SENATE DOCUMENT #26 ACADEMIC POLICIES COMMITTEE DOCUMENT #16 1984-85 The Academic Policies Committee recommends the establishment of an Honors Program for UNCA according to the recommendations of the Honors Committee Task Force. Since the only issue before the Academic Policies Committee was the academic aspect of the Honors program, the Academic Policies Committee wishes it to be clear that its approval is limited to that aspect of the program. It wishes to go on record opposed to any release time for the Director of the Honors Program. The practice of releasing faculty members for administrative duties further weakens the instructional efforts of the University and encourages the growth of an unnecessary administrative superstructure. The proper way to fund administrative activities is through administrative appropriations and not through the misuse of funds intended to support instruction. HONORS COMMITTEE REPORT Introduction In the fall of 1983 a Task Force was formed by the University Planning Council to consider the question of whether an Honors Program should be established at UNCA. The Task Force recommended that an Honors Program be developed. This fall, an Honors Committee (members: Blowers, Coyne, Gillum, Rainey, and Whatley) was formed by the Faculty Senate to set up an Honors Program. This memo contains our proposal. UNCA needs an Honors Program. The Honors Committee recommends that UNCA have a functioning Honors Program by the fall of 1985. Many colleges and universities across the state have operating Honors Programs. Honors Programs have been shown to attract a higher caliber of students and also to enrich the academic life of the institution as a whole. To be competitive in attracting and retaining academically talented students, UNCA needs an Honors Program as a drawing card. The Honors Program, however, will be more than a new tool for the Admissions Office. It will provide a structure for more rigorous academic challenges for students who desire them, serve as a laboratory for innovative academic experiences, and demonstrate the importance of academic excellence at UNCA. The Honors Committee recommends the following statement of purpose for the Honors Program: The Honors Program at UNCA proposes to recruit and retain superior students and to more fully develop their abilities. ORGANIZATION OF THE HONORS PROGRAM The Honors Program should consist of a Director who will be assisted by an Honors Program Council and perhaps an Associate Director. Qualifications of Director. The Director should preferably be a tenured faculty member. The Director should be qualified to teach in the Honors Program. Responsibilities of the Director. The Director shall ensure the successful operation of the Honors Program. The Director will report to the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Some of the specific responsibilities of the Director are enumerated below. First, the Director will determine in consultation with department and program chairpeople (a) what courses the departments will set aside as part of the Honors Program, (b) who will teach in the Program, and (c) the requirements for Honors students who are junior and senior majors in the department. Second, the Director must be the administrative spokesperson for the Program. Among the duties to be performed in this area are preparation of the budget, consultation with the Admissions Committee on incoming freshmen who might be part of the program, consultation with other administrative officials (such as the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Librarian) to obtain special consideration for Honors students, seeking off-campus financial support for the Program, conducting an annual review of the records of students in the Honors Program to determine continuing eligibility, and submitting an annual report to the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Third, the Director must create an atmosphere which encourages Honors students to remain at UNCA until the baccalaureate is earned. He or she must shepherd each Honors student, who represents an unusual bundle of talent. Within this category of tasks are: procuring outside speakers, arranging social events, and offering academic and post-graduate advice. Finally, the Director will be active in recruiting possible Honors students. This task involves road trips with Admissions representatives, writing or telephoning prospects, and developing brochures and other publicity materials. Tenure of the Director. It is anticipated that the Director will hold that position for a minimum of four years. Compensation of the Director. Half-time release. It may be advisable to employ an Associate Director and give each quarter-time release. The Associate Director need not be tenured. Honors Program Council. The Director should be assisted by a Council composed of the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and three faculty members appointed by the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs. No more than one Council member may teach in the Honors Program in a given year. The Council may assemble at the request of the Director, but it should have its own chairperson. Responsibilities of the Council will include advising the Director on matters related to the Honors Program, screening student applicants to the Honors Program, overall evaluation of the Program including a major evaluation at the end of five years, and nominating candidates for the position of Director. The tenures of the Council members should be overlapping two year terms. ACADEMIC PLAN FOR THE HONORS PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY For beginning freshmen: Any student may apply, but participants will be selected by the Honors Council. Students with an SAT total above 1000 and a converted rank of 60 or higher will be invited to apply. Department faculty will judge the suitability of candidates to proceed to Honors major work. This judgment will be made when the student has reached junior status and has completed at least two honors courses. The standard to be applied is the probability the student can complete remaining Honors work at a "B" level. It is up to each department to decide whether Honors work is the same as departmental distinction. For transfer students: Transfer students who are admitted on the basis of SAT scores and high school class rank will be eligible on the same basis as beginning freshmen. Transfer students with 36 hours of transfer credit will be invited to apply if their transfer GPA is 3.25 or higher. Other interested transfer students may apply to the Honors Council for admission. Continuing UNCA Students: UNCA students who have a 3.25 GPA in Freshman Writing and Humanities 124 will be invited to apply. Other students may apply to the Honors Council for admission. Continuation in the Honors Program: A student's participation in the Honors Program will be reviewed each year by the Director of the Honors Program in consultation with the Honors Council. PROGRAM The Honors Program consists of eight courses. Special sections of general education courses provide the foundation for the Honors Program. A senior research project caps the major with a high level honors experience. Honors Program courses will be designated as such on the transcript. Completion of the Honors Program will be indicated on the transcript and on the diploma. The Honors Program will begin in the fall of 1985. Honors sections of Language 112 and 115, and Humanities 124, 214, and 224 will be offered. In the second year of the Program, special sections of Humanities 414, Honors 373, and Honors 494 will be added. It is anticipated that enrollment in Honors courses will be limited to fifteen students. Honors General Education Courses: Special sections of existing courses: Honors 112 Freshman Writing II Honors 115 Advanced Writing and Literature Honors 124 The Ancient World Honors 214 The Rise of European Civilization Honors 224 The Modern World Honors 414 The Future and the Individual Honors Upper Division Course: Honors 373 Interdisciplinary seminar for upper level Honors students and others who may wish to enroll. Topics of general interest will be selected. May be repeated for credit. (3 credit hours) Honors Major Work: Honors 494 Senior Honors Project and Colloquium (1-6 credit hours). As a part of the Senior Honors Project the student will be required to present a seminar on his or her Honors Project and to attend the seminars of other Honors students. Although Honors students have priority of access, any student may enroll in Honors general education courses and Honors 373 if there is space in the course. Honors 494 is by permission of the major department only. Graduation Requirements: To be designated an Honors Program Graduate at Commencement, students must have a 3.00 average in all Honors work attempted, including at least two of the general education Honors courses and Honors 494. EXTRACURRICULAR BENEFITS OF THE HONORS PROGRAM An Honors Program at UNCA should include features to build community among Honors students and make it clear that their extra effort is valued by the institution. 1. An Honors residence area should be established in the Dormitory Village. 2. Special library privileges should be extended to honors students. 3. Before choosing a major, Honors students should be advised by the Program Director, who will be alert to possibilities for advanced placement, exemption of requirements, individual study courses, etc. 4. An Honors lounge in the Library, comfortable enough to attract students, is a desirable goal, particularly because many honors students will be commuters. 5. An Honors Association should be established and should hold frequent gatherings such as lunches in the Highsmith Center with faculty guests, Friday afternoon social hours, etc. Some of these should be symposia, have speakers, or otherwise be given a definite intellectual focus. Because the Honors Association will serve the entire academic community, it should be eligible for funding by the Campus Commission. 6. Active participants in the Honors Program should be given access to closed classes whenever possible.