Semester Wrap-Up

Hi Everybody! Just wanted to wish you good luck on your finals and thank you for another awesome semester of Honors. We had a semester full of awesome seminars and Honors events, all of which could not have been done without your help. To continuously improve, though, we need to hear some feedback! This week in seminar, we will be asking for your comments and suggestions on how the Honors Board can continue to improve the Program. Feel free to speak up, leave comments here, or drop a note in our suggestion box upstairs.

Thanks again, and have a wonderful holiday season!

Honors Wins!

Just wanted to leave a note for those that didn't hear in Seminar last week- Honors won across the board for Homecoming!

We won Best Float, Best Spirit Board, and we also won Sweepstakes, which is our overall point value from Homecoming week.

Thanks to everyone that helped!

Cooper

Monday, November 3 Seminar at 11:00 (The Ashley Treatment)

Hello readers!

I wanted to say thank you for the fantastic questions and discussion on this topic. I know there were a lot of people with their hands still raised when we had to call it quits due to time, and I'm not sure how many of you heard what I had said about finding more information online. Of course, yes, you can go to Google and type in "The Ashley Treatment" into the box, but I had a few links that I found and used for my presentation, and I want to share them with you.

http://ashleytreatment.spaces.live.com/

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/12/pillow.angel/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/11/ashley.outcry/

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/11/ashley.ethicist/index.html

There are plenty more out there, both positive and negative, so I'll stop now. Happy researching!

And We Are STILL Louisiana....

Hey there, fellow Honors Ragin' Cajuns! Just wanted to make sure you were all keeping abreast on the numerous Homecoming activities that are going on this week. Monday was the Kickoff Party and Cajun Karoke, both tons of fun; then on Tuesday, Honors did a great job in the Carnival in the Quad.

Tomorrow (10/30/08), is our "Cajuns Can Care" day. From 10-12, we'll be taking canned goods over to the Alumni Center. 50 cans = points for Honors, so if you have some green beans in that pantry of yours, bring them over! There is also a box in the entry way of Judice Hall. A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who donated money in seminar for us to purchase cans; we really appreciate your support.

Friday (10/31/08) brings the always popular Barn Bash, beginning around 6 pm and lasting until the last paintbrush strokes on our float! Come help put the float together, get some yummy jambalaya, and flaunt your style with a fun Halloween mask (prizes to be awarded)!

Saturday (11/1/08) is GAME DAY. Would you like to ride on the Honors float? We'd love to have you! Meet at Cajun Field for 8 am; the parade will begin at 10. After that, we'll be heading to our awesome tailgate spot under the Eaque (TM) for some rest and relaxation. We're thinking a "bring a lunch" setup or possibly pizza - what do you guys think? Kickoff is at 4 pm; be there or be square!

Hi Everyone this is a BIG reminder

Everyone participating (meaning anyone who reads this) in the Honors Picture Project:

Take a picture of a place in Lafayette that you believe represents the theme on October 11th (or *Hint Hint* right now or anytime before the deadline)

The Pictures are to be turned in to Dr. Frederick/ the honors office / E-mail the photo and a caption to UlHonorsPodcast@gmail.com before Wednesday

Everyone Participate So We Can Create An Awesome Picture Gallery Of Your Work!

WE NEED ALL THE PARTICIPATION WE CAN GET!

The Board!

Now that Fall Elections are over, and the results have been tallied, we can now present the full Honors Board for this 2008-09 School Year.

Cooper Battle: Senior Representative, Board Chair
Michael Mouton: Senior Representative, Board Historian
Ruth Diaz: Senior Representative
Jaime Carroll: Junior Representative, Board Vice Chair
Rebecca Hinson: Junior Representative
Melissa Montalbano: Junior Representative
Tyler Dunphy: Sophomore Representative, Board Secretary
Kendra Sullivan: Sophomore Representative
Taylor Clement: Sophomore Representative
Jazmin Bains: Freshman Representative
Alexandra Pitre: Freshman Representative
Lindsay Cornwell: Freshman Representative

These are the 12 people who you have voted in to represent you, make sure you keep in touch with them and help them to make your voice heard.

As always, all Board meetings are open to all Honors students, the next meeting will be Sunday, October 12th at 5pm. Please come if you are interested in helping with homecoming!

Our website is undergoing constant renovation- please check it out and send me feedback to battle@louisiana.edu.

You can go meet your new board members at the Honors Website- profiles will be updated and pictures added over the next few weeks.

Have a great Fall Break!

Tailgating has come and gone...

and where were you yesterday?? If you didn't come out to the Eauque™, then you missed out on some fantastic barbequed chicken and excellent company. For shame! The next home game is in three weeks, and we really would love for more people to come on out and visit with us. Watch this space for further details!

Until then, how about some pictures? Names included in case you're still not sure about who's who.

Mr John Frederick, Dr Frederick's beloved, having the honor of grilling for us:

Jaime Carroll:

Kendra Sullivan:

Tyler Dunphy:

Our esteemed leader and her consort:

Dr Joe Abraham:

And finally, the Board Contingent present; Left to Right: Tyler Dunphy, Rebecca Hinson, Kendra Sullivan, and Jaime Carroll:

Tailgating!

