HONORS COLLEGE - University of Utah...2 1975 DeTrobriand Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113 Honors College Annual Report 2017-2018 The Honors College at the University of Utah At the

1975 DeTrobriand Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113 Honors College Annual Report 2017-2018

1975 DeTrobriand Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113 Annual Report 2017-2018

HONORSCOLLEGE2017-2018ANNUALREPORT

Sylvia Torti, Ph.D. Dean Monty Paret, Ph.D. Associate Dean Patricia Rohrer, Ph.D. Assistant Dean

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TABLEOFCONTENTSMissionStatementandPhilosophy 2

HonorsStudentBody 3

LivingLearningCommunities 5

AssessmentofLivingLearningCommunities 6

GraduationandHonorsDegreeCompletion 7

HonorsUndergraduateResearch 9

DistinguishedScholarships 10

HonorsAcademicAdvising 11

PraxisLabs:Action+Theory2017-2018 12

EcologyandLegacyMinor 14

ScholarsGroups 15

Curriculum 17

LookingAhead:2018-2019AcademicYear 18

Goalsforthe2018-2019AcademicYear 19

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TheHonorsCollegeattheUniversityofUtah

AttheHonorsCollege,dedicatedteachersandmotivatedlearnerscollaboratetobuildaninnovativeeducationalenvironment,whereeveryoneischallengedtothink,askquestions,takerisksandexplorethefullscopeoftheworldaroundthem.Theworkisdemanding,thestandardsarehigh,butherestudentsacquiretheintellectualtoolsthatwillenrichtheirlivesandenablethemtothriveinarapidlychangingglobalcommunity.

PHILOSOPHY

TheHonorsCollegeprovidesintellectuallycurious,motivatedstudentswiththefoundationsofarigorousliberalartseducationwithinthecontextofaworld-classresearchuniversity.HonorsCollegestudentsengagethebestoftwoworlds—anintimateliberalartsexperience,includingcourseworkandliving-learningopportunities,joinedwithaworldclassresearchuniversityandtheopportunitytoengageinindependentresearch,workingcloselywithtopresearchersandscholars.TheHonorsCollegeisdesignedforstudentswhochoosetocompleteademandingundergraduatecurriculumthatincludesbothdepthandbreadthofstudy.StudentsgraduatingwithanHonorsBachelor’sDegreefromtheUniversityofUtahwilldemonstratedistinctionintheirmajorsasevidencedbycourseworkandaresearchthesisorcapstoneproject,andtheywillbeabletosituatetheirdisciplinewithinalargerUniversitycontext,includingasophisticatedunderstandingandarticulationofhowtheirdisciplinerelatestootherdisciplines,bothpresentlyandinthepast.

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533500

450

590615 630

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018*Projected

1149

195

283

392434

159143

287

601545 553

477

165

7.69% 17.07% 32.45% 51.93% 70.89% 90.99% 96.36% 0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

≤22 23-25 26-28 29-30 31-32 33-34 35-36

Accepted

Total

HONORSSTUDENTBODY

TheHonorsCollegehasastudentbodyofapproximately2300.Forthe2017-2018academicyear,theCollegereceivedcloseto2800applicationsfor600spots.ApplicantsarereviewedontheirhighschoolCGPA,rigorofhighschoolcourses,testscores,essayqualityandinterestinaliberalartseducation.Toensureimpartialityandreducesubjectivity,tworeadersrevieweachapplicantandapproximately30%ofapplicantsgoontoathirdreader.

Figure1.Incomingclasssize2013-2017,includingprojectedFall2018numbers.

ThecaliberofstudentsacceptedtoHonorsisextremelyhighwiththeaveragehighschoolCGPAat3.9andaverageACTat30(Fig.2).

Figure2.2017-2018ACTScoresforApplicantPoolandAcceptanceRates.

