2013-2014 Undergraduate College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG] 2013-2014 Undergraduate College Catalog |
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Mission Statement
Champlain College endeavors to be a leader in educating today’s students to become skilled practitioners, effective professionals and engaged global citizens. Champlain’s agile and entrepreneurial approach to higher education uniquely blends technology leadership, market savvy, innovation and fiscal responsibility with a commitment to liberal learning, community involvement and “the human touch.” This distinctive approach permeates the delivery of relevant, rigorous student-centered programs in business, arts, applied technology and public service.
College Values
Distinctive Excellence * Sustainability * Innovation * Human Touch * Global Engagement * Diversity and Inclusion
Vision Statement
By 2020, Champlain College will be the finest small, professionally and globally focused college in the United States.
College Competencies
The College has established seven skill areas that form the foundation of the educational experience at Champlain College, regardless of the student’s major. We believe that each of these skills is best developed through consistent practice, application and instruction. As a result, each faculty member is expected to design courses with these competencies in mind and incorporate instructional and developmental activities in these seven areas wherever possible and consistent with the goals of the major and/or course. The College Competencies are:
- Critical and Creative Thinking enables students to examine an argument, problem or system, integrate all the available information about it, formulate a response, and justify their position. More formally, critical and creative thinking includes a wide range of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions needed to interpret, analyze, and evaluate arguments, problems and systems, and then to synthesize, evaluate, and explain an appropriate response. This response may be innovative and go beyond standard conventions.
- Ethical Reasoning refers to all deliberation that concerns what individuals and groups should do, how they ought to act, and how we should treat one another. Literally, all human action, no matter how mundane or technical, falls within the ethical sphere. Excellence in Ethical Reasoning, then, requires (1) that we are keenly aware of the ethical dimension of all human action whether the action is individual or collective, and (2) that we can present and explain compelling arguments why we should or should not act in a certain way.
- Global Appreciation Competency includes a set of knowledge and skills for living on a planet characterized by ever closer economic, cultural, environmental interdependency. Through it, students will come to understand and take responsibility for their own and their nation’s role in global affairs.
- Oral Communication competence is the ability to use oral and nonverbal messages to convey ideas, information and intentions effectively in a manner that is appropriate to the topic, situation and audience. It is the ability to use listening skills to interpret accurately and critically the oral and nonverbal messages produced by others, and to display regard for other speakers’ points of view. Finally, it requires being able to select or develop a topic, research that topic, and organize and evaluate gathered information for presentational purposes.
- Quantitative Literacy ensures the understanding and communication of rules of number, pattern manipulation and associated terminology for everyday applications. It allows the individual to use numbers and formulate relationships between them, to analyze, interpret and develop an appropriate strategy for meeting that individual’s current and future needs in employment and everyday life.
- Technology and Information Literacy Competency refers to the ability to recognize when technology tools are needed for a given purpose, to select and use them appropriately and responsibly, and to recognize the implications associated with their use. Information Literacy refers to the ability to recognize when information is needed, and to locate, evaluate, and effectively use this information. Information literacy is increasingly important in light of rapid technological change, proliferating information resources, and multiple media. Thus, Technology Literacy and Information Literacy are closely related and integrated competencies.
- Written Communication competence is the ability to use reading, thinking, and writing to communicate effectively. The writer’s point and purpose is easy to follow and supported by sufficient and appropriate evidence. Language and ideas are appropriately expressed for a specific audience and correctly follow the conventions of standard written English.
Diversity Value Statement
Champlain College strives to create a diverse and inclusive community. It is our fundamental belief that in order to create a supportive educational environment and prepare students for life experiences, we as a community must seek and create opportunities for each of us to better understand our own beliefs, values, and cultures to fully experience new ideas, perspectives and traditions. To this end, we will pursue challenges that allow us to question pre-conceived ideas/beliefs that inform and/or infringe upon our commitments and to implement measurable inclusive practices.
A major strength of Champlain College is its commitment to fostering respect among students, faculty, staff, administrators and members of our local community. While we are conscious of the fact that serious exploration of issues surrounding diversity and inclusion may generate conflict and/or tension, we see this as an opportunity to constructively engage different points of view in conversations that will ultimately help our organization to be more inclusive and mindful of diversity. We, as a community, therefore, endeavor to create a safe environment for all members to discuss, challenge and explore the benefits of being in a community that is seeking to become more diverse and inclusive in its behavior, policies and practices. (Adopted September 2009)
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) was created to help Champlain’s increasingly diverse population engage in academic and campus activities. The office strives to create a more diverse and rich college community and offers advocacy and support to under-represented students, in particular. The ODI sponsors a variety of engagement opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members throughout the entire academic year.
Degree Authority
Champlain College is authorized by the State of Vermont to award master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees, and professional certificates to qualified candidates. Degrees are awarded in December, May and August, after all requirements have been met.
Accreditation
Champlain College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the New England Association indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the New England Association is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the New England Association should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
209 Burlington Road
Bedford, MA 01730-1433
(781) 271-0022
E-Mail: cihe@neasc.org
Notice of Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Statement
Champlain College affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunity in education and employment for qualified persons. The College operates its education-related programs, hires employees and makes employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, place of birth, marital status, ancestry, religion, age, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, veteran or military service status, HIV-positive status, genetic information, qualified disability and/or any other status to the extent protected, and as defined by, applicable law. Champlain College will make reasonable accommodations for the disability of an otherwise qualified applicant for employment, or employee. Implementation of this policy shall be in compliance with the Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act of 1963, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, the Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act of 1970, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and other pertinent federal and state nondiscrimination laws, as applicable.
Individual students should contact the Vice President of Student Life at (802) 651-5907, or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at (802) 860-2784, with any questions or for support. Employees should contact the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, or designee.
In matters involving potential discrimination on the basis of sex, the Vice President of Student Life, who serves as the College’s Title IX Coordinator, is also a resource. In that role, the Title IX Coordinator has oversight responsibility for Title IX-related complaints and identifying and addressing any patterns or systemic problems that arise during the review of such complaints, and he or she is available to meet with concerned individuals regarding related issues. The Vice President for Student Life’s contact information is: Leslie Averill, (802) 651-5907, averill@champlain.edu.
General inquiries concerning compliance with disability-related regulations should be directed to the College’s Section 504 Coordinator, Skip Harris (802) 651-5961 (students) or the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources (802) 651-5807 (employees). Requests for accommodations and/or auxiliary aids or services needed to participate in College programs should be directed to the Counseling Center and Accommodation Service (802-651-5961) (students) or the Human Resources Office (802) 651-5807 (employees).
Students may also contact the following state and federal agencies concerning the application of nondiscrimination policies and enforcement of rights.
United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
33 Arch Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02110-1491
(617) 289-0111 (voice)
Vermont Human Rights Commission
14-16 Baldwin Street
Montpelier, VT 05633-6301
Disclaimer
This catalog is for the 2013 – 2014 academic years, and while it was prepared on the basis of the best information available at the time of publication, all information, including statements of policy, tuition, fees, financial aid, course offerings, admissions and graduation requirements, is subject to change without notice or obligation. |