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MSU HONORS PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT: 2001-2002 2001-2002 Goals of Minnesota State University’s Honors Program
1. Encourage development of innovative, interdisciplinary Honors offerings. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: Enrollment in Honors seminars, topics, senior projects, and individual study work has doubled over the past four academic years, as outlined in the data below: Fall 1998 87 Spring 1999 76 Fall 1999 105 Spring 2000 114 Fall 2000 126 Spring 2001 120 Fall 2001 144 Spring 2002 157 Numerous Honors seminars, topics courses, along with a good sampling of MSU general education courses, were offered by the Honors Program during the past academic year. Approximately forty of the university’s most energetic and dynamic full-time and adjunct faculty members currently teach in the program. [For 2001-2002 Honors offerings, see the enclosure, or visit the Honors Program’s home page: ] PROGRAMMATIC PLANNING: In spring 2001, the Honors Program director sent letters to MSU full-time and adjunct faculty, inviting them to teach in the Honors Program during the 2001-2002 academic year. The director followed up by contacting faculty members individually, discussing with each individual the kinds of courses each might wish to teach. After instructors had arranged with their department chairs and deans to teach courses in Honors, the director contacted department chairs and deans to ensure that faculty were able to teach in the Honors Program. Next, the director prepared UPDs to be forwarded to chairs, deans, and Academic Affairs. All UPDs for full-time MSU faculty were submitted to department chairs on 28 May 2002. UPDs for adjunct faculty were submitted directly to Dr. Rene Hersrud on 28 May 2002. PARTICIPATION: Periodically throughout the academic year, student input concerning the nature and kinds of future Honors offerings was solicited by individual instructors and the director. Students had numerous opportunities to provide valuable feedback by completing self-assessments, course evaluations, and program/office evaluations. [Course evaluations and self-assessments for fall semester 2001 are archived in the Honors Program files in 203 MH.] NCHC: Involvement in the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has also been important to our Honors Program development. Along with Dr. Mark Anderson, Director of the Honors Program at SUNY-Brockport, Suzanne Bunkers planned and co-chaired three NCHC 2001 sessions that drew over 100 other Honors Program directors. All three sessions focused on administrative, budgetary, and programmatic issues facing Honors Programs and Colleges at mid-sized institutions. In addition, Dr. Bunkers published the results of her spring 2000 survey of Honors Program directors at mid-sized comprehensive institutions in the October 2001 National Honors Report 9 [copy on file in Honors Program office archives].
2. Increase enrollment in MSU Honors Program. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: CUTS IN HONORS BUDGET: In October 2002, the Honors Program director submitted the Honors Program’s staffing request for the 2002-2003 academic year [Copy is on file in Honors office archives]. Shortly thereafter, a 30% cut in the FY 2003 instructional budget for the Honors Program was announced by Dr. Jane Earley, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs. These instructional budget cuts allocated $40,000 per semester for FY 2003, in contrast with the approximately $55,000 per semester allocated for FY 2002. In addition, overload pay incentives for MSU faculty were discontinued. The effects of these reductions are as follows:
CURTAILED RECRUITMENT OF CURRENT MSU STUDENTS: No current MSU students were invited to join the Honors Program during spring 2002. This decision represented a major change from the previous academic year’s recruitment efforts, when approximately 400 continuing MSU students were sent letters of invitation. During spring 2001, Suzanne Bunkers held information sessions for interested students, then met individually with 75-80 current MSU students to discuss the possibility of their joining the program. Approximately 55-60 students joined the Honors Program as a result of these recruitment efforts. Because recruitment of continuing MSU students was not done in spring 2002 for the reason outlined above, Honors Program enrollments will likely decrease, or at best, hold steady, during the coming academic year. CURTAILED RECRUITMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: As a result of impending budget cuts for Honors Program 2002-2003 instruction, the scale of high school seniors’ recruitment was also cut back. This past academic year, the Honors Program director invited approximately 225 graduating high school students to join the MSU Honors Program. During January 2002, Suzanne Bunkers and her assistant, Jill Newberry, met with Diane Berge and her staff to outline the system to be used in identifying students who meet the qualifications of having an ACT score of 25 or above and a high school class rank in the upper 10%. From January through April 2001, approximately 225 students who had been admitted to MSU and who qualified for the Honors Program were identified by the MSU Admissions Office. Subsequently, each student received a letter of invitation sent by the Honors Director. Of the students recently admitted to MSU and eligible to join the Honors Program, approximately 50% elected to attend MSU; of that number, to date, approximately 25 have joined or intend to join the Honors Program. Several new Honors Program members hold MSU Presidential Scholarships for the coming academic year. Enrollment caps announced by Acting MSU President Karen Boubel will limit the number of incoming students eligible for membership in the Honors Program in 2002-2003. CONTINUATION OF THE HONORS LEARNING COMMUNITY: During fall semester 2001, the Honors Program director submitted an application to Academic Affairs to continue the Honors Learning Community (HLC) for a fourth year. This application was approved, and four courses will be offered to HLC members: English Composition 101-49, Introduction to Honors 201, The Nobel Conference 201, and Introduction to Experiential Education 202-49. The 1999-2000 HLC enrolled six students; the 2000-2001 HLC enrolled twelve students; the 2001-2002 HLC enrolled nine students. To date, five students have enrolled in the 2002-2003 HLC. During each academic year, a Honors Program member has served as the student coordinator for the HLC, which is located on G-1 McElroy. The new Honors Director [as yet undetermined] and three other HLC instructors [Ms. Brandy Williams, Dr. Suzanne Bunkers, Ms. Carrie Williams Finn] will work closely with the 2002-2003 HLC members and student coordinator to ensure that the HLC is a success.
