Academic Report for 2007 – 2008

University Honors CollegeOregon State UniversityAugust 2008

UNIVERSITY HONORS COLLEGE

ACADEMIC REPORT FOR 2007-2008

The University Honors College (UHC) is the OSU home for high-achieving undergraduate students. These are the missions of the UHC:

To serve the needs and aspirations of high-potential undergraduate students; To deliver an enhanced curriculum featuring small classes with OSU’s most talented and

dedicated faculty; To enable meaningful and impactful undergraduate research experiences that leverage

OSU’s strengths in the five thematic areas; and To deliver on institutional and student promise by conferring the Honors Baccalaureate,

OSU’s most prestigious undergraduate degree and one of just twelve such degrees available anywhere.

UHC students boast top-tier credentials upon arrival, enjoy spectacular academic and community opportunities while at OSU, and depart leadership-ready. To the extent that graduates are OSU’s greatest contribution to the state and to society, Honors graduates are a premium component of that contribution.

2007-2008 Highlights

1. Programmatic Achievements

a. Student engagement and success

During the 2007-2008 academic year, the UHC conferred 81 Honors Baccalaureate degrees to 67 students from six academic colleges, led by the College of Science with 33 degrees, followed by Liberal Arts with 19, Engineering with 16, Agricultural Sciences with 7, Health and Human Science with 4 and Business with 2. Up to 25 additional students are expected to complete the Honors Baccalaureate during Summer Term 2008. Continuing an established trend as reported by the Office of Institutional Research, nearly nine out of ten of students who enter the UHC go on to complete an OSU undergraduate degree within six years. Over 94% of the most recent incoming cohort of UHC students persisted to the second year.1

During Fall term 2007, there were 492 students enrolled in the University Honors College. During 2007-2008, 142 OSU faculty members representing 43 departments in ten colleges taught 107 sections of Honors courses and served as the primary thesis mentor for a graduating Honors student. Student Credit Hours (SCH) generated by UHC courses were up 8.6% over 2006-2007, and 15.3% over 2005-2006. The following bar graphic shows the distribution of UHC students and coursework credits offered by college for 2007-2008. The College of Science (COS) continues to be the leading provider of Honors coursework, for which COS received $168,750 in total reimbursements. As is the case university-wide, the large cohort of Engineering students is well-served by the extensive offerings in Science and in the Baccalaureate Core, despite a relatively small number of Honors credit hours offered directly in partnership with the College of Engineering.

1 http://oregonstate.edu/admin/aa/ir/ret-grad/UHC-2008.pdf2

UHC Students and Honors Credits by College 2007-08

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2

22

30

2

63

151

44

26

23

192

9

23

58

163

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10

0 50 100 150 200 250

COAS

College of Agricultural Science

College of Business

College of Education

College of Engineering

College of Forestry

College of Health & HumanScience

College of Liberal Arts

College of Science

College of Pharmacy

University Exploratory Study

UHC

UHC StudentsUHC Credits

Exit interviews for graduating seniors are conducted in person with an Academic Advisor or they can be conducted on-line by the student before graduation. The exit survey covers the student’s experiences during the thesis process, feedback for the UHC, student accomplishments, and their plans for the future. From the surveys we have been able to glean important information about our thesis process and implement changes recommended by students.

Statistics since beginning the exit survey process (200702-200900)48% of students participate in study abroad or International Internships

After OSU graduation the next steps for UHC graduates are as follows: 40% graduate school, 29% employment (including service opportunities, e.g. Peace Corps and Teach for America), and 10% medical school with travel, law school, and pharmacy school and veterinary school and “other” following at lesser percentages.

Graduate School outside of OSU:Columbia University Loma Linda University (Medical School)Michigan State University National College of Natural MedicineOregon Health Science UniversityUniversity of California BerkeleyUniversity of Puget SoundUniversity of Victoria

Opportunities unique from traditional graduate or professional school opportunities

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Peace Corps Teach for America Fulbright Grants (2008, one in Ecuador & one in Chile) ERASMUS MUNDUS program (2 year masters program) Erasmus Mundus is an international top-level program supporting integrated courses of high-level academic quality and mobility from students and visiting scholars from around the world.

