Students may notice an increase in the number of new freshmen hanging out in the French House and the Laville Honors dorms, as the application and acceptance rate of the LSU Honors College has increased dramatically over the past few years.
Nancy Clark, who became dean of the Honors College July 1, said her experience with an honors program at a California Polytechnic school resembles LSU.
“We started the program with around 50 students,” Clark said. “By the time I was done, we were up to 300.”
Clark cites an increase of students enrolling in AP and honors courses in high school as a large reason for the increase in application.
“We had over 1,200 applications to the Honors College this year,” she said. “It’s becoming a built-in tendency with students to identify with an honors program.”
Brittny Laukhuff, a biological sciences freshman, said the smaller, friendly atmosphere of the Honors College attracted her to the program.
“I thought I could get in and it seemed like a good experience,” Laukhuff said. “Plus scheduling classes early is great.”
Dean Clark also said the atmosphere of the college is an important recruitment tool.
“Finding a smaller community to be a part of is a concern for students,” Clark said. “Some join a sorority or fraternity, they just want to identify with something instantly.”
Clark said the Honors College now controls both East and West Laville, which are located directly behind the French House, and said she is trying to build a strong connection between the college and the dorms.
“We house approximately 500 honors students between the two Lavilles,” Clark said. “We have started scheduling classes in the classrooms there and four faculty members hold their office hours in the dorms.”
Clark said honors college students, who began moving in to East and West Laville Aug. 20, will find a more cozy, residential college atmosphere.
“We’re pulling the three buildings together for a small-campus feeling,” Clark said.
Honors College advising and academic course offerings are other issues Clark is addressing.
“We created a panel of faculty to study the course offerings,” Clark said. “And we’re also going to offer an honors abroad trip that coordinates with our freshman 1001/1003 ancient western civilization classes.”
Michael Tipton, who has been president of the Honors College for two years, said the increase of honors students has also caused an increase in honors activities.
“We’ve organized tailgates and bus trips to places like The Myrtles in St. Francisville and the D-Day Museum in New Orleans,” Tipton said. “We also offer food nights during exams and other events to keep people involved.”
With an increase in applications and enrollment, Tipton and Clark plan to increase honors student involvement in the community, with new programs such as tutoring elementary students in Baton Rouge public schools.
Tipton said recruitment by Honors College Advocates and student interest has increased applicants, but retention of students is a problem for the Honors College.
After their fourth full semester, Honors College students can receive sophomore honors distinction if they take more that 15 honors hours, have over a 3.5 GPA and meet other requirements for the distinction. To graduate with college honors, however, students must write a thesis pertaining to their field their senior year.
“The way it works is if we let 500 people in, only about 200 get sophomore honors distinction and about 20 receive college honors,” Tipton said. “We need to work on that.”