PLNU has had a graduation with distinction system in place for many years. The Research Advisory Committee believes there are several changes that could enhance this program’s visibility and increase the quality of the research experience for the University’s best students. First, the Committee believes that in a liberal arts institution there is value in Honors Scholars meeting together in community, discussing their work broadly—beyond the confines of their own disciplines. Second, the Committee believes that the quality of the projects could be enhanced if Honors Scholars were to initiate work on their projects considerably earlier than is frequently the case with the current system.
With these two premises in mind, this proposal makes significant shifts in the timeline for initiating and progressing through the project. It also includes an Honors course in which students will discuss their projects in a cross-disciplinary fashion in regular meetings. Finally, the proposal includes the initiation of an Honors Scholars Conference at which student-scholars would present their findings and to which parents, faculty, and prospective Honor Scholars will be invited.
Following are the various components of the proposal:
Project Deadline. Students will successfully complete an honors thesis or project by April 30 of the senior year.
Qualifications. The minimum GPA for entry into the program is a cumulative 3.500. Where the student shows exceptional promise, and at the discretion of the department chair and with the approval of the Associate Provost for Research, this requirement may be waived.
Faculty Advisor. An advisor will be identified and formally approved by the department chair and Associate Provost for Research by March 31 of the junior year (i.e. one year prior to graduation).
Uniform Standards. To ensure uniform standards all students and their advisors will attend a short workshop to be held in the spring semester of the junior year, in conjunction with the Honors Conference (see below).
The Scholar’s Committee. A Committee will be formally appointed by the Associate Provost for Research at the recommendation of the department chair not later than September 15 of the student’s senior year. In addition, the project title and abstract of the plan must be filed with the Office of the Associate Provost for Research not later than that date (September 15).
Committee Assessment and Deadlines. Not later than December 15 of the Scholar’s senior year, the Scholar will make his/her first formal presentation to a meeting of the Committee. Based upon the presentation and other means deemed appropriate, the Committee will assess the student’s progress and make recommendations for future action. The committee will conduct the final oral examination not later than April 30. The project must be submitted to the Committee at least seven days prior to the examination date.
HONORS 499. Honors Scholars will register in the course, Honors 499 (3) Honors Project, in the fall of the senior year. At the end of the fall semester, Scholars will receive a grade of IP (In Progress). Upon successful completion of the project in the spring, a grade of CR (Credit) will be awarded. The project may include work that the student commences prior to enrollment in the HON 499 course. Indeed, work on projects during the summer or earlier is strongly encouraged. Students enrolled in HON 499 will meet every other week during
HONORS 499 (Cont.) the fall semester to discuss progress on their project. Depending on enrollment and other considerations, this may take the form of one large group, including all Honors Scholars, or several sub-groups of Scholars arranged by related disciplines. The course will include at least one session devoted to writing and presentation of the Honors Project. Students who do not successfully complete the honors project may, at the recommendation of the committee, receive credit for a departmental Independent Study/Special Topics/Research course as a substitute for HON 499. Alternatively, if the Committee so advises, the student may be given an NC (No Credit) grade for HON 499.
University Recognition. Student-Scholars will be recognized at graduation, their transcript will show that they have taken the Honors Project course, and their diploma will indicate “Graduation with Honors.”
Courseload Credit. Faculty project advisors will receive 0.5 units of overload credit (i.e. the normal directed study pay rate) for each student supervised.
Honors Conference. In early May, the University will host an Honors Conference to which all faculty, parents, and prospective honors students will be invited. All Honors Scholars will present their findings. Papers will be bound and placed in the library. Prospective Honors Scholars (those who will go through the process in the following year) will be required to attend the Conference and, in association with this, attend a workshop that will initiate them in the process of doing their own honors project. The workshop may include presentations of several successful seniors who will discuss the range of issues associated with completion of a quality project
Assessment. After two years, the program will be assessed by the Research Advisory Committee. Its recommendations for improvements in the program will be submitted to the Academic Policies Committee for review and comment. |