3. Continue strong Honors advising. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: ADVISING: During the past academic year, the director met individually, often more than one time, with over 150 MSU students enrolled in the Honors Program. Advising took many forms: transcript evaluation for PSEO students, high school graduates, continuing MSU students, and transfer students; completion and submission of substitution/waiver forms to the registrar’s office; Honors senior project advising and evaluation; Honors individual study project supervision; assessment of credits completed in preparation for graduation, Honors web site development, etc. Recent recruitment and advising efforts have required intensive work on the part of the Honors Program director, who has had sole responsibility for these efforts. Due to increased recruitment during 2000-2001, the director’s advising load grew exponentially. Consequently, in spring 2001, Dr. Rene Hersrud offered assistance in identifying potential additional faculty who could assist the director by serving as advisors to students in the program. No progress in gaining additional advisors for the Honors Program has been made over the past year. ADDITIONAL ADVISING EFFORTS: The Honors Program has provided information to college student relations coordinators, admissions office staff, administrators, and faculty members who wish to learn more about how the program functions as an alternative to the regular MSU general education program. In addition, the Honors Director has met with prospective students and/or parents during college fairs, orientation sessions, presidential scholar interview sessions, etc., on duty days during FY 2002.
4. Expand service learning component of Honors seminars/topics courses. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: SERVICE LEARNING: Honors Program instructors continue to incorporate service-learning into course work and senior projects. During the past year, Dr. Bunkers advised twelve Honors students on their senior projects; seven included service learning and/or community service work. In addition, three Honors students took part in the Alternative Spring Break and other service learning opportunities, completing individual study Honors projects with Dr. Bunkers in conjunction with this experience. During spring semester 2002, Ms. Julie Harrison taught the highly successful three-credit Honors 450, "Exploring Honors," and Ms. Harrison will do so again in spring 2003. Dr. Joseph Kunkel’s Honors 450, "Citizenship I and II," which has been offered for several years in our program, continues to be a highly distinctive and successful service learning opportunity for our students, who take part in District 77's Public Achievement Program by coaching teams of seventh- and eighth-grade students at Dakota Meadows Middle School. Nearly twenty Honors Program members have worked with the program as team mentors/coaches. To learn more about the program, please visit Professor Joe Kunkel’s web site:
5. Develop and implement Honors Program assessment plan. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: ASSESSMENT: In June 2001, Dr. Hersrud and Dr. Bunkers met to discuss future work on the Honors assessment plan, based on revised learning objectives, and to continue discussions of inter-relationships between this plan and the newly devised MSU General Education Assessment Plan. During fall semester 2001, the Honors Program director solicited information from all Honors Program instructors concerning course learning objectives and means of meeting these objectives. In addition, the Honors Director solicited feedback from Honors Program faculty and students concerning guidelines for assessment of discussion, which had been proposed by Dr. Hersrud. Three single-spaced pages of feedback from faculty were submitted to Dr. Hersrud, with the request that she provide comments and advice, to be shared with the Honors Advisory Council, instructors, and students. Program instructors and members await Dr. Hersrud’s comments and advice so that they can be incorporated into the Honors Program instructional assessment plan. 2001-2002 PROGRAM ASSESSMENT: Honors 450, Senior Capstone, was assessed during the current academic year. The purpose of this assessment was to determine whether the course, designed by Dr. Bunkers and offered during the past three fall semesters, was meeting the needs of Honors Program members in planning and implementing their Honors senior projects. The assessment report [copy available in Honors Program archives] was submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs on 1 May 2002.