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0

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Utah Idaho California Illinois Oregon Washington Colorado Nevada Texas Arizona MontanaEnrolled 440 44 20 12 8 6 5 5 4 3 2

Admitted 912 103 88 17 21 19 31 26 19 18 9

Applied 1310 148 142 25 32 30 44 33 34 35 13

Hispanic/Latino BlackorAfricanAmerican,non-

Hispanic

White,non-Hispanic

AmericanIndianorAlaskaNative,non-

Hispanic

Asian,non-Hispanic NativeHawianorotherPacificIslander,non-

Hispanic

Twoormoreraces,non-Hispanic

UofU Honors StateofUtah2010Census

Since2012,Honorshasgrownitsout-of-statepopulationfrom11%to26%.Ourgoalistohaveanout-of-statepopulationofapproximately30%.

Figure3.2017-2018Enrolled,AdmittedandAppliedComparisonbyTopStates

Ourethnicdiversitygenerallymirrorsthatofthestate.GiventheexpectedincreaseinHispanic18-yearolds,wearefocusingourlocalrecruitmenteffortsonthispopulation(Fig.4). Figure4.2017-2018EthnicityinHonorscomparedtoUofUandstateofUtah.

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LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Throughoutthe2017-2018academicyear,HonorshostedanumberofeventsforLLCstudents(andcommuterstudents)suchustheannualPresident’sReception,NightattheSymphony,raftingtrips,meetingswithelectedofficials,visitstoscientificlaboratoryoncampus,andlecturesandperformancesatKingsburyHall.EachFalltheHonorsCollegecollectivelyreadsanovelandparticipatesinsmallgroupdiscussionsledbydistinguishedfaculty,deans,andvicepresidents.ThispastFallstudentsdiscussedthenovel,ExitWestbyMohsinHamid.Honorshostedatotalof11bookdiscussions—oneforeachoftheLLCsandtwoadditionalsessionsopentoallHonorsstudents—andwereattendedbyapproximately300students.FacilitatorsincludedHonorsfaculty,HonorsCollegeDeanSylviaTorti,AssociateDeanParet,andAssistantDeanRohrer.Communitymembers,Dr.SarahMunro,DirectorofUniversityNeighborhoodPartners,andDr.CarenFrost,DirectoroftheCenterforResearchonMigrationandRefugeeIntegration,alsofacilitatedafewofthesebookdiscussions.

TheHonorsCollegehasanunadjusted97%FalltoSpringretentionrateoffirst-yearstudents(OfficeofBudget&InstitutionalAnalysis,hereafterreferredassimplyOBIA).Oursuccessisingreatparttothevariouslivinglearningcommunities(LLC)andlearningcommunities(LC)theHonorsCollegeofferstoitsstudents.StudentslivinginHonorsHousingparticipateinaLivingLearningCommunity(LLC)orthemedcommunity,whereeachsmallcohortofstudentssharelivingspace,alongwithselectedclassesand/oractivities.Honorsofferednineuniquefirst-yearLLCforthe2017-2018academicyear,andtwothemedcommunitiesforupperdivisionstudents.Studieshaveshownthatstudentswhoparticipateinthesetypesofcommunitiestendtoearnhighergrades,graduateontimeandfeelmoreconnectedtotheiralmamater(Price,2005).

219first-yearstudentsinLivingLearning

Community(LLC)

125

upperdivisionstudentsinThemedCommunity

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19% 32%

13% 10%

3% 19%

3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

StronglyAgreeAgree

SomewhatAgreeNeutral

SomewhatDisagreeDisagree

StronglyDisagree

LO2.TheHonorsCollegehelpedmebetterunderstandtheconnectionbetweenmylife(myrolesasastudent,familymember,

employeecitizen)andthecoursecontent.

16% 29%

19% 13%

6% 13%

3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

StronglyAgree

Agree

SomewhatAgree

Neutral

SomewhatDisagree

Disagree

StronglyDisagree

LO3.TheHonorsCollegehelpedmedevelopconnectionswithcommunitiesonoroffcampus.

16% 35%

19% 13%

6% 6%

3%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

StronglyAgree

Agree

SomewhatAgree

Neutral

SomewhatDisagree

Disagree

StronglyDisagree

LO1.TheHonorsCollegehelpedmeunderstandideasandconceptsacrossarangeofcourses.

