University Honors Council

Mission  

The Kathwari Honors Program functions to provide, foster, and nurture intellectually motivated students with academic and civic excellence opportunities, such as highly interactive and interdisciplinary classes, academic research, and community engagement. The Program consists of highly interactive and interdisciplinary classes and is built on the fundamental premise that knowledge is an open set of questions and ideas to be explored.  

Objectives of the Kathwari Honors Program:  

1. 1. Promote academic excellence 
   2. Engage in interdisciplinary learning 
   3. Serve the academic and/or local community  
   4. Practice effective research and/or performance skills 
   5. Support and maintain a collaborative and ethical community of scholars 
   6. Cultivate relationships between alumni and current students  

1. Kathwari Honors Program Director Responsibilities and Workload 
   1. Director Workload 
      1. The role of the director carries a workload equivalent to at least 6 credit hours per semester (Fall and Spring).  
      2. The director’s workload during the summer sessions is equivalent to at least 6 credits and may be equivalent to at least 3 credits over the winter intercession.   
      3. Additional credits will be provided for courses taught in the Honors program. 
2. The Director of the Kathwari Honors Program shall 
   1. Be selected by the Honors Council, who will review applications submitted through a University-wide open call. Applicants must be full-time faculty members at WCSU. The Honors Council shall select the Director by majority vote and forward their selection to the Provost for appointment.   
   2. Once appointed, the Director shall serve for a term of three years with the option of a one-term renewal as determined by majority vote by the Honors Council.  
   3. Report to the Provost. 
   4. Coordinate the Honors 100 course(s) and, if needed, the Honors 400 capstone course.    
   5. Supervise the work of the Assistant Director and coordinate Honors Program staff meetings.   
   6. Review and make acceptance decisions regarding direct applications and student records to the Honors Program.  
   7. In consultation with Honors Council, the general faculty and departments, supervise the workings of the major components of the Honors Program. 
   8. Plan and manage events and activities related to honors student recruitment, development, engagement, and achievement.
   9. Work collaboratively with campus consortium and community partners to facilitate programming, training, and opportunities for honors students.  
   10. Cooperate with Institutional Advancement on donor initiatives related to the Honors Program.  
   11. Develop, solicit, review, and implement the Honors curriculum in consultation with the Honors Council. 
   12. Develop, coordinate, implement, and review an assessment model for the Honors program.  
   13. Review and authorize Honors program expenditures, Honors research and teaching practicums, Honors course enhancements, and Honors student activity requirements.
3.   The Honors Council shall  
   1. Support and advise the Director on the development and implementation of the Honors curriculum, including.  
      1. Reviewing and Approving Honors courses.
      2. Selecting the recipient of any Honors awards
      3. Electing the Director of the Honors Program.   
      4. Reviewing and approving policies and procedures for the Honors Program 
   2. Convene regularly scheduled meetings, convened by the Chair of the Honors Council, or by the Director of the Honors Council if the Chair is absent.   Honors Council meetings shall be open to the public. 
   3. Meet quorum to hold meetings; quorum shall consist of half the filled voting seats of the Honors Council.    
   4. Vote on decisions taken during meetings; in the event that a vote is required between meetings, an e-mail vote will be conducted. Voting in e-mail votes shall be officiated as a roll call vote, and the vote’s outcome shall be added to the meeting’s minutes for approval.  
   5. Record meeting minutes, the responsibility for which shall be rotated among the voting members.  
   6. Be comprised of  ten (10) voting members:  
      1. Director (1) of the Kathwari Honors Program  
      2. Assistant Director (1) of the Kathwari Honors Program
      3. One (1) of the University’s Deans will be selected by the Provost in consultation with the Honors Council for a renewable three-year term.
      4. Faculty members (5) who will be selected through University Senate elections for three-year term, including
         1. Two faculty members (2) chosen from the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences (one member from a STEM field and one member from a non-STEM field)
         2. One faculty member (1) chosen from Ancell School of Business
         3. One faculty member (1) chosen from the School of Professional Studies
         4. One faculty member (1) chosen from the School of Visual, Performing and Communication Arts
      5. Two (2) student representatives appointed by the Director and drawn from at least two different departments.
4. The Honors Council Chair shall 
   1. Be elected through a majority vote of the Honors Council at the last meeting of the academic year, for a one-year term to begin at the start of the following academic year. 
   2. Conduct Honors Council meetings   
   3. Coordinate subcommittees of the Honors Council  
   4. Support and advise the Director  
5. Kathwari Honors Program Courses  
   1. The Honors Council will review and make determinations on all Honors course proposals.  
   2. Honors 100FY is a requirement for students in the Honors program and shall be an introduction to the Modes of Inquiry. All other courses shall meet between two and four Modes of Inquiry; courses that meet 2 modes will be 298 courses, 3 modes will be 398 courses, and 4 modes will be 498 courses. Honors courses may be cross-listed with University departments. The modes of inquiry are:    
      1. Textual Analysis: Inquiry to explore the various ways in which a text conveys meaning or people derive meaning from a text (a text is viewed broadly and may include such items as a written work, popular culture, ritual and symbol).   
      2. Scientific and Mathematical Analysis: Inquiry that utilizes the scientific processes of induction or deduction or some type of logico-mathematical representation or modeling to understand some event or phenomenon.   
      3. Artistic Creation and Analysis: Inquiry through the creation, performance, or analysis of a work(s) in mediums including, but not limited to: theater, art, literature, music, sculpture, photography, and film/video. Outcomes focus on the production of something artistic or the critical understanding of some type of creative activity. 
      4.  Historical, Social and Cultural Analysis: Inquiry that examines how an event or phenomenon is shaped by history, society or culture.   
   3. Department Chairpersons will also be consulted regarding resources required for a course, including labs, equipment, supplies, specific classrooms, etc.  
   4. The Honors Council shall review approved Honors Courses every three years to determine if some courses need to be revised and reapproved in order to ensure that all courses meet Kathwari Honors Program curriculum standards.  
6. Amendments to Kathwari Honors Program Bylaws  
   1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-third vote of full Honors Council membership at any regularly scheduled meeting, and the subsequent approval of the amendment(s) by the University Senate.   
   2. Notice of the proposed amendment(s) must be presented to the membership 15 days prior to the meeting.