This section includes information related to accreditation, admission, advanced placement, transfer students, tuition and fees, financial aid, campus life and academic regulations. Similar information for graduate students may be found in Section IV. The university's history, biographies of its presidents and descriptions of its buildings are found in Section VI.
Lehigh University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Both the undergraduate general and accounting programs and the master of business administration programs are accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. The engineering programs that are accredited by ABET, INC 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 – telephone (410) 347-7700, are listed under Section III Undergraduate Studies, P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, Major Programs (p. 45). The bachelor of science is also accredited by ABET. The computer science and business program is accredited by both ABET and the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania approves for educational certification various programs within the College of Education. Programs in chemistry are approved by the American Chemical Society.
The department of theatre is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting body for the field of theatre.
Lehigh University provides equal opportunity on the basis of merit without discrimination because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, sex, sexual orientation or union membership.
Minimum subject matter requirements (16 units)
The total undergraduate and graduate enrollment of Lehigh University is regulated by action of the board of trustees, with a resulting limitation in the number of candidates who can be admitted each year to the various divisions of the university.
Because of the limitations on enrollment, the Office of Admissions, under the leadership of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, conducts a selective review of candidates for admission. Several criteria are used in an attempt to predict a student's ability to successfully complete four years of rigorous study at Lehigh University.
The material that follows pertains to undergraduates. Graduate students should consult Admission to Graduate Standing, Section IV.
The admission policy of the university is designed to enroll students with a variety of backgrounds. The course work or units required for admission represent the equivalent of the usual four-year college preparatory curriculum with certain specific course work being required for enrollment in certain programs within the university. Evidence of academic growth, ability to learn, and motivation are special qualities that may not be reflected in the accumulation of units. Such qualities are also considered by the admissions committee.
English |
4 units |
foreign languages* |
2 units |
social science |
2 units |
laboratory science |
2 units |
college preparatory mathematics |
3 units |
elective subjects |
3 units |
*Only in exceptional cases, and for otherwise well-qualified candidates, will the Committee on Admissions waive the foreign language requirement for admission to any one of the three undergraduate colleges.
Students planning on enrolling in the College of Engineering and Applied Science must have studied mathematics through trigonometry, and should have studied chemistry, physics and mathematics through pre-calculus. Calculus is strongly recommended. Students planning to enroll in the College of Business and Economics must have completed mathematics through trigonometry, but also should strongly consider taking pre-calculus and calculus. Candidates for the College of Arts and Sciences preparing for a bachelor's of science degree must also take math through trigonometry.
Minimum course work requirements can be misleading since most students who gain admission to Lehigh University exceed the minimum course work. Strength of preparation can be difficult to assess since each individual comes from a different background. However, the Committee on Admissions will look for things such as (in no particular order):
SAT/ACT: Each candidate for admission to the first year class is required to take either the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) with the writing component or the American College Test (ACT) with the writing component. It is highly recommended that the student request that his or her scores be forwarded to Lehigh (CEEB code 2365) directly. It is not the responsibility of the high school guidance office to forward the results. If, during the evaluation process, it is discovered that the test results are missing, the student will be notified by mail or phone. Unnecessary delays in the decision-making process can result if the committee does not have the scores.
The Committee on Admissions recommends that students take the exam in the junior year and again as early in the senior year as possible. In the evaluation process, the highest score in each category will be used regardless of the test date.
SAT Subject Tests: SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II) are recommended, but not required. It is also recommended that students who plan to study a foreign language take the SAT Subject Test or Advanced Placement Test for the language they intend to study. Also, students interested in advanced placement and/or receiving college credit in chemistry, English, or a foreign language should take the SAT Subject Tests. Please read the Advanced Placement section for specific requirements.
Test information and applications may be secured from high school guidance offices or the College Board at either of the following addresses: P.O. Box 592, Princeton, N.J. 08541, or 1947 Center St., Berkeley, C.A. 94704. Candidates writing tests outside the United States should direct their correspondence to the Princeton address.
Candidates should register for the tests no later than one month prior to the test date (two months for candidates who will be tested in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America and Australia).
The Office of Admissions requires, as part of a candidate's file, a letter of recommendation from the guidance counselor, principal, or headmaster from the candidate's school. One teacher recommendation is also required. Such recommendations should address the candidate's other qualifications such as character, intellectual motivation, participation in school activities, and established habits of industry and dependability.
Prospective first-year students and their parents are highly encouraged to visit Lehigh and to participate in a campus tour and to meet with a representative for a group information session. Informal interviews are also available. No appointment is necessary for a campus tour or group information session, but interviews must be scheduled by appointment. Interviews are not evaluative and are not required for admission. Visit www.lehigh.edu/visitinglehigh for a schedule of tours and information sessions. A call to the Office of Admissions is recommended because the schedule can change several times during the year as the academic calendar changes. While visiting our campus, it is often possible to meet with faculty, coaches or other professional staff of the university. Requests for such meetings should be made prior to the actual visit so as to facilitate scheduling.
The Office of Admissions is open for interviews most weekdays beginning at 9 a.m. Tours are available several times a day during the school year. Some Saturday morning tours are available during the fall and winter.
In certain cases, an interview may be required if, in the opinion of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, the additional information gained through an interview would be helpful in making the correct decision regarding admission. In such cases, the candidate will be notified of our request.
Students may use the Common Application available from school guidance counselors, or they may apply by using the Common Application on-line at www.commonapp.org or via the Lehigh Web site at www.lehigh.edu/apply. Students are required to submit a supplemental form to the Common Application that can be obtained through the Common Application web site or the Lehigh Web site. For information on how to apply for need-based financial aid, visit www.lehigh.edu/assistance.
Applications should be filed according to the following deadlines:
November 15 - Early Decision I
November 15 - Seven-year BA/MD Program
January 1 - Early Decision II
January 1 - Regular Decision
January 1 - Seven-year dental program with the University of Pennsylvania
January 1 - Seven-year optometry program with the SUNY State College of Optometry
Each application must be accompanied by an application fee of $65. This fee is non-refundable and does not apply towards tuition fees. Waivers of application fees are accepted when indicated on the appropriate forms from the school guidance office. Students for whom the application fee is a hardship should consult the guidance offices at their schools.
Our program is a binding early decision plan, meaning that the student is expected to withdraw all applications to other schools if accepted to Lehigh. The student, his or her parents/guardians, and guidance counselor must sign an Early Decision Request form to confirm their understanding of this provision. Students applying Early should be sure that Lehigh is their first choice school. Early Decision I is for students who meet the November 15 deadline. Notification will be completed around December 15. Early Decision II is for students who have met the January 1 regular application deadline and who declare their intention to apply Early Decision II by January 15. These students will be notified in early February. It is understood that all early decision candidates will continue to perform at a satisfactory academic level throughout the remainder of his or her senior year.
The early decision plan is not for everyone. It is for the student who has been early and active in their college search, and is sure that he or she wants to attend Lehigh. When reviewing an early decision application, the committee will defer a decision on any candidate when there is insufficient information to make an early decision commitment. It is also possible that a student may be denied admission. The Committee on Admissions will give early decision applicants some slight advantage in borderline cases because of the commitment of applying early, but the student must still present a strong record.