Figure7.CommunityConnections

ASSESSMENT OF LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES

HonorssurveyeditsLLCstoassessthethreeintegrativelearningoutcomes(LO)oflivinglearningcommunities,aspreviouslydefinedbytheUGSLearningCommunitiesAssessmentCommittee,specifically:

1. IntellectualConnections:measuresstudentcapacityformakingconnectionsamongdisciplines,experiences,perspectives,etc.

2. Reflection/Self-AssessmentConnections:developsabilitytoself-assess(e.g.introspection,directionallearning,self-authorship)

3. CommunityConnections:anchoringstudentstocampusandcommunity(e.g.feelingtheybelong,knowledgeofwheretofindresources,etc.)

Overall,studentsinLLCsappeartomeettheabovelearningoutcomes,especiallyintellectualconnections.Thedatacollectedhashelpedusidentifiedareasforgrowth.Figure5.IntellectualConnections Figure6.Reflection/SelfConnections

AnswertoOpen-EndedQuestionaboutintellectualconnections:“Thenecessitytousecommunitybasedlearninghashelpedmeincorporateothersinmypursuitofknowledge.Forexample,Ihavetakenthismindsettoothernon-honorsclassesandhavefoundthatitenricheseverybody'slearningexperiences.”

AnswerstoOpen-EndedQuestionaboutreflection/self-assessmentconnections:“IbelievethatmyconnectionsinIT,AI,andCivilRightsLawhavetrulyempoweredmetorethinktheindividual'sinvolvementinsystemsofgovernmentandthesocialcontractswemakebetweenthedivine,theauthority,andthecommunity.”

AnswerstoOpen-EndedQuestionaboutcommunityconnections:“Livingnearthosewithsimilarinterestsallowsastrongerbondandcommunityfeeltooccurandcreateafriendlierenvironment.”

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19.8%

18.6%

17.4%

13.1%

10.9%

7.8%

3.6%

2.4%

2.4%

2.4%

1.2%

1.2%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Social&BehScience

Science

Engineering

Humanities

Business

FineArts

Health

Architecture

Education

Cultural&SocialTransformation

Nursing

SocialWork

19% 20%

27% 29% 32%

0% 5%

10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

GRADUATION AND HONORS DEGREE COMPLETION

Figure9.CollegesrepresentedbasedonthenumberofstudentswhoappliedtograduationwithanHonorsDegreeinAY2018(OBIA).

TheHonorsCollegehasanoveralladjusted6-yeargraduationrateof86%(OBIA),thisincludesstudentswhograduatedwiththeHonorsBachelor’sDegreeandthosewhochosetoearnaconventionalBachelor’sDegree.Additionally,onaverage,studentsgraduatewithahigherCGPAcomparedtotheirnon-Honorspeers.

IntermsoftheHonorsDegree,thehighestundergraduatedegreeconferredbytheUniversityofUtah,thelast4yearshaveshownamarkedincreaseinthepercentageofstudentsearningHonorsDegree(Fig.8),aswellasthenumberofcollegesandmajorsrepresentedbythosestudents(Fig.9).Honorscontinuestoworktowardsitsgoalofhaving50%HonorsDegreecompletionofallgraduatingHonorsstudents.

Figure8.PercentageofHonorsgraduateswhowereawardedanHonorsDegree,AY2014toAY2018(projected).ThispercentageisbasedonthenumberofstudentswhoatthetimeofgraduationwerestillpartoftheHonorsCollege.structure.

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70.9%

13.3%

1.2%

0.6%

12.7%

1.2% White

Asian

Hispanic/Latino

Black/AfricanAmerican

Multi-Racial

Unknown

AMay2018surveyofrecentlyHonorsDegreegraduates,continuestoshowthathalfofourgraduatingstudentsgoontopursuegraduatestudies.ThosepursuingagraduatestudyprogramwereadmittedtoplaceslikeUniversityofOxford,ColumbiaUniversity,NortheasternUniversitySchoolofLaw,UniversityofUtahSchoolofMedicine,andUniversityofIllinois,Urbana-Champaign,tonameafew.

