Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Robert E. Cook Honors College
Address: 136 Whitmyre Hall, 290 Pratt Dr
City: Indiana
State: PA
Zip or Postal Code: 15705
Country: USA
Program Director (or best person to contact): Rick Kutz, Asst. Director
Email: rdkutz@grove.iup.edu
Phone: (724)-357-4972
Fax: (724)-357-3906
Web Address:
Brief Program Summary
The Robert E. Cook Honors College seeks to foster a Community of Scholars through a combination residential/academic Honors experience. Academically, Honors students complete 23 of their 124 credits required for IUP graduation as Honors courses. An inter-disciplinary Core Course comprises 14 of these credits during the first three semesters. Students engage in a problem solving curriculum focusing on critical thinking, writing skills, and group collaboration. Beyond academics, Honors students are required to live in Whitmyre Hall for their first year, with the option to return in subsequent years. To date, the retention rate is 95% after the freshman year. Living in Whitmyre hall, where classes are held and study sessions take place, fosters a unique sense of community among the Honors students.
Sources of funding
The Robert E. Cook Honors College is funded jointly as a member of the IUP Community, and through an endowment established by Robert Cook.
Program Reports To:
Are students charged an additional fee: No
The number of persons in each of the following categories are teaching academic credit bearing courses
Fulltime Tenured Faculty: 0
Fulltime Probationary Faculty: 0
Fulltime Instructors: 0
Fulltime Retired Faculty: 0
Fulltime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Fulltime Graduate Students: 0
Fulltime Residence Hall Staff: 1
Parttime Tenured Faculty: 6
Parttime Probationary Faculty: 0
Parttime Instructors: 0
Parttime Retired Faculty: 0
Parttime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Parttime Graduate Students: 0
Parttime Residence Hall Staff: 8
Academic staff involved in the program that weren't included as faculty above
(Academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing academic services to students such as advising.)
Fulltime Academic Staff: 0
Parttime Academic Staff: 0
Non-academic staff involved in the program
(Non-academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing services that do not directly involve academics such as residence hall staff or staff who organize social activities that are not tied to academics.)
Fulltime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Parttime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Number of faculty offices in the residence hall: 2
The approximate percentage of students in each grade level
First Year: 25
Second Year: 25
Third Year: 25
Fourth Year and above: 25
Graduate Students: 0
Total Number of Students: 400
Year the Program Began:1996
Academic Courses Offered In The Community
HC101 Honors Core I 5 credits, required
HC102 Honors Core II 5 credits, required
HC201 Honors Core III 4 creidts, required
LS499/H/ Honors section of Senior Synthesis, 3 credits, required
EN202/H/ Honors section of Research Writing, 3 credits, optional
EN208/H/ Honors section of Art of the Film, 3 credits, optional
EN221/H/ Honors section of Creative Writing, 3 credits, optional
MA101/H/ Honors section of Foundations of Mathematics, 3 credits, optional
SC201/H/ Honors section of Great Ideas in Science, 3 credits, optional
PY111/H/ Honors section of Physics I, 3 credits, optional
AN110/H/ Honors section of Contemporary Anthropology, 3 credits, optional
SO231/H/ Honors section of Contemporary Social Problems, 3 credits, optional
SP211/H/ Honors section of Intensive Intermediate Spanish, 6 credits, optional
SC481/H/ Honors section of History of Science, 3 credits, optional
FE202/H/ Honors section of Foundations of Education, 3 credits, optional
HI481/H/ Honors section of History Colloquim, 3 credits, optional
Other Academic Offerings
Beyond coursework, the Robert E. Cook Honors College has an elaborately developed Social Service Program where students examine the concepts of community and social service work. This is an educational program designed to integrate community and social service into a student's academic career.
In addition, the Robert E. Cook Honors College exercises an extensive study abroad program and internship program to provide experiential education for students. Students have studied abroad in Oxford, England; Rome, Italy; Seville, Spain; and Hong Kong, China, to list a few. Interns have worked with the President of NASDAQ, and the Republican National Party.
Classrooms in hall
Summary of Facilities and Facilities Budget Whitmyre Hall has residential space for 209 students. Each room features solid oak furniture, a PC for student use, and fiber-optic wiring to the university mainframe. The Hall itself is carpeted with student-hung wallpaper anding a warm atmosphere.
A commercial kitchen is available for student use in addition to a sound-proof music practice room, exercise room, television lounge, locker room, and full laundry facilities.
Whitmyre also houses five classrooms for Honors courses, and the Great Hall for a large meeting and group activities.
Computer Resources in the Residence Hall
Each residence room has a PC provided for student use. It includes Internet access, e-mail software, a univeristy provided e-mail account, word processing software, and fiber optic connections to the university mainframe. This connection allows complete access to the university libraries directly from the residence room.
The Role of Community Partnerships
Bandura's theories on social learning provide the theory for community partnerships: humans learn from human interaction. The community provides a network of support and resources for its members.
The Role of Leadership Development
The Robert E. Cook Honors College is self-governed by the student body. Students sign an Honors pledge guaranteeing the validity of their word and the responsibility of their actions. Students are encouraged to take active roles in the leadership of the college. Currently, the students have designed the system of student government, including guidelines for judicial proceedures. A student is on the committee responsible for the social service program. A student serves as the Internship Program and Study Abroad Coordinator. Students are desiging and implementing a peer-mentor program. The large amounts of responsibility students take for their college experience and for the success of the college promotes leadership among them.
The Role of Research
Honors students are encouraged to participate in active, scholarsly research both independently and with faculty. All Honors students are encouraged to participate in the option of an Undergraduate Thesis, modeled after Master's Thesis and Dissertations.
Summary of Assessment Activities
Students are assessed holisticly through a variety of methods designed to reveal the strengths of individual students. Frequent assessment methods include dialogic journals, thesis papers using a process writing method, and oral presentation.
Summary of Extracurricular Activities Formally Associated with the Program
All Honors students are first IUP students. As such, they have access to the over 100 different clubs and extra-curricular activities offered both on and off campus.
The Role of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Honors Core Course uses an interdisciplinary problem solving approach in its curriculum. Combining the Philosophy/Religious Studies, History and English Departments, and the College of Fine Arts, the course approaches various core questions from different disciplines. Each unit culminates with a group presentation from each unit where the different discipline approaches to the same question are emphasized, as well as the varying discipline overlaps.
How Diversity Issues are Addressed in the Program and in Courses
The Robert E. Cook Honors College strongly values the benefits of diversity. The critical thinking component of the courses encourages students to look at issues from varying perspectives. In addition, guest speakers from diverse backgrounds are often invited to expand upon issues of diversity raised in class. For example, a Tibeten monk is currently staying in Whitmyre planning a guest lecture for this evening.
How Diversity Issues are Addressed Among Faculty and Students
The Robert E. Cook Honors College works with IUP to actively recruit a diverse student population including minority and international students.
Student Demographics
The most current freshman SAT average is 1310, and the high school GPA is 3.8 on a 4. scale. This data is exact.
Faculty Rewards for Participation in the Program
Release Time: yes
Salary Supplement:
Travel Funds: yes
Other:
Description of Other Rewards
Disciplines Represented by the Faculty
Philosophy, Literature, Theater Arts, History
Willing to Serve as a Consultant:
yes
Greatest Challenges for this Learning Community:
Suggested Bibliography