Early decision candidates who have filed the CSS/Financial Aid Profile application, available at www.collegeboard.com, and prior year tax forms, will be notified of their financial aid packages as soon as possible after the decisions on admission are made by the Office of Admissions. In addition to the CSS/Financial Aid Profile, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is also required. This form may be accessed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Lehigh's code for FAFSA is 003289. The deadline to file FAFSA is January 1.
Notification of admissions decisions are made by mail. Admission is granted only through written notice by the Office of Admissions. An admitted student may secure a place in the entering class by notifying the university that he or she intends to enroll at Lehigh and by forwarding the appropriate enrollment deposit postmarked by May 1. This fee is applicable towards the fall-term bill. Students who do not attend will forfeit their deposit.
Each January and August, students who have attended another college or university are admitted with advanced standing. Candidates for transfer admission must meet the high school subject matter requirements prescribed for incoming first-year students, but entrance examinations are not required if a student has completed at least one year of full-time study at another institution. Exceptions to fulfilling high school requirements will be granted following the review of a college level transcript. The academic performance at the college level is the primary focus when giving consideration to admission.
Candidates who have been dropped for poor scholarship, or who are not in good standing, or who have been released for disciplinary reasons are not eligible for admission.
Each candidate must submit an official transcript and course descriptions from each institution attended. An admissions decision cannot be made without this information. Students wishing to enter in the spring should apply no later than November 1 and applicants for the fall semester should have their application in by April 1. Applications may be obtained by writing to the Transfer Coordinator, Office of Admissions, 29 Memorial Dr. West, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 or by calling (610) 758-3214. The application is also available at Lehigh's Web site www.lehigh.edu/tapply. Each application must be accompanied by an application fee of $65.
Students are encouraged to take an active role in seeing that the various components of the student's admission application have arrived at the university. Decisions are made as soon as possible after the application is complete. Students will be notified by the Office of the Registrar as to the total credits Lehigh will grant to the student in advanced standing.
Housing: Transfer students are guaranteed housing for at least their first semester provided an enrollment deposit is received by the date established within the text of the offer of admission letter. Every effort is made to accommodate transfer student housing needs. All students are required to live on-campus through the end of the sophomore year. Contact the Office of Residential Services, Rathbone Hall, Lehigh University, 63 University Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015 or call (610) 758-3500. This office also can provide information about off campus housing. Fraternities and sororities often have room for members or boarders. Information on this option may be obtained through the Assistant Dean for Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, University Center, 27 Trembley Drive, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 or call (610) 758-4157.
The university offers capable students who have superior preparation an opportunity for advanced placement and/or college credit. Many secondary schools, in association with the College Board, offer college-level work. Students participating in these courses should write the Advanced Placement Tests offered by the College Board.
Students who achieve advanced placement are afforded three major advantages. First, they commence study at Lehigh at a level where they will be academically comfortable. Second, students who qualify for college credits may be graduated at an earlier time-with resulting savings in time and tuition outlay. Third, qualified students may, in the Lehigh senior year, enroll for a limited amount of work for graduate credit.
Entering freshmen that ask the College Board to send their advanced placement grades to Lehigh are considered for advanced placement.
Some departments noted below offer examinations during Freshman Orientation to students who studied college-level subjects in secondary school but did not write the advanced placement tests. Entering freshmen wishing to write an examination in any Lehigh course should notify the Office of Admissions in writing prior to August 1. The student should specify the number and title of the course. Students who receive credit on the basis of advanced placement grades need not write Lehigh tests to confirm the credit granted.
Current practice at Lehigh is as follows:
Art and Architecture. Six credit hours for Art 1 and Art 2 are granted to students who earn a grade of 5. Three credit hours for Art 099 Free Elective in Art History are granted for those students who earn a grade of 4. Those students who earn grades of 5 on the Advanced Placement Studio Art Examination receive three credit hours for Art 3.
Biology. Four credit hours for EES 31 and 22, Introduction to Environmental/Organismal Biology and Exploring Earth Lab, given to those who earn grades of 4 or 5.
Chemistry. Eight credit hours for CHM 25, and CHM 31 are granted to students who earn a grade of 5. Those students who earn a grade of 4, or who score 750 or higher on the SAT II chemistry subject test, are granted 4 credit hours for CHM 25 and may apply to the department for a special examination that, if completed successfully, will result in an additional 4 credit hours for CHM 31.
Computer Science. Students who receive a grade of 4 or 5 on the AP exam will receive 3 credits for CSE 012
Economics. Students will receive three credit hours of ECO 099 Economics Elective for a score of 4 or 5 on the microeconomics or macro economics exam. Students receiving a score of 4 or 5 on both the microeconomics and macroeconomics exams will receive 4 credits for ECO 001 and 2 credits of Economics Elective and satisfy the College of Business and Economics degree requirements.
English. Students who earn a score of 5 on one of the College Board Advanced Placement Tests in English (either in English Language and Composition or in English Literature and Composition) or who achieve a score of 750 or higher on the SAT II Subject Test in Writing receive six hours of Lehigh credit for freshman English (and exemption from the requirement). Students who receive a score of 4 on either of the Advanced Placements Tests in English or who have a score of 700-749 on the SAT II Writing Subject Test will receive three hours of credit in freshman English; these students will complete the six-hour requirement by taking an English course suggested by the department, typically ENGL 11.
Environmental Science. Students scoring a 4 or 5 on the environmental science exam will receive 4 credits for EES 002.
Government and Politics. Four credits for POLS 1 are awarded to those students that score a 4 or 5 on the American Government test, and four credits for POLS 3 are awarded to those that score a 4 or 5 on the Comparative Politics exam
History. Students earning a grade of 4 or 5 in the American History Advanced Placement examination will receive 4 credits for HIST 41. Students earning a grade of 4 or 5 in the European History exam will receive four credits for HIST 12 Students receiving advanced placement in American history may not later enroll in History 41; students receiving advanced placement credit in European history may not later enroll in History 12.
Latin. Students receive three semester hours of credit for a grade of 4 or 5 in the Virgil examination; those who successfully write in more than one area (e.g. Virgil and lyric poetry) receive six hours of credit. Credit will be awarded for Latin 099 Latin Elective. Students receiving credit for Latin and who wish to continue their study of Latin must consult with the Director for proper placement.
Mathematics. Four semester hours of credit for Math 21, Calculus I, are granted to those who earn grades of 4 or higher on the Calculus AB examination. To those who earn a grade of 4 or higher on the Calculus BC examination, eight hours of credit are granted for Math 21 and Math 22, Calculus I and II. Credit for Math 21 and 22 or both may also be earned by passing the examination offered by the Mathematics Department during Freshman Orientation. Students regardless of whether they have taken the advanced placement examination may take this examination or not.
Modern Languages and Literature. Students receive four semester hours of credit at the intermediate level I for grades of 4, and eight hours of credit at the intermediate level I & II for grades of 5 on the advanced placement tests. Those who write the SAT II subject tests and score 600 to 699 receive four hours of credit; 700 and above receive eight hours of credit. The maximum number of credits given is eight. Those students receiving grades of 4 or higher on the French or Spanish literature examinations will receive 4 credits for French or Spanish 151.
