The particular faculty who work with Honors students evaluates Senior Studies. Expectations from the Honors Program with regard to these projects and/or research papers are:
Know: high quality depth of thought manifested in a level of expertise of the discipline's knowledge;
Do: thorough and well-researched analysis and data delivered in a form pertinent to the discipline; and
Value: self-evaluation in the context of the discipline
The Director and Associate Director of the Honors Program, in conjunction with the Honors Advisory Council (comprised of representatives of each college, 2 members from the Honors Student Advisory Board, and the liaison for the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, including the administrators of the Honors Program) will evaluate a random sampling of Senior Studies every other spring semester (including those Senior Studies submitted for December commencement). To determine student performance, a general rubric will be applied to each Senior Study.
The Senior Studies will be sorted according to department and college first. It may be presumed that the faculty representatives on the Honors Advisory Council may have a better grasp of content, while the administrators of the Honors Program, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs liaison, and the students from the Honors Student Advisory Board may evaluate form and self-evaluation. On the following pages is the sampling of such a rubric.
Direct Measures
- Capstone Course
- Capstone Experience/Student Teaching
- Internship
- Portfolios
- Projects
- Writing Samples
using General Rubric
Indirect Measures
Objective: To ascertain current student and alumni (involves all students) perspectives on the efficacy of the Honors Program's basic academic objectives, especially as this pertains to the Senior Study or Capstone Course. These surveys were conducted as part of the Academic Program Review, Fall 2003. They will continue to be part of an exit interview process for graduating seniors every December and May, and for alumni every three years.
Annual Cycle of Activity
- Approximately 10-12 state-wide College Fairs-Recruitment
- Letters of greeting/enclosed applications to NE Guidance Counselors
- 3-5 Recruitment Phoning Sessions by Honors Student Phone Team (prior to Dec. 2 application deadline for the Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub (OWH/H) Scholarship selection
- Processing of all upper-class students Honors Option contracts for fall semester
- 5-10 meetings with prospective students and parents per week
- Honors Advising in October for spring pre-registration in early November
- Processing of applications to Honors Program
- Negotiation with departments for Honors General Studies classes
- Evaluation of application files/selection of OWH/H scholarship candidates
- Honors Student Graduation list for December commencement
- Interviews/Chancellor's Luncheon for selection of 2 OWH/H winners
- 9-10 state-wide Go for the Gold Admissions Receptions
- Evaluation and selection of freshmen for admission to Honors Program
- Evaluation and selection of Honors scholarships to incoming Honors freshmen
- Letters of invitation to those admitted to Honors Program
- Letters of award to scholarship winners in incoming Honors freshmen class
- 3-5 Recruitment Phoning Sessions by Honors Student Phone Team to congratulate recently admitted/awarded incoming freshmen
- 5-10 meeting with prospective students and parents per week
- Honors Advising in March for fall pre-registration in early April
- Negotiation with departments for Honors General Studies classes
- Processing acceptance letters from newly admitted Honors freshmen
- Annual Honors Spring Banquet: Seniors receive Honors Medallions, freshmen receive 1st year lapel pins
- Graduation list for May Commencement
- Preparation for Summer Advising and Enrollment
- Advising and Enrollment (SAE) of all incoming Honors freshmen by Associate Director
- Continued recruitment at SAE