ACADEMIC 2014 CATALOG2015 Cover photo: Holmdene at Aquinas College. Inside photos: Selections from the Aquinas College collection. Academic Catalog Layout: Philip Mitri Creative Director Danielle Kerley Graphic Designer The information in the 2014-2015 Aquinas College Academic Catalog is subject to change without notice in order to reflect the decisions made by federal and state governments and by the Aquinas College Board of Trustees and Administration. These changes may include the elimination or modification of programs, departments, courses, policies, or other academic activities, the scheduling of classes, the cancellation of scheduled classes, and the adjustment of fees. If changes are made, the College may offer or require reasonably practical alternatives. Payment of tuition shall constitute a student’s acceptance of the College’s rights set forth in this paragraph. ACADEMIC 2014 CATALOG2015 Calendar 2014 Fall Semester August 21 Convocation 22 Project Unite 25 Welcome Mass at 8:00 pm 25 Classes begin 26 Mon. & Wed. Weekday Masses begin at 4:30 pm 26-27 Print and Poster Sale 29 Last day to add a semester or 1st Quad class 29-30 First session of Directed Study classes September 1 Labor Day – No Classes, No Mass 2 No 4:30 pm Mass 5 Last day to drop a semester or 1st Quad class w/o financial penalty 10 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 17 Mass of the Holy Spirit at 4:30 pm 19-20 Second session of Directed Study classes 19 Last day to drop a 1st Quad class w/o academic penalty 19 Last day to drop a Directed Study class w/o financial penalty 27 28 Homecoming Mass at 5 pm October 7 Our Lady of the Rosary 8 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 10-11 Third session of Directed Study classes 13 15 Blessing of Service and Athletic Trips and Travelers at 4:30 pm 17 1st Quad Ends 20-24 No Masses 20-24 Mid-Term Break 27 Classes resume at 8:00 am 31 Last day to add 2nd quad class 31 Last day to drop a semester long class w/o academic penalty November 1 All Saints Day Mass on a Saturday – NO Mass 3 Feast of Martin de Porres, OP, Mass at 4:30 pm 5-7 Fair Trade Sale 7-8 Fourth session of Directed Study classes 7 Last day to drop a 2nd Quad class w/o financial penalty 12 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 21 Last day to drop a 2nd Quad class w/o academic penalty 26 Thanksgiving vacation (for 16-week classes) begins after last class 30 First Sunday of Advent; 8:00 pm mass ii Calendar December 1 Classes resume at 8:00 am 1-3 Advent on Campus Retreat 5-6 Final session of Directed Study classes 8 Immaculate Conception, Mass at 4:30 pm (Monday) 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe-prayer service (Friday) 14 Blessing of Study Abroad students & December Graduates at 8:00 pm 15-19 Final examinations according to printed schedule 20 2nd Quad ends 2015 Spring Semester January 11 Baptism of the Lord at 8:00 pm 12 Classes begin at 8:00 am 16 Last day to add a semester long or 3rd Quad class 16-17 First day of Directed Study class 19 Mass on MLK Jr. Day at 4:30 pm 19 Blood Drive from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm 23 Last day to drop a 3rd Quad or semester class w/o financial penalty 24 St. Thomas Aquinas Week begins 28 St. Thomas Aquinas Mass February 2-5 Service Learning Institute at GVSU Pew Campus 6 Last day to drop a 3rd Quad class w/o academic penalty 6 Last day to drop a Directed