Music. Three semester hours of credit for MUS 80 are given to those students who earn a grade of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement test in Music, Listening/Literature of Music: Theory.
Physics. Five hours of credit are given for Physics 11, Physics 12, for a grade of 5 on the Physics B examination or a grade of 4 on the mechanics section of the Physics C examination. If a student receives credit for Physics 11, four hours of credit will be given for Physics 21, Physics 22, for a grade of 4 on the electricity and magnetism section of the Physics C examination. A test is offered during Freshman Orientation.
Psychology. Four credit hours of PSYC 1 are granted to students who earn a grade 4 or 5.
Statistics. Student s scoring a 4 or 5 will receive 4 credits; for MATH 12 if enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences or the College of Engineering & Applied Science, or 3 credits for ECO 145 if enrolled in the College of Business & Economics.
International Baccalaureate. Students who earn the international baccalaureate may be granted credit in higher-level or advanced subjects with scores of 5 or better or "B" or better. All students will have their credentials evaluated on an individual basis for specific course equivalency. Lehigh must review the Official IB transcript before credit will be assigned.
Principally three areas of income support the operating expense of Lehigh University: tuition and fees, endowment earnings, and gifts and grants. The university is conscious that educational costs are significant and it strives to maintain a program of high quality instruction while recognizing that there are limitations on what families can afford to pay. Costs will vary somewhat from student to student depending upon the various options chosen.
There are three major plans that cover the major expense associated with university attendance. These are as follows:
The Tuition Plan.
The university provides comprehensive academic and student services under its tuition plan. The tuition sum is inclusive of most athletic events, basic treatments in the Health Center, libraries, and laboratory services. A technology fee of $300 is charged to all full-time students. An additional $380 fee is charged to all students enrolled in the College of Engineering and Applied Science or with a declared major in natural science. The full-time tuition rate is charged to students enrolled in twelve or more credit hours per semester. For students enrolled in less than twelve credit hours, tuition is charged on a per-credit-hour basis.
University Housing Plan.
A variety of living arrangements are available. The university provides housing for approximately 2,400 students on or near the campus in a wide selection of housing facilities. The housing arrangements are grouped within four basic categories, with rates associated with the category level. First and second year students are required to reside in university housing. Second year students may choose residence hall or greek housing options. Junior and senior students contracting for residence hall housing are required to submit a $400 advance deposit. This deposit is credited toward the room charge for the respective semester. The deposit is either full or partially refundable based upon a published schedule.
The Board Plan.
Eleven board plans are available. First-year residents are required to participate in one of the Category I Meal Plans. Upperclass students living in a residence hall are required to participate in one of the Category I or II Meal Plans. Students residing in a fraternity or sorority are required to participate in their house meal plan and have the option to choose any of the university plans offered. Students residing in campus apartments or any off-campus facilities have the option to choose any of the plans offered.
Each board plan includes Dining Dollars. This pre-paid declining balance account was designed for maximum flexibility and convenience and can be used at most dining locations on campus to further increase your purchasing options.
Tuition, Room, and Board charges are listed for the academic year (fall and spring semesters) with one-half charged for each semester. Other Fees are typically charged per occurrence.
Tuition, 2007-2008 |
$35,310 |
Technology Fee |
300 |
University Housing |
|
Category I (Dravo, Drinker, Richards, McClintic-Marshall, Centennial I & II) |
$5,380 |
Category II (ROTC, UMOJA, All Greek Houses, Warren Square) |
$5,760 |
Category III(Taylor, Trembley Park Suite Singles, Brodhead House ) |
5,990 |
Category IV (Sayre Park Village, Campus Square, Trembley Park Apartments ) |
6,280 |
NOTE: The above University Housing rates are based on multiple occupancy.
The number of meals specified is per week.
Category IA
Carte Blance |
$ 4,350 |
Category I
The Whole Enchilada - 19 meals including $100 Dining Dollars |
$ 3,960 |
The Square Mealer - any 14 meals including $200 Dining Dollars |
3,960 |
The Flexible Diner - any 12 meals including $300 Dining Dollars |
3,960 |
225 Block Plan - any 225 meals per semester including $100 Dining Dollars |
3,960 |
Category II |
|
The Deluxe Diner - any 10 meals including $200 Dining Dollars |
3,490 |
The Dynamic Diner - any 8 meals including $500 Dining Dollars |
3,490 |
150 Block Plan - any 150 meals per semester including $300 Dining Dollars |
3,490 |
Category III |
|
The Value Plus - any 75 meals per semester including$500 Dining Dollars |
2,130 |
Category IV |
|
The Social Light - any 50 meals per semester including$500 Dining Dollars |
1,660 |
Category V |
|
The Dining Dollars -$600 Dining Dollars |
600 |
Based upon the above charges, most first-year students are normally billed the tuition rate and technology fee along with the Category I or II room fee and a Category I meals board plan. The total cost for the four areas would be $44,950 to $45,330 for the 2007-2008 academic year. |
|
Other Fees |
|
(applied to prevailing circumstances) |
|
Tuition charge per credit for part-time status or audit |
$1,475 |
Engineering and Science Fee per year (for specified students) |
380 |
Application fee (for undergraduate admission consideration) |
65 |
Late pre-registration (assigned to all full-time students who do not select their full class load during the designated period each term) |
100 |
Late registration |
100 |
Late application for degree |
40 |
Examination make-up (after first scheduled make-up) |
25 |
Late payment (after announced date) |
200 |
Returned check fine |
35 |
Key/lock change (lost or non-return), room door, residence halls/sorority |
25 |
Identification card (replacement) |
15 |
The university reserves the right at any time to amend or add charges and fees, as appropriate, to meet current requirements. Fees applicable to the 2007-2008 academic year will be announced no later than February 2007.
A student should plan to meet various other expenses. These expenses include the purchase of books and supplies from the Lehigh University Bookstore located in Campus Square. Necessary purchases supporting one's academic program should average approximately $1,200 per year. The Bookstore carries basic goods for students' needs. A student should also plan an allowance to handle personal and travel expenses.
An itemized statement of charges is mailed from the Bursar's Office approximately six weeks prior to the start of each semester. Bills are addressed to the student and mailed to the home address as recorded in the BANNER Student System. Payments are due as follows: Fall semester by the first business day of August, Spring semester by the first business day of January, and all Summer Sessions 5 days prior to the start of classes. If registration occurs after bills are issued, payment is still due prior to the start of classes. Students can access their account on-line 24/7 through the BANNER Student System. Accounts not settled by the due date are subject to a late-payment fee.
Persons desiring a payment plan can elect participation in the university's educational payment plan which provides for the payment of tuition, room, and board over four months per semester. Deadlines to participate are July 1st for Fall Semester and December 1st for Spring Semester.
The university also offers a plan under which enrolled undergraduate students can pre-pay more than one year of tuition. Complete information is available from the Bursar's Office.
Students attending the university under a provision with a state board of assistance or with financial aid from other outside agencies must provide complete information to the Bursars Office if assistance is to be recognized to avoid late payment fees.
Tuition and Academic Fees
An undergraduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment below twelve credit hours before 60% of the semester has been completed during the fall and spring semesters will be eligible for a tuition refund. An undergraduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment before 60% of a session has been completed during the summer sessions will be eligible for a tuition refund.
