General Information

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• Academic Affairs
• Enrollment Management
• Student Affairs
• Academic Support Services and Programs
• Information Technology and Learning Resources
• Special Programs

2007-2008 Academic Calendar

STAR Days 2007

Fall Semester 2007

Spring Semester 2008

Summer Session 2008

Note: Final examinations are typically held on the last class meeting during Summer Session.

Academic Year

The academic year is divided into two semesters. Each semester contains 43 Monday/Wednesday/Friday class meetings plus a 2-hour final assessment, which must be administered during the official Final Exam Period; and 29 Tuesday/Thursday class meetings plus a 2-hour final assessment, which likewise must be administered during the official Final Exam Period.

Full-time students in most programs take five 3-credit courses per semester. Some programs require additional courses per semester. Some allied health and science programs feature a combination of 4- and 3-credit courses. For detailed information consult the Degree Programs/Majors section of this Catalog.

Class Standing

Class Standing is based on the number of credits successfully completed, transferred in (if applicable), and applied to the major. Students are classified as follows:

Credit Hour Explanation

Each course is assigned a credit value based on the number of scheduled hours established for that course. The final assessment, administered during the official Final Exam Period, is considered as instructional time. Generally, one academic credit is earned for 15 hours of classroom work. Most lecture courses carry a value of 3 credits and meet up to 45 hours per semester. Most studio courses in the art and design areas carry a value of 3 credits and meet up to 90 hours per semester. PE100: Concepts in Health Management carries 2 academic credits and can be applied toward a degree. Other physical education/recreational activity (PE) electives carry PE credit only, which cannot be applied toward a degree.

Registration and Enrollment

Unless they are entering the College for the first time, students choose courses in consultation with their academic advisors during the advising and registration period preceding each academic semester. Thus, courses offered for the spring semester are chosen before the end of the fall semester. Fall semester courses for the sophomore, junior, and senior years are selected before the end of the preceding academic year. Students entering the College for the first time choose courses for the fall semester at one of the regularly scheduled orientation sessions held during the summer.

As a rule, the Registrar processes registrations in the order in which they are received. No fall semester course selection will be considered official unless and/or until the student has paid the required deposit for the coming year. Students are placed in their chosen sections unless the section has already been filled or unless placement in the chosen section creates a conflict with other courses in a student’s schedule.

Here I Am! Check-in

All new and returning students are required to participate in Here I Am! Check-in each semester. Participation in Here I Am! Check-in provides students with an opportunity to re-affirm their registration in semester courses. The College assumes that students who do not participate in Here I Am! Check-in have decided not to return for the semester and, consequently, removes those students from their courses. Mount Ida College publicizes the specific dates, times, and locations of Here I Am! Check-in on campus each semester. Students who plan on not returning to Mount Ida College for a specific semester must complete a College Withdrawal Form in a timely manner to avoid being billed for courses for which they have registered.

The Division of Student Affairs actively promotes leadership development, personal growth, and community building activities. The intimacy of a small private college combined with a diverse student population, various residential options, and an active Student Activities program provides a myriad of socialization opportunities for each student.

Mount Ida College emphasizes the development and education of the whole person. Through participation in activities and programs outside of the classroom, students have the opportunity to discover and shape their identities, enhance their understanding of others, gain self-confidence, and take an active role in their own education.

Student Affairs includes Career Services, Civic Engagement, Commuter Affairs, Health and Counseling Services, International Student Affairs, Leadership Development, Multicultural Affairs, Residence Life, and Student Activities. Coordinated by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the staff provides ongoing support and encouragement for the development of each individual student.

Career Services

The Career Services Center provides individual career counseling, career interest and personality testing, and job search strategies. Students may request assistance in preparing resumes and practicing interviewing techniques through workshops and individual meetings. The Career Services staff works with faculty and employers to identify internship and job opportunities for Mount Ida College students and alumni.

