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Knox College




Knox College is a four-year Coeducation al private Liberal Arts College located in Galesburg, Illinois .



Information

  name Knox College
  motto ''Veritas''
  established February 15 , 1837
  type Private
  president Roger Taylor
  city Galesburg
  state IL
  country USA
  enrollment 1,205
  staff 119
  campus Small town
  mascot Prairie Fire
  colors Purple and gold
  website wwwknoxedu



HISTORY

Knox College was founded in 1837 by anti- Slavery social reformers, led by George Washington Gale . One founder, Rev. Samuel Wright , actively supported the Underground Railroad . The original name for the school was "Knox Manual Labor College", but it has been known by its present name since 1857 .

The naming of the college is a curious story. Though founded by a colony of Presbyterians and Congregationalists—and therefore plausibly named after Calvinist leader John Knox —it is located in what was already named Knox County after ''Henry'' Knox , the US' first Secretary Of War . George Candee Gale, a (great-)great-grandson of two of the founders, explains that "contrary to general belief, Knox was not named for either General Knox or the Scotch Presbyterian Knox, according to my father.... Some the founders wanted the college named for one Knox, some for the other; so they compromised on KNOX. Certainly most of them were pious enough to want the churchmen and fighters enough to want the soldier as well."

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Knox was the site of the Fifth Debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in 1858 . The "Old Main" building is the only site from the debates that still exists today.

Two years after the debates, and during his presidential campaign, Lincoln received the first honorary degree ever conferred by Knox College—a Doctor Of Laws degree, announced at the Commencement exercises of 5 July , 1860 .

Author George Fitch (graduated 1897 ) wrote a series of popular stories set at fictional Siwash College, based on Knox. "Old Siwash" became a popular nickname for Knox College, and was for many years the name of the mascot as well. (It was changed to the "Prairie Fire" in 1993.)

U.S. Senator Barack Obama was the Commencement Speaker for the class of 2005. Stephen Colbert is scheduled as speaker for the 2006 ceremony. Also scheduled to receive an honorary degree in 2006 is Jimmy Wales .


STUDENTS AND FACULTY

Student Profile
  • Size: 1,205

  • Points of Origin: 46 states; 43 countries

  • Credentials: 66 % graduated in the top quarter of their high school class; 32 % graduated in the top tenth.

  • Diversity: 55 % women; 45 % men; 15 % students of color (5 % African American, 5 % Asian American, 5 % Latino, <1 % Native American); 8 % international.


Faculty Profile
  • Size: 119 (91 full-time, 28 part-time)

  • Student-faculty ratio: 12:1

  • Qualifications: 95 % have Ph.D. or equivalent degree

  • Average Class Size: 17


Fraternities



ATHLETICS


Knox College is a member of the Midwest Conference in the following NCAA Division III sports:

Men
Basketball -
Cross Country -
Golf -
Swimming and Diving -
Soccer -
Track and Field -
Tennis -
Football -
Baseball -
Wrestling

Women
Basketball -
Cross Country -
Golf -
Swimming and Diving -
Soccer -
Track and Field -
Tennis -
Volleyball -
Softball


FACILITIES

Knox College has 42 academic and residential buildings on its 82-acre campus.

The college also has the Green Oaks Field Study Center , a 700-acre biological Field Station and Nature Preserve located roughly 20 miles northeast of campus. Students can also participate in the "Green Oaks Term," an interdisciplinary off-campus program that is offered approximately every other year.


Libraries


Main library name: Seymour Library (2 others on campus)
  • 185,923 books, serial backfiles, and government documents (titles)

  • 1,037 current serials (titles), including periodicals, newspapers, and government documents

  • 96,952 microforms (titles)

  • 6,336 video and audio titles



Radio Station

Knox has a Radio Station - WVKC . Its frequency in Galesburg is 90.7. It is ranked by the Princeton Review as #8 in the nation for "great college radio station."


T. Fleming Fieldhouse and Fitness Center

Knox has a sports complex complete with a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a state of the art fieldhouse. A brand new fitness center addition with weights, cardiovascular equipment, aerobics rooms, and climbing wall was recently completed in February 2006.


Computer laboratories

Four public Computer laboratories are accessible to students, with several more departmental labs available and a dedicated language laboratory.

The largest, Founders Laboratory (a converted smoking lounge from many years ago), which is located in the Student Union , is open 24 hours a day throughout the year. Scanning (including film-scanning and Optical Character Recognition ) and faxing are available freely to student users, and printing and copy services are available for a small fee.

Addressing the issues of paper waste and in a move to become more environmentally friendly, beginning fall of 2005, Recycled-content Paper is being phased in for use in all college printers. In addition, one printer is stocked with ''reused'' paper—printed on one side, the paper remains suitable for scratch copies, rough drafts, and other informal printing needs.


THE HONOR SYSTEM

Knox College introduced the Honor System by students in 1951 . All students are held responsible for the integrity of their own work, and students are required to abide by the system. Because of this policy, tests are not proctored, and in many cases students may take their exams in any open, public place within the same building. Any cases of students caught disobeying the system are evaluated by their peers through the Honor Board, a Committee consisting of two seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and two faculty members.


ALUMNI



REFERENCES

  • Knox College 2004-2005 Catalog

  • Knox College Student Handbook 2004-2005