A graduate student in good standing who formally withdraws or reduces his or her course enrollment before 60% of the semester has been completed during any semester will be eligible for a tuition refund.
The tuition refund for a student who withdraws or drops a course(s) is calculated on a daily basis. No refunds for tuition can be made for courses or workshops with five class sessions or less after the first day of class. Additional penalties may apply to withdraw from special programs or courses held at off-campus locations, such as Study Abroad or Geology Field Camp.
The date used to calculate refunds is based on when a properly authorized withdrawal or drop/add is received by the Registrar's Office.
Academic fees (such as Technology Fee, Engineering and Science Fee, course associated fees, etc.) are generally non-refundable after the first day of classes.
In the event of a medical withdrawal or death of a student, certified by the Dean of Students, tuition will be refunded in proportion to the semester remaining.
Tuition Credit/Suspension
A student who is suspended from the university for disciplinary reasons will be eligible for a tuition credit (calculated on the basis of a standard tuition refund) toward the first semester the student is eligible for return as stated in the letter of suspension. If the student does not return in said semester, any tuition credit will be forfeited. Under no circumstances will a tuition refund be provided to students who are suspended for disciplinary reasons.
The amount credited will be based on the regular tuition refund schedule and calculated on the tuition rate in effect at the time of suspension. The date used to calculate the tuition credit will be the date of the incident that resulted in the suspension.
Refund Specifics
Credit balances resulting from an overpayment with a bank card are eligible to be refunded as a credit transaction to the bank card by contacting the Bursar's Office.
Credit balances resulting from an overpayment with a check drawn on a domestic bank require a minimum two week waiting period before a refund check will be issued.
Credit balances resulting from loans, grants, scholarships, and other forms of financial aid are eligible for refund after the 10th day of class.
All refund checks will be payable to the student unless (a) the student has authorized in writing a parent or guardian listed in the Banner Student System to receive the refund, or (b) the check payment on the account was clear that the payment was from an unrelated organization or institution, such as a sponsoring corporation.
Refund checks are mailed to the student's university post office address or, if none, to the student's home address listed in the Banner Student System. Any exception to this policy must be authorized in writing by the student.
Students receiving financial aid that drop below full time status must have their financial aid package re-evaluated by the Office of Financial Aid prior to the issuance of any refund check.
Residence Hall Refunds
Residence hall rooms are rented on an annual basis only. A student who signs a room contract is expected to reside in and be financially responsible for residence hall housing for both the fall and spring semesters of the specific academic year for which the contract was signed. A student who forfeits a housing reservation and who returns to the university at any time during the contracted academic year is still obligated for housing rental charges if vacancy in the residence hall facilities exists and without regard to location. An advance deposit is required by rising juniors and seniors to hold a room. This deposit is either full or partially refundable based upon specific criteria and a published refund schedule.
Prior to registration, housing rental refunds are made in full in the event a student does not register because of illness, injury, or death; is dropped from the university due to academic reasons; attends a university-approved study abroad or co-op program; graduates; or voluntarily withdraws from the university. After registration, prorated housing rental refunds are granted based on separation from the university due to illness, injury, or death. In the event of voluntary withdrawal, a prorated refund is possible only with the provision that the lease can be transferred to another student for whom no other university accommodations exist. Prorated refunds are based upon the date the room key is returned to the Office of Residential Services. Any student suspended or expelled from the university will not be granted any housing rental refund.
Refunds for Board Plans
Board plan refunds are made in full in the event a student does not register and has not purchased any meals from the plan.
After registration, a student who purchases meals on the board plan but withdraws from the university will receive a pro-rata board plan refund based on the number of unused weeks remaining on the plan.
Any student suspended or expelled from the university will not be granted a board plan refund.
Board plans may be changed within the requirements of the living area up to the tenth day of class each semester at the Bursar's Office with charges assessed per an established pro-ration schedule.
After the tenth day of class, a student who wishes to change a board plan must petition and receive approval from the Office of Student Auxiliary Services. If the change is approved, an adjustment will be processed on a pro-rata basis to the meal portion of the plan charge as of the week following the last meal purchased.
Adjustments to Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for determining the appropriate redistribution of charges and refunds when students receive any financial assistance. These decisions are made on the basis of federal, state and institutional policies. Any refunds due to the Title IV programs will be refunded in the following order:
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Perkins Loan
Federal PLUS Loan
Direct PLUS Loan
Federal Pell Grant
Federal SEOG
Any other Title IV program
The mission of the Office of Financial Aid is to reduce the financial barriers to a Lehigh education for those families whose resources alone would make it impossible to meet the cost of attendance. The university is deeply committed to providing need-based financial aid.
Lehigh expects each family to make every effort to pay tuition and other educational expenses. Our aid program is designed to measure the difference between our costs and the amount of money your family can be expected to contribute towards those costs. That difference is called "financial need" and represents financial aid "eligibility." The majority of Lehigh's funds are awarded on the basis of financial need. Our merit-based aid program is explained below.
The basic forms of financial aid are grants and scholarships, employment and loan assistance. Grants and scholarships are not repayable. The majority are awarded on the basis of "need" and are renewable on the basis of both continuing "need" and satisfactory academic progress criteria. Employment provides money for books and personal expenses, and is paid through bi-weekly payroll checks based on hours worked. Loans are repayable funds from one or more sources, repayable after the student ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis.
Additional sources of aid are: state agencies, employers, and various clubs, churches, religious and fraternal organizations, and foundations. High school guidance counselors are able to provide information about local aid programs. There are also database scholarship search organizations that can be accessed via the World Wide Web. Some examples are www.collegeboard.com, www.collegenet.com and www.gocollege.com. (Caution: there are many scam operations that promise great things if you send them a check. It is better to limit your efforts to the proven sites referenced above. ) You are expected to apply for all possible kinds of outside financial assistance, especially the Pell Grant and state grants. You are also expected to take maximum advantage of outside sources to enable Lehigh to spread its own funds farther and to limit student borrowing.
The following instructions are addressed to prospective freshmen.
To be given proper consideration for financial aid, your application must be completed and ready for review by February 15, 2008. To meet that deadline, you must complete the College Scholarship Service PROFILE www.collegeboard.com and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov by February 1, 2008. The PROFILE service is an exclusively on-line service. Students who do not have internet access should contact CSS at 1-800-778-6888. Supplemental forms should be sent directly to Lehigh by February 15, 2008. You may find it necessary to use estimates in completing financial aid forms. It is better to use estimates and file on time. Late filers are at risk of not be aided. Submit complete, signed copies of your and your parent's 2007 IRS 1040 forms, including all schedules and W2 statements by February 15, 2008.
Early Decision Candidates
For Early Decision I
To receive information on your financial aid eligibility you will be required to complete the CSS form by November 15, 2007. We require a complete signed copy of your parent's 2006 IRS 1040 form by November 15, 2007. Completion of the FAFSA and submission of 2006 tax returns are the same as noted above.
For Early Decision II
To receive information on your financial aid eligibility you will be required to complete the CSS form by January 15, 2008 and complete signed copies of your parent's 2006 IRS 1040 form by January 15, 2008. Completion of the FASA and submission of 2007 tax returns are the same as stated above.