Civic Engagement

The Mount Ida College Civic Engagement program promotes service as an integral component of leadership development and introduces students to service through introductory activities performed by students, faculty, and staff. The Volunteers in Action organization (VIA) gives students the opportunity to be a part of a student club with fellow peers who are interested in giving back to the community. The Civic Engagement Department works together with VIA members to provide volunteer opportunities and service-related events and forums. Student service projects have included building a Habitat for Humanity house on Alternative Spring Break, sorting food at the Greater Boston Food Bank, providing support for the Boston Marathon, fundraising for and participating in the Walk for Hunger, and answering telephones for WGBH (PBS) auctions. Some service projects are a matter of individual initiative; others are done as part of a course or as a requirement of a student organization.

Commuters

Some students prefer to live at home with their families or to make arrangements to live off-campus in an apartment in the Boston area. The commuting population is considered to be an integral part of the student body. Events are planned with commuter interest and schedules in mind and commuter involvement in all organizations and activities is encouraged. The Commuter Lounge in Shaw Student Center provides a place to relax between classes, meet in study groups, enjoy a snack, or read a free newspaper provided by the Student Government Association. Mount Ida College operates a free shuttle bus between the campus and the Green Line MBTA station in Newton Centre for the convenience of both the commuting and resident populations.

Health and Counseling Center

The Health Center provides medical care on campus through a team of nurse practitioners and the College consulting physician, with referral services available through local hospitals and specialists. In addition, professional staff members at the Counseling Center help students develop the skills needed to cope with a variety of stresses through individual counseling, focus groups, and educational programs.

International Student Affairs

The primary purpose of this office is to assist all international students in acclimating to life on a college campus in the United States and understanding and adhering to the immigration regulations of the United States government. The office serves as a campus resource, and the Director of International Student Affairs is available to respond to questions and concerns as well as to assist international students with the completion of immigration forms, applications, and documents. In addition, the office coordinates International Student Orientation and various on- and off-campus programs to introduce international students to the College and to the greater Boston area. The office provides information on and assistance with external issues such as employment during and after completion of programs, driver’s licenses, social security numbers, and income tax.

Additionally, the office sponsors an annual educational trip to Paris, France and coordinates the orientation program for all students who study abroad.

Multicultural Affairs

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) coordinates a complex, interdepartmental series of support services designed to assist in the recruitment, retention, and graduation of multicultural students on campus. The OMA strives to promote diversity at Mount Ida College by heightening awareness and encouraging dialogue by: developing and implementing educational, cultural and social programs for students, faculty, and staff; advocating for multicultural and international students on campus; and working collaboratively with other campus departments to foster an environment that values and actively supports an inclusive and diverse campus community.

Leadership Development

An important aspect of the Student Affairs mission involves leadership development. This component consists of introducing students to the fundamental principles of leadership, assisting them in identifying their leadership styles, and providing them with opportunities to apply newly acquired skills. Numerous opportunities exist on campus for students to obtain leadership experience including the Emerging Leaders Program, the Balfour Peer Leaders Program, the Campus Activities Team, the Black Student Achievement Coalition, and many other student clubs, pre-professional affiliation organizations, and honor societies. As students acquire new leadership skills, more challenging positions become available to them. These positions include serving as orientation leaders, resident assistants, and class, club, or Student Government Association officers.

Residence Halls

The five college residence halls provide campus housing, with professional live-in staff and paraprofessional resident assistants, for approximately eight hundred students. The living arrangements include co-ed and single sex options, and an honors residence for students who maintain a CGPA of at least 3.00. All resident students participate in the dining program, which provides up to three meals daily on weekdays and brunch and dinner on weekends and holidays.

Student Activities

The Office of Student Activities at Mount Ida College provides students with an opportunity to further develop themselves through leadership experiences. These opportunities stem from a variety of sources, with the goal of fostering the personal and professional growth of each member of the Mount Ida College community.

In a setting where each student is known by name and recognized as an individual, students find it easy to become involved. Students are encouraged to start new groups on campus to enrich the College community. Campus organizations and clubs reflect the diversity of the student body, affording opportunities for creative expression. The Campus Activities Team is the student programming board, which provides social, cultural, and educational events under the advisement of the Associate Director of Student Activities.

Free shuttle bus service to public transportation in Newton Centre puts the exciting world of greater Boston within easy reach. Mount Ida College students can take advantage of its many cultural, social, historical, recreational, and educational activities.

