Honors Council
The Honors Council comprises a group of volunteers who work to make their Program more responsive to student needs. In the past, Council members have advised on core requirements and recruiting strategy, run Coffee Hours and the Midnight Desserts, and discussed numerous other topics affecting Honors students. The Council welcomes new members. We currently meet Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. in the Observatory Classroom. Pizza and pop are served.
Contact us for more information.
NEXT MEETING Tuesday, September 4th at 5:00pm in the Observatory Classroom
Honors Council Agenda - for 09/04/12
1. Have everyone sign the attached form and return it to Renee with the Pizza receipt.
2. Approve Minutes from 04/17/12 – Thank you Paige!!
3. Retreat is this weekend - Saturday, September 8th
4. Need volunteers for Tutoring at Albion High School
5. Old Business
6. New Business
MINUTES FROM PAST MEETINGS
01/24/12
01/31/12
02/07/12
02/14/12
02/21/12
03/13/12
04/03/12
04/10/12
04/17/12 - No minutes were taken
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council minutes 4/10/12
Open: 5:08 PM
Approved minutes
Honors added another fine arts course to the schedule. There is no information on this class currently–it is not technically been approved, but we do know it is being taught by the new choral director.
We still need a moderator and room hosts for the symposium–we need 6 venue hosts and one more room moderator. Reneé will be sending an e-mail out shortly.
Honors needs students to come to info sessions this Friday in the Observatory for the Junior visit day. Sessions will be at 2:15 PM and 2:55 PM.
Travel/research proposals are coming in–we have 2 so far–the deadline is April 20th.
The freshman retreat will be held on September 8. The 1st Council meeting next semester (August 28) will focus only on the retreat.
Suggestions for the retreat: Bring more and/or bigger water bottles OR clearly emphasize that everyone bring their own water bottle ,which can be refilled at the center.
There will be a volunteer opportunity at Victory Park this Saturday to replace mulch. There’ll be a picnic afterwards. Reneé sent out an e-mail with details.
Last Council meeting is next week–we want Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizza, pepperoni and cheese
New Business:
Things to discuss next year: Honors formal? Welcome back dinner?
Close: 5:38 PM
Open 5:13 PM
Approved minutes
Honors courses and schedules for the fall are out. Everyone is preregistered and actual registration started yesterday. Hopefully, once people start registering, we'll be able to figure out if we need more classes.
The euchre tournament was last week. Only 3 students showed up, but thanks to Dr. Kennedy, they were able to play a few games. For social events next year–should we choose a different time and date? More to be discussed next fall.
Renée needs moderators and room hosts for the Elkin Isaac Symposium. Renée sent out an e-mail asking students to volunteer and if she's short volunteers, will be asking for counsel volunteers next week.
Dr. Kennedy had the idea for a bookshelf in the honors computer lab. She got this idea from the bookshelf in the education Institute. Books don't necessarily have to be textbooks; they can also be recreational books, like the ones in Olin. We should look into asking honor students if they will donate the textbooks that the bookstore won't take back or any old books that they would be willing to part with.
(In response to the fact that many of the novels in Olin are romance novels and someone on Council calling those books trashy summer reads)
"Life's too short to leave trashy novels to the summer" - Chris
"HELL YEAH! I like the way you think!" - Paige (I happen to love romance novels)
Midnight Desserts will be Thursday, April 26 from 11–1 AM
New Business:
Green Day is tomorrow in the nature center from 5–7 PM
Renée will be sending out a senior survey soon. Seniors, please respond to it! There might even be a prize!
Close 5:40pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open: 5:10
Approved Minutes
Thanks to everyone who help out with the reception! It went wonderfully according to all of Honors Council
There are more Honors classes being added to the schedule. 4 social science, 2 humanities, 2 or 3 fine arts and 2 science without a lab. So make sure you're looking those over!
Euchre Event: March 22nd @ 7pm – Let's invite faculty!
New Business:
Elkin Isaac is coming up – so be looking out for emails about volunteers!
Speakers on Campus:
Dr. Keith Davis – Olin 112 on Thursday @ 7pm (through Pre-Med)
Susan de la Vergne – Norris 101 on Wednesday @ 7pm (through English)
Close: 5:30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 2/21/12
Open 5:13
Approved Minutes
How do we get students to take Honors classes?:
Some hybrid approach to insisting that students take their Honors classes in their first 4 semesters at Albion and saying they can take them whenever
Courses reserved just for freshman
Scheduling has been an issue in the past . . . Offer night classes?
Reserve just some spots for freshman in classes
Trivial Pursuit vs. the Professors this Thursday at 7pm!