Figure11.EthnicityofHonorsStudentswhoappliedtograduationforanHonorsDegree(OBIA).

Figure10.HonorsCollegegeographicalmakeupofUndergraduatesmajorswhoappliedtograduationforanHonorsDegreebyUtahResidency(OBIA).

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HONORS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

AspartoftheHonorsThesis,whichistheculminationoftheHonorsBachelor’sDegree,studentsengageinundergraduateresearchintheirdisciplinesunderthesupervisionofafacultymember.Formoststudents,workingcloselywitharesearchfacultyisthesinglemosttransformativeexperienceoftheirundergraduatecareers(HonorsAlumniSurvey,2016).“Myresearchexperiencehasbeenreallyincredible,unlikeanythingI’vedoneoncampus.IthasreallyhelpedmeapplywhatIamlearninginmyclassestoreallifesituations,gettointeractwithgradstudentsandfacultymembers.”

HonorsGraduate,Classof2018HonorscollaboratescloselywiththeOfficeofUndergraduateResearchinassistingHonorsstudentsengageinindependent,originalresearchandtopresenttheirworkatconferences.Atthisyear’sUndergraduateResearchSymposium(URS),170Honorsstudentspresentedtheirresearch.TheHonorsCollegealsosupportedover25studentstoattendnationalconferencesthroughsmalltravelgrants.StudentshadtheopportunitytotraveltoplacessuchasCalifornia,NorthCarolina,andWashington,D.C.Forthe2018-2019academicyear,Honorswillworktowardsincreasingthisnumber.Additionally,incollaborationwiththeTannerCenterforNonviolentHumanRightsAdvocacy,HonorssponsoredthreestudentstoattendtheOxfordConsortiumforHumanRightsatUniversityofOxford,UnitedKingdom,andtodoresearchonthetopicofhumanrightsafterconflict.

“The spring Oxford Consortium for Human Rights conference was one of the best highlights of my college experience thus far…As I am interested in the study of conflict, the most exciting section of the week was a lecture and discussion by Dr. Hugo Slim, director at the International Red Cross (IRC). I discovered how academic work is taken into consideration by the IRC for ongoing aid operations. It was an insightful moment: learning that academic research on conflict actually informs the practice of aid work to war zones.”

Oxford Consortium Participant

EricNhemHonorsBachelorofScienceinPsychology,presentinghisHonorsthesisat

URS2018

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60%

4%

4%

7%

3%

3%

3% 7%

3% 3% 3%

Utah

Tennessee

Oregon

California

Alabama

Colorado

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Montana

NorthCarolina

DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARSHIPS

ChurchillScholarshipEveryyeartheHonorsCollegeguidesandmentorsstudentsthroughouttheapplicationprocessforRhodes,Marshalls,Gates-Cambridge,Boren,Udall,andChurchill,tonameafew.In2014,theUniversityofUtahbecameChurchill-eligible.ThisyeartheUniversityofUtahhaditsthirdChurchillScholar,mathematicsandcomputersciencemajor,ScottNeville.

TheEcclesDistinguishedScholarProgramThankstothegenerosityoftheGeorgeS.andDoloresDoréEcclesFoundation,theHonorsCollegerecruitsandsupports30excellentstudentsperyear.TheEcclesDistinguishedScholarshipallowstheHonorsCollegetocompetewithIvy-Leagueschools.FortheFall2018class,wereceived360applicationsandinterviewed58finalistsforthe30spots.Ecclesscholarsparticipateinacohortexperienceduringtheirtimeasundergraduates.