The Academic Services department provides students with appropriate assistance to facilitate a successful college experience. Academic support services include academic advising for all students, the Academic Success Center and the Writing Center (tutoring support services and classroom workshops), and accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Academic support programs consist of Guided Studies, The Learning Circle, and the Learning Opportunities Program.

Academic Advising

A comprehensive advising system plays an integral role in the academic success of Mount Ida College students. Students are assigned a faculty advisor, usually in their major, who provides assistance with course selection, long-term academic planning, and advice with regard to career development.

Academic Success Center and Writing Center

The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides academic support to assist students to excel in their coursework and is open to all Mount Ida College students at no additional charge. The Center offers a supportive learning environment where students may work with tutors on a variety of subjects. Individual or group tutoring is available. Students may also receive study strategies on learning how to learn, developing skills in reading comprehension, note taking and exam preparation, and successful studying in general. The Academic Success Center is staffed by professional and peer tutors and is supervised by the Director. The Center operates on both a drop-in and appointment basis. Students may come to the Academic Success Center for help at any time during the academic year.

The Writing Center supports students by providing assistance with writing assignments and papers for all courses. Writing Associates assist with all stages of the writing process. The Writing Center welcomes writers of all ability levels. Students may work alone or with a Writing Associate doing research or word-processing online. In addition, the Writing Center staff is often invited to enrich the classroom experience; class visits enable the Writing Center staff to bring academic writing and research-related topics to the classroom for students’ benefit.

By making use of the Academic Success Center and Writing Center, all students are encouraged to reach their academic potential.

Early Alert Program

The Mount Ida College Early Alert Program is designed as a supportive intervention for students who encounter difficulty in their course work. The goal of the program is to improve the academic performance and retention of students who are underperforming in the classroom. Through a supportive intervention, a faculty member will initiate a meeting with the student to clarify the challenges he or she faces regarding the academic performance. The instructor then refers the student to appropriate support services via an electronic alert form. The Early Alert Coordinator, who will track and monitor the referral, reports back to the faculty member on whether the student met with professional staff.

Guided Studies Program

The purpose of the Guided Studies Program is to provide a support network for students accepted to the College on a conditional admission status. Students work with professional staff to identify and address their learning challenges, familiarize themselves with campus resources, learn how to adjust to the college environment, and develop a better understanding of the learning process and academic standards required for college success. Conditionally admitted students are required, in their first semester, to enroll in a once-a-week Guided Studies Seminar. The seminar provides a support system for students in the critical first semester.

The Learning Circle Program

The Learning Circle (TLC), funded by a TRIO grant through the U.S. Department of Education, provides academic support, leadership opportunities, and exposure to cultural events to approximately 140 income-eligible, first generation college students, or students with disabilities. Each TLC student has the opportunity to work closely with an assigned Academic Coach throughout the school year. As a group, program participants develop a sense of community through educational workshops, cultural field trips, and social activities. In addition, small supplemental financial aid grants are available to selected, eligible TLC students in their first two years at the College.

Interested students must apply and meet eligibility requirements for admission into the TLC Program.

Learning Opportunities Program

Mount Ida College is committed to providing appropriate academic accommodations to students with documented learning disabilities who are otherwise qualified for admission. Students must present a recent WAISR or a Woodcock Johnson III assessment, evidence of an adequate reading comprehension level, and documentation of the specific disability by a professional diagnostician.

Many students with learning disabilities, however, benefit from supplemental academic support in addition to accommodations. The Learning Opportunities Program (LOP) offers individual, strategy-based tutorials with professional learning specialists. The tutorials emphasize study techniques, strengthen academic skills, and promote student self-advocacy. Tutorials are held in the LOP Center where students also have access to an Assistive Technology Lab, word-processing programs and online research tools. First-year students meet with their Learning Specialist twice each week for 50-minute sessions. Returning students who wish to continue in the program choose once or twice-weekly tutorial sessions, depending on their course load. LOP services require an additional fee beyond the basic tuition charge.

Students in the Learning Opportunities Program are enrolled in programs of study at the College and are expected to complete all requirements towards earning an associate or bachelor degree. Students with documented disabilities will have additional time to complete their degree (see below).

