Discussion of Eastern’s Honors Program becoming an Honors College is still unsettled, but the change has already happened at Western Illinois University, which has an enrollment and budget similar to Eastern.

At Western, the Honors College was approved by the Board of Trustees in December of 1999. Western is currently the only state school to have gone from an Honors Program to an Honors College.

Thomas Helm, director of Western’s Honors College and a professor of philosophy and religious studies, explained the process his program went through at Western.

“I proposed the initiative to our university’s president and, with his support, carried the proposal for the creation of an Honors College to the Deans’ Council, the Faculty Senate and ultimately to the Board of Trustees.”

Blair Lord, Eastern’s vice president for academic affairs, explained that every institution has a different process that the proposal must undergo.

“Here at Eastern, the Faculty Senate debates the proposal, then it goes to the Council on Academic Affairs, then it is discussed by the Council of Deans and Chairs. If it is found to be a worthy idea, then it is sent to the president, if the president agrees then it goes to the Board of Trustees,” Lord said.

Helm talked about the evolution that honors programs have made and why there is a push for more programs to become colleges.

“As honors programs have matured over the last three decades, more and more of them are making the transition to college status. The Honors Program continues to be the centerpiece of the Honors College, but the Honors College has a mission that goes beyond the administration of the Honors Program.

“When we became a college, we assumed responsibility for the Honors Convocation in the fall and spring, national/international scholarship, and the international honorary society, Golden Key.

The Honors College is home for an interdisciplinary minor in pre-law and sponsors an annual pre-law symposium. And, as a college, we have expanded our service to the traditional academic colleges, our work with admissions and work with student activities,” Helm said.

At Eastern, the proposal would keep the academic curriculum of the Honors Program the same.

“We are not trying to create anything new. It’s an organizational change and a name change,” said Lord.

At Western, changes were made in administration.

“The position of director was moved from two-thirds to full time, the associate director from one-third to one-half. We continue with two secretaries, a grad student and an undergraduate worker,” Helm said.

Helm warns that Eastern should learn from some of the stumbles Western made initially.

“A big problem is when resources don’t match the need.” Helm said, referring to funding problems that came with the change.

The Faculty Senate will discuss the Honors College proposal further in today’s meeting.