PhotoSourceandNewsRelease:https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/churchill-scholar-2/

Figure 12. 2018-2019 Eccles Scholars State of Residency

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780 886 1003 998

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HonorsAdvisingMeetingsperSemester

Fall Spring Summer

HONORS ACADEMIC ADVISING

HonorsAdvisorsareorganizedaroundUniversitycolleges.This“bridge-like”structureallowsHonorsadvisorstoknowandunderstandthenuancesofeachmajor,aswellasbuildrelationshipswithadvisorsandfacultythesismentorsineachdepartment,leadingtobetterintegrationoftheHonorscurriculumandmorepersonalizedadvising.Studentresponsetothisstructureandtotheiradvisingoptionshasbeenoverwhelminglypositive.Forthe2017-2018academicyear(Fall2017andSpring2018),advisorsmetwith1576students.InadditiontocontinuingwithFirst-YearandSecond-YearMandatoryAdvising,advisorsimplementedaThird-YearAdvisingprogram.

Honors Advisors (Right to Left): Kelly O’Neill, Sarah Dyer, Ginger Smoak, Aaron Reynolds

Figure13.NumberofStudentsSeenbyHonorsAdvisors,Spring2014–Spring2018

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PRAXIS LABS: THEORY + ACTION 2017-2018

Honors College Praxis Labs are deeply-engaged experiences which draw students from all disciplines to collaborate on innovative project-based solutions to pressing societal issues.

Over the years, Praxis Labs have addressed a multitude of societal challenges in Health & Society, Energy & Environment, and Social Justice.

For 2017-2018, the Honors College offered

3 Praxis Labs

and served

35 Students Participants

BeginningofLife-StudentsinthisPraxisLabexaminedthescientificandculturalrootsofhumanhopesandfearsfromconceptionthroughtheearlydaysoflife,aswellastheprofounddecisionsthatindividualsmakeonbehalfofpotential,unborn,andnewbornchildren.Byemployinghistoricalandcontemporarysources,facultyandstudentsexploredeachphaseoflife’sbeginningfromavarietyofperspectivesincludingperinatologists,embryologists,ethicists,religiousthinkers,andtheirownexperiences.Afterconsideringmultipleperspectives,studentsdevelopedamultifacetedstrategytoimprovecontraceptioneducationandaccesstoUniversityofUtahstudents.Atitscore,thegroupaimedtoempowertheUniversityofUtahcommunitytomakethebest-informedreproductivechoicesforthemselves.OutofthisdesiretoeducateandempowertheUUcommunity,AlliedStudentforContraception(ASC)wascreated.Afullreportoftheirworkisavailableat:https://d1pncpx48jiw7e.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/BeginningOfLife_PraxisLabReport.pdf.

DrugsandUs–Duringthe2017-2018academicyear,studentsaddressedissuesindrugclassification,drugpolicy,drugregulation,andpracticalmeasuresfordealingwithdrugsofallsorts.Aspartoftheirexplorationphase,studentsdelvedintohistoricalreasonsfordrugclassification,consideredculturalandreligiousfactors,anddrugsinspecificcontextssuchaspainmanagementandlawenforcement.Additionally,studentsconsideredperformanceenhancingdrugs,usedinavastrangeofcontextsfromthemusicalconcerttothelong-haulmilitaryflight;soughttodeciphercomplexissuesaboutaddiction;lookedatinstitutionslikeDrugCourtandvarious12-stepprograms;andexploredseeminglyeverydayissuesaboutmatterslikepainandpainrelief,drugsanddriving,andtheuseofhallucinogensfromreligiousexperiencetopalliativecare.

ThebroadspectrumoftopicsformedthebackgroundforthecallofactionstudentsembarkedonduringSpringsemester.Withtheaimofcapturingallsidesofaddictionsandthestigmathatsurroundsit,studentsusedsocialmediaplatformstocreate“StoriesofAddiction”totellthestoriesofpeoplewhohaveexperienceswithaddiction.

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Additionally,studentshostedaNaloxonetrainingeventfortheSaltLakeCitycommunityanddistributedover180naloxonekits.StudentswillcontinueraisingawarenessandhostingNaloxonetrainingincollaborationwiththeUUBennionCenter.A full report of their work is available at: https://d1pncpx48jiw7e.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Drugs_and_Us_Full_Report.pdf.

