Honors College Report

SAU Honors College Annual Report

28 April 2020

SAU Honors College

·       To date we have admitted 33 students

o   We expect to have a class of near 60 total

·       In May, we will graduate 30 students

o   Unfortunately, we will not be able to honors them with a reception as in the past or with a graduation ceremony

·       Current students are mostly coping with their honors projects

o   Some have had to virtualize their projects using electronic methods instead of face to face methods

·       Over the summer the Honors Seminar class (HC 1013) will be converted to online form in case that is needed. If taught online it will include many opportunities for peer to peer and faculty/student interaction.

·       Another summer project will examine how to present honors classes (full and contract) online. That is also a focus of the Honors Arkansas group (see below) and the National Collegiate Honor Council (NCHC).

·       Dr. Kardas and Dr. Thrasher (Director, NPC) and honors student Kelvin Tee each have poster presentations accepted for the NCHC’s annual meeting which will be held in Dallas in November. Hopefully, they will be able to attend in person.

Honors Arkansas Annual Meeting:

• This new group of Arkansas Honors Colleges and Honors Programs voted to cancel its in person meeting in July at Mt. Magazine State Park.
• Instead, the meeting will be virtual and will be held on July 31, 2020
• The group is well represented at the November NCHC meeting, topics are:

·       Honors online as a concept

·       Community College pipelines to honors (The SAU and NPC poster)

·       Governor's Research Teams

·       Civic Engagement Teams

·       Being adaptable in new environments

·       How Arkansas institutions are doing in the crisis

• The group also discussed potential admission changes due to Covid-19

·       SAU is keeping its current admission system

·       UAF will likely stay with it current testing.

·       UCA is moving to test optional for HC for fall of 2021

·       UALR is moving to test optional for HC for fall of 2021

·       UALR has study abroad requirement for honors. Will be exempting / flexible about this requirement.

·       National Park requires community service and not a problem as those students are helping with crisis response.

NCHC

·      The NCHC is mobilizing online resources and materials and sharing those with its members