Dr. Don Tomas, President

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Developing a Successful Community College Honors
Program

• Dr. Don Tomas, President
• Dr. Thomas Brooks, VP for Instruction Student
  Services
• Cheryl Contino-Conner, Director - Student Support

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Today we will discuss

• 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

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About SCC
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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

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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.

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How did the need emerge?
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How to Create an Honors Program
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Decision Create an Interdisciplinary 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.

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Mission of the Honors Program at SCC

• 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.

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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.

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Determining Applicant Eligibility Requirements

• 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.

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From Small Beginnings

• 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.

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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.

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Composition of the Review Committee

• Vice President for Instruction and Student
  Services
• Dean of Arts and Sciences
• Dean of Career Technologies
• Dean of Health Sciences
• Dean of Student Services
• Dean of the Macon Campus
• Director of the Honors Program
• President of Faculty Senate

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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.

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SCC Honors Contract
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Are you graduating this semester?
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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 testing
• MAT 151 Literature review of Freakonomics by
  Levitt
• EDU 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.

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Granting Honors Credit/Transcript Notation
15 class calendar days to submit
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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.

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Honor Program Seal
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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 Accepted 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
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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
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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.

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Program Expansions

• Student Appeals Process
• First Honors Class (Math 273) - Spring 2012
• Encouraging interest from faculty to offer Honor
  Classes in BIO 111, BIO 169 and ENG 113.
• Honor Guard
• Honors Program Lounge
• Funding for student projects

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Honor Guard Plaque
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Now, Just do it!
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Questions?