Services for Students with Disabilities

The College provides an array of support services for students with documented disabilities. Services for students with disabilities may include classroom accommodations, test modifications, and assistive technology. All students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations. The College grants a longer time frame for degree completion to students with documented disabilities, provided the individual student’s cumulative grade point average is in line with the College’s standard. For further information on the latter, please see the College’s satisfactory academic progress policy in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this Catalog.

Students with disabilities who are not entering the Learning Opportunities or The Learning Circle Program must make an appointment with the Dean of Academic Services and submit recent documentation of specific disabilities. Students are encouraged to request services before the start of the semester.

The College Library

The Wadsworth Library is open seven days a week including evenings. The collection includes print, audiovisual and electronic resources to support the College curriculum. Electronic resources include ebooks, online full-text periodicals, and digital art images that are available via the Internet. The library also has leisure reading and popular video/DVD collections.

Mount Ida College is a member of the Minuteman Library Network (MLN), which is comprised of thirty-five public libraries and six academic libraries. Members have access to 1,542,028 titles and over 6,127,438 items and resources in the virtual catalog of other college and university libraries, i.e., University of Massachusetts. The librarians instruct students individually and in groups in the use of print and electronic resources.

Students can:

• access campus information resources from the College’s website including e-books, and full-text journal articles (www.mountida.edu - select Library).
• borrow books, journal articles, and audiovisual titles on inter-library loan, which are delivered to Mount Ida College’s library on a daily basis.
• borrow directly from the 41 MLN member libraries.
• view and listen to audiovisual materials and use computer programs in the library.

Accessing Information from Other Libraries

New England Library Information Network (NELINET)
Through membership in NELINET, Mount Ida College students can borrow books and journal articles from over 7,000 libraries across the United States and the world.

The Library of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston
All students, faculty, and staff members have free access to the Museum of Fine Arts and may use the MFA Library. The MFA Library has over 320,000 items and supports research on the museum’s permanent collections, special exhibitions, and general art history.

The Webster Veterinary Library of Tufts University, Grafton, MA
Students on clinical rotation and externships may use the Webster Veterinary Library at Tufts University, School of Veterinary Medicine.

Policies of the Wadsworth Library

1. Usage: The Wadsworth Library is intended to be a place for study, research, reading, and reflection. Food and smoking are not permitted in the library. Beverages (non-alcoholic) in covered containers may be brought into the library. To preserve quiet, use of cellular phones is not allowed in the library.
2. Registration: All students are registered in the Minuteman Library Network (MLN) in order to borrow materials. Registration is completed at the Circulation Desk of the Wadsworth Library upon presentation of a valid Mount Ida College ID card. Materials borrowed from other MLN libraries are subject to the loaning library’s policies.
3. Circulation of Materials: Circulating books, CD-ROMs, educational kits, and software may be borrowed for a three-week period. Popular videotapes and DVDs may be borrowed for one week. Reference books and periodicals are for in library use only.
4. Overdue or Lost Materials:
   1. If library materials are not returned on time, students will be fined 10 cents per day for each overdue title. The maximum overdue fine is $5.00 per item unless the item is lost or damaged.
   2. Students will be billed for the cost of replacement plus a $15.00 processing fee for lost or damaged materials.
   3. Unpaid bills and non-returned materials will prevent a student from borrowing any additional materials from any Minuteman Library, including the Wadsworth Library
   4. Any student with large fines or overdue books over a semester old will be billed through his or her college account

Computer Facilities

There are nine instructional computer labs on campus, and two open access computer lab areas. All computer labs are connected to the Mount Ida College network; both Windows and Macintosh platforms are supported. When classes are not in session, students may use the instructional computer labs.

• Free e-mail accounts are provided to all students, faculty, and staff members through Network Services.
• Students have access to the Internet and the Mount Ida College website and e-mail from the library, computer labs, residence halls, and home.
• Computer lab schedules are posted in the computer labs and on the College’s website
  (www.mountida.edu - select Resources and Services).

Policies for Computer Labs and Use of the College Network

1. Students are expected to comply with the College’s policies regarding the use of the computer labs and campus network. Computer Lab Policies are posted in each lab, and the Campus Network Policy is listed in the Student Handbook and on the college website.
2. Students who fail to comply with these policies will face judicial action including expulsion from the College.

