Opinion

Defending the Honors College

Students take a stand for current and upcoming programs

By Jamie Cox

Posted on May 06, 2002, at 12:00 a.m.

I can’t say that we in the Honors Program weren’t slightly taken aback by the vicious and unwarranted attack made by Opinion Editor Amy Bowler of The Maine Campus. The FirstClass forum for the Honors Program has been flooded with support from both students and faculty alike who all appreciate the program, as they have been privileged enough to experience it.

The major topic that Miss Bowler discussed was that of the University of Maine’s cutbacks relating to budget shortfalls. One might think that it would indeed be foolish for the university to undertake a project such as the renovation of Colvin Hall to house the Honors Program. If the case were as such, of course it would be foolish. If any actual research had been done, however, it would appear clear that the university spends very little money (proportionately relating to other colleges) on the Honors Program and the renovation of Colvin Hall. Had the writer bothered to talk to and question the director of the Honors Program, Charlie Slavin, she would have realized that the extent of the university’s contribution to the center is very little.

“The only funding for the Colvin Hall renovation that has come from the university (as opposed to donors contributing to the university) is for the elevator and handicapped access. The rest of the renovations as well as the furniture have come from donors.”

Now, this in itself certainly is enlightening information. Research has shown us that although some contributions have come directly from the university, most contributors are private donors. Not only that, but a relatively small amount of money has actually been received from the university for the insertion of the elevator and handicapped access, and both are required in order for the building to be legitimately used by students and faculty. Regardless of the program housed in the building, the repair would have been made anyway.

The most interesting statement in the article is contained in the paragraph in which the author pensively asks, “. what’s the point?” This statement illustrates true ignorance of the Honors Program and what it is designed to do. Taken from the course catalog on the university’s Web site: “Open to students in all colleges and majors, it provides a unique opportunity for motivated students to investigate diverse academic areas of the university, to be challenged in a supportive intellectual environment, and to critically engage fellow students and enthusiastic, distinguished faculty in thoughtful, provocative discussion. The benefits and rewards are substantial and the program is flexible enough to be tailored precisely to the individual student’s needs and interests.”

This statement says it all, but doesn’t necessarily reflect the true feeling of the Honors Program. In the small classes with usually about 12 members, the rapport between the teachers and the students is amazing, as it illustrates what can be achieved with smaller classes and more individualized attention. The lectures students attend once a week also serve to allow the students to better understand the material as well as get to know the faculty. Charlie Slavin is on a first name basis with many of the honors students, and the dialogue between he and a learner is both fluid and natural. The impediments of learning are dismissed by the bond that develops over time between members of the program.

As one could deduce from the outpouring of support the program has received, it is obvious that people truly believe in the need for an Honors Program, as well as the upcoming Honors College. Being a member of the program, I know that aside from the discipline required in order to keep up with your honors classes and the papers and projects, one truly learns a great deal in taking the classes and being with the teachers.

As for the quote taken from Charlie, it is still applicable. It’s common sense that the university would like to get the greatest minds to enroll and become students. The need for intellectual prowess is nothing new, and short of schools costing thousands of dollars more than UMaine, the Honors Program affords them the very best in opportunities that students who work hard so richly deserve. The Honors Program is a main selling point for many applicants to the university, and everyone has an equal opportunity to become a member. If you wish to learn to think critically, and to better understand the reasoning in the world around you, then the Honors Program is an excellent opportunity. It’s not about being able to graduate with honors, although that is a plus for some. It’s about learning and doing the very best throughout your education. That is something every student who attends the university should strive to achieve, regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in the Honors Program.

The most hurtful notion contained in the article is that of the idea that an honors education is for nothing. By that mentality, the point of an education in general is for nothing. Why would one wish to learn more and better themselves if they felt that it would all be for nothing? The whole point of the Honors Program is to accentuate your existing knowledge, as well as to increase what you know. That’s the point of education in general, is it not? How can one insinuate that a further education is pointless? The point of being a student and exercising your mind and your capacity to learn is to help you think and allow you to perceive information from all points on the spectrum. The Honors Program does this, and will continue to do so in the years to come, especially as it becomes an official college.

In conclusion, knowledge of an argument before it is made helps to support it, and knowledge is achieved through research and learning. In order to have a true idea of what the program is all about, one has to learn about it and talk to students who are a part of it. I personally believe that the Honors Program has helped me learned a great deal more than I ever thought I would, and I have been exposed to great works that I probably never would have read on my own. If I had, I wouldn’t have had the insight into the works that professors of the Honors Program have provided to me. Numerous others and myself would not have received nearly as much out of the college experience as we have, and, after all, aren’t we here to learn?

Jamie Cox is an first-year new media major and honors student.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 6th, 2002, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.