Dr. Don Tomas, President Dr. Thomas Brooks, VP for Instruction & Student Services Cheryl Contino-Conner, Director - Student Support Developing a Successful

Dr. Don Tomas, President

Dr. Thomas Brooks, VP for Instruction & Student Services

Cheryl Contino-Conner, Director - Student Support

Developing a Successful Community College Honors Program

Developing a Successful Honors Program

• How to Create an Honors Program

• Establishing an Honors Review Committee

• Mission and Benefits of The Honors Program

• Guidelines for Proposal Review

• Granting Honors Credit/Transcript Notation

• Securing University Honor Program Partnerships

• Program Expansions

• Lessons Learned

Today we will discuss:


About SCC


Member of the North Carolina Community College System – 58 institutions strong

Founded in 1964

3,606 curriculum students

5,558 continuing education students

Participate in NC Comprehensive Articulation Agreement

About SCC


Just Do It!

What you are about to hear happened without forming a new committee. Yes, you read this screen correctly.

We created an Honors Program WITHOUT a, “rally the troops how-to, investigative, design, brain-storming, trouble shooting, process discussion, process review, re-convene, implementation” committee.


How did the need emerge?

Spring 2008 -SCC Transfer

Students

Too many hours in University Honor

Programs/Colleges for community college transfer students to graduate from the University Honors Program/College.

SCC needs an Honors Program for transfer

students AND we need the universities to accept our honors

credit.


External Catalyst –WCU was willing to

partner with us. Transfer

opportunities.

Internal vibe: Strong commitment

to recognizing student

achievement…AFTER the fact!

QUESTION: Did we have a culture of

“breeding” academic excellence and

purposefully engaging highly

motivated students?

How to Create an Honors Program


Afford transfer students full University Honor Program/College opportunities;

Cultivate high achieving students (at SCC) in all disciplines;

Extend teaching and learning to advanced levels;

Re-energize faculty with studentmentorship and research.

Decision: Create an Interdisciplinary Honors Program


Challenge high achieving and highly motivated students to purposefully engage in Honors coursework.

Honors coursework is designed to enrich and expand the expectations of the traditional college course.

Intentionally focus on academic excellence including critical thinking, communication skills, and academic inquiry.

Honors coursework generally will be more writing, research and/or project intensive.

Engage students and faculty across all disciplines.Encourage and support Honors students in

leadership and service to the college and the community.

Mission of the Honors Program at SCC


Benefits of the Honors Program at SCC

Opportunity to participate in the highly motivating and academically challenging Honors program;

Honors designation on transcripts and degree/diploma;

Special recognition at graduation and honors medallion;

Enhanced transfer opportunities;

Invitation to honors luncheon/forum with SCC Executive Cabinet;

Increased emphasis on communication and critical thinking skills;

Direct link to University Honor Programs/Colleges;

Leadership and mentoring opportunities.


High School graduate/first semester attending SCC:A high school weighted GPA of 4.00 or higher,

or;A high school class rank in the top 10%, or;An SAT of 1875 or an ACT of 30 or higher

All other SCC students

A 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA with at least 12 semester hours of college level coursework.

Determining Applicant Eligibility Requirements


In the Fall of 2008, SCC offered students and faculty the opportunity to engage in the Honors Program. Four contracts were approved.

In 2009, in addition to Southwestern, five additional NC Community Colleges responded positively to the NCCCS survey regarding Honors Programs.

From Small Beginnings…


Establishing an Honors Review Committee

The Review Committee provides program oversight with regards to:

Mission, Benefits and Marketing of the Honors Program;

Review of proposals for approval, recommendation, or denial;

Assistance in Institutionalizing Honor Program goals;

Edit, revision or implementation of new policies and procedures, as necessary.


Vice President for Instruction and Student Services

Dean of Arts and Sciences Dean of Career TechnologiesDean of Health Sciences Dean of Student Services Dean of the Macon Campus Director of the Honors Program President of Faculty Senate

Composition of the Review Committee:


Guidelines for Honor Proposal Review

The proposal review process consists of the Review Committee feeling confident the applicants (student and faculty mentor)

thoroughly explained all questions on the application.

SCC Honors Contract

Are you graduating this semester?


Sample of Honor Project Topics

CJC – Initiate contact with an elementary school and secure permission to complete a set of inked fingerprint impressions/current student photos.

MAT 271 – Southeastern math competition at Gainesville State College.

PTA 120 – In depth evidence based research of the anatomy and biomechanics of the shoulder girdle with the activity of weight lifting.

SPA 111 – English to Spanish medical directory for local health departments, approximately 100 entries.

CHM 131 – Residential radon testingMAT 151 – Literature review of Freakonomics by LevittEDU 216 – Ethnograph examining sociocultural aspects of

public elementary school within our service area.ACC 121 – Research into how forensic accounting was used to

prosecute and convict German World War II officials and companies of war crimes and crimes against humanity.


Proposal is taken to Review Committee.

If accepted…

Faculty and student activate

the proposal.

By the last day of the semester, faculty mentor

decides on proposal outcome status –

acceptable: yes or no.

Faculty notifies Honors Program

Director of status. If successful…

Honors Program Director verifies final class grade

for honors credit approval – submits positive

outcomes to the registrar.

Granting Honors Credit/Transcript Notation

15 class calendar days to submit


Earning Honors Credit

Students who successfully complete the course in which an honors proposal was approved with a grade of “A” or “B” by semesters’ end earn honors credit.

Credit is awarded based on the credit hour for the approved class.

Credit is awarded on the STNT mnemonic (Datatel) per positive outcome.

IF:

Successful completion of program of study with a 3.5 or higher GPA.

Successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of HP credit.

Honors Program designation on the Degree/Diploma is provided with an Honors Program seal.


Honor Program Seal


Honors Programs Stats

What the stats represent:

172 students and 194 approved contracts;

Honors contracts have been developed in 82 classes;

35% of approved contracts have been mentored by adjunct faculty;

63 instructors involved;13 Honor Program

graduates.

Semester

# Projects Accepte

d

Successfully

Completed Projects

Success %

Fall 08 4 3 75%

Spring 09 25 20 80%Summer 09 3 1 33%

Fall 09 20 11 55%

Spring 10 11 6 55%

Fall 10 14 14 100%

Spring 11 13 13 100%Summer 11 4 1 25%

Fall 11 26 22 88%

Spring 12 41 31 75%

Fall 12 12 8 66%

Spring 13 21


Securing Agreements with Partner Universities

University # of SCC Honors credits accepted

WCU 12

ASU 12

UNCC 12

NC State 6

UNCW 9

UNCG 12

Mars Hill 9

UNC Pembroke 9

UNCA 9

Lees-McRae College

9-12




Lessons Learned

Location, location, and relationship – helpful with first MOU.

Friendly university competition helps with second MOU

10 days too soon for contract/proposal submission.

Summer contracts - not successful.

Scheduling honor luncheon forums in subsequent semesters does NOT produce good student attendance.

Faculty need an opportunity to have dialogue regarding the contract proposal process/standards.

If it feels like “extra credit” it is not worthy of honors credit.

Student notation on graduation program may require an early deadline for projects.


Program Expansions

Student Appeals Process

First Honors Class (Math 273) - Spring 2012Encouraging interest from faculty to offer

Honor Classes in: BIO 111, BIO 169 and ENG 113.

Honor Guard

Honors Program Lounge

Funding for student projects


Honor Guard Plaque


Now, Just do it!

Questions?

Documents

Dr. Don Tomas, President Dr. Thomas Brooks, VP for Instruction & Student Services Cheryl Contino-Conner, Director - Student Support Developing a Successful