Davidson College Catalog

2011·21 MB·English

by  Davidson College

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CATALOG FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2011-12

CATALOG OF
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR THE
ACADEMIC YEAR
2011-2012
RECORD
OFFICIAL
FOR THE YEAR
2010-2011
DAVIDSON
PublisJiedIn/DavidsonCollege
EditedIn/theOfficeofAcademicAffairs
2 — Academic Calendar
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
2011-2012
Fordetailedscheduleinformation,visittheRegistrar'ssectionontheDavidsonwebsite.
Fall Semester2011
Aug18-21 Orientation
Aug22 ClassesBegin
Aug29-Sept2 Latedrop/add (with$20fee) — inReg.Officeonly
Oct10-11 FallBreak(classesresumeOct12)
Oct29 FallConvocation(Tentativedate)
Oct28-30 FamilyWeekend
Nov23-27 ThanksgivingBreak(classesresumeNov28)
Dec7 FallSemesterClassesEnd(Dec6-8,classesatprofessor'soption)
Dec8 ReadingDay
—
Dec9(8:40am) ExaminationPeriod(NoexamsSunday)
16 (5:15pm)
Spring Semester2012
Jan16 MartinLutherKing,Jr.Day (noclasses)
Jan17 Classesbegin
Jan23-27 Latedrop/add (with$20fee) — inReg.Officeonly
Mar5-11 SpringBreak(classesresumeMar12)
Apr7-10 EasterBreak(classesresumeApr11)
May9 SpringSemesterClassesEnd
(Mav3-9,classesatprofessor'soption)
May10 ReadingDay
May11 (8:40am) — ExaminationPeriod,includingSundayafternoon
16 (5:15pm) (SeniorsmustcompleteexamsbyMonday,May14,5:15pm)
May19 Baccalaureate(4:45pm)
May20 Commencement(10:00am)
Accreditation
• SouthernAssociationofCollegesandSchools:DavidsonCollegeisaccreditedinits
awarding ofbaccalaureate degrees by the CommissiononColleges oftheSouthern
AssociationofCollegesandSchools (1866SouthernLane,DecaturGA30033;Phone:
404-679-4500;Fax:[phone]).
• AmericanChemicalSociety
NondiscriminationPolicy
DavidsonCollegeadmits qualified students and administers alleducational, athletic,
financial, and employment activities witiiout discriminatingbased on race, color, gender,
national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability unless allowed by law and
deemednecessar\'totheadministrationoftheeducationalprograms.Inaddition,thecollege
complieswithallapplicablefederal,state,andlocallawsgoverningnon-discrimination.
—
Table of Contents 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AcademicCalendar2011-2012 2
HISTORYANDSTATEMENTOFPURPOSE 5
ADMISSIONANDFINANCIALINFORMATION 9
AdmissionRequirementsandProcedures 9
StudentFinancialAssistanceandScholarships 13
Honors,Awards,andScholarships 14
TuitionandFees 19
CAMPUSLIFE 25
TheHonorCodeandtheCodeofResponsibility 25
ResidenceLife 26
Art,Music,Theatre 28
AthleticsandPhysicalEducation 30
ReligiousandSpiritualLife 31
SocialLife 31
M
CareerSer\'ices
HealthandSafety 37
•
ACADEMICPROGRAMANDPOLICIES - 43
TheCurriculum 43
RequirementsforGraduation 44
StandardsofProgress 48
'
'
InternationalPerspectives 49
Pre-ProfessionalPrograms 55
AcademicSupport 61
GeneralInformationandRegulations 68
COURSESOFINSTRUCTIONBYDEPARTMENTS 71
OFFICIALRECORD 282
Trustees 282
NamedProfessorships 284
RetiredFaculty 288
ContinuingFaculty,2010-11 291
OtherInstiiictionalAppointments,2010-11 303
NewFacultyandInstructionalAppointments 308
AdministrativeStaff 311
CurricularEnrichment 325
BookFunds 327
HonorSocieties 330
AcademicandCommunityAwards 331
AthleticHonorAwards 335
Classof2011 336
EnrollmentStatistics 340
GeographicalDistribution 341
AlumniAssociation 342
Index 343
CapsuleInformation 346

