From: Matt Evertson, Director, CSC Honors

April 28, 2005

To: Dr. Thomas Krepel, President

From: Matt Evertson, Director, CSC Honors

Re: Honors Committee Annual Report, 2004-2005

Goals, Objectives and Recommendations for Academic Year 04-05

The following goals and objectives were outlined in last year’s report:

1. Implement the new program, which includes a transition strategy for current students.
2. Strategies of recruitment for both first year students and on-campus students as well as retention.
3. Program advising.

The following recommendations were outlined in last year’s report:

1. The committee should work towards a smooth transition to the new program structure.
2. Dr. Tucker should assist the new director in his or her first year.
3. The committee should work with the Dean of Arts and Sciences in organizing and promoting the fall Honors Seminar (HONS 200/400).
4. The committee should work on developing a program assessment plan.
5. The committee should develop a recruiting strategy aligned with the new curriculum to increase the enrollment in the program to 80-100 students.

Honors Committee Accomplishments for Academic Year 04-05

(Fall 2004)

After the committee overhauled and redesigned the Honors Program curriculum at the end of the Spring 04 semester, we attempted to put those changes into effect and ease the transition into the new program in the Fall of 04. I was brought in as the Honors Director in mid-summer, and we immediately went to work planning and preparing the Honors Seminar for Fall. Setting up the seminar, guiding the current honors students through the transition and welcoming students into the new program occupied the bulk of the committee’s time in the fall semester. We met three times in the fall to formally discuss and review the transition process. As Honors Director, I was able to bring to the committee some of the issues and concerns that students were relating to me in regards to General Studies requirements and the Fall Seminar. With the help and guidance of the committee, and particularly Dean Veath, we were able to put together a proposal for changes that we brought before Academic Review in October, and which were approved in time for these changes to be reflected in the new catalog. Attachment #1 illustrates the revised program: “Global Studies” was added to the General Studies substitution for the Honors Seminar, the Honors Seminar was reduced to three years from four (Freshman, Sophomore and Juniors) while Seniors will instead work on their Thesis projects in the Fall, and the Honors Seminar was renumbered to reflect this Freshman/Sophomore/Junior configuration (HONS 100/200/300). Finally, Communication Arts credit was extended to the Honors Thesis project for those students who would rather substitute for Speech than Composition.

The Honors Seminar itself—once these registration and general studies credit issues were resolved—came together effectively. We had eight faculty members present to the Honors Students in widely-publicized sessions that were also open to the public. At the end of the semester, the students completed an “Annotated Bibliography and Research Review” to fulfill the writing credit of the course (along with discussion board activities throughout the semester). The Honors Director set up the format of the seminar, arranged the presentations and the venues, and created and assessed the final writing project. The Honors Committee was helpful in reviewing these processes and in offering advice and guidance—and will be making several changes in how the Honors Seminar is set up and administered in the Fall of 2005.

Thirty Four students participated in the Honors Seminar: 13 Freshman, 12 Sophomores, 4 Juniors and 5 Seniors.

(Spring 2005)

Three important meetings of the full committee tackled several tough issues in the Spring. Our first meeting addressed our enrollment crisis. Between the Fall and Spring semesters, we had five of our Freshman drop out of the program. In our meeting we discussed the possible causes of these retention problems and set forth some potential solutions, including working more closely with the sciences and RHOP programs, were the bulk of the students that dropped out were completing their coursework. This continues to be a major issue that the committee will be working on in the coming year.

Our second meeting in the Spring focused on coordination. The Registrar was on hand to address issues related to the wording and recognition of students completing the CSC Honors program on their diplomas and transcripts. These issues seem to have been resolved. Course numbering and designations were also addressed. Tena Gould and several of her staff from Admissions were on hand to discuss strategies of recruitment and retention. The committee is working hard to update the language and profile of the Honors Program in all recruiting materials and on the web page. Finally, Sherri Simons from Housing was on hand to discuss the new honors dorm and coordination between housing, the Honors Program and the “Honors Dorm” itself. The Dean of Students, Dr. Stack, also joined the meeting to offer his insights. We then proceeded over to Edna Hall to review construction and the progress of that project.

Our third meeting of the spring focused on the challenges facing the Honors Program and plans for the Fall Honors Seminar. We reviewed a student survey that I administered through Blackboard—and tried to interpret and respond to the student comments about the state of the program, the courses and what changes they might like to see made. The committee then drew up plans for the Fall Honors Seminar in hopes of addressing some of these challenges that we have faced in our first year of transition. The committee is working out the final details of the Fall Seminar, but we have agreed on a unifying theme of “Globalism” and have several faculty members and programs throughout CSC that have expressed interest in helping us to stage the Fall Honors Seminar. It has become clear to the Honors Director, and the committee agrees, that we should have more committee involvement in the planning and development of the Fall Seminar each year.

In this final official meeting of the full committee, I announced my resignation from the position of Honors Director. Due to teaching and course pressures in my department and my own involvement with a variety of research and service projects—including the Sandoz Society and Sandoz Conference—it has become clear that I am unable to provide the kind of time and commitment that this position requires. Therefore, a smaller subset of the committee has been meeting over the past few weeks—with Dean Veath—to discuss how we might proceed. We are now in the process of searching for a new director. At least three people from the committee have also committed to work over the Summer to continue the hard work of the transition and to prepare for all the Honors Program needs and requirements in the Academic Year 2005-2006.

Continuing projects for Academic Year 04-05/05-06

• Over 400 recruitment letters have been sent out to incoming CSC students who would likely meet the Honors Program requirements. The Director and the Honors Committee will continue to work over the summer to fill out the incoming Freshman Honors class.
• The Committee continues organizing and setting up the Fall Honors Seminar.
• The Committee is currently working—and will work over the summer—on an Honors “Handbook” that will outline all the goals, objectives and requirements of the program and which will outline the requirements of the Honors Thesis. We hope to have this publication ready to distribute when our Honors Students meet this Fall.

