THE NATIONAL HONORS REPORT VOL. XXI NO. 1 & 2, SPRING/SUMMER 2000

Authors

Date of this Version

2000

Document Type

Article

Comments

Copyright 2000 NCHC Inc.

Abstract

First, The Cover - taken from Damir Sinovcic's mural based on da Vinci's "Man as a Measure of All Things," with special thanks to Lydia Daniel (Director of Honors Institute, Hillsborough Community College); cover design by Stephanie Lucas with Jon Wszalek, and thanks to Joyce Wszalek (Associate Director, James Madison University VA).

1. "The Story Behind" by Lydia Daniel … 1 The director of the Honors Institute shares how the mural came to be. With comments from Damir Sinovcic, the artist.

2. "About Damir's Mural" by Margaret Brown … 2 Students and faculty awed by Damir Sinovcic's mural. Many other schools provide special art for student lounges; see the Spring 1999 cover and related stories about Heidelberg College's cartoon based on the principles of the honors program by visiting cartoonist Polly Keener. Heidelberg's second cartoon, by cartoonist David Coverley, will be on the cover of the NHR, Winter 2001. Both pieces of art show appreciation of honors in their own special ways .

... and reflections by honors students and graduates

3. "A Handful of Smarties" by Stephanie Lucas … 3 Importance of an honors student lounge by a recent graduate from honors. To promote community, provide computers maybe even TVs, and especially, to encourage unwinding. Example from James Madison University Goyce Wszalek, Associate Director).

4. "Defending the Senior Thesis" by Albert Spiegel … 4 Recent graduate of lona explains the rationale for including a thesis as a requirement for an honors program. Persuasive argument. For programs not including a thesis requirement, as well as programs rethinking or evaluating their own thesis requirements.

5. "The University Symposium: a Student Perspective" by Kathleen D'Angelo …6 From the student co-ordinator of George Washingron University's symposium (David Grier, Director), a one-ctedit honors option for upper-class students taught by an expert in the selected topic. With suggestions for roles students can assume in this option.

6. From Student Concerns Committee (Aaron Bibb) "Counteractfug Political Apathy in Honors Students" by Aaron Bibb … 8 Honors as agent of change. Informing students, sponsoring events to encourage students' connection with political process. Good suggestions for directors. (Connie Hood, Director)

7. Working With the Young (from Service Learning Projects at Hampton University, Freddye Davy Director) "Learning to Learn/Learning to Serve" by Derek Ham … 10 Lessons learned from coaching soccer team of pre-teens. Importance of role models.

"An Honors Experience with the Homdess" by Gregory Pidgeon, II … 11 Gregory shares his contribution to others. What he unexpectedly learned from this experience

"Helping Youth Prepare" by Crisarla Houston ... 12 A junior at Hampton discusses collaborative efforts needed to encourage leadership.

8. "So You Want to Have a Student Publication" by Stephanie Lucas … 13 Five tips for student publications, those new or continuing. From an experienced student editor of publications at James Madison University. A reminder to find core group of students to put publication together-and more. By the NHR's intern, Spring 2000.

... and reflectlons and challenges to honors

9. "Common Threads" by Martha Rosenthal … 15 Florida Adantic's honors director shows connection between program (started in 1998) and university (started in 1997). How each benefits the other, especially how program enriches the university's curriculum. Imponance of linking the two

10. "A Place for Honors" by Jack Dudley … 18 Thoughtful look at honors within its academic community. A legimate discipline? Too much concerned with structure (program or college or ... )? Evety department to offer honors? Intellectual issues take back seat to fight for stability? Elitist? Questions you might not want to think about. From an experienced director at Virginia Tech.

11. "Quantifying Honors" by Len Zane … 22 The uses and abuses of numbers. Problems in counting the number of students in your program. Use of these numbers. What this says about your program. Not the first time Len has tackled the problem of quantification. Read this article-a must for programs' own analysis or the reponing of numbers to administrators. Be sure to look up the Winter 1997issue to read Len's Presidential Address, "Numbers, Mountains, and the Supersonic Fly" ( a truly memorable address by NCHC's President Zane). Len has recendy retired as Dean of the Honors Program, University of Nevada, Los Vegas.

