Ad Hoc Instructor Overview

Thank you for considering supervising an Honors student’s ad hoc Honors project during your course. If you are unfamiliar with ad hoc Honors, please review the ad hoc Honors web site. Please note that ad hoc Honors should not alter a student’s grade in your course. This additional work is recognized by the attachment of an Honors designation (an “H”) to the course on the transcript.

Our commitment to providing a diverse, flexible, and in-depth education is not possible without your commitment to working with our students on these additional projects. We greatly appreciate your time and energy, and recognize the effort you will contribute to this project and to the student’s experience. Below, we include some additional information and context for you to consider, should you want it!

By agreeing to oversee an ad hoc Honors project, the instructor agrees to:

• Work with the student in creating an appropriate additional project (distinct and separate from regular course work)
• Work directly with the student and make explicit arrangements concerning expectations and goals for the project
• Submit an initial online approval of the ad hoc Honors proposal by the quarterly deadline listed on the Honors Program website
• Provide a good learning and working environment for the student
• Communicate regularly with the student
• Evaluate the student’s project upon completion and submit final online approval/denial for the Honors notation.
• For Interdisciplinary Honors students only: Review the student’s 300-word reflection at the of the quarter as a part of the final online approval/denial for the Honors notation. See more about this reflection requirement below.

Please note that you are never obligated to work with a student on their ad hoc project. Instructors should only agree to support a student on their ad hoc project if they feel they have capacity to and interest in overseeing an ad hoc project.

The student is agreeing to:

• Take the initiative on the overall project, including initial contact, generating project ideas, and communicating with the instructor, especially regarding any changes or difficulties
• Manage the application and approval process with the departmental/major adviser and/or the Honors Program
• Complete the agreed-on project during the quarter in which the student is enrolled in the course
• Respect the learning objectives and expectations of the course and the Honors Program

Reviewing the ad hoc reflection and submitting your final approval/denial

Interdisciplinary Honors students are required to submit a 300-word reflection in addition to their agreed upon ad hoc project in order to receive the Honors notation. They must submit their reflection through the same portal as their initial application for you to see their final evaluation form. Departmental Honors students are not required to submit this reflection. If you aren’t sure if the student is an Interdisciplinary Honors or Departmental Honors student, you can ask the student or email uwhonors@uw.edu.

As the instructor, we don’t ask that you “grade” the reflection for things like grammar or structure, but to use your best judgement to determine if the student’s reflection is an honest attempt at addressing the questions asked.

By approving the ad hoc final evaluation, the instructor confirms that:

• The submitted reflection is an honest attempt at addressing the reflection prompts
• The student has successfully completed the ad hoc

You should decline the ad hoc final evaluation if one of the following is true:

• The student has not completed the ad hoc project, or has not completed the ad hoc project to the standards agreed upon.
• You feel that the submitted reflection does not address the reflection prompts. If you have capacity to review a student’s resubmission, you can ask the student to resubmit their reflection if they have otherwise successfully completed the ad hoc project. The student should email UW Honors in this case so that we can reopen their reflection submission and allow them to resubmit. You are not required to accommodate a resubmission of a student’s reflection.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m teaching a course as a graduate student. Can I still oversee an ad hoc?

Yes! If you are a graduate student acting as the primary instructor of a course that a student wishes to ad hoc, you can oversee an ad hoc project. If you are acting as a TA in a course and a student approaches you to ad hoc a course, direct them to the primary instructor.

Contacting Honors

Please don’t hesitate to contact the Honors Program if you have any questions or concerns, and thank you again for your commitment to student success!

University of Washington Honors Program
211 Mary Gates Hall
Box 352800
Seattle, WA 98195-2800
uwhonors@uw.edu
206.543.7444