Goals, Objectives and Recommendations for Academic Year 05-06

• A major project will be the implementation of the Honors Thesis portion of the program. At least five students will be starting their Thesis projects in the Fall. This process will need to be refined and perfected over the academic year.
• The Spring Honors Colloquium—where the students will present their thesis projects—needs to be set up, coordinated and firmly marked on a schedule that will allow for its successful completion.
• “Honors Day” needs to be reinstated—perhaps to be coordinated with the Spring Honors Colloquium.
• Recruitment of high-quality Honors Students—and retention of those students once they are in the program—will continue to be major challenges and goals of the committee.
• The Honors Webpage needs updated.
• The Committee needs to continue coordination with the Registrar, Admissions and Housing. The confusing array of Honors options on campus is a challenge to our visibility and success here at CSC.
• The Committee and the Director need to plan and create more social activities and field trips in order to foster a better sense of a “community of scholars.”
• The Committee needs to involve and coordinate with CSC Science programs, RHOP and Criminal Justice, etc… areas where we are losing potential honors participants.
• The Committee needs to give serious consideration to finding money available for scholarships, stipends or other ways of attracting, rewarding and retaining students in the program.

Review of Committee Charge and Recommendations for Year 05-06

It is imperative that everyone who is assigned to the Honors Committee be clear and committed to the goals and objectives of this ambitious new program. In particular, every faculty member that teaches Honors Courses must be on the committee. Because they are working with the actual Honors Students in classroom settings and otherwise, their insights are invaluable to the committee’s work. I would also recommend that anyone who has helped to direct or administer the Honors Program in its various iterations over the years also be assigned to this committee. Finally, a smaller “cadre” or subset of the committee probably needs to be established to share the actual work of coordinating, administering and overseeing this growing program—and resources need to be made available to help them in completing this work, which goes above and beyond the normal service requirements of most committees. Without further release time and/or more specific and assigned work from the committee, the Honors Director is left with an impossible amount of work to do in a limited amount of time each academic year.

Respectfully Submitted,

Matt Evertson

Director, CSC Honors

Attachment #1

CSC HONORS PROGRAM (2005-07 General Bulletin)

The Honors Program is an enriched interdisciplinary program for academically talented students motivated by intellectual curiosity. A college-wide community of scholars provides top students an opportunity to discover a diversity of opinions that convey knowledge about ourselves, our world, and our place in it through research, seminar participation, and an active engagement in the process of self-discovery.

Students in the program are part of a campus learning community who live together in Edna Hall, the newly renovated Honors dormitory. Honors students have the opportunity to interact socially with faculty and one another through regularly scheduled field trips, Honors luncheons, and the Spring Honors Film Series.

The following are the Honors Program expected student learning outcomes:

• enhance active participation in the process of discovery by assisting students in developing abilities to gain information and knowledge independently through research and scholarship, reason critically, analyze and solve problems objectively and think creatively;
• assist students in the ability to integrate and establish meaningful relationships between disciplines and bodies of knowledge;
• enable students to develop a level of maturity and proficiency in a field of knowledge;
• assist students in cultivating a basic awareness of how they share the planet with others and increase the students’ understanding of their individual responsibility in a global world;
• assist students in acquiring basic knowledge of our social environment and provide them with an enhanced knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for the various diverse cultures and societies in the world;
• assist students in acquiring enhanced knowledge of the humanities and the arts; and
• enhance the ability of students to understand their personal values and the values of others and the ethical and moral implications of that knowledge.

High school seniors who have an ACT of 24 or above and rank in the top 25% of their high school graduating class may apply for admission to the Honors Program. Transfer students and currently enrolled Chadron State College students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or above may also apply. The admission process includes completion of an application, three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the student’s academic ability, and an essay on a topic selected by the Honors Committee. Applications forms are available from the Director of the Honors Program.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Students completing all 15 hours of the program will receive special graduation recognition.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

HONS 100/200/300 Honors Seminar Credit 1 hr (x 3= 3 hrs.)

All Honors Program students will enroll in the Honors Seminar each fall; freshmen will enroll in HONS 100, sophomores in HONS 200 and juniors in HONS 300. The Honors Seminar will consist of a weekly presentation by a CSC professor or other professional. Students may have reading material assigned prior to the presentation. Students will be required to produce one research paper prompted by any one presentation. Should be repeated for credit, and completion of any three semesters fulfills three hours of the General Studies Program Composition OR Global and Social Awareness requirement.

HONS 101Human Nature Credit 3 hrs.

A study of philosophical, religious, scientific and literary explorations of ideas of human nature.

This course fulfills the three hours of the Humanities required of all students in the General Studies Program.

HONS 201 Human Society Credit 3 hrs.

An examination of ideas about how humans might best live together. Texts will be drawn from political philosophy, history, economics and literature.This course fulfills any three of the twelve hours required of all students in Government, History, or Global and Social Awareness in the General Studies Program.

HONS 301 Human Knowledge Credit 3 hrs.

A study of ideas about what it means to know and how knowledge has been acquired in various academic disciplines.This course fulfills the three hours required of all students in Reason and Values in the General Studies Program.

HONS 401Senior Thesis and Colloquium Credit 3 hrs.

Under the guidance of the Honors Director and a professor in their major, students complete a thesis in their area of study and present it publicly at an Honors Colloquium held in the spring. This course fulfills three hours of Composition OR Communication Arts required of all students in the General Education Program.

Attachment #2

Honors 200/400 Seminar Class Schedule (Mondays from 4 to 4:50, Locations TBA)