International students are eligible for university-funded financial aid. Opportunities are limited. Two forms are required: the Foreign Student Financial Aid Application and the Certificate of Finances. The Office of Admissions will send both forms upon receipt of a completed application for admission.
Renewal of Aid
It is necessary to reapply for financial aid for each year of study and is limited to four years, for a four year program. Extensions beyond that time period require petitions to the Committee on Undergraduate Financial Aid. Applications and filing instructions are available in December in the Office of Financial Aid, or as otherwise posted.
Returning students must file the CSS PROFILE as well as the Renewal FAFSA by April 15, 2008. The filing deadline for all forms, including signed copies of both parents' and student's 2007 federal tax return, is April 15, 2008. Your application will not be reviewed until the FAFSA, PROFILE, Lehigh application and the federal income tax forms are received.
To receive any type of aid, you must be making satisfactory academic progress. The written university policy on satisfactory academic progress is available in the Office of Financial Aid. Generally speaking, it includes 1) remaining in good standing (based on your GPA), 2) advancing a minimum of 24 new credits per academic year (minimally, 12 credits per semester) and, 3) keeping pace with your class, progressing from freshman to sophomore, etc. This is dependent upon your academic program. Recipients of Lehigh grants and scholarships are expected to achieve at least a 2.00 GPA each semester (or higher as noted on the financial aid notification). Students on academic or disciplinary probation are not normally eligible for university grant aid during any period of the probation. Students not maintaining satisfactory progress, as defined by Lehigh or the appropriate governmental agency, may be ineligible for all forms of federal aid, including loans and employment. Appeals, based on extenuating circumstances, may be submitted to the Committee on Undergraduate Financial Aid using forms provided by the Office of Financial Aid.
Several forms of university-funded aid, based on need and merit, are available.
Lehigh University Grants
Funds budgeted from general income to provide need-based, non-repayable assistance.
Sponsored Scholarships
Individuals, foundations, and corporations provide these funds through annual contributions to the university. Lehigh has 60 such sponsored funds.
Endowed Scholarships
Income from invested gifts to the university make these scholarships possible. The university has over 800 such funds, half of which are for general, unrestricted use. Curriculum, geographic, outside interests, etc. restrict most of the others.
Asa Packer Scholarships
Approximately 20 scholarships, in an annual amount of $15,000 will be awarded to entering freshmen. Selections are made by the office of Admissions based on academic excellence, extra curricular and leadership activities. Awards are renewable for four years of undergraduate study and require a 3.2 average and satisfactory progress toward a Lehigh degree.
Dean's Scholarships
Approximately 70 scholarships, in an annual amount of $10,000 will be awarded to entering freshman. Selections are made by the Office of Admissions based on academic excellence and significant extra-curricular and leadership activities. Awards are renewable over four years of undergraduate study, and require a 3.00 average and satisfactory progress toward a Lehigh degree.
Baker Gifted Arts Scholarships
Awards are valued at $3,000 per year, renewable over four years. Selections are made by the faculties of the Music and Theatre departments, and are based on taped performances and letters of recommendation.
Army ROTC Leadership Awards
In certain instances, the university may supplement an Army ROTC scholarship with a leadership award that can range from $3,000 up to the cost of room and board. These are highly competitive and require a 2.5 average for renewal.
Merit Scholarships
Lehigh is a collegiate sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship program. Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per year may be awarded to Merit finalists selecting Lehigh as their first-choice college, and who are not also receiving another form of National Merit scholarship.
Rodale Scholarship in Journalism
Qualified students may receive a $2,500 scholarship (which may be renewed for three additional years); opportunities to intern at Rodale Press or other prominent media; and one-on-one instruction with Lehigh faculty.
Athletic Awards
Alumni Student Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need and exceptional athletic talent as evaluated by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Grants are supported by annual alumni contributions. Alumni Student Grants replace the loan and employment portion of a financial aid package. Lehigh also awards NCAA grants in the sports of wrestling and men's and women's basketball.
Loan-Cancellation Awards
This is a unique Lehigh award that may be used as an incentive if your academic average is not sufficiently competitive for scholarship consideration. Limited to $4000, a Loan-Cancellation begins as a loan, with the same terms as our regular University Tuition Loan. This form of aid has the potential of being converted to a grant if the following conditions are met: 1) the required grade point average for the award period as shown on the award notification is achieved; 2) 12 or more credits have been passed for each award term; courses above the 12 credits may be repeated courses; 3) all outstanding X or N grades must be removed prior to the end of the following academic period. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Office of Financial Aid when any outstanding courses have been completed. If not canceled, the loan is repayable according to the terms for university tuition loans.
President's Scholars Program
This program provides an opportunity to receive free tuition for a period of up to 12 months immediately following the awarding of the baccalaureate degree. You may be declared a President's Scholar if, upon completion of 90 Lehigh credit hours, you have a cumulative GPA of 3.75; or, if upon graduation, you are accorded Highest Honors. The Registrar is responsible for determining eligibility. For further eligibility requirement information please go to the Registrar's Office Web page at lehigh.edu.
If you are offered work-study as part of your aid package, the Office of Financial Aid will provide you with the necessary forms and orientation to student employment. Jobs are available throughout the university and are funded through federal and university sources. Pay rates range from the federal minimum wage to $10.50 per hour. You are paid on a bi-weekly basis, as you work and submit timesheets. Your work-study earnings are not deducted from your billed expenses.
The Job Locator Development Program is designed to assist you if you do not qualify under the Federal Work-Study program to find employment off-campus or with a number of incubator companies located on the Mountaintop Campus. This program is coordinated through the Office of Career Services.
Lehigh University is an eligible participant in federally funded student aid programs. Campus-based programs, where the university makes the awards based on the dollars available, include:
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
Federal Perkins Loans
Federal Work-Study
Direct entitlement programs (where the government directly, or through commercial lenders for loan programs, provides the necessary funds) include:
Federal Pell Grants
Federal Stafford Loans
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
Alternative Educational Loan Programs
The Office of Financial Aid can provide a list of programs with current interest rates and terms and conditions of repayment.
Army ROTC Scholarships
The U.S. Army awards scholarships in varying amounts, supplemented with $480 toward course-related books and a $250 per month stipend. Lehigh University is one of a handful of universities whose ROTC recipients may receive a tuition scholarship for four years. Recipients incur an obligation to serve on active duty as commissioned officers. Contact the Department of Military Science for details.
For prospective freshmen:
Students have the right to know
It is the student’s responsibility to:
For more information write to the Office of Financial Aid, Lehigh University, 218 W. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015; telephone (610) 758-3181; FAX (610) 758-6211, email infao@lehigh.edu or visit our website www.lehigh.edu/~infao.
Approximately 70 percent of all undergraduate men and women live on campus. Campus living facilities include traditional residence halls, apartments, suites in a multi-story building, or residence in fraternity or sorority houses. Physical facilities are also described in Section VI.
The offices of Residence Life and Residential Services at Lehigh University are committed to providing quality housing and educational services for residence hall students. Lehigh firmly believes that living in a residence hall allows students to become members of a positive community, in which they can live and learn with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Efforts are made to integrate academic and out-of-the-class learning in order to better enable students to develop balanced and realistic approaches as they prepare for life after graduation.