Quotes from exit surveys:

“I thought that being able to take classes from handpicked profs made my academic experience much more enjoyable. These professors were all very motivated and knowledgeable. You can almost never go wrong with a UHC class.” Daniel Bai

“[I liked the] small interactive class sizes that facilitated group learning, the close community of people you get to know and see regularly across disciplines.” Kenneth Barrese

“Having to do the thesis has helped me critically assess physics education. The CS Lewis class really impacted me in being a future educator it helped me have a less biased view.” Drew Watson

“Every UHC class I took was taught by an amazing person.” Christina Hyde

“The experience made me feel like it wasn't such a big university.” Christina Hyde

“I felt at home here and I had a lot of added support. I had a place I could go and study with like-minded people.” Gail Woodside

“The UHC offered a wide learning environment that I could explore. Academically I could excel and interact with professors.” Gail Woodside

Events continue to be a focus of the Honors community. Some events are aimed at the larger campus community, while others are focused more internally. Events with a campus-wide focus during 2007-2008 included the following:

Leadership Forum “Creating your own Futures” (100 attendees) UHC Informational/Recruitment Forums (10-30 attendees in Fall and Winter terms in

support of on-campus outreach and recruitment of current OSU students to Honors) Clean up YOUR Campus (150 attendees, in partnership with ASOSU) Presidential Forum: “Fees, Funding, and Financial Responsibility: Where Does My

Money Go?” (60 attendees) Women’s Symposium: “Women in Politics Internationally” (30 attendees) UHC Thesis Fair (150 attendees-held in the Valley Library Rotunda) Fall BBQ (250 attendees, attracting many participants in the McNary residential

complex, which continues to house the UHC-UHDS residential partnership) Mom’s Weekend Brunch and Talent Show (250 attendees, co-sponsored with the Student

Alumni Association) Board of Regents Recognition Reception (200 attendees, recognizing faculty and student

participation in Honors campus-wide)

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Events with a more internal Honors-centric focus are dedicated to building community and identity for Honors students, all of whom are dual-citizens of the UHC and the college of the disciplinary major.

Thesis Workshops presented by UHC staff: “Getting Started”, “Writing Strategies”, “The Poster”, “The Defense”

“Getting into Grad School” (10 attendees, presented by UHC faculty member Ken Krane) “Chevron Informational Session: Career Opportunities in Alternative Energy” (15

attendees, presented by UHC alumnus and Chevron engineer Dan Euhus) Opportunity Plus Information Sessions (15 attendees, highlighting graduate opportunities

in the College of Engineering) Research Your Life: Building a resume that works (3 attendees) “Life in The Gem” (30 attendees) Caroling at a local home for the elderly (25 attendees) OSU Food Drive events to benefit Linn-Benton Food Share: YouTube with Eric Hill (75

attendees), Bake and Media Sale (varied attendees) New Student Orientation (100 attendees) Fall Camping Trip, Winter Ski Trip and Spring Float Trip (20-80 attendees each trip) Haunted Corn Maze UHC Study Break Socials (30-75 attendees each term) Dad’s Weekend Tailgater (100 attendees) UHC Rec. Night (85 attendees) UHC Dance (100 attendees) Sleep in the Slug (35 attendees) UHC Spring Picnic (150 attendees) Commencement Reception (200 attendees)

UHC Student Groups Honors Advisory and Activities Committee (12 attendees each week) The Chronicle Staff SLUG Staffers Honors Envoys - UHC Recruitment Team (5 members) Three UHC students serve on the UHC Council, which provides governance liaison to the

Faculty Senate.

b. Research and its impact

In the 2006-2007 academic year the UHC had 30 first-time faculty thesis mentors. In 2007-2008, 42 first-time faculty thesis mentors began working with UHC students.

OSUF funds totaling more than $2000 were distributed to UHC students to offset expenses related to thesis expenses and presentation of results at professional meetings.

New UHC coursework highlighted ongoing research and scholarship within the five thematic areas.

a. Introduction to Climate Science (Karen Shell - COAS)b. Introduction to Mathematical Ecology (Vrushali Bokil - COS)c. Managing in a Global Workplace (Toni Doolen - COE)

Under the direction of dedicated faculty mentors, Honors students write theses that represent more than undergraduate excellence. Honors scholars contribute materially to human knowledge. The following table provides a sample of the diversity of Honors scholarship as embodied in the Honors Thesis.

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Name Major TitleNaomi Tuinstra Environmental

Sci.Analysis of the Overall Sustainability of African Palm-based Biodiesel in Ecuador: An environmental, social, and artistic perspective

Marika Teose Mathematics The Effect of Temperature on the Survival of Chinook Eggs and Fry

Christina Murphy Fisheries & Wildlife Sci.

