to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment, (901) 435-1500 or 1 (800) 737- 7778 or [email protected]. First Time College Students The following materials are required for admission: Application for admission (Online application preferred – www.loc.edu) $25 non-refundable application fee or fee waiver Official final high school transcript or equivalent provided by previous school attended (with graduation date) SAT or ACT test score (If under age 21) Must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) All students must submit proof of immunizations. Documentation of 2 MMR immunizations or proof of immunity for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella and documentation of 2 Varicella immunizations or proof of immunity for Varicella (Chicken Pox) are required. First time applicants who have not earned the required 2.0 cumulative grade point average may apply for limited academic admission. The Admission Review Committee reviews the files of these applicants. Students granted Limited Academic Admission follow an Educational Partnership Agreement (EPA), for the first semester of study. The EPA outlines mandatory counseling sessions, academic development sessions and the required grade point average the student must earn in the first semester. Transfer Applicants Transfer applicants may transfer appropriate courses from regionally accredited institutions to LeMoyne-Owen College if the grade received was "C" or better. However, to receive transfer credit, official transcripts from the previous institution(s) must be received before a student begins classes. Credits that are more than ten years old will be reviewed to determine if they are transferable. Students will not be awarded