Honors College provides
the ‘best of both worlds’
By B.J. Thomsen
Of Ibe Emerald
Hidden away on the third floor of Chap
man Hall is the home base of a program rarely
used by the majority of University students.
But even though it’s size is small, the goals of
the program are not, says Frances Cogan, ac
ting director of the Honors College.
“The Honors College acts as a small
Frances Cogan
private college within a larger university,”
Cogan says.
The big advantage of the Honors College is
that it combines the best of both worlds, Cogan
says. Like a small, private college, it has small
classrooms and plenty of teacher/student in
teraction. But it also maintains the advantages
of a large university with relatively low tui
tion, and a large library, curriculum, and pro
fessoriat, she says.
The University Honors College opened its
doors in 1960 as an alternative to the average
curriculum, Cogan says. Now with approx
imately 400 students at any one time, the
Honors College is still one of the few in the
country, she says.
Kent State’s program was one of the first
in the country followed by other schools, in
cluding Washington State University and the
University of New Mexico.
The Honors College, a member of the Na
tional Honors Council, stresses a broad, liberal
arts education. Because Honors College
courses substitute for general University re
quirements. students in the program still must
take the majority of their requirements for their
majors within the regular departments, Cogan
says.
Honors College members are required to
take 25 hours of honors courses and are
discouraged from taking more than 27 hours,
Cogan says. Students planning to graduate
from the Honors College must take three terms
each of honors literature, honors history,
honors social science, honors lab science,
honors math above 150-level, and honors arts
and letters. They also must take two years of a
foreign language because the Honors College
awards only bachelor of arts degrees.
Also required are two terms of colloquia,
which are 400-level courses outside of the ma
jor and one term of senior seminar, which is
preparation for the thesis all students must
write and defend orally during their senior
year. All courses stress the writing compo
nent, Cogan says.
Cogan says Honors College courses differ
from standard University courses in several
ways. The classes are discussion oriented,
smaller, and move at an accelerated pace, she
says.
Also, primary sources are used whenever
possible, Cogan says. “If a class were studying
Plato, for instance, they would read ‘The
Republic’ instead of a textbook on Plato,” she
says.
The Honors College has four resident pro
fessors including Cogan. Henry Alley, English
professor; Bernard Lightman, history pro
fessor; and Dennis Todd, biology professor,
who also acts as the math/science adviser,
make up the rest of the faculty.
The resident professors are associated
solely with the honors college and no other
part of the University, Cogan says.
Resident professors at the Honors College
are required to have a Ph.D in their field of ex
pertise, which is different from most univer
sities, Cogan says.
And, says Cogan, unlike many other
honors colleges around the country, the
University has many of its own facilities such
as a library, a study lounge, a typewriter room
and its own classrooms all located on the third
floor of Chapman Hall.
Students who want to enter the honors
program must apply, Cogan says. Unlike other
schools, the University Honors College does
not recruit.
All applications are reviewed by each of
the resident professors and are condidered on
the basis of five criteria: SAT scores, combin
ing to a total score of 1200; GPA, 3.5 or above;
two teacher recommendations from past in
structors; an essay discussing the applicant's
educational background and educational
goals; and transcripts, which are checked for a
“varied and vigorous” curriculum.
Cogan stresses that failure to meet any one
of the five criteria will not eliminate applicants
if they show strength in the other areas.
Cogan notes that the Honors College is
often a helpful step into graduate school, giv
ing students headed in that direction valuable
experience.
University student wins
prestigious scholarship
By Diana Elliott
Of the Emerald
A University junior was
awarded a Truman Scholarship
last week, by the Harry S.
Truman Scholarship Founda
tion of Washington, D.C. The
award carries an annual max
imum stipend of $5,000 per
year for four years.
Aaron Thomas Was one of two
Oregonians among the 105 reci
pients to be awarded one of the
scholarships, which are granted
to promising students who have
demonstrated a firm commit
ment to a career in public ser
vice at the federal, state, or local
levels. Eric Semler, a Dart
mouth College student was the
other Oregonian selected.
As long as Thomas maintains
his academic standing, he will
receive the scholarship for his
two remaining years as an
undergraduate, as well as two
years of graduate work.
“I’m excited about it because
it takes the burden of financing
my education off my parents,”
Thomas said.
The foundation makes one
new scholarship available an
nually to a qualified student
from each state. Additional
scholars from 13 regions can
also be recommended by the
Regional Review Panels and
may be selected for the scholar
ships as “scholars-at-large.”
Thomas was awarded the
scholarship as a scholar-at
large.
Thomas will travel to In
dependence, Mo. on May 12 to
Aaron Thomas
receive the award at a ceremony
at the Truman Presidential
Library.
“I’ve channeled a lot of
energy into my school work,”
Thomas said. “And this is a
great award.”
Thomas plans to finish his
studies in political science next
year while on a University
domestic exhange program at
Rutgers University in New
Jersey. After that he plans to
study law.
Thomas said that he hopes to
go to an Ivy League law school,
but that will depend upon his
grades and LSAT scores.
“I’ve always wanted to go to
law school,” Thomas admitted.
“This scholarship money will
allow me the money to do that.”
Correction
Tuesday, the Emerald incorrectly reported that Mollie
Rennie earned $25,000 while employed as an entertainer on a
cruise ship. This information is incorrect.
The Emerald also reported that Rennie is from Newberg,
which is incorrect as well. Rennie lives in Eugene. We
apologize for any inconvenience or discomfort these inac
curacies may have caused.
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