2005-2006 Hiram College Catalog
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THE HIRAM COLLEGE CATALOG Hiram College is fully accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Hiram’s current Statement of Affiliation Status may be obtained from NCA by calling 312.263.0456. The College also has specialized accreditation or certification for its programs in chemistry, education, and music. Hiram College is committed to equality of opportunity and does not discriminate in its educational and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs and employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. The College will not tolerate harassment, prejudice, abuse, or discrimination by or of any of its students, faculty, or staff. CORRESPONDENCE Thomas V. Chema President On general matters Michael Grajek Vice President and Dean of the College On the academic program and matters concerning the faculty Lisa Thibodeau Vice President for Business and Finance On payment of bills and business matters Timothy A. Bryan Vice President for Institutional Advancement On general matters concerning development, admission, and athletics Eric Riedel Vice President and Dean of Students On student affairs and extracurricular programs James F. Barrett Executive Director of Admission On applications for admission and related information Jane Preston Rose Dean of the Weekend College On information concerning study for adults Ann Marie Gruber Director of Financial Aid On financial aid information and application forms The College mailing address is P.O. Box 67, Hiram, Ohio 44234. The College switchboard number is (330) 569-3211 and the FAX is (330) 569-5290. While every effort was made to provide accurate and up-to-date information in this publication, the College reserves the right to change, without notice, statements in the catalog concerning rules, policies, fees, curricula, courses or other matters. Courses may be cancelled because of unavailability of faculty or insufficient enrollment. CONTENTS Academic Calendar The Mission of Hiram College The Curriculum Graduation Requirements Admission and Financial Aid 2005-2006 Fees and Charges Academic Procedures Student Life Special Academic Programs Center for International Studies Hiram College Resources The Weekend College Summer Session Courses of Instruction Scholarships Awards and Prizes Directory of Officers of the College ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2006-07 FALL SEMESTER 2005-06 (Preliminarily Approved) New Student Institute Aug 20-24 Aug 22-27 Fall 12-Week Classes Begin Aug 25 Aug 28 Labor Day – No Classes Sept 5 Sept 4 Fall Weekend Oct 13-14 Oct 14-17 Homecoming Sept 30-Oct 1 Sept 29-30 12-Week Classes End Nov 18 Nov 17 Reading Day Nov 19 Nov 18 Final Exam Days Nov 20-22 Nov 19-21 Thanksgiving – No Classes Nov 23-29 Nov 22-28 3-Week Classes Begin Nov 30 Nov 29 3-Week Classes End Dec 20 Dec 19 Final Exam Day Dec 21 Dec 20 Holiday Break Dec 22-Jan 8 Dec 21-Jan 7 2006-07 SPRING SEMESTER 2005-06 (Preliminarily Approved) Spring 12-Week Classes Begin Jan 9 Jan 8 M.L.K. Day – No Classes Jan 16 Jan 15 Spring Break Mar 4-Mar 12 Mar 3-11 Spring 12-Week Classes End Apr 7 Apr 6 Final Exam Days Apr 10-12 Apr 9-11 Term Break Apr 12-18 Apr 12-17 Spring 3-Week Classes Begin Apr 19 Apr 18 Spring 3-Week Classes End May 9 May 8 Final Exam Day May 10 May 9 Commencement May 13 May 12 THE MISSION OF HIRAM COLLEGE The report of the Hiram College Planning Commission which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its meeting on October 12, 1990, contained the following statement of mission: Our mission at Hiram College is to enable students of all ages to develop as intellectually alive, socially responsible, ethical citizens ready for leadership and for continuous personal and professional growth. With the approval of the Planning Commission’s report the Trustees, administration, faculty and staff expressed a commitment: 1. To fostering a rigorous and demanding intellectual environment with an able, carefully selected student body and a strong, dedicated faculty; 2. To maintaining a creative and value-based curriculum; 3. To maintaining a mentoring community which integrates academic life with the total campus experience; fosters mutual regard and shared responsibility among students, faculty, staff, and village residents; and honors our historical traditions and environment. HIRAM HERITAGE The sentiments embedded in the current mission statement can be traced back to a letter dated January 15, 1857 from James A. Garfield, principal of Hiram College (1857-1860) and later the twentieth President of the United States, to his student Burke A. Hinsdale, later president of Hiram College (1870-1882). “Tell me Burke, do you not feel a spirit stirring within you that longs to know — to do and to dare — to hold converse with the great world of thought and hold before you some high and noble object to which the vigor of your mind and the