Media Services

Media Services provides equipment to students, faculty and staff to use information and learning resources in a variety of formats in and outside the classroom. Students have the opportunity to use software to develop multimedia presentations for their course assignments, classroom presentations, course research, and cocurricular projects.

Members of the College community may borrow upon availability a wide range of audiovisual equipment to gather, document and present information, e.g., a digital camera, a laptop computer and data/video projection system. All equipment is available for classroom use. The Media Specialist instructs students in the use of the equipment.

Technology Enhanced Classrooms

Every Mount Ida College classroom has access to the campus network and Internet. There are fourteen electronically enhanced classrooms on campus with a combination of computers, data/video projection systems and audiovisual equipment.

Policies of Media Service

1. AV Equipment may be borrowed for a curricular assignment, a classroom presentation, or an official student activity project or meeting. All requests for AV Equipment must be submitted online (using the Media Services Request Form). To access the form go to the College website (www.mountida.edu), select Resources and Services and then select Media Services.
2. One-week notice is required to schedule the use of a piece of AV equipment.
3. If a student reserves or plans to use a campus location for a presentation, project or student meeting or activity and needs AV equipment, the student must submit an online Media Services Request Form to request use of the AV equipment in the location scheduled, even if the location is an electronic classroom or auditorium. This is to ensure that the student has the right AV equipment for the occasion, has proper access to the AV equipment and is trained to properly use the AV equipment.

Course Websites

The College provides faculty members with the opportunity to create course websites to enhance the teaching and learning process. Students receive instruction in the use of their course websites and have access to technical support through the office of the instructional technology specialist. Information about using the course websites and frequently asked questions are posted on the college website under Resources and Services. All use of course websites is under the terms of the College Network Policy.

Copy Center

The Copy Center is located in the Wadsworth Library building and provides the following services to students:

• Color copies - drop-off service with 48-hour turnaround time. Same day service is not provided. Over 10 pages, a week’s notice is required. Color copies can be printed from a hard copy, a file saved on a flash drive or on the college network. There is a fifty-cents-per-page charge for color copying. Both paper and transparency copies can be made.
• Class use with a faculty member’s written permission for a specific course: black and white copies may be printed from a hardcopy, a file saved on a flash drive or on the college network.
• Student Organizations: black and white and color copies may be printed from a hardcopy, a file saved on a flash drive or on the college network.

Policies of the Copy Center

All copying must adhere to the Copyright Laws of the United States. Students who have questions should contact the Coordinator of the Copy Center. To review the Copyright Laws, go to the college website, select Library, and then select Copyright Laws.

Articulation Agreement Program

Mount Ida College has established a number of articulation agreements with community colleges in Massachusetts and private institutions offering two-year degrees nationally and internationally.

Articulation agreements with community colleges in Massachusetts support transfer to the following majors:

• Bristol Community College - Funeral Service
• Holyoke Community College - Funeral Service and Funeral Home Management
• Massachusetts Bay Community College - Applied Forensic Science
• Massasoit Community College - Graphic Design, Funeral Service, Funeral Home Management, and Bereavement Studies
• Roxbury Community College - Business Administration, Hotel/Tourism Management, Management, and Sport Management

The College also has articulation agreements with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California to support transfer for baccalaureate studies in the following programs: Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Marketing, Graphic Design, and Interior Design. Articulation agreements with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising are likewise available for the following programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Marketing, Graphic Design, and Interior Design

Internationally, Mount Ida College has an articulation agreement outlining course equivalents in business, fashion merchandising, and liberal arts with Japan College of Foreign Languages as well as an agreement with Osaka College of Foreign Languages and International Business to support transfer to the Veterinary Technician/ Technology Programs.

Athletic Program

Intercollegiate Athletics: Mount Ida College is an active member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association, Great Northeast Athletic Conference, the Northeast Collegiate Volleyball Association and the International Horse Show Association. Currently women compete in soccer, cross-country, volleyball, basketball, softball and equestrian riding. Men compete in football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse. Club sports include tennis and baseball.