AND
HISTORY
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
HISTORY
Founded bv Concord Presbytery, Davidson College opened as a manual labor
institute in 1837. The college's name memorializes General William Lee Davidson,
who died atthenearby Revolutionary Warbattle ofCowan's Ford in 1781. General
Davidson'ssonprovidedtheinitialacreageforthecampus.
Thecollegesealandthecollegemotto,AlendaLuxUbiOrtaLibertas("LetLearning
Be Cherished Where Liberty Has Arisen"), recall the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence;bothsealandmottoresultedfromthesuggestionofPeterStuartNey,an
elusiveFrenchmanbelievedbysometohavebeenNapoleon'sMarshalNey.
Original academic subjects included moral and
naturalphilosophy, evidencesofChristianity, classical
languages, logic, and mathematics. Three professors,
including the college's first president, Robert Hall
Morrison, taught this curriculum to Davidson's sixty-
fivestudents.
Although Presbyterian-originated, the college
maintained from the beginning its intent to educate
students without regard to their denominational
affiliation. Students came from a variety of religious
andregionalbackgrounds.By1860,Davidsonalumnilived
intwelvestatesandtwocountriesoutsidetheUnitedStates.
Abequestin1856fromMaxwellChambersofSalisbury,NorthCarolina,provided
thecollegewiththemeanstostrengthenitsbaseandexpanditsinfluence.Thegiftofa
quarterofamillion dollars made theinstitution, fora time, therichestcollegesouth of
Princetonand helped thecollegesurvivethrough the CivilWaryears. Italso provided
for the construction of a central academic building that was named in honor of the
college's first substantial benefactor. The present Chambers Building, which replaced
theoneburnedin1921,alsobearshisname.
While the college had a student body of only twenty-four men in 1866, during
the post-war recovery period there was a gradual expansion of curriculum, faculty,
and students. Newlyadded academic disciplines included chemistry, English, history,
and physics. By 1890 the teaching faculty included its first Ph.D.-holding professors.
Increasinggrowthinenrollmentgavethecollegeastudentbodyofover300by1910.
In1911,thecollegeofferedtheA.B.andtheB.S. degrees,withtheformerrequiring
studyofGreekandLatin, thelatterallowingsubshtutionofamodemforeignlanguage
in place of Latin. There were fifteen departnients, though majors were not part of
the curriculum until the 1920s. A strengthened financial base was augmented b\' the
— History and Statement of Purpose
generosityoftheRockefellers,whoprovidedfundsforreplacingtheoriginalChambers
building,andbyannualsupportfromtheDukeEndowment,whichcontinuestoday.
The 1920s and 1930s saw courses in accounting, business, economics, and music
added to thecurriculum, aswell as honorsprograms and seminars. In1923, Davidson
wasselected as thethird college inNorthCarolina tobe charteredfor achapter ofPhi
Beta Kappa. Curricularrevisions in the 1960s and 1980s altered the academic calendar
and degree requirements, but retained Davidson's emphasis on a broad liberal arts
educationalongwithincreasingopportunitiesforspecialization,independentacademic
work,studyabroad,andinterdisciplinaryprograms.
First admitting women as degree candidates in 1973, the college has grown to
over 1,600 students on campus. The full-time teaching faculty numbers just over 160.
Renovations and expansion of campus facilities have supported the college's growth
inathletics, thevisual arts, the sciences, residential buildings, studentand commimity
activities,andtheperformingarts.
Recent academic program changes include the expansion of concentrations and
the options for a second major or minor in many departments, small classes designed
to help first-year students make the transition to college-level work and writing, and
centers for speaking and writing. In 2007 Davidson College was the first liberal arts
collegeinthecomitrytoreplaceloanswithgrantsinallofitsfinancialaidpackages.This
initiative,namedTheDavidsonTrust,allowsallstudents,regardlessofsocio-economic
backgroimdtograduatedebt-free.
Davidson'sunderlyingphilosophyappearsinthecollege'sofficialstatement
of purpose.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Davidson College is an institution of higher learning established in 1837 by
Presbyterians ofNorth Carolina. Since its founding, the ties thatbind the college to its
Presbyterian heritage, including the historic understanding of Christian faith called
The Reformed Tradition, haveremainedclose and strong. The college is committed to
