Academic Affairs Office of the Senior Vice President

Advancing Honors:
Innovating in the Honors College

Elevating the Honors College to a top-tier status will significantly contribute to the University of Utah’s reputation, attract exceptional students and faculty and enhance our research and educational outcomes. This project represents a critical step towards achieving these objectives by leveraging comparative insights and stakeholder perspectives to craft a robust strategy for excellence and innovation in the Honors College. The Academic Affairs Taskforce is tasked with undertaking a comprehensive analysis with the Honors College to formulate strategic recommendations for elevating the status of the Honors College nationally. The institutional goal is to have 10% of each class of admitted undergraduates participating in and graduating from the Honors College.

Project Purpose

Goals and current state:

• Honors population equal to 10% of student body per cohort
  • Currently: 9%
• Honors cohort leads four- and six-year graduation rates and does so with Honors degrees
  • Currently: Honors leads the U, but at an 80% six-year graduation rate (unadjusted)
• Honors cohort leads benchmark universities in honors degree confirmations
  • Currently: U Honors has a 32% completion rate, which is below national averages (50%-60%) and aspirational peers (80%).
• Honors is charged with advancing the class profile each year
  • Currently: The U Honors student profile is significantly higher than the general U undergraduate profile, and Honors students are disproportionately high-achieving while at the U.

Action items: During 2024, Honors College Dean Monisha Pasupathi pursued three action items:

• Resolving policy/process/structure issues that need resolution. This has included: a) restructuring the Honors core curriculum to better align with a plan for academic units to offer major-related HON coursework; b) restructuring the Honors Policy Board; c) working with the curriculum fee/policy review board to create a streamlined pathway for new HON courses to be added to the catalog; and d) working with all colleges to create a dean-level contact for each college around thesis completion and honors issues.
• Soliciting from all academic units a clear, systematically and consistently structured description of acceptable thesis projects and ideal steps to get there.
• Initializing conversations with all college deans about these pathways and including follow-up with curriculum committees in the College of Science, the College of Social and Behavioral Science and eight specific departments.

Objectives

• • Evaluate the Current Structure and Operating Model: Assess the foundational elements of the current model for honors, including administrative structure, operational processes, (dis)incentives and enrollment criteria, budget and faculty.
  • Analyze Outcomes: Measure the effectiveness of the current model in terms of student outcomes, academic unit participation, faculty engagement and contributions to the university's overarching goals.
  • Conduct Comparative Analysis: Compare and contrast the current model and outcomes for the U’s Honors College with those at peer institutions, focusing on those ranked in the top 25 nationally. This analysis will identify best practices and innovative strategies that contribute to their high standings.
  • Develop Recommendations: Based on the findings, develop a set of targeted recommendations aimed at enhancing the stature, operational academic efficiency and outcomes of the Honors College.

Expected Outcomes

• A detailed report comparing and contrasting the U’s Honors College with peer institutions, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in regard to the three strategic orientations.
• A set of practical, evidence-based recommendations for restructuring, if necessary, and optimizing the operating model of the Honors College.
• A strategic blueprint to achieve top 10 status, addressing key areas such as student recruitment and retention, faculty engagement, curriculum innovation and research excellence.

Project Timeline

• August 1, 2024: Peer comparison report/benchmarking analysis; preliminary report (3-4 models for honors pathways for colleges)
• August 8, 2024: Presentation to Deans’ Retreat
• November 2024: Strategic blueprint and recommendations
• January and February 2025: Discussions of strategic blueprint and recommendations with deans
• Spring 2025: Implementation

Project Leadership

This project is commissioned by the University president and provost, with approval from the Board of Trustees, and executed by the Academic Excellence Taskforce, which is composed of deans and provides recommendations and feedback on strategic initiatives and change management aligned with the University of Utah strategic planning process, Impact 2030.