Intertidal Ecology along the Western Coastlines of the Pacific: Upwelling and Bottom-up Effects in Chile and Oregon

Mollie Holmes Mathematics & Art

Creative Authority in Contemporary Art

Allison Blackwell General Science Effects of Medial and Lateral Motion of the Foot during a Forward Slip  On the Loss and Recovery of Balance

Kathleen Kalk History Housing Reform at Turn of Century New YorkRichard Przybyla Electrical &

Comp. Engr.Design of a low frequency, low area Digital to Analog Converter

Angela Rogge Civil Engineering

Driving Past the Jargon: Designing Multimedia Devices to Clarify Transportation Engineering Concepts

Krista Hubbard Business The Norwegian AdventureKimberly Marshall Animal

SciencesThe Importance of Bedside Manner in Delivering Patient-Centered Care

Veronica Mc Shane Health Management and Policy

Legislation & Other Health Policy Issues that Affect Access to Health Care Services for Undocumented Immigrants

Nellie de Vries Speech Communication

Legislative Rhetoric

Annette Mc Farland French & Int’l Studies

The Impact of World Literature in Secondary Schools in Oregon and Chile: A Comparative Case Study

All UHC theses are available through the digital collection of the Valley Library at OSUhttp://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/dspace/handle/1957/7

The Earth System 5 partnership with the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences and the Department of Geosciences has attracted its first Honors students to make the transition to graduate studies in Earth Systems at OSU.

UHC graduate Max Brugger will pursue an interdisciplinary graduate degree through the IGERT Ecosystems Informatics program.

The Opportunity PLUS partnership with the College of Engineering has increased the rate at which Engineering students complete the Honors Baccalaureate and has effectively doubled the rate at which Honors students go on to graduate study in Engineering at OSU. The following chart illustrates the impact of Opportunity PLUS on graduate recruitment of Honors engineering students since the inception of the program in Fall 2006.

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UHC Graduates in Engineering Master's/PhD programs by Graduate school start term

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2

4

6

8

10

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200100 200202 200301 200401 200501 200601 200701 200801 200901

Graduate school start term

Stud

ents

Opportunity PLUSTraditional

c. Outreach and engagement

The UHC welcomed 166 new students in Fall 2007. A further 184 of OSU’s top new undergraduates are slated to arrive in Fall 2008. Nearly 90% of incoming students graduated in top 10% of their high school class. The average high school GPA of these incoming students is 3.98 (un-weighted average on a 4.0 scale) and the average SAT score is 2000. The following chart illustrates that applications to the UHC are on the rise. Recruitment of successful current OSU students continues to enhance campus engagement of the UHC. The chart also shows a significant jump in first-year applications. This jump is due to the implementation, in partnership with the Office of Admissions, of a “trigger letter”, an email signed by the UHC Dean describing the Honors opportunity that is automatically delivered to any student who enters the Admissions Recruit database with a high school GPA of at least 3.75.

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First-Year and Transfer Applicants

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100

200

300

400

500

600

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Year

Current OSUTransferFirst-Year

Applicant surveys show that the most commonly cited source of first information about the University Honors College is word-of-mouth from family or friends. The UHC reputation remains strong, but the principal recruiting challenge continues to be simply getting the word out.

d. Community and Diversity

The UHC has actively participated in the Diversity Action Planning process. UHC staff has been present at all of the Diversity Action Plan meetings and diversity workshops this year held by the Office of Community and Diversity. This presence has given the UHC the opportunity to share ideas, accomplishments, challenges and network and problem solve with departments across campus.

The DeLoach Work Scholarship program enables OSU faculty members to support undergraduates working at tasks that materially enhance their academic training and that support the instructional, curricular, outreach, or diversity goals of the university. Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Barton DeLoach endowed the DeLoach Work Scholarship Fund with generous gifts and bequests between 1977 and 1988. Dr. DeLoach was an Oregon State faculty member from 1935 to 1949. Funded activities include tutoring, curriculum development, community outreach, and promotion of diversity.

Eleven students were funded during AY 2008, with total financial award of $9900 (actual spent $6108.44). Examples of projects that have been funded this year:

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Project example #1: A student worked to establish an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) student chapter at OSU. The DeLoach recipient gained leadership and organizational skills boosting momentum among students, faculty, and community members. This project benefits the students’ professional networking skills and the OSU campus as a whole.

Project example #2: A student worked with digital imaging software to support the Oregon State Arthropod Collection (OSAC). The student took photos of insects to aid students in insect recognition for their collections. The student learned technical skills (selecting one insect out of millions, preparing the insect, lighting, labeling, etc.), and his work will benefit students and the community for years to come. This work will be used by students in Z 365 Biology of Insects. The images are also available on OSAC website that can be accessed by community members.

Project example #3: A student created academic infrastructure for the social psychology lab. The student designed a file system, organized resources, created a relational database, and wrote a protocol book for the lab. This work paved the way for psychology research assistants to continue their studies, and will garner future Honors theses and other projects from the much-improved organization. This work also created a smoother process for the PSY 401 students and Teaching Assistant by strengthening the authenticity of the learning objectives.

e. International-level activities and accomplishments

During 2007-2008, UHC students completed 35 academic individual terms of Study Abroad through International Degree and Education Abroad (IDEA). Twenty-three Honors students were pursuing the International Studies degree in conjunction with the Honors Baccalaureate and seven students completed the International degree.

