Undergraduate Education Mission Statement The mission of the Division of Undergraduate Education is to promote academic excellence through collaboration with colleges and support units across the University. The mission is realized through both administrative supervision and support of premier undergraduate programs and academic support units for students and faculty, as well as administrative leadership for curricular reform. Central to this mission is campus leadership on issues pertinent to student retention, curriculum reform, and innovation in teaching and learning.

My Priorities Get to Know Division Respond to External Review Pick-up Loose Threads –Dual-Credit Degree Programs –Central Support for Transfer Students –Foster Continued Success of UK Core Initiatives for Retention and Success –“The Study North” at the King Library –Strengthen Voice for central programming and college collaboration

Honors Program

Key Dates in Recent Changes to University Honors 2004: “Honors Program – Reform and Expansion Call for Proposals” Spring 2010: Proposal for Interdisciplinary Honors Program (rejected) Fall 2010: “Report of the ad hoc Honors Evaluation Committee,” Honors Program Evaluation Committee, November 9, 2010 March 8, 2012; Senate approves new curriculum

Why Neoteric Why Neoteric? UK has redoubled its emphasis on undergraduate education 100 more Students in Freshman Honors Cohort Target of 10% of UG Population

Our Neoteric Curriculum 21 Credit Hours of Requirements Spread Over Four years –15 Credit Hours of Traditional Coursework Classes can be in Honors (HON) or in an academic department (H-sections, H-options) –6 Credit Hours of Honors Experiences Education Abroad Service Learning Undergraduate Research

UK Honors Curriculum Sample Four Year Plan First Year 6-9 Credit Hours 3-6 Hours UK Core 3 Hours Comp&Com. Second Year 3-6 Credit Hours One Honors Course One Honors Experience Third Year 3-6 Credit Hours One Honors Course One Honors Experience Fourth Year 3 Credit Hours HON 398 Senior Capstone Honors Support and Mentoring

Honors Courses HON courses – Seminars, limited to 20 students –Interdisciplinary, geared toward UK Core –300 level Proseminar H-Sections –Carry the prefix of the department or school –Small class format preferred: seminars or breakout sections –Taught by full-time faculty –Open to all honors students; instructor may choose to allow other students to enroll H-Options

Freshmen 2012: By the Numbers 310Students GPA in HS 82 Valedictorians 1171 AP Classes 144GSP, GSA 32ACT Median 50 National Merit Finalists

Students from 21 States

Student Success through Engagement and Support Access to personalized Honors advising and staff support Enrollment in Honors Courses Priority registration in other courses Access to UK’s most dedicated faculty Membership in Honors Community –Honors Program Student Council –Living-learning community –New Honors Dorm

What Honors Does For Students…. Complements: “Thread” Honors classes with major requirements and UK Core Deepens: Through upper-level courses or research in a major Broadens: Multi-disciplinary HON Seminars, Classes with the best students from across campus Enriches: Through specially-designed assignments, education abroad, service learning

What Honors can do for Departments/Colleges Offers faculty a way to teach Honors students in departmental courses (H- Sections; H-Options) Opportunity to recruit Honors students to your majors and minors Encourages advanced undergraduate research We should examine the potential to link distinction in majors to Honors

Neoteric Policies and Procedures Curriculum is new; policies still being formed and written Honors staff will work to ascertain demand for different types of courses Honors staff will work with colleges and departments to identify H-Section courses Students should be able to graduate with multiple honors: Honors Program and in major Impact of new VBB process still to be determined

What can we do with the Honors Curriculum Leave the choice of courses entirely flexible (Michigan State) Provide coherence and community through – – certificates (Texas A&M) – –“commendations” (U. Iowa) – –clustered courses tied to living-learning programs (Maryland College Park)

Constellations: Fixed & Flexible Ursa Major The Plough The Wain Septarshi (7 Sages) Otava (Salmon Wier) 3 Hunters Pursuing the Great Bear

Coherence and Community through “Constellations” A “constellation” is a groups of 3-5 courses based on a multi-disciplinary theme Themes emerge from student interests and faculty research/teaching Themes linked to campus dorms, living- learning communities

Some Suggestions for Course Constellations Honors Humanities/Great Books Sustainability Entrepreneurship (iNET) Copy Culture: Replication Society, Economics, and Disease

Chellgren Chellgren SLC Coordinators Identify a general theme around which to organize a cluster; Recruit a small team of faculty colleagues to serve as members of the SLC; Schedule and lead planning sessions of the SLC; Submit a brief outline by Dec 10 that summarizes the proposed cluster. Each coordinator will receive a $ 1000 research/travel stipend for their leadership during the fall 2012 semester.

Honors Program

Strengths Responsiveness to fill identified gaps in student services, initiatives that enhance student support and enrichment (Academic Enhancement noted in particular), and supporting ideas of and collaborating with campus partners to improve undergraduate education. Valuing excellent service, accessibility of services, and efficiency. UK Core Curriculum. New Undergraduate Studies identity.

Weaknesses or Concerns: De-centralized support staff. Lack of dedicated space for Undergraduate Education services. Lack of sustainable budget and inadequate number of personnel. Lack of IT support. Lack of fiscal development opportunities. Need for ongoing support of transfer students. Campus advising infrastructure and unevenness of advising services across colleges. Authority of Dean of Undergraduate Studies relative to deans of other undergraduate colleges. Timely and consistent communication. External review of Career Center recommended.

Opportunities Enhanced data collection and exploration. Co- location of additional Undergraduate Education programs. Potential creation of University College and Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Certificates. Evaluation of the workload across positions to ensure equitable distribution. Increased funding through development efforts. Stronger advising infrastructure across campus. Expansion of transfer student support. Restructuring of division according to primary constituencies and functions to reduce redundancies and increase efficiencies.

Challenges Creation of University College during current economic times. Inadequate recurring funds and sustainable budget resulting in challenges for planning and timely implementation of initiatives. Organizational disconnect with university assessment office and coordination of related efforts. Expectations for expansive communications across campus. Multi-prong focus of responsibilities and multiple constituencies, including students, faculty, and administrators.