For Honors Faculty
FAQs
- Do I turn in two separate grades?
- Can I advise a student if I'm not a full-time faculty member?
- Is it possible to still do an independent study with Honors?
- What can I do if I have a student in my class who I think will do a great Honors Project but the student doesn't meet the eligibility requirements?
- How do I grade the student on MyCCRI?
- Do I have to give the student an A?
- What are my responsibilities?
- Who decides on the project?
- What projects have been done in the past?
- How will I know if and when the student's project is accepted?
- What if I can't/don't want to advise a student? Can I say no?
- What if the student does not complete the project?
- Can a student do a project in an introductory class?
- How in-depth should the project be?
- Am I compensated for my time?
- What is the Honors Forum?
- Do the students get recognized for the extra work they are doing?
- Who do I contact with questions?
Do I turn in two separate grades?
Yes, you give the student 2 separate grades, one for the course, and one for the Honors project. The Honors section will not appear until after mid-term grades are due.
Can I advise a student if I'm not a full-time faculty member?
Yes! Honors faculty advisors are not limited to full-time faculty. However, please keep in mind that advising a student requires time, and you are not compensated for that time (besides the reward of working with a motivated student). As with all faculty members and all projects, your department chairperson is required to sign the application form before the student turns it in. If you have questions, feel free to contact your chairperson.
Is it possible to do an independent study with Honors?
Yes. Sometimes you may have a students who wants to work with you on an Honors project but is not currently enrolled in one of your classes. In this case, instead of completing one application through the Honors program, the student would need to complete an independent study application and a separate Honors application. Please remember, though, that the independent study will require significantly more work from both you and the student than just an Honors project alone, since it can be done for 1, 2, 3, or more credits.
What can I do if I have a student in my class who I think will do a great Honors Project but the student doesn't meet the eligibility requirements?
To make the Honors Program flexible and better meet the needs of our students, students who do not meet the eligibility requirements (3.25 GPA and 12 semester hours completed) can do Honors Projects if a faculty member recommends them. So go ahead and talk to the student, figure out a project, and submit the application form to the Honors Coordinators.
How do I grade the student on MyCCRI?
The student should appear in a separate course in your MyCCRI account in the last few weeks of the semester. All you need to do is enter in the grade. You will give the student 2 grades, one for their regular coursework and one for their Honors project.
Do I have to give the student an A?
No! Give the student what they earn in the class or on the project.
What are my responsibilities?
Together with the student you decide the scope of the Honors Project and the final product, relating it to the curricula in the course. The guidelines on the Introduction page can help you get a better idea of what is expected. You will then work with the student throughout the semester as they work on the Honors Project. Part of the benefits for students doing Honors Projects is working more closely with faculty than they typically would in class, so meeting several times or more is recommended. At the end of the semester, you will grade the student on the Honors Project, separate from the work they did in the rest of the class.
Who decides on the project?
Typically it is a joint effort between you and the student. However, sometimes a student will approach you knowing what they want to do, while other times you might have a project in mind.
What projects have been done in the past?
You can look at approved projects from previous semesters to see some example projects. Other projects are listed in example projects. Examples of project formats include but are not restricted to research papers, PowerPoint presentations, poster presentations, displays of artwork, teaching lesson plans, computer programs, lab experiments and write-ups, evaluation of survey results, etc. One thing that students often find useful is tying their project into their career goals. We strongly recommend the students participate in the Honors Forum at the end of the Spring semester.
How will I know if and when the student's project is accepted?
Students will receive a completed copy of the application once all signatures and approvals are completed.
What if I can't/don't want to advise a student? Can I say no?
You many feel that you do not have the time to properly devote to advising and Honors student, and you can say no. If you do say no, you can recommend another faculty member in your department to the student who might be willing to advise them on the Honors project. Although this is not ideal, the student will stay in your course, but they will have a different faculty advisor for the Honors project.
What if the student does not complete the project?
At the end of the semester, you have several options, depending on the situation: giving the student an incomplete, a withdraw, or a fail (or whatever grade they earned on the project up to that point). You can give the student an incomplete, so they have time to finish the project, and the regular college rules for incompletes apply. It is important to stay in regular contact with the student during the semester. A student can also drop the Honors portion of the class themself, by telling the Honors Coordinators. They can drop it easily before the "last day to withdraw and receive a W" as determined by the registrar. If it is after that date, then they will need to petition the College to drop the Honors portion of the class. Some faculty find that it is useful to use the "last day to withdraw and receive a W" date as a guideline for checking student progress. If the student has not made significant progress on their project at this point, it may be advisable to recommend the student to drop the honors portion of the class. If you have any questions, please contact the Honors Coordinators, and the situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Can a student do a project in an introductory class?
Yes, and many projects are done in introductory classes.
How in-depth should the project be?
This is up to you and the student. There are no set guidelines, but it does need to be a significant academic undertaking. As a guideline, the student should put at least 20 hours into the project (and most students put in many more hours).
Am I compensated for my time?
Unfortunately at this time, you are not compensated monetarily. You will, however, have the satisfaction of making a difference in the student's experience at CCRI.
What is the Honors Forum?
The Honors Forum is a showcase of Honors Projects completed during the academic year, usually presented as posters. The Honors Forum includes a speaker of general interest, and the Honors projects are presented during a reception afterwards. It is held at the end of the Spring Semester. We strongly encourage all Honors students to participate in the Forum. In fact, we encourage including the making of a poster as part of the final product requirements of all Honors Projects.
Do the students get recognized for the extra work they are doing?
The Honors course appears on the student transcript. If students complete four Honors Projects, they do become Honors Program Graduates and are recognized at awards night and graduation. Their work is also recognized when they present it at the Honors Forum. They may also publish their work in a NCHC journal. Please see the section in the student FAQ for more information.
Who do I contact with questions?
Please contact the Honors Coordinators. We want to hear any questions or suggestions!