Walking Challenge – not everyone picked up their pedometers. Boo Honors :p
DASP is this weekend. Renee could use the help of Honors students at the reception Friday from 6-8pm in Upper Baldwin. Also, she could use students on Saturday in the science atrium from 9-10:30am and all day in the Observatory. Either location will have prospective students and their parents. So come on out!
New Business:
Eddie proposed discussing creating a new set of rules for Honors council to use instead of Robert's Rules. (Yeah – like we actually use those LOL). Honors' Rules of Order . . . hilarious suggestions ensued.
Close: 5:55pm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 2/14/2012
Open: 5:10pm
Approved Minutes
Interview Day went well – there were about 28 people that interviewed
Digitized Honors Theses – it would be cool to let people have access to them off campus. A lot of people thought it would be cool to be cited as a source in someone's paper and they want to make it as easy as possible for that to happen
Game night on Thursday – Get Excited!
Trivial Pursuit – Yay for Mark Bollman and Dr. Balke! Renee – could you email Aaron Miller, Nels Christenson, Jeff Cocks, James Ball, Drew Dunham, Susan Connor and Donna Randall about joining in? We know that some of them probably will say no, but they were personally requested to attend by the Honors Council and that might mean something! Also, we heard there might be Disney Trivial Pursuit? Awesome
If you ordered a pedometer (of if you didn't) pick one up. Renee has some left and we want to make sure they get used!
Admitted Students Day, February 20th:
Parents and students aren't going to spend the whole day together – freshman ( and everyone really) thought that was a great idea.
There is a session for student to come learn about/talk to Honors from 2:15-4:05. Anyone who would like to come can come and talk to prospectives!
DASP reception in Upper Baldwin form 6-8. Come talk up Honors to the prospectives and eat some yummy food!
There was a discussion about whether this might be too formal an event with the name tags and purple and gold necklaces, with it being in upper Baldwin. But let's see how this year goes, get some feedback and go from there!
Old Business:
Middle school tour – Not happening, let's face it (Chris)
New Business:
Thesis Class Time Change? Renee – can you send out an email seeing who is interested in taking the class next semester and then let Dale know? She wants to make sure it's scheduled at a time when the most number of students can take it!
Close: 5:40pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open: 5:09pm Approved Minutes
Ski Trip – SO MUCH FUN!! We totally need to make this a yearly thing.
Interview Day – Honors has 30 interviews set up.
All Fun Events: Hold these at 7pm
For Game Night: Monopoly!, Apples to Apples, Poker, Phase 10, Golf
Letters of Acceptance – send those puppies out ASAP!
Renee – For the 100 day walking challenge – send out an email and see if people are interested. If so, then let's get them a pedometer. Amount of interest will dictate if we are going to be able to make a team.
New Business:
Going to begin digitizing the theses and put them on some sort of hard drive . . . or something. Technical talk = right over my head.
If people in Council put their pop cans back in the closet, Renee will turn them in and put that toward getting more pop!
Theta is collecting can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House Foundation. There will be a container of some sort in the Observatory. Support Theta and the Ronald McDonald House!
Next week: We want to talk about professors we want to teach in Honors next semester – so bring your ideas!
Close: 5:35pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open: 5:12pm
Minutes Approved
Ski Trip FULL and there's even a waiting list! There may be no tubing due to lack of snow. Darn
Important Dates:
Admitted Student Day – Monday, February 20th (Probably an informal afternoon session)
DASP Dinner/Reception – Friday, February 24th (Cool appetizer things like pulled pork sandwiches and stuff – need people to volunteer to help out!)
Elkin Isaac/Honors Convocation – Thursday, April 15th (need people to volunteer to help out being room hosts and moderators – it's fun and the presentations are interesting!)
Fun Events:
Look into Thursdays for stuff: Trivial Pursuit v. Professors (aka Mark Bollman) was received very well. There was also an interest in Euchre or Game night too. Look into Feb 16th or 23rd or March 15th or 22nd.
"Mark Bollman is a large repository of random facts" ~ Nick H.
"Nice word, Nick" ~ Michelle
Going to see local plays in Jackson or Marshall? There are some Albion faculty that do the theater in Marshall. Maybe looking into going to support them?
Video gaming tournament?
Old Business: No word on the Middle School Tour
New Business: None
Close: 5:30pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open: 5:06pm
Approved Minutes
Hi Dale! Went around and said our names, majors, etc.
Ski Trip: We have enough people to go, but could still use more. So email Renee if you and friends would like to go. $10 for all you're getting is a great deal.
