The Honors Program exists to challenge students to build for themselves a solid liberal education. HONR 100 serves as an introduction to our special program and to a philosophy of thinking and being. The liberally educated person is open-minded, understanding, socially responsible, historically and culturally aware, flexible, and self-disciplined. The goal of this course is to stimulate you to think broadly and critically about the personal and social value of your education and about what it means to be an educated person.
In HONR 100, Students will begin to explore liberal education through some
of its various dimensions:
*Developing your strengths as an independent and critical thinker; examining
the values of a liberal education in a complex, diverse, technically-advanced
society; asking "What is the good life?"
*Exploring where your talents and interests intersect with the world's needs.
*Understanding the link between education and citizenship through compassionate service to the world around us; examining the moral obligations of persons who have had the benefits of a liberal education.
*Expanding your awareness and appreciation of the diversity of human culture;
discussing the consequences of including and excluding groups and ideas from
the personal, educational, and political conversations.
*Developing an appreciation of the role of the arts in human culture; considering
ways the arts contribute to maintaining a free, open, and humane society.
*Connecting your academic study with local and world events.
Other activities that will enrich your first semester at the University include:
1. Becoming familiar with campus resources and support systems
2. Meeting with faculty members in small groups
3. Attending academic lectures by top faculty
4. Reviewing the CORE general education program to create a broad but coherent
education
The following seven units encompass the heart of the HONR 100 course.
Joining these are other activities, "Charting A Course," that will
enhance the beginning of your college career.
1. "Pouring the Foundation: Liberal Education"
"Education is that which remains when one has forgotten everything he
learned in school"
--Albert Einstein
At least two class meetings will be devoted to explicit discussion of the personal and social value of a liberal education. Discussion will focus on the assigned readings and the questions presented by your section leaders, which you should respond to in your journal before coming to class. The whole course is designed to expand your understanding of a liberal education; these two sessions will focus on this central topic which will then be extended into other parts of the course.
Readings:
1) Cronon, William. Only connect: The goals of a liberal education. The
Key Reporter,
(2-4).
2) Strong, Paul. (2000). Serious play. Journal of the National Collegiate
Honors Council, (91- 97).
3) Mack, Maynard Jr. (1994). Talking about your genes. Prof. Mack is the Director
of the University Honors Program This piece is part of an address given at new
student convocation.
4) Bowen, Ezra (1986) What is college for? Time Magazine, (96).
2. "Liberally Educated, Acutely Aware: Local and Global News"
"Minds are like parachutes...They only work when open"--Anonymous
Awareness of local and global events is nearly as important as the learning that you will obtain in the classroom. There is a keen correlation between your knowledge and response to world affairs and what you are learning here. The ability to analyze critically local and global events and the ways various media present those happenings is a fundamental element of a liberal education.
Readings:
To be selected from a national newspaper or magazine.
3. "The Heart's Discipline: Liberal Learning and Service
Learning"
"There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he is absolutely free to choose"--William M. Bulger
"Servology," unlike biology, is not an academic field but it is a type of learning discipline, an angle on how your education will intersect with the world. Being liberally educated is a way of learning as well as a way of being and living. We often think of service as a charitable way of giving but in fact it is an opportunity to explore the world and our identity within it.
Service learning is an important experiential educational component of this course, and we have included it with the hope that it will mark the beginning or continuation of your explorations of the relationships between your formal education and community needs. You will make plans for active involvement in a service project, contributing at least 5 hours of time during the semester. Each service experience will be followed with an in-class reflection/discussion of individual learning outcomes. This unit is designed for you to think about learning in your current and future courses and how that knowledge applies to larger social problems.
Readings:
1) Harris, James. (1997). Mandatory volunteerism: The key to civic responsibility? Compact Current v11, issue 5 Oct.-Nov. (p 5).
2) Mosle, Sara. (2000). The vanity of volunteerism. The New York Times Magazine July 2. (ON RESERVE)
3) McCarthy, Colman (2001). Paychecks with a justice payoff. National Catholic Reporter May 18.
4) Canfield and Hansen (1993). One at a time. Chicken Soup For the Soul.
5) Morton (2000). Starfish hurling and community service. Campus Compact
Reader.
6) Illich, Ivan. (1990). To hell with good intentions. Combining Service and Learning: A Resource Book for Community and Public Service.
4. "Hearing Other Voices, Singing Their Songs: Diversity"
"As the oppressed, fighting to be human, take away the oppressors' power
to dominate and suppress, they restore to the oppressors the humanity they had
lost in the exercise of the oppression"
--Paulo Freire
Many of you chose the University in part due to its diversity yet many of you will graduate without fully understanding and appreciating the diversity of the community. What is diversity? Is it merely numerical representation or is it a spirit, a common value by which campus citizens function and the university operates? Your section leaders will offer a comprehensive approach to discussing diversity (from issues of class and status to sexual identity and physical ability), the power of language and its sociological contexts, and the social construction of race in America. What is your level of involvement (dialogue) and commitment (action) to diversity and at what costs? Are there personal investments that each of us need to make in order to create a pluralistic society? What special role does education and the "educated" play, if any? What are the responsibilities, challenges, and personal frustrations to living in a diverse community?
