The University Honors Program offers various activities, courses and incentives to well-performing students. Some honors students, however, would be happy with just one perk – early registration.
According to the class schedule, honors students and those with disabilities have the first choice of classes. They are allowed to register one week before graduate students, who are next in line for registration.
“The biggest benefit is clearly registering for classes early,” said Matt Sievert, a junior honors student. “That makes a humongous difference as far as signing up for classes.”
The incentive was so appealing that some students said they joined the program with no plan to graduate with honors. But no more, because the program implemented a rule this fall to encourage its students to become involved in the program’s activities. Honors students now must attend at least three seminars per semester and complete at least one honors class yearly to remain eligible for the program’s housing and scholarships.
“I know there are a lot of students who sign up for the program and never take a class, never come to anything,” said Timothy Hulsey, director of the honors program. “It just seems to me like it’s damning the system.”
Hulsey said he wants to “change the culture” of the honors program.
“We’re trying to create a sort of ‘community of scholars’ feel,” he said, “and I think we can keep the numbers down and have active students.”
Still, some students disagree with Hulsey’s vision for the program. Chanel Call, a sophomore criminal-justice major, said she joined the program solely for the early-registration perk.
“People who have good grades should be rewarded by letting them register early,” she said. “They should be given an incentive to continue making good grades.”
Sievert said he was disappointed that students enroll in honors classes just to register early because that’s not what the honor program is all about.
“But I think that’s just part of the game,” he said. “If you’re offering incentives, then there will be people who will come to take advantage of those incentives.”
Sarah Broughton, a junior social work major, said she, however, became displeased with the honors program because of the time commitment.
“I’ve taken about four or five modules, and I really enjoyed them, but I just don’t have time in my schedule to do it anymore,” she said. “I probably won’t graduate from the honors program. I can graduate with honors from the social work program.”
Nonetheless, Hulsey said the response to the rule change has been dramatic and positive.
“Attendance has been way up; enrollment has been way up,” he said, adding that he hopes to expand the requirements within the next couple years. If that happens, merely remaining in the program will require participation in its activities “just to show that (students) are working toward graduation with honors.”