KNOX COLLEGE 2017-2018 Catalog Knox College 10 Things Experts Say About Knox 1. We’ll give you the best bang for your buck. That’s according to Washington Monthly’s 2016 College Guide, based on how well we help students attain “marketable degrees at affordable prices” (we rank #54 in the Midwest). U.S. News and World Report says Knox is a “Great School at a Great Price” and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranks Knox #76 as a “Best College Value.” 2. We’re doing the most for the American Dream. The New York Times ranks Knox #16 in its 2017 College Access Index, noting schools that are doing the most to provide both financial aid and the support that leads to graduation and academic success. 3. We’re a college that changes lives. Knox has been included in every edition of Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges since the groundbreaking book was first published in 1996. 4. We’re committed to service. For the sixth time in seven years, Knox has received the highest federal award that an educational institu- tion can receive for its commitment to community service—the President’s Higher Education Commu- nity Service Honor Roll. Washington Monthly agrees, ranking Knox #13 in the nation for commitment to service and social mobility. 5. Our grads are grateful. Forbes Magazine ranked Knox among 200 private colleges and universities for the success of graduates and the support they give back to their colleges—known as a “Grateful Graduates Index.” 6. We’re a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers. Knox is regularly one of the top Peace Corps volunteer-producing colleges in the country. Why? We’re the first college in the country to have an official Peace Corps Preparatory Program. 7. We foster a strong sense of individualism. According to the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017, “Through a warm and cooperative academic community, the college continues to foster a strong sense of individualism.” 8. Diversity is important to us. “Knox draws students from nearly 50 countries and almost 50 states—with a student body of only 1,400, diversity is hugely important here.”—that’s according to The Princeton Review’s The Best 380 Colleges. 9. We’re a green college (and cool school!). Knox is ranked #138 on the Sierra Club’s “Cool School Rankings” for 2016, thanks to our commitment to renewable energy, reduced food waste, and expanded co-curricular programs that focus on sustainability. 10. We’re a smart choice. Knox is one of the 43 colleges where students are most likely to get accepted, stay enrolled, and graduate in four years, according to College Raptor 2016. About This Catalog Knox College Catalog is published for the academic year 2017-2018. Information is accurate as of June 30, 2017. Costs for 2018-2019 will be available in the Winter of 2017; please inquire to the Office of Admission at that time. For enrolled students, detailed information about the timing of course offerings is provided by the Office of the Registrar before each academic term. This catalog is published by the Office of Communications with cooperation from the Office of the Dean of the College and the Office of the Registrar. Please reuse or recycle. KNOX COLLEGE 2017-2018 Catalog Photography by Peter Bailley ’74 1 Notice of Non-Discrimination IIn keeping with its commitment to equal rights since our founding in 1837, Knox College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, religion or religious affiliation, sexual orientation or preference, age, marital or family status, disability, veteran status, or other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in admission, financial aid, employment, athletics, or any other aspect of its educational programs or activities. In addition, Knox College is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and its accompanying regulations from so discriminating on the basis of sex. Any inquiries regarding Title IX or the College’s policies that prohibit discrimination should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator identified below. The Coordinator will be available to meet with or talk to students, staff, and faculty regarding issues relating to Title IX and this policy. Lead Title IX Coordinator Kimberly K. Schrader Old Jail 12, Campus Box K-209 Office: 309-341-7751 Cell: 309-337-6536 cell [email protected] Deputy Title IX Coordinator Crystal D. Bohm Associate Vice President of Human Resources Administrative Services Center 109, Campus Box K-200 Office: 309-341-7200 [email protected] Individuals may also contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for additional information. Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education-Chicago Office 500 W Madison St., Suite 1475 Chicago, IL 60661-4544 Telephone: 312-730-1560 Email: [email protected] 2 Table of Contents Statement of Mission .............................................................................4 The faculty’s guiding statement on the goals of a Knox education A Knox Education.................................................................................5 The key features that account for the quality of the Knox educational experience Campus Life .........................................................................................11 A description of the campus community The Academic Program .....................................................................17 The Honor System and Knox’s graduation requirements Departments and Courses of Study...................................................26 Academic majors and minors Special Programs and Opportunities ..............................................278 Study abroad, internships, student research and other special programs Academic Rules & Regulations ........................................................295 Essential procedures and definitions; grading; academic difficulty Admission ...........................................................................................310 Requirements and deadlines Tuition and Fees ................................................................................313 Comprehensive fee, costs for special programs, refund policy Financial Aid......................................................................................317 Eligibility, policy and procedures Scholarships ........................................................................................323 Financial awards for special talents and merit Awards and Prizes.............................................................................327 Awards for special student accomplishments Directory .............................................................................................336 Knox’s trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni association Index ....................................................................................................356 Campus Map.......................................................................................362 Academic Calendar ...........................................................................365 3 Statement of Mission Knox College is a community of individuals from diverse backgrounds challenging each other to explore, understand and improve ourselves, our society and our world. The commitment to put learning to use to accomplish both personal and social goals dates back to the founding of the College in 1837. We take particular pride in the College's early commitment to increase access to all qualified students of varied backgrounds, races and conditions, regardless of financial means. Today, we continue to expand this historic mission and the tradition of active liberal arts learning. We provide an environment where students and faculty work closely together and where teaching is characterized by inviting and expecting students to pursue fundamental questions in order to reach their own reflective but independent judgments. The mission is carried out through: • our curriculum: combining inquiry in traditional as well as newer disciplines with the integrative perspective of interdisciplinary work; building from basic skills of writing, reading, calculating and critical analysis to opportunities for sophisticated student research and creative expression. • the character of our learning environment: encouraging the critical exchange of ideas, challenging our students with high expectations and persistent demands for rigorous thinking within a supportive and egalitarian environment, characterized by an informality and openness that mirrors our Midwestern surroundings. • our residential campus culture: encouraging the personal, cultural and intellectual growth of our students in a reflective, inclusive, and engaged campus community through supportive residential opportunities, numerous student organizations, a wide array of creative activities and cultural programming, and opportunities for intercollegiate and recreational sports. • our community: reaffirming and extending our ongoing commitment to a diverse community of students, faculty and staff with each new hiring and admission. Our aims throughout are to foster a lifelong love of learning and a sense of competence, confidence and proportion that will enable us to live with purpose and to contribute to the well-being of others. — approved by the Knox College Faculty, May 1993 — affirmed by the Knox College Board of Trustees, 2008 4 A Knox Education The paramount obligation of a college is to train its students to develop the ability