continuingthisvitalrelationship.
The primary purpose of Davidson College is to assist students in developing
humaneinstinctsanddisciplinedandcreativemindsforlivesofleadershipandservice.
Infulfillingitspurpose,Davidsonhaschosentobealiberalartscollege,tomaintainitself
as a residential community of scholars, to emphasize the teachingresponsibility ofall
professors, and to ensure the opportimity for personal relationships between students
andteachers. Further,Davidsonbelievesitisvitalthatallstudentsineveryclassknow
and study under mature and scholarly teachers who are able and eager to provide for
eachofthemstimulation,instruction,andguidance.
The Christian tradition towhich Davidsonremains comniitted recognizesGod as
the source of all truth, and believes that Jesus Christ is the revelation of that God, a
God bound by no church orcreed. The loyalty ofthe college thus extends beyond the
Christian community to the whole of humanity and necessarily includes openness to
andrespectfortheworld'svariousreligioustraditions. Davidsondedicatesitselftothe
quest for truth and encourages teachers and students to explore the whole of reality,
whetherphysical orspiritual, withunlimited employmentoftheirintellectual powers.
At Davidson, faith and reason work together in mutual respect and benefit toward
growthinlearning,understanding,andwisdom.
History and Statement of Purpose — 7
As a college that welcomes students, faculty and staff from a variety of
nationalities, ethnic groups, and traditions, Davidson values diversity, recognizing
the dignity and worth of every person. Therefore, Davidson provides a range of
opportunities for worship, civil debate, and teaching that enrich mind and spirit.
Further, Davidson challenges students to engage in service to prepare themselves for
li\'esofgrowthandgiving.
Davidsonseeksstudents ofgoodcharacterand highacademic ability, irrespective
of economic circumstances, who share its values and show promise for usefulness to
society. In the selechon of faculty, the college seeks men and women who respect the
purpose ofthe college, who are outstanding intellectually, who have the best training
availableintheirfieldsofstudy,andwhoseinterestinstudentsandteachingisunfeigned
and profound. The Trustees commit to being faitliful stewards of the traditions of the
college.TheyarechargedwithgoverningundertheConstitutionandBy-lawsandwith
providing the financial resources necessary for adequate student aid and appropriate
facilitiesand programs,includingfuniisliingthefacultywiththetimeandopportunity
forcreativescholarshipfundamentaltothebestteaching.
AsaUberalartscollege,Davidsonemphasizesthosestudies,disciplines,andactivities
that are mentally, spiritually, and physically liberating. Thus, the college concentrates
upon the study of liistory, literature and languages, philosophy and religion, music,
dramaandthevisualarts,thenaturalandsocialsciences,andmathematics.Thecollege
encouragesstudentengagementwithotherculturesthroughdomesticandinternational
studies.Thecollegealsorequiresphysicaleducation,providesforcompetitiveathletics,
and encourages a variety of social, cultural, and service activities. Wfiile Davidson
preparesmanyofitsstudentsforgraduateandprofessionalstudy,itintendstoteachall
studentstothinkclearly, tomakerelevantandvalidjudgments,todiscriminateamong
values,andtocomniunicatefreelywithothersintherealmofideas.
Davidsonholdsapricelessheritagebequeathedbythosewhohavededicatedtheir
livesandtheirpossessionsforitswelfare.Toitmuchhasbeenentrusted,andofitmuch
isrequired.
DAVIDSON'S PRESIDENTS
RobertHallMorrison (1836-1840);SamuelWilliamson (1841-1854);DruryLacy
(1855-1860); John Lycan Kirkpatrick (1860-1866); George Wilson McPhail (1866-
1871); John Rennie Blake, chair ofthe faculty (1871-1877); Andrew Dousa Hepburn
(1877-1885); Luther McKinnon (1885-1888); William Joseph Martin, vice president
and acting president (1887-1888); John Bunyan Shearer (1888-1901); Henry Louis
Smith (1901-1912); William Joseph Martin (1912-1929); Walter Lee Lingle (1929-
1941);JohnRoodCunningham(1941-1957);ClarenceJohnPietenpol,actingpresident
(1957-1958); David Grier Martin (1958-1968); Frontis Withers Johnston, acting
president (1968); Samuel Reid Spencer, Jr. (1968-1983); Frontis Withers Johnston,
interim president (1983-1984); John Wells Kuykendall (1984-1997); Robert Fredrick
Vagt(1997-2007);ThomasWarrenRoss(2007-2010);JohnWellsKuykendall,interim
president (2010-2011); CarolEverhartQuillen (2011-).