Thanks to Dr Joe Abraham (you know, the booksXYZ guy), we have a primo tailgating spot available for Honors students to come and grab a bite to eat, talk to friends, meet new people, and, most importantly, support our Ragin Cajuns!

Our first home game is this Saturday, September 20th. We're going to be ready to start serving barbeque chicken around 11 AM, and there will also be chips, french bread, lemonade, and lots of fun.

Hope to see everyone there under the Eauque™ near Bertrand drive (across from WOW Wingery)!

If you have any questions, contact any board member. We're looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend, and we want everyone to come and bring a friend while you're at it.

Honors Board Meeting, Sunday 14th at 2pm- Still on!

Just wanted everyone to know:

The Pre-Election/Seminar/Honors Board Meeting for Sunday, September 14th at 2pm is still on. If for some storm-related reason you cannot make the meeting, please call me at (337) 288-5456 before the meeting.

Hope everyone got through the storm safe and with little damage.

Cooper Battle

Seminar Topics

Hi all! Just a reminder from your friendly neighborhood board member....

This week is our seminar topic selection week. Starting tomorrow at the 11 AM seminar, we will start voting on what topics we all want to hear this semester. Please come prepared with fabulous ideas to suggest!

Now, a special message for the first time freshmen... yes, you. And you. And even you too. Don't be nervous about suggesting a topic. I promise, we will not tar and feather you for anything you say.

Also, if you are selected to give a seminar, you will be expected to serve on the seminar committees as well. It might sound like a daunting task, but it's not. All that is required is some of your time to listen and critique other presenters' seminars before they actually present them, and the same service will be provided for you as well. Many presenters have told us that they appreciate this, and it helps them to not feel quite so nervous or stressed over their presentations.

Thanks everyone; we'll see you all in seminar!

Elections!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to send out a reminder that Honors Board elections are coming up within the next few weeks. Remember, positions available for the '08-'09 school year: 3 FRESHMEN, 1 SOPHOMORE, and 1 SENIOR! If you are interested in running, please attend the Honors Board meeting on Sunday, September 14 at 2:00 pm. This is the time when we will solidify campaigning rules, dates, and election processes. You'll also have the opportunity to understand how our meetings work and learn about the time commitments for the Board. Plus, you'll have your "30 seconds of fame", because we're going to give you 30 seconds on the Podcast to introduce yourself and tell us why you'd be an awesome Honors Board representative. This will be shown at all the seminars so that a fair voting process can take place.

Freshmen, you need to bring a vita (resume) listing your major, GPA, activities (high school, college, Honors, etc), and interest in serving the program. You also need to have a recommendation letter from a UL faculty or staff member: we want representatives who have already stood out to their professors! :) Sophomores and Seniors, please bring a vita. This information will be posted in the Quiet Lounge during campaigning/elections weeks so that your fellow Honors students can get to know you a little better.

Hey, and for those of you planning on attending our awesome Mixer on the 4th, you will have the opportunity to introduce yourself to everyone and get a head start on your campaigning! What a great way to get your name out there!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Honors Board! We're looking forward to making our group even better.

Still On For Friday!

Hey Honors Students,

We hope everyone had a safe hurricane experience.

Since school is still scheduled for this Friday, I am letting everyone know that the Honors Mixer is still going to be held This Friday, September 5th from 1pm - 3pm at Judice-Rickels (The Honors Lounge)

We will have ¡FREE! food, music, activities, and Honors Students to mingle with.

See You There!

-Mike Mouton

Do you have what it takes?

No, this is not an Army ad. (At least, not from me.) UL Honors is proud to announce that we've taken the UL Lafayette Quiz Bowl team under our wing, and we're looking for new people to join.

What is Quiz Bowl? Two teams of usually five members each have a buzzer. A moderator asks a question, and when someone thinks they know the answer, they buzz in. Pretty simple, and loads of fun, both to watch and participate in. The questions cover a broad range of topics, from sports trivia to math, history to movies and television.

The Quiz Bowl team usually meets once a week in the evenings to practice and enjoy each others' company. They attend 6 to 8 tournaments a year (or more, depending on funding).

If you have attended LCHC in the past, you know how awesome our team is and how well they represent UL Lafayette. The team is the best around -- at least in our opinion -- but they know how to have fun and enjoy themselves.

What's that you say? You're not good with answering questions at a moment's notice? Pffft. You're better than you think you are, and you may be surprised by what you know.

Interested? Contact Jake Sundberg via email at husbandofsamus@gmail.com .

First Post / Honors Oracle Fall 08

Hi All (Mike Mouton on behalf of the UL Honors Blog)

This is our first post on our new blog this blog will be used to inform the honors students (and prospective honors students) on upcoming events in the honors program as well as provide a new channel of communication for the students to interact with the Honors Board.

Here is a copy of the Honors Oracle for the Fall 2008 Semester.