Approximately half of all Lehigh undergraduates live in residence halls. The university has twelve residence hall complexes for undergraduate men and women. Residence halls offer traditional style living (in buildings with corridors), and suite/apartment style living. A wide variety of affiliated housing include: Global Citizenship House, ROTC House, Substance Free, GreenHouse (Environmental), UMOJA House.
To help facilitate and maximize the residential experience, approximately ninety-five staff members of the Office of Residence Life live in the residence halls. On every hall there is a student staff member, a Gryphon, who provides assistance with personal and academic matters, serves as a campus resource, mediates roommate conflicts, and provides educational, and social programs. In addition to student staff, six full-time master's degree level professionals, Residence Life Coordinators, live and work in the residence halls, and oversee the daily operations for their assigned areas on campus.
All residence halls include House Councils that are part of the larger Residence Hall Association. Participation in House Councils provides students opportunities to develop leadership skills. House Councils are governed by the Residence Hall Association which is a vital and active organization, whose primary focus is to help fund and provide residence hall programs, assess student feedback and develop service-oriented programs.
All First and Second year students are required to live on campus unless they petition and are approved for exemption from this requirement. Due to this requirement, housing is limited and not guaranteed for Junior and Senior students.
When a First Year student candidate accepts an offer of admission, the candidate is provided with a Lehigh Identification Number that will provide internet access to the Campus Portal and the Residence Hall Room and Board Application/Contract. Priority for assignment is based on the date the candidate accepts admission. First Year students are informed of their room assignment and other information in early July.
Second Year students have the option of becoming a member of a Greek Organization and residing in a Fraternity or Sorority or they may participate in a Room Selection Process to choose residence hall housing.
Housing that is available for Junior and Senior students is distributed through a Residence Hall Housing Lottery system. Students who are not given housing through this process may apply to a waiting list to receive housing at a later date, should it become available.
Any questions in regards to housing should be directed to the Office of Residential Services by calling 610-758-3500 or sending email to inrsd@lehigh.edu.
The university has a long tradition of Greek life. The continued strength of this system is due in part to the efforts of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, the Greek Alumni Council, the Office of Residential Services and the Office of the Dean of Students to improve the quality of fraternity and sorority life through membership, leadership, social, educational, housing, and financial management training.
Greek life is an attractive alternative among the residence options at Lehigh. Each fraternity or sorority is like a close-knit community. These groups determine their own goals; organize their own houses and business affairs with the assistance of the Office of Residential Services; conduct their own social, philanthropic, and athletic activities; assist with planning their own meals; and select their own membership. Because they are largely self-governing, these organizations offer numerous opportunities for student involvement and leadership.
The twenty-one fraternities and eight sororities form a larger Greek community comprising approximately 36 percent of the undergraduate population at Lehigh. Through the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Council, they determine policies and organize social, philanthropic, and educational activities for the Greek community as a whole.
There are eight sorority chapters at Lehigh. Two are housed in the Centennial I complex on the Asa Packer Campus; six are located in Sayre Park. The sororities are Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Pi Beta Phi.
Eighteen of the fraternities are located in Sayre Park on the Asa Packer Campus. One is located near the campus and two are non-residential. The fraternities are Alpha Chi Rho, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Chi Phi, Chi Psi, Delta Phi, Delta Sigma Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Theta, Phi Sigma Kappa, Psi Upsilon, Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Theta Chi, and Theta Xi.
The Religious Program is under the general supervision of the university chaplain. The chaplain participates in the ceremonial life of the University and conducts special university worship services throughout the year. All worship services are interdenominational, with some being inter-religious. Roman Catholic masses are held regularly. The Newman Center can be contacted for a schedule of services.
Lehigh University is non-denominational. Packer Memorial Church, dedicated in 1887 in honor of the University's Founder, Asa Packer, continues to be the center for campus worship services.
The University Chaplain works with representatives of campus religious groups of all faiths and assists students in planning religious life programming. The chaplain's office sponsors an Oxfam Fast in November, organized the original Community Service Desk that helps coordinate volunteer services on campus, and creates opportunities for discussion of moral and spiritual issues through the Chaplain's Forum. In addition to providing pastoral counseling, supporting religious groups, and helping bring speakers to campus, the chaplain seeks to provide leadership to the university on religious and ethical issues.
Over fifteen religious groups on campus provide opportunities for religious fellowship. The groups include the Newman Association for Roman Catholic students under the guidance of a resident priest; the Jewish Student Center, which sponsors various activities for Jewish students; and organizations for Hindu and Muslim students. A variety of Protestant Christian organizations are available to students, including the Lehigh Christian Fellowship and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The chaplain's office makes information about religious life available to all students through the Chaplain's web page and can be contacted at any time for information about worship opportunities and religious activities either on campus or in the local Bethlehem community.
Lehigh offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities and student organizations. The student-run campus newspaper keeps the campus informed while the student run-campus radio station and the many drama and musical organizations entertain. Additionally, the Lehigh University Student Senate recognizes over 150 student clubs ranging from academic organizations and cultural groups to competitive club sports and political organizations. Student club activities are open to everyone and many of their activities are advertised on Lehighlive.com, an interactive site that lists campus events, movie listings, upcoming programs, and much more!
Students are invited to view a complete list of campus organizations by going to the following URL www.lehigh.edu/~instuact/sac.html or by visiting the Lehigh University homepage and selecting the link to clubs and organizations.
In Spring, 1997, the department of theatre moved to the Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh's impressive performing arts facility. Three theatres, scene and costume shops, a dance studio, music practice rooms, classrooms and more enhance the department's curricular activities. The department of theatre's annual production program includes four productions in the three hundred-seat Diamond Theater and multiple lab productions in the one-hundred seat Black Box Theater. The plays range from classics to world premieres and recent mainstage seasons have included Say Word! Hip Hop Theatre Festival, Inherit the Wind, Three Sisters, and Red.
Shows directed and produced by students as class projects or independent work occur regularly in the Black Box Theater. Recent lab theatre productions have included The Mercy Seat, The Fantasticks, Bug, and Polaroid Stories. Many events are sponsored by the Mustard and Cheese Drama Society, the country's second oldest collegiate drama club.
Auditions and production crews are open to all members of the university community. Production opportunities exist in performance, choreography, set and costume construction, properties management, lighting, sound, house management and publicity. Advanced students have opportunities to direct or design, under faculty supervision.
Outstanding work in the mainstage or lab theatre seasons may be recognized with Williams Prizes and theatre department prizes in acting, directing, design, and technical production.
Professional guest artists - directors, playwrights, designers, and actors - frequently visit the Lehigh campus to work on mainstage productions, teach classes, and conduct seminars and workshops for all interested students. The department also sponsors artists-in-residence, guest lecturers, workshops, and touring performances.
The music department offers students an array of ensembles in which to perform and develop leadership skills. The choruses, bands, orchestra, and ensembles are conducted by members of the faculty and managed by elected student leaders. Nearly all performances, except Christmas Vespers, are held in Baker Hall in the Zoellner Arts Center.
Students earn one credit per semester for each ensemble or lesson course in which they are registered.