6. Explore possibilities for re-designing the MSU Honors Program. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ REQUEST: In spring 2000, Dr. Hersrud requested that the Honors Director take on the additional responsibility of program re-design, which would involve initiating a curriculum proposal and guiding the curriculum proposal through the review and implementation process. When Professor Bunkers agreed to serve a second term (July 1 2000 to 30 June 2002) as Honors Program director, she requested three credits of additional re-assigned time to undertake this new responsibility, and she asked that the first step in the process involve a feasibility study. HONORS ADVISORY COUNCIL DECISION: As noted in the Honors Program’s 2000-2001 Annual Report, the Honors Advisory Council (HAC) discussed this possibility at its fall 2000 meeting. The Council requested that Dr. Rene Hersrud write a proposal in which she 1) outlined the rationale for re-design and 2) identified specific financial resources to be made available to the Honors Advisory Council and Program Director to study (and perhaps implement) program re-design. The Council asked Dr. Hersrud to present her proposal at the spring 2001 HAC meeting. Because Dr. Hersrud did not attend the spring 2001 meeting, the proposal presentation did not occur at that time, and the subject of re-design was put on hold. Dr. Hersrud did not discuss the issue of program re-design with HAC members nor with the Honors Program director during the 2001-2002 academic year. DIFFICULTIES TO BE RESOLVED: Additional re-assigned time was not provided in the Honors Program director’s job description in 2000-2001 or 2001-2002 to provide for assumption of this new responsibility. Nor have the current responsibilities of the Honors Program director been reduced to provide such additional time. The twenty hours per week allocated to the Honors Program director’s position have not offered the requisite re-assigned time in which to assume the new responsibility of program re-design. Because the requisite additional re-assigned time has not been provided during the 2000-2001 or the 2001-2002 academic year and because other duties of the director been not been reduced to create available time, the director has not initiated it. Moreover, because the Honors Advisory Council has not yet received nor evaluated the re-design proposal it has requested from Dr. Hersrud, the potential program re-design remains on hold. PROGRAM REVIEW: The MSU Honors Program has been scheduled for program review during the 2004-2005 academic year, at which time the question of re-design will surely be explored as part of the review process. One possibility to be considered is the expansion of the Honors Program into an Honors College (perhaps along the lines of the Washington State University model). RECOMMENDATION FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY: Clearly, a programmatic and financial feasibility study seems a prudent pre-requisite to program re-design. In light of administrative changes and priorities that will be established when Dr. Richard Davenport assumes the presidency of Minnesota State University, Mankato on 1 July 2002, the HAC deems it advisable to explore the potential re-design of the MSU Honors Program most deliberately, thoughtfully, and completely before any implementation is undertaken.
7. Begin to develop a variety of Honors Abroad options. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: HONORS ABROAD CONSULTATION AND IMPLEMENTATION: Over the past year, Professors Joseph Kunkel and Suzanne Bunkers have consulted with International Program office staff, Seminars International Administration, and a number of MSU faculty members who have led study/travel abroad programs. Dr. Joseph Kunkel and Dr. Suzanne Bunkers then piloted an Honors Travel and Study Abroad in Italy during mid-March 2002. [See brochure enclosed.] This opportunity enrolled 19 undergraduate students and five faculty members. Both professors taught courses in conjunction with the study abroad opportunity, which was coordinated by Seminars International, Inc. Honors Program members who enrolled in the three-credit special topics Honors 450 course, "Italian Literature and Art," completed course work with Dr. Bunkers and participated in the March 2002 trip to Italy, coordinated by Dr Kunkel and Dr. Bunkers. At the request of Honors Program students who participated, Dr. Bunkers arranged a two-day extension of the travel/study abroad, during which she coordinated the Honors group’s visits to the Anne Frank House, and Van Gogh Museum, and other historical sites in Amsterdam. 2003 HONORS ABROAD PROGRAMMATIC AND INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING: Because the March 2002 experience was so successful, Seminars International has invited Drs. Kunkel and Bunkers to offer the Travel and Study Abroad in Italy again during spring break in March 2003, and the professors have agreed to do so. They are currently planning spring 2003 courses and the March 2003 travel/study opportunity. To learn more about this program, please visit this URL:
8. Plan Honors orientation for summer 2002. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: HLC AND SUMMER ORIENTATION PLANNING: Professor Bunkers began the planning phase by consulting with First Year Experience and Admissions staff members. In May 2002, Dr. Bunkers met with Ms. Carrie Williams Finn and Ms. Brandy Williams to discuss the results of summer 2001's Honors orientation and to plan the Honors Program’s role in summer orientation sessions. ORIENTATION IMPLEMENTATION: During each summer 2002 orientation session, the Honors orientation staff (Ms. Williams and Ms. Williams Finn) will meet with new students and parents to explain how the program works, help new students plan fall semester schedules, provide information about the Honors Learning Community, register students for the HLC, evaluate PSEO and AP credits, etc.