"Bollocks!" [In reference to lots of people showing interest in a ski trip and then hardly anyone signing up] ~ Chris
Thank you to everyone who helped with Student Athlete day! Dale asked what sorts of things we could bring up that would entice prospectives. Council said: current student's personal stories about good Albion experiences, what makes Albion special and unique, how Albion helps you find things that you love that you might not have known about before entering college and might not have had the opportunity to pursue at a different, especially a bigger school, Albion can cost less than a state school – we are good about financial aid, have prospectives walk around by themselves, find classes, etc so they get a feel for what it would be like when they are on their own, people at Albion bend over backwards for you and unlike at a lot of schools, that doesn't change once you're a student.
"We have lots of funsies" ~ Nick A.
Old Business:
Middle School Tour?
New Business
In the future, potentially plan a senior party of sorts. Everyone's invited but it honors the Honors seniors.
Maybe a trip to an Ice Rink?
Katie K. and The Bridge are trying to get an interfaith "Labyrinth" put on campus. Petition will be out soon. Sign it and show support!
Habitat for Humanity – Thursdays at 12:30pm in the Alumni Conference Room ( #rd Floor KC). Major fundraising going on this semester. Stop by or look out for info on builds and activities and such!
Cycling Club Anyone? Look out for more info on that as well.
Close: 5:50pm
Honors Council 11/2/11
Open: 5:10
*Approved Minutes (Council discussed it and they think it would be nice to add “Thank You Paige” back to the Approve Minutes line. They are so sweet
*Visit Day on Nov. 4th – Need volunteers for a 2:15 info session. Renee will send out an email.
*Rocky Horror went well – people had fun. We need to make sure that we let Renee know if you can’t go to Honors events and if we hear people talking about not being able to go, encouraging them to email as well, so that as many people as possible get the chance to enjoy Honors events
*Mug order back on - yay for getting mugs in 2 weeks! Thanks Renee for working on that for us!
Ski Trip to Timber Ridge – Official Date – February 4th. Cost will be $10/student whether you rent equipment or not (just to keep it simple). So far 60 people showed interest so it should be a blast! With that kind of interest, Renee should look into getting a bus. Also seeing what school vehicles are available or that date. Briton Bus maybe? If people have lots gear, they will need space to store it. We just need to explore our options!
*Old Business:
New Honors Director process is going well. Dean is hopeful that things will be settles in a few weeks!
*“I do have limits . . . believe it or not.” ~Dean
*There are LOTS of letters to stuff for Honors. I’ll be working on it hardcore Thursday and Friday. Renee is hosting a letter stuffing party in the Honors lounge upstairs tomorrow (11/3) from 2-4pm. There will be food!
*Since the new Admissions mini-viewbook thing kind of sucks (gray, dead trees, yeah) we need to put a new Honors newsletter together ASAP. Email Renee with idea for stories or students to feature. Or with any submissions!
*“People will read this and think ‘they have an observatory . . . and eat’.” ~Dean (commenting on the new viewboolet)
Close: 5:45
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 10/26/11
Open: 5:16
Approved Minutes
Renee resending email about letter to the Browns – make a special emphasis on seniors and even juniors (aka upperclassmen) submitting letters, please
We had 2 students come to the Visit Day info session on Saturday. But that was a good turnout in relation to the total number of students that came. Need students to come to another session on Friday, Nov 4th at 2:15pm in the Observatory – thanks!
ROCKY HORROR!! Bus drivers: be at the Observatory at 6pm to get buses/vans and all participants be there BY 6:15. Paige is running this show so don’t mess up!
Mug order was cancelled because of image issues. Council suggested contacting Brandon asking for a “Vector Graphic Rendering” or a “.png file” of the Honors crest. Evidently these are images that can easily be resized and not be pixilated. Also, a last resort would be a black and white .png file. These are easier to create than colored one. Contact Eddie B. and Preston A. if help is needed with this. They offered their expertise in this. Thanks guys!!
Ski Trip: There were a couple options but we decided that in the interest of not breaking the bank a day trip to Timber Ridge would probably be the best option. So Renee if you could finalize some numbers on a potential day trip there and then send out an email asking who in Honors would be interested in such a trip next semester, just to get some numbers. Will discuss this again in council after finding out about interest.