The Lehigh University Philharmonic Orchestra. The Lehigh University Philharmonic Orchestra, a group of over seventy-five instrumentalists, performs approximately five times each year and has been featured in concerts in Washington, D.C., Florida, and Pennsylvania and on tour in Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Brazil, and South Africa. The orchestra has consistently earned standing ovations from audiences when performing, often for a full house.
The Jazz Ensemble, Bill Warfield, director, performs contemporary literature as well as the music of the more traditional bands such as Basie, Ellington, Goodman and Herman. In addition to performances on campus each semester, other concerts take place in New York City and the surrounding areas. Membership is by audition.
The Jazz Band, directed by Bill Warfield consists of student, faculty, and community musicians performing contemporary and traditional big band literature. Concerts are performed in the fall and spring at Lehigh as well as in the surrounding communities. Membership is by audition or invitation.
The Jazz Combo is an advanced combo (chamber group) for the most experienced improvisers under the direction of Dave Riekenberg. The group performs several times each semester on and off campus. Membership is by invitation only. Other combos are formed to accommodate student interests.
The Marching 97 meets during the fall semester and plays at each Lehigh home game, as well as several away games. Made up of students from all of the colleges at Lehigh, the band is a student-run organization dedicated to building a positive Lehigh spirit at games and off the field. Band camp is held three days during the week prior to the start of classes. No audition is required.
The Symphonic Band meets and performs only in the spring semester of each year. The ensemble consists of students, faculty and staff who are interested in playing music, and no audition is necessary.
The Wind Ensemble under the direction of David B. Diggs, is a select group of students dedicated to performing music for woodwinds, brass and percussion. These students represent many diverse majors. In 1999 The Wind Ensemble was honored by Downbeat Magazine, receiving the award for the most outstanding college classical symphonic band.
The Lehigh University Choir, directed by Steven Sametz, is an active force in campus life. The 50 mixed voices of the Choir, drawn from all majors of the University, are auditioned at the beginning of the academic year. They give four major concerts on campus and tour internationally. The Choir frequently performs with orchestra and regularly performs new music, including many works written especially for them. They have been heard five times on National Public Radio. Recent tours include Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Berlin; Florida; California; the Virgin Islands; Germany; Austria; France; and a five-city tour of Asia.
The Lehigh University Choral Union, composed of students, faculty, staff, and Lehigh Valley community members under the direction of Steven Sametz, performs three times a year with internationally known soloists and a full symphony orchestra. The 200 singers of the Choral Union bring major works such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Mahler's Second Symphony, and the Brahms Requiem to a broad audience.
Glee Club - The recently revived Glee Club sings traditional and new music for male voices under the direction of Steven Sametz. Enthusiastically welcomed by alumni and the university community, the Glee Club has thrilled audiences on campus, on tour, and at Lincoln Center, where they performed with the University Choir.
LUVME (Lehigh University Very Modern Ensemble), directed by Paul Salerni, combines students, faculty, and professionals in performances of recent music. LUVME also sponsors concerts of music by Lehigh students.
ArtsLehigh is an all-university program designed to promote, facilitate and integrate the arts, creativity and an aesthetic sensibility throughout the curriculum, campus environment and local community. The program is a resource for faculty, staff and students who are interested in incorporating artistic and creative experiences in their courses, student life and civic engagement.
Programs such as, Faculty Colloquia focus on teaching creatively, encourage out of classroom experiences as well as interdisciplinary approaches to various subject matter. Information about campus and local arts activities are also promoted for curricular consideration.
Students are welcome to participate in numerous programs presented by ArtsLehigh: ArtsAlive PreLUsion is an orientation on the arts offered at Lehigh for Freshman and transfer students; First Friday activities in campus square feature many of the student performing groups at Lehigh; The Spring ArtSpree is a celebration of diversity in the arts and encourages students to express their creativity - it demonstrates the culturally sophisticated environment and student atmosphere. ArtsLehigh also provides funding for student projects and activities in the creative and performing arts.
The local community is invited to participate in a number of activities on campus, as well as in the surrounding geography that increase the cultural capital in South Bethlehem. ArtsLehigh presents activities in Campus Square during First Fridays, and partners with a number of local arts and civic organizations to engage more Lehigh students in the arts and creativity on the Southside through service, learning and advocacy.
Lehigh's Community Service Office, located in the Ulrich Student Center, is a place where students, faculty, staff, and student organizations interested in volunteering in the community can get information. The Office is staffed by students who serve as Community Service Assistants, and the Community Service Coordinator, a professional staff member in the Dean of Students Office.
Students are involved in a wide range of service programs. Some of the projects include tutoring and mentoring programs with local youth through opportunities such as the America Reads and America Counts program. Many students are also active in local hospitals, with environmental groups, senior citizen centers, and shelters. The Office also provides students the opportunity to travel around the country during Spring Break to serve in homeless shelters, on environmental projects, Habitat for Humanity, and with youth programs.
Part of the Lehigh experience is getting involved. If you want to work in the community, contact the Community Service Office at (610) 758-4583 or check out our web site at www.lehigh.edu/~service.
Students have the opportunity to hear a wide variety of notable speakers. Among those to visit the campus have been former President of Poland, Lech Walesa: writer Salmon Rushdie; poet and writer Maya Angelou; Attorney F. Lee Bailey; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Lee Iacocca; General Colin Powell; South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu; and novelist John Irving. Nobel Peace Prize receipient Shirin Ebadi, Thomas Armstrong, director of the Whitney Museum, spoke with students during a week long residency. An Engineering Expo with speakers representing many prominent industries featured Peter Bridenbaugh, vice president of science and technology, Alcoa. From art to engineering, the campus stays in touch with current issues, trends, and movements through its many and varied speaker series.
Speakers are invited by various committees and academic departments. Several of the committees, including the Visiting Lecturers Committee, welcome participation by students as well as faculty and staff. Major lectureships include the Cohen Lecture, Tresolini Lecture (on law), the Connell Lecture (on religion), the Distinguished Lecture Series: Leaders of Practice (Education Department), and The Kenner Lecture on Tolerance. Lectures are also presented by the Humanities Center and the Friends of the Library.
Students can participate in many intercollegiate, recreation, and intramural athletic programs.
NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity sports include the following. FALL: football, men's and women's cross-country, men's and women's soccer, women's field hockey, and women's volleyball. WINTER: men's and women's basketball, wrestling, men's and women's indoor track and field, and men's and women's swimming and diving. SPRING: baseball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's golf, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's lacrosse, women's softball and women's crew.
Athletic facilities are located in Taylor Gymnasium and Grace Hall on the Asa Packer campus, and on the Murray H. Goodman campus, which is located one and one- half miles south of the main campus. The 500-acre Goodman athletic complex includes Stabler Arena, which seats 5,600 and hosts all Lehigh basketball games and tournament wrestling matches. The campus also contains Goodman Stadium, a 16,000-seat football stadium, and the Philip Rauch Field House, which includes a one-eighth-mile track and indoor tennis and basketball courts. The four-court Lewis Indoor Tennis Center was completed in 1994. A dual field complex, Ronald J. Ulrich Sports Complex, features both artificial turf and natural grass fields for lacrosse, soccer and field hockey. Other facilities on the campus include a championship cross-country course, baseball and softball fields, outdoor tennis courts, the John C. Whitehead Football Practice Complex, the A. Haigh Cundey Varsity House, numerous practice fields, an all-weather, nine-lane, outdoor 400-meter track, and a golf clubhouse and driving range.
