Honors Board Meeting Minutes

December 5, 2017, 3-4pm, BGS 248 (OIE Conference Room)

In attendance: Orlantha Nin, Claire Cesareo, Monica Friedrich, Gary Luke, Devin Weathersby, Max Rivera, Maureen Smith, Alannah Rosenberg

  1. Corrections made to November minutes.
  1. Spring 2018 Enrollment: currently 93% full. Low enrollment in Anthro 1H, Library 2H, Bio 3BH, Eng 52H (film as literature, possibly because students thought this would be an easy class, according to Professor Beckham). Lib 2H and Bio 3BH are part of core requirements.
  1. Certificate-Track vs. Walk-In Success Rates: Alannah prepared a 30 minute presentation for OIE? which unfortunately was reduced to 10 minutes today. Detailed success rates were tracked based on High School History, Activity (Major, Average Unit Load, GPA, and Standing), Demographics, and Certificate-Track Admissions Processing. Comparisons of success in honors vs. non-honors sections were also tabulated. This detailed analysis provides highly useful information to guide future actions taken by the college and the honors program.
  1. Early Registration: the early registration initiative implemented by Kathy Werle has had detrimental effects on honors students, most notably that classes fill prior to honors students satisfying prerequisites (as one example, AP English scores not available until July, Eng1A is full by then). The board agrees that we must move registration back to the previous time frame, HOWEVER the schedule should be set and posted early as a way to capture students browsing class schedules at various community colleges. Guided pathways would likely be in strong support of early schedule posting.
  1. Funding: Alannah drafted a Proposed Resolution of the Saddleback College Academic Senate to re-endorse a centralized budget. The board agreed that this is absolutely necessary for success of the program. As one example of the detrimental effects of removing the centralized budget: Currently there are 34 honors students waiting for academic counseling appointments, but we are already 4 hours short in funding these appointments.
  1. Scholarships and Events:
  2. Saddleback College – application for scholarships is available online
  3. All-USA Academic Team - 2 students were nominated
  4. Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony Dec 8
  5. Alpha Gamma Sigma Awards Ceremony Dec 13
  6. HTCC Exemplary Achievement Scholarships – Need internal deadline
  7. HTCC Outstanding Abstracts – Need internal deadline
  8. HTCC Poster Awards
  9. Bay Honors Symposium

Comments regarding scholarships and conferences:

-HTCC can’t judge abstracts until students are accepted (based on 200 word abstract); if accepted, then a 400 word abstract is required. No deadline yet from HTCC, most likely end of January; honors faculty should encourage good students to apply.

-Honors faculty to read abstracts at next meeting.

-Award criteria for two students selected: one student with exemplary leadership, high GPA, etc. and one student who has overcome a difficult situation and still done very well. We will likely get both if we nominate two

  1. Alannah attended the college application fair at San Clemente High School. It was well-organized, and applications for Saddleback College were encouraged for all students.
  1. Permanent Schedule: A permanent schedule of honors classes would be ideal for the program. Unfortunately we are still dealing with problems with curriculum restrictions at the state level. Alannah sent a draft permanent schedule on ______via email to all chairs, honors faculty, and deans. This draft schedule fits 500 students, may crowd out walk-ins as the honors program grows. One comment: Geography not correct, historically always Tues/Thurs at 1:30. Alannah to resend permanent schedule draft since no other comments have been received.
  1. June Millovich in curriculum announced chair compliance issues in Speech 1/1H were identified.
  1. Humanities Core: Luke has confirmed with division that he will teach the summer section. Main complaint from deans was from scheduling Humanities late. This is due to block scheduling reforms. Alannah would like to nail down times for liberal arts courses and humanities courses (because team taught by faculty from 2 different departments, scheduling is extremely challenging).
  1. 2018 Honors Transfer Fair: Last year it was held at Mt. San Antonio College (in the city of Walnut near Pomona—tough drive with extreme traffic), SC students didn’t want to go. Good turnout for local students but not from us. Location won't change but additional workshops will be added that would make the Fair more enticing and worthwhile, including workshops on student professional development, applications, financial aid, writing your personal statement, competitive grad school scholarships such as the Truman scholarship, info about grad school, abstract writing, etc.
  1. Outreach: Honors Student Council students did table at family night, they had the most snacks and stuffed animals and saw good traffic. Board commended their efforts: good job!

-High School Outreach: only students who have been fingerprinted are allowed to do outreach at local high schools. Thus far, fingerprints done from 2 students. Cost is $50-$60 per person. Honors Student Council to pay for some students to do fingerprints, Outreach for others. Honors should budget next year. Also discussed various cheaper options, such as having our own PD perform LiveScan or obtaining LiveScan for a reduced fee.

-Outreach from former honors students would be useful. A video of interviews with former students has also been created (available under:______)

  1. Next meeting: January of next semester. Time and date TBD. Likely to be Mondays 2-3, pending results of Doodle Poll (

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