Who would have thought?

2009 was, as we all know, a stressful and disappointing year for all of our economies. From the global scene, to our federal government, to our academic institutions and programs, to our individual accounts-the year was financially tight all around. Add to that the threat of a worldwide pandemic, and who would have thought that NCHC managed to stage one of the largest national conferences in its history this past fall in Washington, D.C.? Such dedication is a clear indication of the importance of our organization to our membership, the powerful draw of our intellectual and professional community, the value of our yearly meetings and other benefits that come with membership in NCHC.

Are you a current member? If you are, then you know the incalculable worth of NCHC in promoting and sustaining the vitality of honors education not just in the United States but also internationally. If you have not taken advantage of membership or if you have allowed your membership to lapse temporarily, I ask that you join us in building NCHC's advocacy for the work we cherish and that you help us continue to grow into one of the most vital and central institutions in higher education dedicated to academic excellence for all motivated and talented faculty, staff, and students.

~John Zubizarreta, President

If you have not completed your NCHC membership renewal yet, please note that all renewal payments need to be received by January 31, 2010 in order to retain your Members Only and Forum Discussion IDs, and to avoid removal of your institution from the member institutions website list. You may process payment by credit card on our website or by calling 402-472-9150 to process payment over the phone.

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Please don't delay.  Make sure your membership payment is received before January 31, 2010.  Thank you to the 752 members who have already completed the renewal process!

• NCHC, regional and/or state honors organization leadership.
• Scholarly activities relating to honors education.
• NCHC, regional and/or state honors special events, institutes, etc.
• Recognition for outstanding honors teaching on the home campus.
• Assistance provided to other honors programs/colleges (site visits, consulting, etc.).
• Demonstrated record of sustained commitment to honors education.
  

The Honors Semesters Committee is taking a select few faculty members to explore the built and natural environments of Las Vegas and Death Valley from a completely new perspective.  This area offers superb venues for social, cultural, and natural on-site exploration, readings of natural history and analyses of literature and film.  These experiences, combined with reflective and analytical writings and discussion, will provide a sense of the ecological and social conflicts characteristic of extreme landscapes.

The Institute begins in Las Vegas, moves to Death Valley National Park and then returns to the city to complete a journey through space and time.  Participants will investigate both locations through walkabouts, interviews, observations, mapping exercises, and reflections on these experiences through individual written reports and lively seminar discussions.  The Institute will culminate with a workshop on adaptations of Place as Text™ pedagogy for participants' use on their own campuses and in academic travel programs. 

Honors and other faculty and administrators seeking to incorporate interdisciplinary and field-based elements into their courses and programs will find this Institute ideal.  Participants from other Institutes have used the Place as Text™ pedagogy in courses ranging from literature to biology and in student orientations, campus assessments and professional development workshops.

To find a registration form along with complete details about this Institute, please visit the NCHC website.

Happy new year to all our honors colleagues and students! The beginning of 2010 brings fresh, new hopes of a more peaceful and financially sound world. All of us experienced the challenges of hard times last year, with many disappointing and even painful consequences stemming from institutional restructuring decisions or other responses to a dire global recession. But I am proud and happy to report that your NCHC has maintained its core mission, organizational integrity, and financial strength throughout the troubles of the day.

There is no better proof of such confidence in the essential value of our work in honors than the exceptional attendance at our fall national conference in Washington, D.C., a genuine testimony of the vitality of our membership and its devotion to excellence in teaching and learning! NCHC remains vigorous and sound, and we move forward into the new year with even greater resolve to make a real difference in the future of higher education, not just in our country but internationally, with a growing membership worldwide which is increasingly interested in the power of honors education in improving the quality of teaching and learning in inclusive and meaningful ways. A happy new year, indeed!

While we revel in the positive directions we might take as an organization in the coming year, don't forget to make your contribution to our continued success by doing at least two things right away. First, be sure to renew your membership if you are a current or lapsed member. If you know of local programs or colleges that do not hold membership in NCHC, be sure to encourage them to join by relaying the worth of our organization and its many benefits. If you happen to read this newsletter but have never belonged to NCHC's thriving community of scholars, administrators, and students, please take a moment to browse our web site and learn how you can join a powerful network of professionals and students dedicated to academic excellence.

Second, be sure to submit a proposal for our annual conference next fall in Kansas City. President-Elect Bonnie Irwin is working hard with her conference planning committee to design a dynamic program full of rigorous sessions; engaging, relevant plenaries; exciting activities; and plenty of good food, friendships, and networking opportunities. The deadline for proposals is 5:00 p.m., 19 February, Central Standard Time. Please note the CST mandate, an especially important requirement from now on, since the entire proposal and registration process will now move from an outsourced venture to our national headquarters in Lincoln, NE, another indication of how your new national office continues to take on additional, crucial responsibilities to help our organization grow and make it more secure, responsive, and productive.

Once again, happy new year! I hope our spring terms bring renewed energy, commitment, and joy to all of us as we work hard to make our honors programs and colleges even better. Don't forget that even as the Robert Burns-inspired new year tune of "Auld Lang Syne" harkens back to times and acquaintances of the past, it is also an anthem of hope and prosperity for the future:

And there's a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o' thine !
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

So tip that draught, honors friends, and let's welcome a new day for NCHC. Cheers!

The next issue of JNCHC (deadline: March 1, 2010) invites research essays on any topic of interest to the honors community.

The issue will also include a Forum focused on the theme "Honors and Athletics."  We invite essays of roughly a thousand words that consider this theme in the context of your campus and/or a national context.

The lead essay for the Forum - "College Sports, Honors, Five Liberal Lessons, and Milo of Crotona" - by Sam Schuman may be found here.  Contributions to the Forum may respond to this essay or take an independent approach.

Questions to consider might include:  Is mens sana in corpore sano a concept relevant to honors? Are intercollegiate athletics an asset or disruption to the honors community?  In what way have intramural sports added to or subtracted from the honors community?  Is the analogy between honors and athletics a useful tool for gaining special privileges for honors students such as priority registration?  Is this analogy apt, and are these privileges ethical?  Are the honors director and sports coach natural enemies or allies?  Does the special attention given to athletes help justify special attention for honors students?  Does the brouhaha that surrounds high-profile athletics help or interfere with recruiting and fundraising for honors?  Are scholar-athletes an important benefit to honors?

Forum essays should focus on ideas, concepts, and/or opinions related to "Honors and Athletics."  Examples from one's own campus can be and usually are relevant, but the essays should not simply be descriptions of "what we do at our institution."

Also attached to this message is information about JNCHC and submission guidelines.

Please send all submissions to Ada Long at adalong@uab.edu.