12. Numbers and More Numbers: Conversations on the Listserv (compiled) by Margaret Brown … 25

A. Discussion on issues of admission and graduation criteria

B. Discussion on issues of gender in honors

13. "The Birth of an Honors Orientation Program" by Sharon Baiocco … 31 Sharon Baiocco takes us through the development of a two-day honors orientation program for in-coming freshmen at Jacksonville University. Her guidelines should prove invaluable to anyone contemplating developing an honors orientation.

14. "All Invited: An Honors Retreat" by Ivy Mitchell … 35 A two-day off-campus retreat from Florida A & M provides special opponunities for students and faculty to meet. For first-year students to get advice from upperclass students; to associate with and join with others in this special honors community.

15. "Grassroots Groups" by Bill Langley … 37 Honors takes on local issue. Hands-on learning through an Honors Option when an interdisciplinary course is not feasible. Local issue is water testing to supplement Kansas' limited sampling

16. "Looking at the Components of an Honors Culture to Prepare for Strategic Change by Peggy E. Enochs … 39 Past traditions, ceremonies, and rituals as key to future. Assessment of culture necessary to plan for change. From a presentation at Southern Regional Honors Conference .

... and reflections and challenges to teaching honors

17. From Two-Year College Committee (Sandy Deabler & Cheryl Brock) "Let's Continue the Oral Tradition" by Sandy Deabler & Cheri Brock ... 45 Two faculty at NOM Harris Community College discuss the imponance of teaching students how to conven their papers into oral presentations.

18. "Analogizing Across the Curriculum" by George Miller & Ann Wescot Barich … 47 Example of creating a curriculum based on theories of psychology and philosophy. Not the traditional interdisciplinary approach in which one thinker crosses over to another discipline or to a loosely associated theme. Analogies as way to tie together cross-disciplinary approach.

19. "Technology & Honors Education (& the 1933 World's Fair)" by Thomas E. Beutel … 50 The 1933 promise of technology. The promotion and development of technology today and its relationship to honors education

... and reflections and challenges to the NCHC

20. "The New Technology and the NCHC" From Small College Committee (Tammy Ostrander) "SMACOHOP on the Web" by Hud Reynolds … 52 The Webmaster shares basic information about the Small College Committee website including how to make the best use of it. Includes sources available on the website. (According to the NCHC, "small college" refers to any institution with a program size of 76 or less OR an institutional size of up to 4001.)

21. "Long Range Planning: NCHC's Challenges Ahead" by Ted Humphrey … 54 A former president offers suggestions for the future of the NCHC.

22. President's Report: Conference '99 by Joan Digby … 55 Joan's sumary of income and expenses for the Orlando Conference '99.

23. "From the Home Front" by Earl B. Brown, Jr … 56

A. Reassessing the NCHC's mission.

B. Semi-annual report to the Executive Committee

24. Report on Membership Numbers … 60 The editor analyzes membership for the past three years.

25. The New Journal by Ada Long … 61'

Forum for Honors becomesJjournal of the National Collegiate Honors Council or NCHC. New issues planned after a twoyear hiatus. Editor Ada Long will present 'Liberal Education" by a number of invited participants. A description of six works-inprogress presented at the Orlando 1999 Conference is in the Winter 2000 issue of the NHR. A call for submissions for the second issue.

26. "Beyond Getting Out the News: How Publications Board 1999 Newsletter Award Winners (and Others) Did It" by Rita Barnes, Aaron Bibb & Connie Hood … 63 Announcement of 1999 winners of the seventh annual newsletter contest. With descriptions of winning entries (and some honorable mentions, as well). Good suggestions for any student or faculry editors, no matter what size circulation, frequency of publication, or format (including Web-based newsletters).