WorldsApart?AccessingUtah’sUrban-RuralDivide–The2016electionputintosharpcontrastthepoliticalandsocialdivisionsthatexistbetweenruralandurbanareasinthiscountry.InUtah,thisdivideismarkedinsocial,political,andpolicydivergencebetweenareasofurbangrowthlikeSaltLakeandUtahcounties,andruralareasofthestatethatarestrugglingtokeepjobsandfamiliesintheircommunities.SponsoredbytheKemGardnerPolicyInstituteandSaltLakeCityCorporation,studentsinthisPraxisLabinvestigatedthenatureofthisdivideandexploredseveralperspectivesthatfocusedonbridgingthegap.

ThisexplorationsetthestageforstudentstoidentifyaspectsofthecomplexRural/Urbandivide.Afterevaluatingseveralproposals,studentsfocusedonbridgingtheeducationalgapthatexistsinruralUtahcomparedtourbanareas.Specifically,studentsaddressedretentionratesofruralstudentsatUniversityofUtahandevaluatedpost-secondaryeducationalopportunitiesforstudentslivinginruralareas.Tobringawarenesstothisissue,studentsorganized“RuralDay”whereLt.GovernorSpencerCoxparticipatedinapaneldiscussion.A full report of their work is available at: https://d1pncpx48jiw7e.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Two_Utahs_Final-Report-Honors-Praxis-2018.pdf

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ECOLOGY AND LEGACY MINOR

“ParticipatingintheHonorsEcologyandLegacyprogram(E&L)wasthebestdecisionIhavemadeinmycollegecareer.Callingthisprograma"transformationalexperience"isquitetheunderstatement.Thisprogramcompletelychangedthethinkinganddirectionofeverystudentwhohasparticipatedinit,providednewperspectivesthatnoneofuscouldhavegottenanywhereelse,andcreatedlifelongfriendsandmentors.Theprogrambringstogethertwelveorsostudentsfromanyandeverymajortostudyecology,theconnectionbetweenallthings,thehumanlegacyonearth,andwhatthesetwothingsmeanandshouldmeanineachofourlives.Theprogramcombinesart,science,andthehumanitiesandisthemostinterdisciplinaryprogramoncampusbecauseofthis…”

2017-2018Ecology&LegacyStudent

“What will my legacy

be and how do I live

my life now to better

ensure my legacy

comes to be?”

HonorsStudentswhalewatching,Summer2017.PuertoPiramides,PeninsulaValdes,Argentina

In Summer 2015, the Honors College offered the Ecology and Legacy Minor for the first time. Ten students, along with Professors Andy Hoffman, Associate Dean Paret, and Dean Torti, participated in an intensive 6-week summer block. Students used science, arts, and humanities to critically think about interactions between humans and their world. They spent two weeks each in the Great Salt Lake, Centennial Valley, Montana, and the Peninsula Valdes in Patagonia, Argentina learning about the different ecological systems. In Spring 2017, Honors offered the minor again, but this time spread over three semesters (Spring 2017, Summer 2017, and Fall 2017). Eleven students participated in this experience through Fall 2017. Students on average received $2,000 in scholarship funding to facilitate their participation on this deeply engaged experience. The quote below captures the impact this experience has on students:

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SCHOLARS GROUPS

76 distinct students benefited from a Scholar Group during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Students engaged in:

• Advocacy

• Service

• Discussions

• Project Development

• Mentorship

• Career Advising

• Networking Opportunities

Studentsfromavarietyofdisciplinesworkwithfacultyandcommunitymemberstoexploretheirinterests,considercareeropportunities,developprofessionalskillsandinvestigateandimplementsolutionstopressingproblemsinthecommunityandintheworld.ScholarsGroupsincludedthefollowing:

• GlobalHealthScholarsGroup-TheHonorsCollegeworkswithDr.StevenAlderattheOfficeofGlobalHealth/DivisionofPublicHealthtohelpstudentsconfronthealth-relatedissuesofthepresentandfutureinalocalandglobalcontext,andworkone-on-onewithlocalrefugeecommunities.

