Information found in this online edition of the 2008-09 catalog is unofficial and for informational purposes only. By authority of the dean of the College, some factual corrections to the printed version may appear here. The official document of record is the printed edition of the 2008-09 Catalog. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Academic Services and Resources
Academic Advising
Faculty advisors guide their advisees' academic programs and intellectual growth--from matriculation to graduation. Each student is, however, ultimately responsible for constructing and completing his or her own course of study.
First-year students are assigned premajor advisors based upon each student's initial course selections and stated academic interests and goals. These faculty advisors are knowledgeable about general requirements and procedures and can assist their advisees in selecting courses and developing a four-year academic program. Such planning enables students to gain the full benefit of their education and to plan for special experiences such as overseas or off-campus study.
Transfer students are assigned academic advisors generally in the area of their major (often the department chair). Transfer students must submit official transcripts to Lewis & Clark's College of Arts and Sciences registrar's office, which analyzes the transcripts to determine which courses are transferable and whether they meet General Education requirements. Students who wish to include transfer courses in their major course of study must have the approval of the department chair in that major. Transfer students should work closely with the registrar's office and the department chair to plan their academic program completely through to graduation.
All students are required to schedule preregistration meetings with their academic advisors. But students should meet with their advisors at other times, as well, to discuss academic goals, questions, or issues. When students decide upon an academic major (required for registration after a student has 61 total credits), they must choose a major advisor to help them plan out their major's course of study and satisfy remaining graduation requirements.
Students are welcome to change advisors at any time. This should be a thoughtful decision and must be made with the consent of the new advisor. For more information, visit www.lclark.edu/dept/advising.
Student Support Services
The staff of Student Support Services provide services for students with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities, as well as advice for all students about academic strategies, time management, and study skills. The coordinator of Student Support Services is responsible for ensuring that arrangements are made for disabled students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Copies of the Student Disability Policy and Grievance Procedure are available from the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Student Support Services office, and Lewis & Clark's website.
Writing Center
As part of Lewis & Clark's commitment to excellence in writing, the Writing Center offers one-on-one conferences for undergraduates seeking assistance with papers and other writing projects related to their academic program. The staff regularly work with students at all stages of the writing process, providing strategies for formulating ideas, organizing texts, choosing an appropriate style, and recognizing and fixing mechanical errors. Conference times are scheduled throughout fall and spring semesters.
Math Skills Center
Since mathematical skills are necessary for success in the General Education Curriculum and in many majors, Lewis & Clark expects that students have preparation through at least intermediate algebra. The Math Skills Center provides classroom and individual instruction in the course Review of Algebra (Mathematics 055), which is a prerequisite for many quantitative reasoning courses. The center also operates as an informal resource center by providing drop-in hours during the semester. Students may use the friendly study environment and consult with peer tutors on math-related skills in any course.
Computing and Media Resources
Technology is integrated into the curriculum in many departments and programs, both as a means of enhancing the instructional process and as a way of preparing students to meet the challenges presented by the pervasive use of technology in the workplace. Technology facilities on campus include unique resources dedicated to the use of certain departments as well as institution-wide resources available to the entire community.
Lewis & Clark maintains a campuswide network for access to an ever-growing array of academic and administrative services and applications and the Internet. Public computing labs are available 24 hours a day in the Watzek Library and the Templeton Campus Center.
Lewis & Clark provides faculty and students with facilities and expertise in multimedia, video editing, photographic and slide production, and audio and visual duplication services to support instructional needs, campus life activities, special events, and institutional advancement activities.
Through special arrangements with vendors, Lewis & Clark makes computer hardware and software available to full-time students at substantial discounts.
In addition, Information Technology staff assist students in learning to use hardware, software, and peripheral devices; offer training resources such as tutorials and workshops; and provide access to a growing array of network resources and online services.
Library
The Aubrey R. Watzek Library is suitably located at the heart of the campus. The library houses a collection of 300,000 print volumes and over 417,000 microform units and subscribes to 1,300 print periodicals and has electronic access to thousands more. The library shares an online catalog with the Paul L. Boley Law Library at Lewis & Clark's law school and provides access to over 150 research databases.
The library offers specialized reference assistance in the use of both print and electronic sources, as well as one-on-one research consultations. Special Collections, the Visual Resource Center, and the College Archives are also part of the library. Digital access to items in these collections is increasing.
Lewis & Clark College is a member of several library consortia through which students and faculty can borrow materials directly from member institutions. One of these, the Orbis-Cascade Alliance, includes 35 academic libraries throughout the Northwest that share a unified library catalog (Summit) and delivery system. Students and faculty can perform a single search to find and borrow materials through a database including more than 28 million books, sound recordings, films, videos, and more.