INTC-ya later

International Core’s transdisciplinary emphasis will be missed. The new International Honors Core only breeds elitism and division at PLU

Josh Goodell

Mast Advertising Assistant

A new era was ushered in at PLU this year. It’s a defining moment for the university, one that will hopefully provide a surge of bright, intelligent students, catapulting PLU into regional competitiveness: the addition of the International Honors Program.

According the U.S. News and World Report, “Collegiate honors programs typically offer students enhanced academic challenge in the form of honors courses and seminars, smaller classes, more faculty contact and interdisciplinary contact. The underlying philosophy behind their implementation is similar to that of gifted programs at the k-12 level: Academically talented students require modifications to the usual classroom experience to fully actualize their potential.” With this rationale, let’s explore the change from International Core to IHON.

Essentially replacing INTC, IHON is structurally and academically very similar to INTC. It’s comprised of the same learning objectives, the same instructors, relatively equal opportunities and that all-important reserved living area in Hong International Hall.

It seems the only difference between INTC and IHON is the name: honors. But with the inherent similarities, is there anything to be gained by superficial changes?

The answer from administration would no doubt be “yes.” In order to compete with regional rivals and attract more talented students, it must have seemed as though PLU needed the added prestige of an honors program.

As a second year student of the INTC program and more basically of PLU, I would first argue that the INTC program is amazing and should remain untouched, and second that the institution of not only the name “honors” but the space reservation in Hong is a double-edged, and in this case dichotomizing, sword.

Inside of the INTC curriculum, I’ve had the privilege of greatly expanding my breadth of understanding on a scale far outreaching anything I could have imagined or hoped for prior to my participation. The unique formulation of the INTC program has allowed me to experience religion, philosophy, history, political science, English and many other interdisciplinary elements, all combining to create a truly “liberal” education.

Along with the name change comes consequences, the likes of which the university will surely have to combat to achieve intra-campus homogeneity. As is evident around campus, divisive labels have already been unfairly and perhaps foolishly placed on students. Be it living situation (e.g. upper campus/lower campus, commuter/house renter), extra-curricular activities (e.g. sports, clubs, groups, orgs.) or something even more simple, PLU as a community has managed to create schisms among one another. Instead of further perpetuating a divisive environment at PLU, it is my belief that the school should be exploring alternative means of reaching goals in alignment with overall campus achievement.

In order to attract a more intelligent and academically successful student body, perhaps PLU should explore other options regarding incoming classes. Turning down greater portions of applicants while recruiting more intelligent applicants is an obvious suggestion and has no-doubt been explored. Perhaps appealing to a wider group of international students, attempting to facilitate healthier alumni relationships, or possibly encouraging overall effort by current students could provide some of what the university is searching for in an honors program.
While my solutions have possibly been exhausted at otherwise reasonable levels, surely there is more that can be done aside from changing INTC to IHON.

At a school priding itself on its Lutheran heritage, it would be refreshing to see a resistance to the general inclination of other schools to implement honors programs, and to build one community, one cohesive unit comprised of equally important and contributive components.