Honors Response Committee

December 7th, 2014

Statement of Purpose:

To instate a system of strategic recruitment for the Millikin University Honors Program

To maintain the standards, integrity, and service associated with the Millikin University Honors Program

To present an attractive opportunity for both current and prospective students to engage in performance learning with regard to the highest standards of education, as stated in Millikin’s Vision

To promote a factual basis for decisions regarding Honors Recruitment and Enrollment

Assessment of Situation:

The University is currently in a position wherein the Honors Program has been robbed of a specific event and process leading to its growth and development. Previous to this year, there has been a system in place that allows the program, in conjunction with the University, to draw the attention of prospective students through an interview and application process. This process allowed for the program, the university, and the prospective student to make the best decisions regarding the student’s education, and more specifically, potential involvement in the Honors Program. By eliminating this process, the University would diminish the quality of the Honors Program and the education of the participants.

The proposed process of candidate review for the Presidential Scholarship does not effectively encompass all facets of academics and necessary components of the individual. The previous process afforded the pool of applicants an equal opportunity to be awarded both a place in the Honors Program and a Presidential scholarship.

Refutation of Premise:

As understood, the premise for the reduction of the scale of the interview event for the Millikin University Honors Program is the concept that the current process is disingenuous to pit approximately one-hundred students against one another for the prospect of four Presidential and four Provost scholarships. The students participating in the Honors Program conclude that the newly proposed system and ideology is contrary to the precedent of both higher education and application-based acceptance.

Furthermore, the students attracted to and eligible for the Honors Program are unfairly and incorrectly judged for their personal, academic, and professional qualifications through the proposed algorithmic, rubric-based approach. Prospective students are thusly more disadvantaged by not having the opportunity to interview for the Presidential and Provost scholarships. In this process, the University will undoubtedly harm itself by eliminating potential candidates by using the newly proposed method.

Among Colleges and Universities around the nation, the Honors Program/College serves as the face of the University and by doing so is able to recruit students to the University as a whole and to the Program specifically. By eliminating a process whereby students come en masse to experience campus and the Honors Program, this recruitment opportunity is lost.

By eliminating the elite process of interview, essay, and application, the quality and professionalism of the program will diminish and appear weaker against other elite programs. Several potential students might appear to be a superb candidate for a Presidential Scholarship or involvement in the program but may not be the best representation of the University with regard to public speaking, interview, and interpersonal skills - all being critical for professional success.

The opposite is also true. Several students have not had enough training in essay writing and application processes (that is, after all, the purpose of Critical Reading, Writing, and Research and the Career Center) but have the potential to be an incredible scholar. The proposed process does not consider all facets of a potential student and disadvantages all students while helping none.

Unique to Millikin University is the idea of Presidential Scholars being inextricably linked with the Honors Program. This uniqueness is lost and stratification of students would be created - Presidential, Honors, and “non-honors.”

The elimination of the large-scale interview day will also seriously compromise the Leighty Scholar process which has traditionally double-dipped with the Honors Interview Day. Though a new process could be developed, the two processes ought to remain parallel.

Finally, the second component of the proposed plan (eliminating an honors-specific visit experience) forces both the University and the Honors Program to lose an opportunity to demonstrate the quality of the Program, the University, and the academic community through an unparalleled experience.

Proposal:

The following is the proposal brought forth by the Honors Program at the volition of the students and in no way related to the requirement or appointment of Dr. Cheryl Chamblin, Honors Director.

What: Reinstate the interview process/overnight day for both the Honors Program and the Presidential/Provost scholarships. This interview process shall be reinstated this year to coincide with the already published date of February 14th for the Presidential Interviews. This experience will be revitalized to include sample lectures, discipline-based lunch, team-building activities, and a professor meet-and-greet. Furthermore, admittance into the Honors Program shall require an essay submission and involvement in the Interview Day.

When: February 13th/14th

How/Who: A subdivision of the Student Honors Advisory Council (a group of students from within the Program) will plan, staff, and execute this event. The required funding is negligible and will cover food for the dinner on Friday and meals on Saturday.

If approved, within a week of approval the group will craft a detailed schedule and find the necessary student volunteers and ensure faculty involvement to the level necessary for success.

Signed:

See Attached.