Lehigh is affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Patriot League and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). Lehigh frequently hosts collegiate championship events in men's and women's sports and is the summer training camp facility of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.
The Department of Intramural and Club Sports supervises some 10 intramural and 30 club sports. The aim is to insure the health and physical development of students while participating in various levels of competition. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO SUPPLY THEIR OWN APPROPRIATE INSURANCE COVERAGE.
Through its program of intramural sports, the university endeavors to maintain among its students a high degree of physical fitness, to establish habits of regular and healthful exercise, to foster the development of self-confidence, good sportsmanship, and a spirit of cooperation, and to provide each student with ample opportunity for acquiring an adequate degree of skill in sports of the type in which participation can be continued after graduation.
Club sports are oriented toward mutual interest and physical activity. The underlying purpose of any club is to join together those members of the student population that share a common activity interest. Club competition can range from a club varsity status (Men's Crew or Ice Hockey) to equestrian, cycling, cheerleading, skiing, rugby or water polo.
Intellectual honesty and mutual respect are not accidental values in a university. They are, for students and professors alike, a presupposition of the pursuit of truth, which brings universities into existence in the first place. It is essential that an academic community uphold these values through rules designed to protect the freedom to teach and learn. The student code of conduct and the student judicial system are mechanisms by which the university endeavors to develop in all students a sense of responsibility to the Lehigh University community. When students fail to act in accord with the rules and regulations of the community, the university must hold them accountable for their actions.
The Lehigh University Student handbook (http://www.lehigh.edu/~indost/dos/hbook.html) contains information relevant for the student members of our community. All students have an obligation to read and be familiar with the Student Handbook and the policies contained therein.
Lehigh University shares in the historical heritage of Bethlehem, even though, having been founded in 1865, it is a relative newcomer. The fact that Lehigh was established in Bethlehem reflects the tradition of education established by the community's first settlers thirty years before the founding of the nation.
The first Moravians were among the many German religious sects that came to the New World, and especially to Pennsylvania, during the early 1700s. But unlike William Penn, who established his sylvania as a new land where he might hold his Quaker beliefs away from England's oppression, the Moravians came as missionaries with the intent of converting the Indians to Christianity. For this purpose they settled the Lehigh Valley.
The early Moravians were industrious. Their first building, the Gemein Haus (community house) was completed in 1741. This building stands today, one of thirty-nine remarkably preserved pre-Revolutionary War buildings constructed by the Moravian settlers and in continuous use ever since by the Moravian community. Many of these buildings are located on Church St., west of the City Center; industrial buildings are located in the 18th Century Industrial Area in the Monocacy Creek valley west of the business district.
The leader of the Moravians was Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf of Dresden. He arrived in the settlement in time for their observance of Christmas Eve in 1741 and gave the settlement the name Bethlehem-“house of bread”.
The settlers built high-quality structures of stone, demonstrating principles of engineering that were not generally used elsewhere. They were interested in music, and established the first symphony orchestra in America. In 1748, the settlement had a fourteen-man orchestra. The community's first organ was built in 1757 by John Gottlob Klemm. The musical tradition, including the trombone choir, continues today, perhaps most visibly in the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, whose yearly Bach Festival is held in the university's Packer Memorial Church. In 1985, the 300th anniversary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach was observed.
Zinzendorf envisioned Bethlehem as the center for manufacturing; outlying Moravian settlements, such as Nazareth, Pa., would be primarily devoted to agriculture. On October 15, 1742, a large barn was “raised” with the help of most of the residents. Three months later a grist mill at the community spring produced the first flour. In 1758, the Sun Inn was built along Main St., a haven for travelers. Reconstruction of the picturesque inn was completed in 1982, and it now operates as a community center and restaurant.
Zinzendorf's determination that Bethlehem would be a major industrial center was assisted by the completion in 1755 of the water works, the first public utility in the New World.
The Moravian dedication to education was an extension of the philosophy of John Amos Comenius, who had written, “Everyone ought to receive a universal education.” The Moravian educational institutions that continue today, including Moravian Academy and Moravian College, stem from this tradition.
The Moravians, although avowedly opposed to war, found their community pressed into service as a hospital when Washington's troops bivouacked at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78. Washington came to the community once, and many other Continental Army officers were visitors.
The Sun Inn was also used as a hospital during the war; among its patients was an aristocratic renegade from France, Marie Joseph Paul Ives Gilbert Motier, the Marquis de la Fayette. Lafayette had come to assist the Continental Army aboard his own ship, the “Victory.” Fifty years later a college in Easton was named in his honor and it became Lehigh's traditional football rival.
The first bridge across the Lehigh River was built in 1794. It was replaced in 1816, but the latter was destroyed by a flood in 1841. In 1759, the turnpike (toll road) over South Mountain, generally along the route of the present Wyandotte St. hill, was opened. The present Hill-to-Hill Bridge was built some fifty years ago.
“Black gold.” During the late 18th century, anthracite was found in the mountains north of the Lehigh Valley. In 1818, the Lehigh Coal Co. and the Lehigh Navigation Co. were formed, one to mine the anthracite on the upper Lehigh River, the other to transport it down river to metropolitan markets.
The Lehigh River was difficult to navigate. Consequently, in 1829 the Lehigh Canal was completed from Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), through Bethlehem to Easton, where it connected with the Delaware Canal. During the 1840s, iron mines were opened in the area, and several blast furnaces, fueled by coal, were in operation. Zinc ore, was found in neighboring Upper Saucon Township. In the 1850s Asa Packer built the Lehigh Valley Railroad. These origins eventually led to the heavy industry that continues in the Lehigh Valley today.
When Asa Packer founded Lehigh University in 1865, one of his objectives was to make possible broadly based education for young people of the region, combining the technical skills needed to run the flourishing industry of the Lehigh Valley with a liberal education.
In addition to its role as a steel-making center, Bethlehem today is a major tourist attraction. The Moravian community sets up an elaborate nativity scene and the entire city is decorated with lighting during the holiday period. The Moravian tradition of a single candle (now electric) in each window is widely observed.
Atop South Mountain is a steel tower known as the Star of Bethlehem. During the holiday period, the star's hundreds of bulbs create a 95-foot-high star that can be seen for many miles. The star was the gift to the community of Marion Brown Grace, wife of Eugene Gifford Grace, the steel magnate and president of the university board of trustees.
The community of Bethlehem has a population of approximately 78,000 persons with segments from a variety of nations who retain traditions of their country of origin.
There are five principal independent colleges in the Lehigh Valley besides Lehigh. They are Lafayette, DeSales University, Moravian, Muhlenberg, and Cedar Crest. A cooperative program is maintained that allows cross-registration for courses as well as shared cultural events. There are also two community colleges in the area.
In August 1984, Bethlehem held its first Musikfest, a 10-day annual festival that features a variety of musical performances and ethnic foods. An instant success, Musikfest was the brainchild of Jeffrey A. Parks, a lawyer and 1970 Lehigh graduate.