Honors Program Records, 1962-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon State University. Honors Program.
Title
Honors Program Records
Dates
1962-1991 (inclusive)
1968-1991 (bulk)
Quantity
1.5 cubic feet, including 253 photographs, 4 sound recordings, and 2 computer disks, (3 boxes)
6 microfilm reels
Collection Number
RG 096
Summary
The Honors Program Records consist of the administrative and student related records of the Oregon State University Honors Program from initial efforts in the mid-1960s to its closure, due to budget cuts, in 1991.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research with the exception of selected materials in Series I. Administrative Files and all of Series V. Graduates and Series X. Theses. which require approval of the University Archivist.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

In 1959 Honors work began in the School of Science which developed into a joint program between the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in 1964. The University Honors Program was established campus-wide in 1966 and offered enriched educational opportunities to students of superior scholastic ability or of particular academic focus. In addition to participation in extra-curricular honors colloquia and seminars, students were required to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. The Honors Program was terminated at the end of the 1990-1991 academic year due to budget constraints. A new University Honors College was established for fall 1995. Today, the Honors College operates as a small degree-granting college, within Oregon State University, which offers an Honors Baccalaureate Degree in any undergraduate major.

In September 1965 Leonard J. Weber, Professor of Engineering, was the chair of the newly established All University Honors Committee. This committee was initially assigned to study the feasibility of establishing a University-wide honors program at Oregon State University. Once the University Honors Program was established, the Honors Committee became responsible for the general oversight of the program. In the fall of 1970 Leonard J. Weber became the director of the Honors Program.

The Facets of Honor, also known as FACETS, was established for students in the University Honors Program. FACETS recognized and encouraged superior academic achievement, promoted fellowship and the exchange of ideas, faciliated communication between students and faculty associated with the Honors Program and offered advisement to faculty concerning the program.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Honors Program Records document the administration and programs of the Honors Program. The records include committee records, lists of graduates, information about faculty participants, director's files, publications, and photographs. The bulk of the collection consists of honors theses completed by students from the 1960s through 1991. Of note are newsletters published by students in the late 1960s and early 1970s that include announcements of Honors Program activities but also include pieces addressing the Vietnam War and environmental topics.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Honors Program Records (RG 096), Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The records are arranged in 11 series: I. Administrative Files, 1969-1991; II. Annual Letters to the President, 1980-1991; III. Committees, 1969-1987; IV. Director Files, 1965-1973; V. Graduates, 1968-1991; VI. Planning Reports, 1974-1991; VII. Publications, 1968-1991; VIII. Slide-Tape Program, circa 1973; IX. Student Organization (Facets of Honor), 1988-1989; X. Theses, 1969-1991; and XI. Photographs, 1962.

Acquisition Information

The materials were transferred to the Archives in 1991.

Related Materials

Additional materials pertaining to the Honors Program are part of the Memorabilia Collection (MC-Honors Program) and the President's Office Records (RG 013). The Honors College Records (RG 238) document the degree-granting college established at Oregon State University in 1995.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Administrative Files, 1969-1991Return to Top

Series I consists of administrative paperwork such as generic student application forms and program information letters. This series also includes some general statistical information and support data about the Honors Program, including a revised copy of the Honors Student Association Constitution dated January 1969.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Application Forms
undated
1
Form Letters
1989-1991
1
Honors Dormitory
1989
3
List of Active Honors Program Students
Access must be approved by the University Archivist because of confidential information.
1988-1990
3
Senior Projects/Theses
Access must be approved by the University Archivist because of confidential information.
1986-1990
1
Sketch of Beaver by Don Poole
1991
Statistics and Summaries
1987-1991
Box
1
1987-1991
3
Access must be approved by the University Archivist because of confidential information.
1991
Box
1
Support Data
1969-1990

Series II:  Annual Letters to the President, 1980-1991Return to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Series II consists of photocopies of letters to the OSU President listing the school, dean, department, department head and individual faculty who volunteered their time and expertise to the University Honors Program during the previous academic year. There are also photocopies of the letters which were sent to the department heads recognizing the efforts of individual department faculty who had volunteered their time to the Honors Program.

