(supersedes SD 00-5)
(Approved, 10/18/2004)
TO: The Senate
FROM: The Honors Program Council
Donald Mueller, Chair
DATE: April 26, 2004
SUBJECT: The Honors Program (supersedes SD 00-5)
DISPOSITION: Upon approval of the Educational Policy Committee, to the Senate for approval, and to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for implementation
WHEREAS, the Fort Wayne Senate at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne did establish the Honors Program, the Honors Program Council, and the position of the Honors Program Director as constituent elements of the academic mission of the university in the Spring Semester of 1981; and
WHEREAS, the aforementioned elements and the Honors Program as a whole have expanded and adapted to meet the changing needs of the students and the changing environment of the institution; and
WHEREAS, Senate Document SD 00-5 does no longer accurately reflect the policies necessary for the continued success of the Honors Program;
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Senate approve the attached reorganized Honors Program.
Senate
(supersedes SD 00-5)
(Approved, 10/18/2004)
THE HONORS PROGRAM
A.
The IPFW Honors Program is an undergraduate program that seeks to enhance learning opportunities and create an environment of intellectual excitement and discovery through enriched courses of study and activities within a learning community.
The Honors Program will:
a) provide an individualized honors program of study combining interdisciplinary courses and courses offered in traditional disciplines:
b) facilitate participation in small classes emphasizing student interaction;
c) promote rigor in thought, critical thinking, analysis and synthesis in the context of problem solving;
d) provide a mechanism for students to develop a scholarly project of their own design under the guidance of a member of the honors faculty;
e) create an active intellectual environment through social, creative, cultural, and scholarly activities.
B. Admission and Honors Program Participation
Students will be admitted to the Honors Program in accordance with the standards and procedures established by the Honors Program Council. Participation in the Honors
Program is voluntary. Students may be admitted according to the following requirements:
a. Entering first-year students shall be eligible if they are in the top 10% of their high school class, achieve a 650 SAT verbal or math score, achieve a 1200 combined SAT score, or achieve a 27 ACT score.
b. Transfer students shall be eligible if, at the time of the transfer, they have a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) after having taken 12 credit hours with GPA-related grades.
c. Students at IPFW shall be eligible after having achieved a 3.3 GPA with twelve or more credit hours with GPA-related grades at IPFW.
In order to maintain active Honors Program status, students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3.
Students not in the Honors Program may take honors courses with the permission of the instructors. Students may take honors courses even if they do not intend to complete the entire program.
C. Honors Program Courses
The Honors Program shall regularly offer honors courses. Honors courses can be in any discipline and must be approved by the Honors Program Council in addition to any applicable regular course development procedure. Honors courses may be special sections of existing courses, or they may be entirely new courses that embrace the ideals and goals of the program.
Courses that are regularly offered may be completed for honors credit through the use of the H-Option Contract. This document allows a student in a regular course section to work with the instructor and contract changes to the course; these changes should reflect the goals and ideals of the Honors Program. Discretion over the implementation of H-Option policy and procedures shall be invested in the Program Director.
D. Honors Certificate Requirements
Because the Honors Program is an undergraduate program, all of the requirements of the program must be completed while the student is pursuing an undergraduate degree. Upon completion of such a degree, further completion of program requirements will not take effect unless work toward a different undergraduate degree is pursued.
In order to complete the Honors Certificate, students must take eighteen credits of honors courses or seminars, at least nine of which must be completed at IPFW. The total required credits must include:
b. at least one honors course at the 300 level or above (excluding the project)
c. honors courses that represent at least two disciplines
d. at least one honors course in the student’s major
In addition, the student must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 and the same minimum average in Honors Program courses at the receipt of his or her undergraduate degree to successfully complete the certificate requirements.
E. Function of the Honors Program Council
The Honors Program Council shall:
a. exercise the Faculty’s authority with regard to all matters related to the Honors Program;
b. establish and periodically review the Honors Program mission;
c. review and recommend applicants for the position of the Honors Program Director to the vice chancellor for academic affairs;
d. establish and review the duties of the Honors Program Director;
e. establish and review standards and procedures for admission to the honors program;
f. review the honors curriculum, including program requirements, course proposals, and course scheduling;
g. review the Honors Program budget;
h. perform regular program assessment;
i. approve the completion of program requirements by students;
j. report appropriate Honors Program policies to the Senate through the Educational Policy Committee;
k. elect its own chair.
F. Functions of the Honors Program Director
The Honors Program director shall be appointed by the vice chancellor for academic affairs in consultation with the Honors Program Council. The terms of the appointment shall be negotiated at the time of the appointment.
The Honors Program Director shall:
a. execute the policies of the Honors Program Council;
b. provide leadership and assistance to the Honors Program;
c. be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Honors Program;
d. serve as a member of the Honors Program Council;
e. represent and promote the Honors Program to university, academic, and honors communities.