Honors Forum Council Minutes -- Friday, December 14, 1999

Present:

Michael Arnush, Amelia Rauser, Katie Cella, Sue Bender, Phil Boshoff, Ruth Copans, Anita Steigerwald and Jon Ramsey

Absent:

Tabitha Orthwein, Kim Helms

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Phil's proposed Summer Workshop- modified to a 1 day or 1/2-day workshop, this small-scale model of the proposed 3-day workshop will serve as lead in to HF101. Although truncated the workshop will still provide an introduction to HF, emphasizing community-building, membership in HF and participation in HF101. Victor Cahn is willing to participate. Given the less demanding and shorter model, making the workshop required is a real possibility. Anita will build in a time slot in the Fall '00 orientation agenda to accommodate the workshop.

HF101- 1 hour a week to include a library research component. HF Director to teach, no more than 15 students enrolled. Incorporate HF101 into the welcome letter. Members of the Council will provide Jon & Michael with course materials by late January.

HF 301- Senior Honors Symposium- Capstone, proposed for Spring 2001. Members of the Council suggested adding to the existing proposal the following:

• peer critiquing

• co-anchoring the course (Sue & Jon)

• Specifics regarding the nature of the additional reading and content

Other Business:

Psychology Departments proposed participation in HF not approved; The departments proposal to offer senior honors and the senior thesis courses as honors does not reflect the required demands of an Honors course. Even though the Department already considers the courses "honors," and the two sequences will be the Psych. series HF students will be required to take to complete their capstone work in the major, the council, the council does not think the courses should be labeled as "Honors Forum" courses. Such a decision would necessitate labeling all departments' capstone courses as "Honors Forum" courses, which would be misleading. Sue offered to talk to Joan Douglas, Chair of Psychology, to explore the possibility of crafting an under-enrolled Psych. Course as Honors.

Spring HF faculty Lecture: The Council agreed to invite Mary Lynn from American Studies for a talk & dinner.

Respectfully Submitted

Rebecca Burnham

Secretary