Old Business:
After being thanked for the first time this semester by Chris for taking council minutes, the council voted to add “Thank You Paige” back to the weekly agenda. Because although I AM getting paid, a simple thank you is always greatly appreciated
Close: 5:38
After meeting closed, a few council members were just sitting around, conversing and Robert P. said, “I always thought cooties was the kid’s equivalent of an STD”. Thank you for that gem, Rob
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council 10-19-11
Start: 5:08
Approved Minutes
Renee has gotten 4 letters to send to the Browns – pretty good, but will always accept more. No true deadline, but sooner rather than later. And if you write a letter, you will get one of the new Honors mugs.
“Do it for the mug. Or don’t. Just do it” ~ Dean
We need volunteers for the General Visit day on Saturday (10/22). Our session is at 1:10. Come if you can please!
Final Verdict: NO Coffee Hour
Old Business:
Middle School:
Most likely getting torn down, but we would still like a tour, so Dean will talk to Mike Franzen ASAP and try to schedule one for during Council ASAP. Then we can at least discuss potential ideas with the knowledge that they might only ever be ideas. But we should send out a mass email when we go to the Middle School because a lot of people in Honors might be curious about it.
Josh would like a GPS to take with him when he drives to Rocky Horror and Dean has one he can borrow. Renee – could you please bug Dean and remind him to get that GPS to you so you can get it to Josh when he drives on the 28th?
Close: 6:00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 10/5/11
Open: 5:07
Approved Minutes
Tye-Dyeing – 7 people showed up. There was yummy cider left over for council. Win.
Chicago is SOLD OUT – there is a waiting list
Carmina Burana was cancelled L
“We had to cancel Carmina Burana because I can’t pronounce it” ~ Dean
We need to compile a list of certified Honors drivers that we can email specifically when we need drivers for events – Thanks Josh J
Need people to write a letter for Honors or a blurb for the Honors newsletter – doesn’t need to be Honors related, just want to know what Honors students are doing.
On recycling Honors “swag”: “It used to be an ashtray – now you can drink out of it.” ~Dean
Courses:
Mysteries of the Brain is being taught next semester again.
12 courses listed so far, which is what we have this semester. Might get a few more.
Going to have a coffee hour sort of deal for professors to talk about course descriptions, etc. More details to come.
New Business:
10/26, 8-9pm in Norris 102 - Dean giving a lecture on how to find summer jobs/internships in Biology, the resources that are available, etc. It’s good information for any major though, so anyone interested should attend.
“An escaped mental patient on a motorcycle” ~ How Dean described the way the mother and daughter who watched him try to get a bee out of his glove once probably viewed him
No meeting next week even though will be back from Fall Break. Next meeting: 10/19
Close: 5:50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 9-28-11
Open 5:10
Approved minutes
Chicago – 28 seats left for students
Laser Tag – Josh Eggen will drive a van (14) and Dean’s van will fit 8 so that’s 22 potential spots
Carmina (opera) on 10/21 - $10 deposit
Dean asked students to write letters about Honors classes that we will periodically send to the Browns’. We also need an Honors newsletter by the end of the semester. If you write a letter, you will get a free ceramic mug.
Ceramic Mugs – Sent Renee link to mug we liked
New Business:
The Michigan Theater in Jackson has cool programming that is usually fairly cheap. Honors should look into these events and see if we can drum up some interest in going to them since some of the money usually goes towards the renovation of the theater which is totally awesome, for the record.
Global Medical Brigades is going to have a fundraiser one day a week where if you order Hungry Howie’s Pizza – GMB gets 10% of the proceeds. Honors students should support GMB and get pizza!
Finish: 5:48
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors Council Minutes 9/21/11
Start 5:04pm
Approved Minutes
Chicago:
Leave at 8am – get in around 11 local time; 3:30 – take bus to Second City for the 4pm show; after show, bus takes us back downtown for a few more hours for dinner, etc. Back to campus by midnight
Rocky Horror: Josh Eggen will drive – Yay!
Zap Zone: Just want to play laser tag for a few hours, so book a couple hours in the evening for our grout to play. Nov 18th (Friday)
Tye-Dying Party:
Shiorts will be $5; Jill or Marie needs to send an email to Renee that she can forward to Honors
Swag:
There is a lot of interest in nice, ceramic coffee mugs. They might be expensive, but since there is a lot of interest, it will be a good investment and students will be willing to pay more for them because they are of nice quality. Chelsea painted a nice image of everyone walking around campus with their Honors mugs – it was cool.
Old Business:
Middle school tour – still moving out all the old books, furniture, etc. Want to take a tour as soon as possible. Have it during council meeting time.
Spring Courses:
Jess Roberts AND Nels teaching course next semester, Balke’s course, Printmaking (Honors will have at least 6 seats reserved for us), Hagner, Saltzman’s Negotiation class, class on Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gender and International Relations – 11 courses so far – We will have as much as this semester or more.
