Graceland University:Catalog
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Graceland University - Catalog Home > Current Students - Lamoni Campus > Academics > Registrar > Catalog Catalog Index - About the University - Academic Calendar - Academic Policies & Procedures - Admissions - Educational Program - Student Financial Aid - Student Life - Student Rights & Social Regulations - Tuition, Expenses and Financial Requirements Previous Graceland Catalogs 2005 - 2006 Graceland University Catalog Search Table of Contents About the University Academic Calendars Academic Policies and Procedures Academic Services Admissions Educational Program Faculty and Administration Non-Formal Education Special Programs Student Financial Aid Student Rights and Social Regulations Student Life Tuition, Expenses and Financial Requirements Catalog Index Lamoni Campus - 1 University Place, Lamoni, IA 50140 (641) 784-5000 Comments? Suggestions? Contact the Webmaster. Copyright© 2005 Graceland University Graceland University - About the University Home > Current Students - Lamoni Campus > Academics > Registrar > Catalog > About the University Catalog Index - About the University - Academic Calendar - Academic Policies & Procedures - Admissions - Educational Program - Student Financial Aid - Student Life - Student Rights & Social Regulations - Tuition, Expenses and Financial Requirements Table of Contents Search About the University Accreditation History Vision, Mission, Values Mission Statement Goals of the University Policy on Non-Discrimination Educational Sites Lamoni Campus Independence Campus Global Campus ACCREDITATION Graceland University is a member of the North Central Association and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.ncahlc.org, (800) 621-7440. Graceland University's teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. The nursing programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, Inc. (NLNAC), www.nln.org, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), www.aacn.nche.edu, and are approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and the Iowa Board of Nursing. These academic standards ensure that a degree from Graceland University will be recognized by educational, business, and professional communities. This catalog is an official document of Graceland University, and the programs and policies in it have been approved by the Board of Trustees or its duly authorized agents. While these programs and policies may be subject to change without notice, the university publishes this catalog with the intention that students can expect reasonable continuity in academic areas. Changes in other areas — such as cost, campus life, the housing arrangement — occur in an orderly fashion. (table of contents) History of Graceland University Graceland University is committed to the liberal arts tradition. The founders envisioned a non-sectarian institution of higher education open to all people. Graceland began in 1895 as a high school academy and four-year college. The red- brick Administration Building with its “battlemented towers” was constructed in 1897 and for many years housed all classrooms and offices. A century later, the interior underwent a beautiful restoration, and the building was renamed the Higdon Administration Building in honor of the three Higdons—Earl, William and Barbara—who each served as Graceland president. In 1912, Graceland began graduating Nursing students from the Independence, Missouri, campus in association with the Independence Sanitarium and Hospital. In 1917 the administration responded to small enrollments and inadequate financial support by becoming Iowa’s first accredited junior college. Graceland flourished as a residential junior college for over 40 years. Graceland’s mission took another decisive turn in the late 1950s in response to national trends in higher education and national educational needs. The rapid growth of community-based two-year colleges provided intense new competition for a private, two-year college. At the same time, demand for baccalaureate education was escalating. A four-year program, phased in over several years, graduated its first BA degree in Religion in 1958. The 1960s and 70s were a period of growth and new construction. The Frederick Madison Smith Library opened in 1966, followed three years later by the Closson Physical Education Center with its swooping roof line that looks “like a giant covered wagon.” The entire outdoor athletic area was named the Bruce Jenner Sports Complex to honor Graceland’s 1973 alumnus who captured the Gold Medal in the Decathalon in the 1976 Olympics. Enrollment growth continued until it peaked in the mid-1970s with a peak full-time enrollment of 1,342 in 1974 and was followed by a period of decline to a low of 810 in 1987. This decline was exacerbated by an economic recession, the Midwest Farm Crisis, and demographic shifts that resulted in revenue shortages lasting well into the 1980s. Because institutional funding was tied to enrollment, some programs, faculty, and support staff were eliminated and operating funds were reduced. Graceland administrators responded to the enrollment crisis by developing programs that extended the college’s mission to new audiences. First, in 1987, the college launched an Outreach Nursing Program for registered nurses who needed a flexible, self-paced program for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students complete part of their courses via directed independent study and the rest via short-term residencies on the Graceland Independence campus. Those Outreach and distance learning programs have evolved into complete online degree programs in healthcare and education. We call this expansion online and at remote locations, Graceland Learning Ventures. Second, recognizing that not everyone who would like to earn a degree can attend traditional college classes, Graceland’s College of Professional Studies was established to create opportunities for baccalaureate degree completion programs at two-year institutions. Students could transfer credits from previously attended colleges and complete their junior and senior coursework at Graceland by attending classes taught on area community college campuses. Third, the match between Graceland’s mission and Iowa’s commitment to post-secondary enrollment options for high school students inspired a cooperative opportunity for those students who wish to earn simultaneous high school and college credit. A model has been developed that uses credentialed high school faculty to teach college-level material from their high school classrooms. Academic rigor is maintained at a post-secondary level by requiring high school faculty to successfully complete Graceland’s faculty approval process, use faculty-prescribed syllabi and textbooks, and be mentored and evaluated. In the 1990s enrollment stabilized with approximately 1,100 students registered on the Lamoni Campus and rapidly growing interest in the exciting new distance programs. The School of Education posted record growth with the addition of Elementary Education and Master of Education programs on several campuses. Graceland also expanded graduate programs in Religion and Nursing. On the Lamoni campus international students comprise 10-15% of the student body, contributing a rich multi-cultural dimension to the learning community. Graceland’s two newest buildings on the Lamoni campus are devoted to the Fine Arts. The Shaw Center opened in 1982 with its auditorium, theatre and music rehearsal rooms. Students returning for classes in the spring semester of 2004 were the first to take art classes in the beautiful Helene Center for the Visual Arts. A partnership between Graceland and the WOI radio group at Iowa State University was signed in 2004 to open a regional station in southern Iowa with broadcasts from the Graceland campus. A beautiful two-story building was completed on the Independence campus for the 1998-99 school year. While many aspects of campus life have changed radically through its first 110 years, Graceland University has been true to its commitment to provide a quality liberal arts education that addresses the whole student. (table of contents) Vision, Mission, Values Vision Graceland University will become a recognized educational leader, inspiring and empowering persons for transformational service and leadership. Mission Graceland creates learning communities where students develop their potential for meaningful and productive lives. Values Graceland values learning, wholeness, and community. Graceland encourages the development of these values for the enrichment of lives and the betterment of the world. Learning We believe in the life long process of the open and free pursuit of truth. Wholeness We believe that the development of the intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of all persons is necessary for healthy and fulfilling lives. Community We appreciate and welcome diversity and, as an institution sponsored by the Community of Christ, believe in the inherent worth of all persons expressed through relationships built on the foundation of unconditional love and acceptance. (table of contents) Mission of Graceland University Graceland University educates students for advanced study, for productive careers, and for rich lives. Its student body is a targeted, yet diverse group that includes persons of different ages, backgrounds, and national origins who share a commitment to learning. Its curriculum, firmly rooted in the liberal arts tradition and enhanced