Students must be enrolled in a baccalaureate program and carrying at least 12 credits per semester to participate in a varsity and/or club program at Mount Ida College. A student-athlete must also meet the academic progression requirements of the College to remain eligible to continue to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

Recreational Sport Programs: Recreational sport programs offer a variety of activities for students in the College’s athletic facility and health/fitness center. Among the intramural activities offered to both men and women are cardio kickboxing, aerobic dance, abdominal classes, boxing, badminton, tennis, volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, weight training, flag football, softball, indoor soccer, and various inter-dorm competitions. Mount Ida College’s recreational facilities also include tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, athletic fields, and jogging trails.

Continuing Education/Summer Session

The Office of Continuing Education offers several noncredit certificate curricula for adult students in property management, residential design, canine grooming, canine behavior and thanatology. Workshops are offered as well. The Office of Continuing Education also offers a summer session of credit-bearing courses to students in academic majors at Mount Ida College. Many students have used the summer session to catch up on course work or to get ahead for the coming academic year. Depending on the course, students can choose to earn academic credit or certificate credit, as well as continuing education units. Students may also opt to audit a course. The Director of Continuing Education can be contacted at 617-928- 4015.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Mount Ida College offers intensive English courses for international students at two levels: intermediate (EN 003) and advanced (EN 004). Students with TOEFL scores below 425 (113 computer-based/38 internet-based) are not admitted to the College until they achieve a minimum TOEFL of 425. Students with a TOEFL score between 450 and 525 enroll in ESL-Plus at Mount Ida College, which allows them to enroll simultaneously in English language skill development courses and two courses for their degree. English language skill development courses include an academic writing component and computer laboratory instruction.

Students with a TOEFL score above 525 (197 computer-based/ 70 internet-based) may be eligible to take a full course load in their chosen major. International students who enroll in ESL studies may require more than two years to complete an associate degree and more than four years to complete a bachelor degree. For full information about progression in ESL studies, please refer to the information on English courses (specifically EN 003 and EN 004) in the Course Descriptions section of the Catalog.

Study Abroad Programs

As an affiliate of the American Institute for Foreign Study (A.I.F.S.), the British American College London (BACL) at Regent’s College in London and American InterContinental University (A.I.U.), Mount Ida College offers eligible students access to numerous study abroad opportunities. Program offerings change from time to time. Summer and/or semester study abroad programs in the following countries are typically available: Argentina (Buenos Aires), Australia (Sydney), Austria (Salzburg); Canada (Montreal), China (Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai); Czech Republic (Prague); England (London); France (Cannes and Paris); Ireland (Limerick); Italy (Florence and Rome); Puerto Rico (San Juan); Russia (St. Petersburg); South Africa (Stellenbosch); and Spain (Barcelona, Granada and Salamanca). Multi-country/traveling programs to cities in Europe are available in the summer as well.

Students who are interested in including a summer or semester study abroad program among their educational experiences at Mount Ida College are advised to begin planning for the same at least one year in advance. Planning for study abroad is overseen by the Office for Academic Affairs and involves two required stages: first, completion of the Office for Academic Affairs Study Abroad Checklist process; and, upon receipt of approval to move to the second stage, completion of a Mount Ida College Study Abroad Application.

Stage I: Students should pick up a copy of the Study Abroad Checklist available from the Office for Academic Affairs in Holbrook Hall. The Study Abroad Checklist outlines five steps that students must follow in the first stage of the planning process, involving the following: 1) review of eligibility requirements; 2) exploration of study abroad options; 3) discussion of plans/options with their program director; 4) identification of program of choice; 5) acquisition of signatures from appropriate offices and faculty. The Checklist, complete with signatures and attachments, must be submitted to the Office for Academic Affairs by the deadlines published each year on the Study Abroad Checklist.

Stage II: The Office for Academic Affairs will notify the student regarding eligibility to proceed with filing a Mount Ida College Study Abroad Application Form no later than three (3) business days after the published deadlines for receipt of the Study Abroad Checklist. Upon receipt of approval, the student may pick up a Mount Ida College Study Abroad Application Packet at the Office for Academic Affairs in Holbrook Hall. The Office for Student Affairs offers a Study Abroad Orientation on campus for students prior to departure.