Study class w/o financial penalty 6-7 Second session of Directed Study class 11 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 18 Ash Wednesday Masses: 12:15 & 4:30 pm 27-28 Third session of Directed Study class March 6 3rd Quad ends 3 Blessing of Service and Athletic Trips and Travelers at 4:15 pm 5 Ash Wednesday Masses at 12:15 pm and 4:30 pm 9-13 Mid-Term Break 16 Classes resume at 8:00 am 16 4th Quad begins 18 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 20 Last day to drop a semester long class w/o academic penalty 20 Last day to add a 4th Quad class 24-26 Lenten On Campus Retreat 27 Fourth session of Directed Study class 27 Last day to drop a 4th Quad class w/o financial penalty April 2 Holy Thursday Mass at 4:30 pm 2 Easter vacation begins after the last class 2-6 Easter Break 5 No mass on Easter Sunday 6 No mass Easter Monday 6 Classes resume at 6:00 pm 8 Memorial Mass at 4:30 pm 10 Last day to drop a 4th Quad class w/o academic penalty 17-18 Final session of Directed Study classes Calendar iii May 4-8 Final Examinations according to schedule 8 4th Quad ends 9 Baccalaureate Mass at the Cathedral at 10:00 am 9 Commencement at 2:00 pm 13 Grades Due in Registrar’s Office 15 Directed Study Summer Session begins 18 Mini I and First 8 Week Summer I begins 22 Last day to drop a Mini I w/o financial penalty 29 Last day to drop 8 Week Summer I w/o financial penalty 29 Last day to drop a Mini I w/o academic penalty 29 Last day to drop a Directed Study course w/o financial penalty June 12 Last day to drop a Summer I w/o academic penalty 15 Mini II and Second 8 Week Summer II begins 19 Last day to drop Mini II w/o financial penalty 26 Last day to drop 8 Week Summer II w/o financial penalty 26 Last day to drop a Mini II w/o academic penalty July 10 Last day to drop an 8 Week Summer II w/o academic penalty iv Calendar Dates for Quadmester Format Classes 2014-2015 Quad 1 Monday* Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 8/25/14 8/26/14 8/27/14 8/28/14 8/29/14 2 9/8/14 9/2/14 9/3/14 9/4/14 9/5/14 3 9/15/14 9/9/14 9/10/14 9/11/14 9/12/14 4 9/22/14 9/16/14 9/17/14 9/18/14 9/19/14 5 9/29/14 9/23/14 9/24/14 9/25/14 9/26/14 6 10/6/14 9/30/14 10/1/14 10/2/14 10/3/14 7 10/13/14 10/7/14 10/8/14 10/9/14 10/10/14 8 *10/18/14 10/14/14 10/15/14 10/16/14 10/17/14 *Due to Labor Day, Monday classes substitute a Saturday class, either 10/18/14 for exams OR an alternate Saturday during the Quad, possibly a Directed Study Saturday if rooms are available. Mid-Term Break October 20 - 24, 2014 Quad 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 10/27/14 10/28/14 10/29/14 10/30/14 10/31/14 2 11/3/14 11/4/14 11/5/14 11/6/14 11/7/14 3 11/10/14 11/11/14 11/12/14 11/13/14 11/14/14 4 11/17/14 11/18/14 11/19/14 11/20/14 11/21/14 5 11/24/14 11/25/14 11/26/14 12/4/14 12/5/14 6 12/1/14 12/2/14 12/3/14 12/11/14 12/12/14 7 12/8/14 12/9/14 12/10/14 12/18/14 12/19/14 8 12/15/14 12/16/14 12/17/14 *12/20/14 *12/20/14 *Due to Labor Day, Monday classes substitute a Saturday class, either 10/18/14 for exams OR an alternate Saturday during the Quad, possibly a Directed Study Saturday if rooms are available. Quad 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 1/12/15 1/13/15 1/14/15 1/15/15 1/16/15 2 1/19/15 1/20/15 1/21/15 1/22/15 1/23/15 3 1/26/15 1/27/15 1/28/15 1/29/15 1/30/15 4 2/2/15 2/3/15 2/4/15 2/5/15 2/6/15 5 2/9/15 2/10/15 2/11/15 2/12/15 2/13/15 6 2/16/15 