Duringthe2017-2018academicyear,thegroupmeteveryotherweektodiscusschallengingglobalhealthtopics,listenfromexpertsinthefield,andattendtrainingsandsocialactivities.ScholarsparticipatedintheUUGlobalHealthCaseCompetitionandpresentedattheSpringSymposiumoftheCenterforResearchonMigrationandRefugeeIntegration.Scholarsalsosupporteda‘local’globalhealthprogramworkingwithadolescentsfromfamilieswhoaregoingthroughrefugeeresettlementtoimprovereadingskillsattheHserNerMooCommunityCenter.

• LegalScholars–Studentswhoareinterestedinhowlegalissuesinteractwithsocial,political,businessandculturalrealitiesmeetwithRandyDryertodiscusscontemporarylegaltopics,addressingcurrentlegaltrends,observingactualcourtproceedingsandinteractwithjudgesandpracticinglawyers.

Legalscholarshadtheopportunitythisyearoflearningfrom12guestpresenterswhoareexpertsinthelegalfield,includingpracticingattorneys,judges,lawprofessors,judicialadministratorsandamemberoftheUtahBoardofPardons.

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UrbanEcologyandSustainabilityScholars—Studentswhoareinterestedinthelong-termhealthoftheircommunitiesworkwithStephenGoldsmithtoimagineandimplementnewenergy-savingsolutionsoncampus.Forthe2017-2018academicyear,HonorsScholarsinUrbanEcologyandSustainabilitycontinuedtomakeprogressdevelopingacampus-wide,pathwaynamingproject.Thisproject,beingconsiderednowbytheUniversityofUtahBoardofTrustees

aftergainingapprovalbyFacilitiesPlanning,ASUU,andthePresident'sOffice.Thepathwayprojectwillimprovenavigabilityforvisitors,faculty,andstudents,andimprovepublicsafety.WorkingwiththeInter-TribalStudentAssociation,thefirstpathnameswillbeNoocheoo,theUtewordfor"Ute,"andMiqueTuhgooven,theUtewordsfor"HelloFriend".Athirdpathname,"CommonGround,"wasselectedtocelebratesharedvalues.Formoreabouttheiraccomplishments,pleasevisit:http://urbanecologyscholars.org

ArtCommunityMuseumEducation(ACME)–ACMEScholarsworktodevelopnewwaysmuseumscanbetterservecommunitiesbybeingmoreinclusive,accessible,andrelevanttodiverseaudiences.Investigatingthewaysartandactivismcanaffectsocialchangeintheirownneighborhoods,ACMEScholarsarenotabout"doingfor"thecommunitybutratherlearningwith,learningfrom,andcollaboratingwiththeircommunities.InMarch,ACMEscholarsorganizedtheACMESession“FEMINISTSUNITE!BuildingCommunitythroughArt&Activism,”wherefemaleartists,curators,andeducatorsengagedinadiscussionofthechallengesfacedbywomeninandaroundSaltLakeCity.Theseopentalksbroughtover50participantstogetherinappreciationofsharedexperiences,whichinformedACMEScholars’nextprojectwithSanFranciscobasedmuralistJessicaSabogal.IncollaborationwiththeU’sOfficeforEquityandDiversityandlocalcommunitypartners,ACMEScholarsbroughtSabogaltoSLCthissummertopaintasixty-footmuralon700WestNorthTemple.Themural,inspiredbycommunityleadersandtheirstories,reflectsthisdiverseandthrivingneighborhood.