Series III:   Committees, 1969-1987Return to Top

Series III consists of annual reports, class schedules, memorandum, minutes, newsletters and other materials related to the work of the University Honors Program Committee. In addition to overseeing the general administration of the Honors Program, the Honors Committee was also responsible for approving program applicants and monitoring their progress while in the program. Included is a file from the Honors Program Task Force which met during the 1986-1987 academic year to develop recommendations for restructuring the program following the retirement of Program Director, Margaret Meehan, in June 1985.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
University Honors Program Committee
3 folders
1969-1986
1
Honors Program Task Force
1986-1987

Series IV:  Director Files, 1965-1973Return to Top

Series IV consists of materials compiled by various directors to assist them in managing the Honors Program. The Director's Notebook appears to be a ready reference of sorts outlining the student programs, courses, colloquia and individual department guidelines for students participating in the program. Weber's files document his participation on the Honors Committee.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Director's Notebook
2 folders
1968-1973
1
Leonard Weber's Files
1965-1972
Box
1
General Files
1968-1971
1
Honors Committee
1965-1966
1
Honors Committee
1966-1968
1
Honors Committee
1968
1
Honors Committee
1971-1972

Series V:  Graduates, 1968-1991Return to Top

Container(s): Box 3

Series V consists of annual listings of students in the OSU Honors Program. The names are organized alphabetically and often include the school and department where each student is enrolled.

Access must be approved by the University Archivist because of confidential information.

Series VI:  Planning Reports, 1974-1991Return to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Series VI consists of photocopied lists of the colloquia offered through the Honors Program for a specific term. The name of the instructor, department or profession, and class location are also included.

Series VII:  Publications, 1968-1991Return to Top

The publications include brochures, newsletters, and schedules. The brochures describe the Honors Program and give instructions for completing a thesis. The newsletters were published by honors students. The schedules describe honor colloquia and seminars offered each quarter.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Brochures
circa 1980-1991
Newsletters
1968-1971
Box
1
The Quick and the Dead
1968-1971
1
Ecotrip
1969-1970
1
WIIAN
1970-1971
Schedules
1968-1991
Box
1
3 folders
1968-1983
2
2 folders
1984-1991

Series VIII:  Slide-Tape Program, circa 1973Return to Top

Container(s): Box 2

The Slide-Tape Program consists of a recorded narration on audiocassette and 58 color slides about the Honors Program. It includes images campus scenes, classrooms, and laboratories; students; and faculty.

Series IX:  Student Organization (Facets of Honor), 1988-1989Return to Top

Container(s): Box 2

Series VIII consist of materials mainly related to the "My Last Lecture" series which was organized by the Facets of Honor, a student organization of the University Honors Program. The premise of the lecture series was that if this was a presenter's last public speech, what ideas or principles would they feel were most important to share with the audience.

Series X:  Theses, 1969-1991Return to Top

Series X consists of theses completed by honors program students. The bulk of the materials are available on microfilm. Oversize materials, photographs, sound recordings, and computer disks are available in original format. A detailed list of all theses, including author, title, date, and major department, is available for authorized users.

Access to the honors theses is restricted to the author(s) and authorized Oregon State University faculty and staff by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (PL93-579; 88 STAT. 1896).

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
3
Oversize and other materials not microfilmed
6 folders
3
Photographs
192 photographs
Color slides, color prints, and b/w prints that were included with original honors theses on a variety of topics.
1973-1990
3
Magnetic media
Computer disks and audiocassette sound recordings that accompanied original honors theses.
1978-1990
reels 1-6
Theses
1969-1991

Series XI:  Photographs, 1962Return to Top

Container(s): Box 2

The photographs consist of 3 b/w prints depicting Honors Program students in science. The images were published in the 1962 publication Honors Program - School of Science (CM62:18).

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • College students--Research--Oregon--Corvallis.
  • Student activities--Oregon--Corvallis.
  • Universities and colleges--Honors courses--Oregon--Corvallis.

Corporate Names

  • Oregon State University--Faculty.
  • Oregon State University--Research.
  • Oregon State University--Students.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Audiocassettes.
  • Floppy disks.
  • Photographic prints.
  • Slides.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Weber, Leonard Joseph. (creator)