Readings:
1) Brownstein, Andrew. (2001). A battle over a name in the land of the Sioux.
The Chronicle
of Higher Education, February 23, p A46.
2) Mass, P. (2001). Broken promises. PARADE: The Baltimore Sun.
3) Steel, Shelby. (1990). A negative vote on affirmative action. Debating Affirmative Action by Nicolaus Mills (37-47). NY, NY: Dell.
4) Bond, Julian. (1990). The civil rights act: White men's hope. Debating Affirmative Action by Nicolaus Mills (126-128). NY, NY: Dell.
5) Kennedy, Randall. (1986). Persuasion and distrust: The affirmative action debate. Debating Affirmative Action by Nicolaus Mills (48-67). NY, NY: Dell.
6) Larew, John. (1991). Who's the real affirmative action profiteer? Debating
Affirmative Action by Nicolaus Mills (247-258). NY, NY: Dell.
7) Lichtenberg, Judith (1992). Racism in the head, racism in the world. Institute
for Philosophy and Public Policy, volume 12.
8) Leo, John. (2001) Ivy league therapy. U.S. News & World Report,
April, p14.
9) Gibson, Jim. (1992). I was a teenage homophobe. The Fraternity Newsletter,
10-13.
10) McIntosh, Peggy. (1988). White privilege and male privilege: A personal
account of coming to see correspondences through work in women's studies. Race,
Class and Gender: An Anthology, (94-105). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
5. "Truths of the Imagination: The Arts"
"Imagination is the eye of the soul"--Joseph Joybert
In this unit you will discuss the role of the arts in education and learning,
politics and society. This exploration will help you define the importance of
the arts for yourself. Your Section Leaders will decide if your class will attend
a performing or visual artistic event.
Reading:
1) Moyer, Robert. (1990). Maxine Hong Kingston, writer. A World of Ideas II: Public Opinions from Private Citizens, (p 11-18). NY, NY: DoubleDay.
2) McCauley, Mary, C. (2001). A way to define, shape, and refine. The Sun, January14.
6. "In Focus: Class Book"
"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be
chewed and digested" --Francis Bacon
You will devote at least one class period to discussion of the book which your
section leaders have selected. As you read the book, record your reactions,
thoughts, and insights in your journal, and be sure to come to class prepared
to discuss the book and your reactions to it.
Reading:
The book selected by your section leaders.
"CHARTING A COURSE"
1. "People and Places: Welcome to Your Learning Community"
At this session, you will meet your section leaders and the other members of your section, and will take the first steps in getting acquainted. You will receive an overview of the course and a list of books and other materials you will need to purchase.
Readings:
1) Callcott, G. History of the University of Maryland, College Park. Professor
Callcott is a member of the History Department and a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher.
2) Guenzler-Stevens, M. Now we can add you to the history books. Dr. Guenzler-Stevens
is Associate Director, Union and Campus Programs at the University of Maryland.
3) Light, R. (2001). How to ace college. Newsweek June 11, (p 62).
2. "Faculty: Getting to Know a UM Faculty Member"
One of the most valuable experiences during your college years is the opportunity to become personally acquainted with faculty members. Many professors enjoy getting to know and mentoring undergraduate students. We strongly encourage you to visit your professors during their office hours, to ask questions about course content, discuss class assignments, or to just get to know them better.
With advice from your section leader, your group will select a UM faculty member to visit with your section. The faculty member may be chosen because he or she is from a specific discipline the majority of the class is interested in, or is doing fascinating research, or has the reputation for being a fine teacher.
You may want to ask the faculty member to discuss: his/her educational background; undergraduate experiences; career path; and his/her teaching and research. This should be an informal session with opportunities for you to ask questions and get to know the faculty member.
3. Attending an academic lecture on campus.
Every fall semester the University Honors Program sponsors an Honors Lecture series in which an array of speakers discuss timely topics, an interesting aspect of their current research, or provide practical information. This lecture series represents the intellectual life of the Program at its most dynamic. You are required to attend at least one of these lectures. Your section may decide to attend one of these lectures as a group, or each member may attend one of special interest to him or her. Students enrolled in the Gemstone sections may use the Gemstone lecture series to fulfill this requirement.
4. Library Quest.
Your academic success will partly rely upon your ability to effectively navigate the resources of the UM library system. This interactive workshop which will take place in McKeldin Library (the main library--there are six! other libraries) is designed to help you become comfortable using the library system services including print, non-print, electronic resources, the Library of Congress classification scheme, the book stack arrangement and more. This orientation will also involve an exercise that will give you a tour of McKeldin. There will also be an overview of the UM Libraries' homepage and online catalog, VictorWeb. Your Section Leaders will schedule a day for your class to visit. Like all activities, attendance is required.