2. Assessments: What Worked, What Needs Improvement, Barriers

On December 31, 2007, Joe Hendricks stepped down from his position as Dean of the University Honors College. Joe was Dean for 12 years and he led the development of the modern University Honors College. Under his leadership, the program grew to its current size and influence in the OSU community. Following an internal search, Dan Arp was named as the new Dean. From May 1-June 30, he served in this capacity halftime while continuing to serve as Department Head for Botany and Plant Pathology. Effective July 1, 2008, Dan became fulltime in his new capacity as Dean. During the leadership transition, Bill Bogley, Associate Dean of the UHC, stepped up to run the UHC. While carrying out his duties as Associate Dean he also took on the duties of the Dean and kept the business of the UHC moving forward while the search for a new Dean was underway. Bill continues as Associate Dean of the UHC.

Of applicants admitted to the UHC for Fall 2008, 57.14% accepted the offer of admission to the UHC. Admitted applicants who declined the offer of admission (the “non-yield”) continue to exhibit academic credentials (GPA, SAT, ACT) that are stronger than the applicants who do come to OSU.

While the 6-yr graduation rate for UHC students is high (90%), only about 55% complete the Honors Baccalaureate degree.

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Honors students face some of the same access issues that other OSU students face, particularly in entry-level courses in the sciences. Participating departments are willing, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, but departmental challenges in personnel and resource allocation limit opportunities for further participation in Honors.

UHC Students by College Fall 2007

College of Business5%

College of Engineering38%

College of Forestry2%

College of Health & Human Science

5%

College of Liberal Arts11%

College of Science32%

College of Agricultural Science5%

University Exploratory Study2%

College of Pharmacy0%

College of Education0%

OSU Students by College Fall 2007

College of Agricultural Science6%

College of Business14%

College of Engineering19%

College of Forestry4%College of Health & Human

Science16%

College of Liberal Arts18%

College of Science17%

College of Pharmacy0%

University Exploratory Study6%

College of Education0%

The distribution of UHC students across the academic colleges does not reflect the distribution of the student population in general. Some colleges remain underrepresented in the UHC,

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particularly HHS and COB. The pie charts on the preceding page reflect the distribution of students by college for the UHC and for OSU. Science and Engineering continue to attract the largest Honors cohorts. Disciplinary balance within Honors will require relative growth in student populations in the College of Health and Human Science and in the College of Business.

3. Awards

Of the record six Student Fulbright awards received by OSU students, both undergraduate awards were won by graduating Honors students. Honors Biology and Fisheries and Wildlife major and International Degree recipient Christina Murphy will conduct research in Chile. Honors Marine Biology and International Degree recipient Robbie Lamb will continue his Honors thesis research in Ecuador.

Honors students claimed a disproportionate share of Drucilla Shepard Smith (21/117) and Waldo Cummings (20/64) Awards and Honorable Mentions at the Annual Faculty Senate Student Recognition event. (UHC students comprise 3.2% of the OSU undergraduate population.)

Ken Krane (Physics) was named UHC Eminent Professor for 2008 and UHC students selected him as Outstanding UHC Professor for 2007-2008.

Maarike Teose and Tari Tan received the Culture of Writing Honors Thesis Awards, co-sponsored by WIC. Maarika Teose and Rachel Hector were named UHC Exceptional Poster Awardees for their thesis poster presentations during the annual UHC Thesis Fair, which for the first time was held in the Valley Library.

Results and Outcomes

1. Performance on College-Level Metrics See appended metrics documents.

2. Leveraging Resources and Administrative EfficienciesThe UHC offered more than $25,000 in OSUF-based scholarship to new and continuing UHC students. Two-thirds of UHC students received centrally funded scholarship awards through the University Scholars program. More than 40% qualify for federal need-based aid.

The UHC has continued to focus efforts on the development of private donations to support scholarships for UHC students, UHC courses and programs, and support of thesis expenses. As of March 2008, the UHC had received 91 commitments totaling $265,521 for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. The Joe Hendricks Scholarship Fund (or “Joe Fund”) was instituted to honor the achievements of founding UHC Dean Joe Hendricks. Endowed in December 2007 through a targeted solicitation to leading UHC donors, including especially the Honors Board of Regents, the Joe Fund has been the centerpiece of an outreach to all UHC alumni. To date the fund balance stands at more than $90,000. Earnings on the endowment will be distributed as scholarships at the discretion of the UHC Dean. Donors include:

47 total donors 26 of them are alumni 15 of them are first time donors (all UHC alumni)

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