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2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018

CURRICULUM TheHonorsCollegehasseenanincreaseinitsenrollment(Fig.14)anddemandforcoursescomparedtopreviousyears.In2017-2018,Honorsofferedatotalof63sectionsofHonorsWriting,IntellectualTraditions(IT),andSciencecourses,whichformthecoreofthecurriculum,a11%increaseintwoyears.Theincreaseincourseofferings(andenrollment)ishigherwhenelectivecoursesareincluded. Figure14.IT,WritingandScienceEnrollmentforAY2015toAY2018Duringthe2017-2018academicyear,HonorscontinuedtomakestridestowardsitsgoalofstrengtheningtherigorandrelevanceofHonorseducation,specifically:

• Honorsfacultymetregularlytore-invigorateIntellectualTraditionsthroughthematicallybasedtopics;

• Re-wroteits“HonorsStatementofAcademicUnitRulesandCurriculumManagementPolicy,”whichestablishedacurriculumcommitteetaskedwithevaluatingnewHonorscorecourses;

• Ledaworkinggroupfocusedoninnovativecurriculumandstrategiesforfacultyto

engagestudentsbeyondtheclassroom;

• Exploredtheideaoffirst-yearcolloquiaanddevelopedtwonewcoursesthatwillbeofferedinthe2018-2019academicyear;

• Assessedtheeffectivenessofcoursestaughtoutsideofthetraditional16-week

semester.StudentswhotookProfessionalNegotiationsinSpring2018positivelyrespondedtothenewformat(13weekswithanintenseall-daySaturdayclass),reportedastrongsenseofcommunity,andoverwhelminglyrequestedformorecoursesthatbreakawayfromthetraditional16-weekmodel.

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Dr. Monisha Pasupathi Honors College Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Image:psych.utah.edu/people/faculty

Dr. Laurence Parker Honors College Associate Dean, Student Affairs

Image:elp.utah.edu/faculty/index.php

LOOKING AHEAD: 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR

HONORS COLLEGE LEADERSHIP AfterservingforsixyearsasAssociateDeanintheHonorsCollege,Dr.MontyParet,isreturningtohisdepartmentinArtandArtHistory.InSpring2018,aftercompletingacampus-widesearch,HonorsannouncedtheappointmentofDr.MonishaPasupathi,DepartmentofPsychology,andDr.LaurenceParker,DepartmentofEducationLeadershipandPolicy,asnewAssociateDeans.Dr.PasupathiandDr.ParkerwillbejoiningHonorsonJuly1,2018.

HONORS EDUCATION AT RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES TheUniversityofUtahHonorsCollegewasselectedtohosttheHonorsEducationatResearchUniversities(HERU)conference.HERUisabi-annualnationalconferencethatbringstogetherfaculty,administratorsandstafffromacrossthenationtodiscusstheneedsofHonorsstudents,aswellastheuniqueroleofHonorsprogramsatresearchinstitutions.TheHonorsCollegewillbehostingthisconferenceMay20-22,2019inhistoricFortDouglas.HERU,whichbeganin2013,waspreviouslyhostedatPennStateUniversity,OregonStateUniversity,andTheOhioStateUniversityin2013,2015,and2017,respectively.

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GOALS FOR THE 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR

SupportstudentsthroughHonorsDegreecompletion• Continuetocollaboratewithotheracademicunitsoncampus• IncreasethefinancialsupporttoHonorsstudentswhopresenttheirresearchatregionaland

nationalconferencesintheirdisciplinesCultivateadiversestudentbody

• Increasethepercentageofout-of-statestudents• Increaseinclusionanddiversity—Utahruralcounties,ethnicdiversity,andfirst-

generationContinuetostrengthentherigorandrelevanceofourcurriculumandassesslearningoutcomes

• Aspreviouslymentioned,Honorshastakenstepstoevaluateitscurriculumlearningoutcomesandimpactofdifferentprograms.Theseeffortswillcontinue

RaisenationalprofileofUniversityofUtahHonorsCollege

• WewillhosttheHonorsEducationatResearchUniversities(HERU)ConferenceinMay2019

• Deanandstaffwillcontinuetosubmitproposalstopresentatnationalconferences

Documents

HONORS COLLEGE - University of Utah...2 1975 DeTrobriand Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113 Honors College Annual Report 2017-2018 The Honors College at the University of Utah At the