The Hiram College Catalog 2006 – 2007 The Hiram College Catalog 2006 – 2007 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 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. 3 Correspondence Thomas V. Chema, J.D. President On general matters. Katherine L. Feather Interim Vice President and Dean of the College On the academic program and matters concerning the faculty. J. Carter Hiestand Executive Director and Chief Development Officer On the establishment of endowed or annual scholarships and grant or loan funds. Stephen W. Jones 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 admission and development. James F. Barrett Associate Vice President for New Student Enrollment. On applications for admission or requests for admission information. Susan McGill Andrews Director of International Recruiting On applications for admission from international students and American students who have lived abroad and services for international students. Jane Preston Rose Dean of the Weekend College On information concerning study for adults. Andrea Wherry Director of Financial Aid/Student Accounts On financial aid information and application forms, Eric R. Riedel Vice President and Dean of Students On student affairs and extracurricular programs. Steve H. Love Director of College Relations On general information and public affairs. The College mailing address is P.O. Box 67, Hiram, OH 44234. The College switchboard number is 330.569.3211. The College fax number is 330.569.5290. www.hiram.edu 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. 4 Contents Academic Calendar.........................................................................p5 The Mission of Hiram College......................................................p6 The Curriculum..............................................................................p9 Graduation Requirements..............................................................p11 Admission and Financial Aid.........................................................p14 2006 – 2007 Fees and Charges.......................................................p21 Academic Procedures.....................................................................p23 Student Life.....................................................................................p32 Special Academic Programs...........................................................p40 Hiram College Resources...............................................................p48 The Weekend College.....................................................................p51 Courses of Instruction....................................................................p53 Academic Calendar FALL SEMESTER 2006-07 New Student Institute Aug 19-23 Fall 12-Week Classes Begin Aug 24 Labor Day – No Classes Sept 4 Fall Weekend Oct 12-15 Homecoming Sept 29-30 12-Week Classes End Nov 17 Reading Day Nov 18 Final Exam Days Nov 19-21 Thanksgiving – No Classes Nov 22-28 3-Week Classes Begin Nov 29 3-Week Classes End Dec 19 Final Exam Day Dec 20 Holiday Break Dec 21-Jan 7 SPRING SEMESTER 2006-2007 Spring 12-Week Classes Begin Jan 8 M.L.K. Day – No Classes Jan 15 Spring Break Mar 3-11 Spring 12-Week Classes End Apr 6 Final Exam Days Apr 9-11 Term Break Apr 12-17 Spring 3-Week Classes Begin Apr 18 Spring 3-Week Classes End May 8 Final Exam Day May 9 Commencement May 12 5 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 prepara- tion 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. 6 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 stu- dents. 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 cam- pus, 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 interrelat- edness of knowledge, recognizes the integration of information for the resolution of issues, and examines the ethical dimensions of human behavior. From this founda- tion, 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 fel- low students, the faculty and staff, our alumni, the parents of our students, the Christian Church