5. Academic Planning. "Captains, Are You Steering Your Ship and in What Direction?"
To achieve academic success, you must define your purpose, strategize a plan, and implement a predetermined set of actions. This unit is a goal-centered approach to understanding and taking full advantage of the CORE liberal arts and sciences program. In helping you plan for the spring semester, your section leaders will encourage you to ponder how CORE courses can assist you as you chart your academic and life path. You will be asked to consider other opportunities such as research, study abroad, internships, and/or co-ops that will enhance and help you achieve your goals. We also invite you to think ahead to graduate, law, or medical school. Be sure to make ample use of your departmental advisor, the Career Center even as a first year student, and the Counseling Center as great resources!
Planning ahead can also mean the difference between earning the University Honors Citation or failing to make steady progress within the allotted time.
Reading:
1) Excerpt from the Pease Report ("Promise to Keep")
2) Read over the CORE Distributive Studies requirements (Schedule of Classes), and the requirements for the University Honors Citation (Honors Booklet).
3) Bring to class these materials: a UM Undergraduate Catalog, a Schedule of Classes and an Honors course listing for Spring 2003.
5. Closure and Evaluation
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life...It goes
on"--Robert Frost
During your last class session, we will discuss the final readings that are intended to synthesize many of the colloquium's themes and complete a course evaluation.
Reading:
1) Sinnar, Shamim. Advice to incoming freshmen.
2) Bishop, Michael. Why is cheating wrong? Synthesis: Law and Policy in Higher Education. Spring 1993. Bishop is a former Honors student at Maryland.
3) Schwartz, Arthur. (2000). It's not too late to teach college students about values. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
.....MORE CHARTING
1. Terrapin Reading Society
The campus is reading The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman. This reading will
be linked with other courses, programs, and lectures across the campus.
GRADING METHOD
Honors 100 is a one-credit course graded on a Regular basis. Grades will be assigned by the course instructor and Assistant Director, Traci Dula, and your section leaders. Grades will be awarded on the basis of the following:
1) Regular attendance at section meetings and large-group activities. Your consistent attendance is a deep contribution to the success of this class and is expected. Absences due to illness must be confirmed by a note from the Health Center or your doctor. Absences due to religious holidays or varsity sporting events must be excused by a section leader with advance prior notice by you (preferably in writing). Absences for other reasons will not be excused (for example, sorority or fraternity activities or other extra-curricular activities). Scheduling conflicts with another class must be discussed with the section leader.
2) Submission of a journal in which you have recorded your responses to the assigned readings, activities, and class discussions. Journals will be collected periodically throughout the semester by your section leaders. You will be evaluated according to the amount of thought you put into your responses, and the regularity with which you fulfill the requirement. See Guidelines.
3) Preparation for each class meeting and active participation
in each group discussion. Your section leaders will evaluate your
preparation on the basis of your journal entries and class participation.
4) Completion of a tentative proposal for completing general education
distribution requirements and Honors Citation requirements. You
will do this in class with your section leaders as they will assist you in thinking
through your academic goals and requirements. We recommend that you meet with
a college/departmental advisor before registering for classes.
5) Completion of service learning activities. Your section
leaders will provide to the class a list of possible community service activities
throughout the semester. Together you will choose a service project. Class time
will be devoted to a discussion of these activities in preparation for actually
performing the community service as well as discussion and reflection afterwards.
Students must perform five hours of community service to fulfill this course
requirement. If you have any general concerns about the project, please inform
your instructor.
We want every student in HONR 100 to get a one credit "A." We have designed the grading so you can achieve this if you take the course requirements and your own education seriously. Students may receive a possible 50 points for active participation in unit activities which includes discussion and journal entries of the activity. Regular class attendance and discussion encompasses 20 points of the grade. The additional 30 points go toward activities such as the class book, class readings and journal.
HONR 100 is supervised by staff in the University Honors Program. If you need assistance of any kind, please contact the course coordinator, Dr. Cathy Barks at cwbarks@umd.edu.
GUIDELINES: In many cases, your Section Leaders will
request that you submit journals via the campus' electronic mail system. Please
note that your access to computing resources are provided to support the academic
research, instructional, and administrative objectives of the University. You
are expected to refrain from use of your WAM account to convey threats or engage
in harassment that falls outside of the First Amendment protection. Messages
that intimidate or convey hatred towards individuals or groups protected under
the University's Human Relations Code are intolerable in our academic community.
For more information, please contact Project NEThics at 301-405-8787.
READINGS: A packet of readings is available for purchase
from the Maryland Book Exchange, 4500 College Ave. (on Route 1 across from the
Bagel Place), College Park, Maryland 20740, 301-927-2510. In addition, your
section leaders have selected a book for your group to read and discuss together.
The title which has been selected will be announced at the first class meeting,
and can be purchased at the University Book Center in the Student Union.
Good Luck! We are very happy to have you here at UM.