2/17/15 2/18/15 2/19/15 2/20/15 7 2/23/15 2/24/15 2/25/15 2/26/15 2/27/15 8 3/2/15 3/3/15 3/4/15 3/5/15 3/6/15 Mid-Term Break March 9 - 13, 2015 Quad 4 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 3/16/15 3/17/15 3/18/15 3/19/15 3/20/15 2 3/23/15 3/24/15 3/25/15 3/26/15 3/27/15 3 3/30/15 3/31/15 4/1/15 4/2/15 4/3/15 4 4/6/15 4/7/15 4/8/15 4/9/15 4/10/15 5 4/13/15 4/14/15 4/15/15 4/16/15 4/17/15 6 4/20/15 4/21/15 4/22/15 4/23/15 4/24/15 7 4/27/15 4/28/15 4/29/15 4/30/15 5/1/15 8 5/4/15 5/5/15 5/6/15 5/7/15 5/8/15 Calendar v Directed Study Program and Summer Session Schedules 2014-2015 First Semester 9/1/14 Labor Day 11/27/14 Thanksgiving 4/5/15 Easter 8/25/14 Classes begin Directed Study Dates: 8/29 & 30, 9/19 & 20, 10/10 & 11, 11/7 & 8, 12/5 & 6 8/29/14 Last day to add a semester or 1st Quad class 9/1/14 Labor Day 9/5/14 Last day to drop a semester or 1st Quad class w/o financial penalty 9/19/14 Last day to drop a 1st Quad class w/o academic penalty Last day to drop a Directed Study class w/o financial penalty 1st Quad Ends 10/20 - 10/24/14 Mid-Term Break 10/27/14 Classes resume at 8:00 am 10/31/14 Last day to add a 2nd Quad class 10/31/14 Last day to drop a semester long class w/o academic penalty 11/7/14 Last day to drop a 2nd Quad class w/o financial penalty 11/21/14 Last day to drop a 2nd Quad class w/o academic penalty 11/26/14 Thanksgiving vacation (for 16-week classes) begins after last class 12/1/14 Classes resume at 8:00 am 12/20/14 2nd Quad ends 12/15 - 12/19/14 Final examinations according to printed schedule 12/23/14 Grades Due in Registrar's Office 1/12/15 Classes Begin at 8:00 am Directed Study Dates: 1/16 & 17, 2/6 & 7, 2/27 & 28, 3/27 & 28, 4/17 & 18 1/16/15 Last day to add a semester long or 3rd Quad class 1/23/14 Last day to drop a 3rd Quad or semester class w/o financial penalty 2/6/15 Last day to drop a 3rd Quad class w/o academic penalty 2/6/15 Last day to drop a Directed Study class w/o financial penalty 3/6/15 3rd Quad Ends 3/9 - 3/13/15 Mid-Term Break 3/16/15 Classes resume at 8:00 am - 4th Quad begins 3/20/15 Last day to drop a semester long class w/o academic penalty 3/20/15 Last day to add a 4th Quad class 3/27/15 Last day to drop a 4th Quad class w/o financial penalty 4/2/15 Easter vacation begins after the last class 4/6/16 Classes resume at 6:00 pm 4/10/15 Last day to drop a 4th Quad class w/o academic penalty 5/4 - 5/8/15 Final Examinations according to schedule 5/8/15 4th Quad ends 5/9/15 Baccalaureate Mass & Commencement 5/13/15 Grades Due in Registrar's Office 5/15/15 Directed Study Summer Session begins 5/18/15 Mini I and First 8 Week Summer I begins Directed Study Dates: 5/15 & 16, 6/5 & 6, 6/26 & 27, 7/17 & 18, 8/7 & 8 5/22/15 Last day to drop a Mini I w/o financial penalty 5/29/15 Last day to drop 8 Week Summer I w/o financial penalty 5/29/15 Last day to drop a Mini I w/o academic penalty 5/29/15 Last day to drop Directed Study course w/o financial penalty 6/12/15 Last day to drop a Summer I w/o academic penalty 6/15/15 Mini II and Second 8 Week Summer II begins 6/19/15 Last day to drop Mini II w/o financial penalty 6/26/15 Last day to drop 8 Week Summer II w/o financial penalty 6/26/15 Last day to drop a Mini II w/o academic penalty 7/10/15 Last day to drop an 8 Week Summer II w/o academic penalty vi Calendar Contents Seal of Aquinas College .........................................................................