2007-2008 Academic Catalog

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On-Campus Academic Programs

Academic Success Program

A limited number of carefully selected students who do not meet regular admission standards are welcomed to the George Fox University Academic Success Program (ASP) each fall. Admitted provisionally to the university, ASP students attend an afternoon orientation before other students arrive. Under the individualized guidance of the ASP director and faculty advisors, they register for fall courses. Tutorial assistance and other aids are available, as needed. Total hours are limited to 14 for fall semester.

Academic Symposia

Each year, George Fox University hosts numerous academic symposia as well as faculty lectures, some of which offer academic or chapel credit to students. On the Newberg campus, the biennial Herbert Hoover Symposium features leading authorities on the life and career of Herbert Hoover. Hoover spent part of his youth in Newberg, attending Friends Pacific Academy, the predecessor school to George Fox University. There is an annual Woolman Forum and Spring Theological Conference. Christian Life Week, Missions Week, Cultural Celebration Week, and Quaker Heritage Week all provide an opportunity to hear guest speakers lecture on related topics. At the Portland Center, the George Fox Evangelical Seminary offers a lecture series on various dates throughout the academic year.

Center for Peace and Justice

This program is the successor to the Center for Peace Learning, established in 1984. Housed in the same location as the Center for Global Studies (described below), it has some of the same goals of enhancing students' understanding about global reconciliation.

The Center for Peace Learning was in part inspired by a concern raised by then U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield that George Fox become more actively committed to issues of peacemaking and reconciliation. These issues had become a substantial part of Senator Hatfield's work in the Senate. Among other achievements, he had much to do with the establishment and funding of the U.S. Institute of Peace. After retiring, Senator Hatfield joined the George Fox faculty and teaches courses in political science and history.

The director of the Center for Peace and Justice coordinates such efforts as:

• The minor in peace studies
• The certificate program in conflict management
• The John Woolman Forum, at which the annual Woolman Peacemaking Award is presented
• Information to students about graduate work in peace studies and careers in peacemaking and reconciliation
• Informational events dealing with peace and justice

Center for Global Studies

This program is jointly housed with the Center for Peace and Justice. Its goal is to deepen students' understanding of global issues through on-campus and off-campus experiences.

Among the programs either sponsored by the center or coordinated with the center are these:

• Semester-long programs of study in various parts of the world and in the United States
• Cooperative programs with various international universities
• Global service forum in the spring semester
• Events that inform students about global issues
• Information about internships and careers dealing with global issues

Computers Across the Curriculum

This program provides a computer for every full-time traditional undergraduate student. (Students attending fewer than eight semesters will pay an additional fee.) The purpose of the program is to enhance the experience of teaching, learning, and research during the years spent in college. Students use their computers to make classroom presentations, share software programs and documents, communicate and conference via e-mail, access the Internet, and develop software specifically for their courses. Instructional software programs developed at other colleges and universities also are used in the classroom and laboratory.

The program also features a computer laboratory located in the Stevens Center. This lab is open to all students and gives access to computers, laser printers, a color printer, a scanner, CD-ROM, and laserdisc drives. From this lab, students can access the campus network and campus e-mail system. The University Store provides computers, software, and supplies to the university. Also available is a help desk for support and computer repair services.

First Year Seminar Program

Repeated studies of the experience of college freshmen have found that the degree to which students identify with and become involved in the college environment during the first few weeks of attendance affects their success and satisfaction with their entire college experience. As a result, George Fox University demonstrates its commitment to freshmen by providing a First Year Seminar to assist students as they integrate into the academic and social life of the university community.

All first-time freshman students who matriculate fall or spring semester participate in the First Year Seminar. Students select a topical seminar designed by advisors to interest and involve students as they begin their college experience. Students meet in small groups with an assigned advisor for a required First Year Seminar during the first five weeks of the fall or spring semester, for which they earn one credit hour. The advisor also meets with students individually for academic advising. A returning student peer advisor is assigned to a group and maintains one-on-one contact with each freshman to assist with the transition to college life. This program provides new college students with the opportunity to interact - beyond the residence hall and traditional classroom setting - with one another, with a faculty member, and with a returning student during the first semester of enrollment.

Friends Center

In conjunction with George Fox University, Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends has established a Friends Center serving the leadership preparation needs of Friends in the Northwest and beyond. The mission of this center is to recruit, promote, and coordinate the leadership preparation ventures of Friends at George Fox University as a means of furthering the central mission of the university and Northwest Yearly Meeting in fostering Christ-centered faith and practice. The activities of the center are administered by a director, who reports to a board of directors, consisting of Northwest Yearly Meeting, university, and at-large members. While the work of the Friends Center will be especially concerned with the seminary and the undergraduate programs, its contribution should be seen as extending to other programs as well. The Friends Center, therefore, is intended to assist George Fox University in accomplishing its Christ-centered and Quaker mission in any ways that would be serviceable.

Richter Scholar Program

This program provides financial assistance to both graduate and undergraduate students to facilitate advanced research in their fields. The program is funded by annual grants from the Paul K Richter and Evalyn E.C. Richter Memorial Funds. Although the funding is available for research work at any time during the year, the typical undergraduate award provides a stipend for full-time research work in the summer, along with supplies and travel. For more information, see the guidelines on the George Fox website.

University Scholars Program

Selected students go beyond the normal challenges and opportunities of undergraduate life in the new University Scholars honors program. Freshmen selected for entry at admission take a special one-credit Honors Colloquium after their First Year Seminar, where they experience the creative interdisciplinary exploration of interesting topics that marks the entire University Scholars experience. Those who excel in the Freshman Colloquium, plus others admitted to the program at the end of their freshman year, take the two-semester Honors Seminar as sophomores.

Students who perform with excellence in the Honors Seminar may continue in the program during their junior and senior years. Juniors complete two special University Scholars projects connected to upper-division classes of their choice, unique opportunities to add near-graduate-level scholarship to their undergraduate experience.

Senior University Scholars undertake a challenge that combines top-level scholarship with service. These students may help to produce an undergraduate academic journal, either as the editorial staff, or as senior editors mentoring juniors in their University Scholars projects. Others, working in teams, conduct Public Interest Academic Service projects to help groups in the community find solutions to problems they face. Students who complete all the elements of the University Scholars program get special recognition on their transcripts and diplomas, and at graduation. Credits they receive as University Scholars can be used to substitute for some regular general education requirements.