New Business:
Revived Albion Cost Saving List for a bit – ahh memories
Can we start putting the minutes on the Honors website again?
Sunday, 9/25 from 1-6pm – Middle school clean-up – email Al Pheley if going to help. If allergic to dust, Al suggests you don’t help out.
“I’m allergic to lifting heavy objects” – Dean
Close: 5:56pm
Honors Council Meeting 9/14/11
Open: 5:07pm
Approved minutes
For Chicago Trip – Seeing Second City 4pm show – Laugh Out Loud
At least 8 people very interested in going to see Carmina Burana in Detroit on 10/21. Send out general email to see if any other interest. Also, because of the price of the tickets, make this a “deposit then get money back on showing up” sort of deal – so that the people that say they want to go are actually committed.
Laser Tag – Dean says Lansing’s Zap Zone is the best, so Renee – could you look up group rates and other special deals so we can discuss it at next meeting, please? Also look up birthday rates – Dean will totally say it’s his “birthday”, if necessary. For this event, we thought mid-late November considering all the events already planned for October
Swag:
NO pens
Look into the prices of nice, ceramic mugs – no plastic
Also look into water bottle prices – not cheap plastic ones – just so we can see out options
Old Business:
Tye-dying party for Honors shirts – Jill McManaman and Marie Brown have offered to head this up. Thanks guys! October 2nd at 4p in the Victory Park Pavilion. Would like to have food: cider doughnuts, milk and cookies (to give it a fall feel). Renee – could you reserve the pavilion for that day please? J
New Business:
Reminder about helping move things out of the middle school on 9/15 from 4pm to late evening. Renee already forwarded email to Honors.
Festival of the Forks on 9/17. Dean’s description: “There’s a parade – typical small town USA sort of thing. There’s tons of food and there’s lots of BBQ”.
Close: 5:44pm
Honors Council Minutes 9-7-11
Opened: 5:10
Retreat Review:
- Honors needs to bring bug spray since we’re outside for the skits
- Need bigger water bottles and MORE. We need to stay hydrated. Especially at the paintball courts. Make a note on the schedule for people playing paintball to bring water with them
- Great morning food - thanks Renee! J
- Leave at 10am and cut out the free time before lunch
- Give the leaders more info and structure for the meeting where they “talk about Honors” What do you want covered here? Because it is almost an hour long session . . .
- Skits were GREAT! We need to NOT give groups certain skits themes. Just let their creativity run!
Cultural Activities:
Chicago – tentative date November 5th, 2011 (check school calendar to make sure no major academic conflicts):
- In the past – “Cupid has a heart-on” (Dean – Make sure you say THAT right)
- Not interested in the Looking Glass show, so look into other options
- Second City
- Navy Pier Shakespeare Theater (Robert suggested – says their shows are funny)
- Look into other options
Go see Rocky Horror at Miller Oct 28-29th. LOTS of interest in this
Boyne probably too expensive. Look into staying at hotels nearby. Also look into Knub’s Knobs. Probably 55 people max for the trip. Honors can maybe cover all the cost, maybe only some. Need to do more research on options and pricings. If we go, we now have a creative name thanks to Robert Longtin ~ Enhanced Learning in Frigid Environments
People also very interested in laser tag. Look into pricing and potential dates.
Carmina Burana at the Detroit Opera in October – Look into prices, the possibility of some people going to that?
Honors needs certified bus drivers! Maybe send out an email about people getting certified. Letting them know that if they drive for an Honors event, they will be compensated somehow. Also stress that the certification process is not really hard. Maybe talk about it in the email to make people more amiable to the process?
Old Business:
Once the papers are finalized, we need to take a tour of the middle school to get our creative juices flowing with ideas about what to do with it. Tour will be during council time in a couple weeks.
Robert: Have you seen the movie “Accepted”?
Dean: My guess is that it’s about a bunch of college kids who get murdered.
Glasglow Rep was here today. Left lots of info with Honors. Have some GREAT programs for Pre-Med people. Also, they have a professor named Quentin Fog, which Dean thinks is the coolest name for a professor ever.
New Business
Snowboarding and Snow Skulpting Club will need people to help build half-pikes and snow creations this winter. Get excited!
Spring Honors Classes are in the works. Ideally we’d like 16 classes total. But we have some definites so far and we’re learning about more as the semester progresses
Closed: 6:00
About Albion
Contact Us | Directory | Consumer Information
© 2017 Albion College