9. Plan Honors Learning Community for the 2002-2003 academic year. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: Informal assessment instruments completed by members of three previous Honors Learning Communities indicate that students appreciated the opportunity to have been part of the HLC. Recruitment for the 2002-2003 HLC will be the responsibility of FYE and the summer 2002 Honors orientation staff. Implementation of the 2002-2003 HLC will be supervised by the new Honors Program director [undetermined as of this date].
10. Continue to seek student, faculty, and staff input into MSU Honors Program. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: PARTICIPATION IN HAC: Involvement in the Honors Advisory Council by MSU faculty and students has increased over the past few years. Each college has been asked to provide one faculty representative on the Council. Several students and staff have also volunteered to serve on the HAC, which meets once per semester. In fall 2001, Professor Debra Anderson, the College of Education Representative, resigned from the HAC. At that time, the Honors Program director requested that Dr. Rene Hersrud and Dr. Georgia Holmes consult and name a new College of Education representative to the HAC before its next meeting. To date, however, a new College of Education representative has not been named. PARTICIPATION IN TEACHING: Given the heavy teaching loads (12 credits per semester) and other advising, community service, and committee obligations, involvement on the part of MSU faculty with the Honors Program continues to be limited. With one or two exceptions, only those full-time faculty eligible to teach on an overload basis are able to teach Honors Program seminars, topics courses, and general education courses. The number of adjunct faculty members who teach in the Honors Program has grown from one (1998-1999) to five (2002-2003). ASSESSMENT EFFORTS: Periodic opportunities for self-assessments, course evaluations, and office support evaluations offer students many chances to offer input into program development. Responsibility for the MSU Honors Club rests with the student members of the program, who have received MSU’s student government recognition for the club.
11. Continue to seek more adequate resources to meet the needs of the MSU Honors Program. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: To date, despite much discussion and consultation, no results have been achieved. Space and staffing issues continue to be problematic, as outlined below. SPACE ISSUES: COMPLETION OF SURVEY: During fall 2000, the Honors Program director completed and submitted a survey in response to Dr. Charles Andersen’s request for input toward the development of the Master Plan for MSU Space. [Refer to copy of survey located in Honors archives.] The Honors Program director requested larger office and advising space for the Honors Program; i.e., desks, computers, printers, fax machine, voice mail access, and adequate office storage space. REQUESTS FOR ADEQUATE SPACE: Several times during the past three-and-one-half years, the Honors Program director has asked the Office of Academic Affairs to provide an office space for the Honors Program’s 20-hour-per-week graduate assistant. To date, no office space has been identified or provided for the G.A., who must share the one-person Honors office (203 Morris) with the Honors Program director and the Administrative Specialist. If two staff members need to work in the Honors office at the same time, there is no additional room where students can meet with the director. Privacy and confidentiality are in danger of being compromised because of the dearth of program space, which continues to be an unresolved problem. NCHC STATEMENT ON SUITABLE QUARTERS FOR A HONORS PROGRAM: What is needed, according to NCHC standards? The National Collegiate Honors Council has outlined "Basic Characteristics of a Fully Developed Honors Program" on its web site. According to the NCHC guidelines, a fully developed Honors Program is characterized by considerably more space than a one-person office (203 Morris Hall): " The program should occupy suitable quarters constituting an honors center with such facilities as an honors library, lounge, reading rooms, personal computers and other appropriate decor." [ This web site was last accessed on 1 June 2002] COMPLIANCE RECOMMENDATION: To comply with NCHC guidelines and to meet the needs of the 220+ MSU Honors Program members, a sizable study space is needed, one that has computers and internet access as well as seminar rooms with tables, moveable chairs, internet and video access–rooms assigned specifically to the Honors Program. As was noted in the Honors Program’s 2000-2001 Annual Report, a space comparable to that provided to MSU’s ExC.E.L. Student Support Services Program or MSU’s International Program Office–each of which serves approximately the same number of students as does the MSU Honors Program–would serve the needs of our Honors Program. As was stated in the Honors Program’s 2000-2001 Annual Report, "If