strength of your arm may be given?” TO KNOW Since 1850, men and women have come to Hiram College expecting to gain valuable knowledge. For all, the broad base of the liberal arts and sciences seemed the best way to prepare for the lessons of life. Some saw their Hiram education as preparation for specific careers after graduation; others sought an undergraduate degree to pursue professional interests, as in medicine or law. Still others, perhaps without realizing it, came to refine their powers of observation, their skills in writing or speaking, their aesthetic sensibilities, and their analytical or critical skills, as well as to examine those moral and ethical foundations upon which culture is built. Hiram College continues to respect these various motives for gaining a liberal education. We believe that the study of the liberal arts and sciences is an inherently valuable activity, an end in itself; we also recognize that this kind of education is useful in a multitude of ways. Certainly the experience of our graduates demonstrates that our students, having been here, know how to lead more fulfilling lives. TO DO In our aspirations for the future, we strive to build upon what has been done by our predecessors. Hiram College has maintained a strong academic reputation from the time that it was founded by members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As principal of the College before he became President of the United States, James A. Garfield solidified the institution’s reputation for excellence. Our College is proud of its succession of distinguished scholars and teachers, from Almeda Booth and Burke Hinsdale in the nineteenth century through John Kenyon and Mary Louise Vincent in the twentieth. Traditionally, our faculty find new and effective ways to communicate an understanding of the liberal arts and sciences. They reach beyond the classroom to establish relationships of trust, mutual respect, and friendship with individual students. These distinctive qualities of a Hiram education are enhanced by the College’s small size and village setting in the rolling hills of Ohio’s Western Reserve. Future deeds must continue to be worthy of what has historically been done here. TO DARE Hiram College is a distinctive institution in that it has dared to foster innovation in the context of tradition, as evidenced by its introduction of the single-course plan, the Weekend College, and other experimental programs. In the coming years, Hiram must continue to meet contemporary needs while holding fast to that which is good in its rich heritage. This spirit of venturing forth into new and evolving disciplines while respecting the roots of liberal learning is enhanced by the resources of our own campus, by our nearby cities, and, through extramural programs, by the world at large. We are committed to a curriculum that requires the understanding of the interrelatedness of knowledge, recognizes the integration of information for the resolution of issues, and examines the ethical dimensions of human behavior. From this foundation, students shall pursue a sound understanding of a particular discipline that will prepare them for lifelong learning. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, the students who come to Hiram, from a variety of backgrounds, should be individuals capable of intellectual and social growth, and ready to learn. As such, they will join a community enriched by their fellow students, the faculty and staff, our alumni, the parents of our students, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and our friends and colleagues near and far. Hiram College’s strategic plan, adopted during the 1997-98 academic year, clearly builds on this heritage. In response to changing circumstances, the plan focuses the College’s efforts to educate men and women who will be responsible citizens in complex and demanding times, and who will grow as intelligent, ethical, and imaginative human beings. VISION STATEMENT Hiram College will exemplify excellence in liberal arts education as a dynamic center of intellectual exchange linking our close-knit academic village to region, nation, and the farthest reaches of our world. In the future as in the past, the College will dedicate itself to the transformational growth of the individual as citizen, professional, and leader. Energized by its tradition of community, our college will define the student-centered, mentoring ideal of residential liberal arts learning. Building on 150 years of innovation, Hiram’s rigorous educational experience—leveraged by technology as well as off-campus, experiential, and interdisciplinary studies—will engage critically and creatively the 21st century’s global environment. With generosity of spirit and bold vision, the women and men of Hiram will step forward to shape and serve their world. STATEMENT OF CORE VALUES Core values are the essential enduring tenets which guide the Hiram College community.