MSU wishes to present a positive image of its Honors Program to current students and faculty as well as to prospective students, parents, and potential donors, it is imperative that the university provide adequate and reasonable space for what Acting President Dr. Karen Boubel has termed one of the university’s signature programs" (8). The 2000-2001 Honors Program Annual Report is available in the Honors office archives. STAFFING ISSUES: From January until August 1999, Professor Bunkers was the only person staffing the Honors office. In August 1999, the Honors Program was funded to employ a 50% (20 hour per week) administrative specialist. Laura Johnson filled this position during the 1999-2000 academic year; her rate of pay was approximately $13.00 per hour. From August to mid-October 2000, following Laura’s resignation to pursue graduate study and be a teaching assistant in the English Department, the Honors Program did not have an administrative specialist. The Honors Program director temporarily assumed those duties in addition to the director’s duties. From mid-October 2000 until mid-May 2001, Vicki Turtle-Overas filled the 50% administrative specialist position. Her rate of pay was approximately $14.60 per hour. Since her resignation, Suzanne Bunkers and Kate Vinson, who continued her G.A. through summer 2001, temporarily assumed the duties of the administrative specialist. Jill Newberry was hired as a 50% G.A. (10 hours per week) to assume some of these duties during the 2001-2002 academic year, and Brandy Williams is serving as office manager (14 hours per week) during summer 2002. ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST: Due to the steadily increasing enrollments and the corresponding increase in staff workload, it is time to reconsider what level and kinds of program and clerical support meet the needs of the Honors Program. The Honors Program’s ability to offer a full-time administrative specialist position would surely increase the pool of potential applicants for the position. Such an increase would help the director manage the office as well as improve the public’s assessment of the resources MSU has dedicated to its Honors Program. [Refer to Honors office surveys are in the program’s archives] The increased work load in the Honors office justifies an increase in clerical support. After consultation with the Vice President and Assistant Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs, the new Honors Program director for 2002-2004 will determine when, how, and whether to commence a search for a new administrative specialist. HONORS PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Weekly logs indicate that the Honors Program director’s responsibilities have required approximately 30-40 hours per week during the past several academic years. Because the director’s appointment consists of a 50% full-time, tenured faculty re-assigned time appointment (i.e., 20 hours per week), the Honors Program director continues to have a number of other teaching, advising, committee, and service responsibilities in addition to directing the Honors Program. In summer 2001, Dr. Bunkers informed Dr. Hersrud that, during the 2001-2002 academic year, she could work a maximum of 20 hours per week as Honors Program director because she needed time to fulfill her other duties as a full-time faculty member. In October 2001, during a consultation by phone, Dr. Bunkers explained to Dr. Hersrud that she would not re-apply for a third term as Honors Program director for two reasons: 1) the Office of Academic Affairs’ expectations of increased responsibilities and 2) no corresponding increased re-assigned time in which to fulfill those responsibilities. As was noted in last year’s Honors Program Annual Report, it is time to re-assess whether a 50% faculty appointment provides adequate re-assigned time for the Honors Program director. Among the director’s responsibilities are these:
13) write and submit the Honors Program’s Annual Report. 14) be responsible for maintaining the Honors Program web site. 15) complete miscellaneous routine administrative and office tasks.
12. Consider development of additional goals for future academic years. Means of achieving goal:
Results achieved: This is an ongoing process, as outlined above.
CONCLUSION: The annual report above highlights a number of specific aspects of the Minnesota State University’s Honors Program, which was initiated in 1976 and which is now in its 26th year. Detailed information on the history of the Honors Program at our university has now been organized and placed into the Honors Program’s archives, located in the office at 203 Morris Hall. The MSU Honors Program students, faculty, and staff are deeply appreciative of the support that the University has provided to the program. Faculty and students involved with the Honors Program look forward to continuing to strengthen the program in future years. This Honors Program 2001-2002 Annual Report was submitted by Suzanne L. Bunkers on 17 June 2002.
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