UL Lafayette Honors Program
The Honors Oracle
August 2008

Welcome back, Scholars!

Reminders

• There will be no seminar September 1st through 4th due to Labor Day holiday. Use this opportunity to research possible seminar topics!

• The Fall Mixer will be held Friday, September 5th, from 1 pm to 3 pm.

• Seminar brainstorming and voting will be September 8th through 11th. Prepare your topics early, and come ready to present a synopsis at the seminar.

• This semester we will be having Special Elections as well as our regular Freshmen Elections. We are looking for 3 Freshmen, 1 Sophomore, and 1 Senior. All interested candidates must attend the Pre-Election Meeting on September 14th at 2 pm. Elections will be held September 22nd to 25th. You can vote before/after Seminar, or in the Honors office in Judice.

Communication
by: Tyler Dunphy

Congratulations! Reading this article means that you are already stepping up to the plate with campus communication. On a diverse and large university such as UL, it is essential to remain in contact with professors, organizations, and fellow students. Fortunately, there are many avenues for communication that are available to students; it is just up to you to ensure that these methods can be beneficial.

First, make sure that your contact information is regularly updated should you change addresses, start a new email account, etc. Only by having updated contact information will other individuals be able to get in touch with you. If you need to change your information, simply log on to ULink and find the link entitled “Official Addresses” under the “Student” tab. Secondly, having updated information is of no use unless you check your email and Moodle accounts routinely. Professors often notify students through these methods of upcoming tests and assignments, and therefore a lack of communication can cause one’s grade to suffer. Thirdly, be aware of other forms of communication used by campus organizations. Take for instance, the Honors Program which has an online blog that is updated with events, announcements, and articles pertaining to the program. Weekly checks of the website, whose link is http://ullhonors.blogspot.com/, will allow you to remain an active participant within the program.

Lastly, it is important that you, as a student, make an effort to communicate your concerns and opinions to your professors as well as to your peers. Being specifically a student in the Honors Program, the Honors Board is readily available to work on your behalf. You just need to make your concern known through either the suggestion box located in the Honors Office on the second floor of Judice Rickels Hall or by contacting one of your Board representatives whose information can be found at http://honors.louisiana.edu/board/board.shtml

Honors Book
by: Kendra Sullivan

Are you ready to add more fire to your Ragin’ Cajun life? Well this semester’s Honors book is sure to give its audience third degree burns. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury puts an interesting twist on what government really wants you to know. Set in a time when firefighters are not to put out fires but start them in order to destroy knowledge and forward thinking, a brave firefighter, Guy Montag, becomes entrapped by the truth and hypocrisy of his role as a firefighter. This road becomes a downward spiral as Guy meets with others who know the truth. Make sure to buy this book early before it burns out!

Scholarships

The Honors Scholarship application for the Fall 2008 semester is available online via the Honors website. Go to http://honors.louisiana.edu/current-students.shtml#scholarshipinformation to download an application in either MSWord or PDF format. These scholarships are available to members of the Honors program in good standing. The application deadline is September 19th, 2008. An official copy of your transcript from the registrar’s office is required with your application. Scholarships available this semester are:

Grant Molett Scholarship (1)
Keith Lindley Scholarship (5)
Honors Alumni Scholarship (2)
Oran Robert Perry Burke Memorial Scholarship (5)
Gordon Rickels Endowed Memorial Scholarship (1)
Raymond Bourque, Sr. Memorial Scholarship (1)
Louis Houston Scholarship (1)

New Honors Courses

To better serve the needs of you, the honors students, the board and Dr Frederick have worked hard over the summer to convince several departments of the need for new Honors Courses. In the works for the 2009-10 school year are:

Honors Stat 214
Honors Math 250 (Survey of Calculus)
Honors Non-Majors Physics
Honors Organic Chemistry 1 & 2
Honors Biochemistry

And many more. Until these and other great courses in Philosophy, Psychology, and other disciplines are offered, the University Honors Program is proud to announce the use of Honors Courses by Contract. These will be contracts signed by the student, professor, and Dr Frederick that will allow students to do additional work in ANY class for Honors credit, with the professor’s agreement. These contract courses are currently limited to 300 and 400 level courses, and are targeted towards upper division honors students looking to get more involved in their course work. Courses by Contract will be available starting THIS FALL. To pick up a contract, please see Dr. Frederick in Judice 208.

Honors Kitchen Use
by: Jaime Carroll aka Not Your Mother

Welcome back, Honors Students! As a reminder, Judice-Rickels Hall is your home on campus. Besides the office, lounges, and computer lab, the kitchen is also available for your use. It has recently been restocked with popcorn, coffee, animal crackers, and the always popular ramen noodles! Feel free to grab a snack between classes or grab a lunch hour with some friends. The Honors Board recently invested a significant amount of time cleaning our kitchen, so we are asking for your cooperation in keeping it tidy! This includes washing any dishes, silverware, etc. you use, throwing away trash, and cleaning up spills on the floor and in the microwave. Since no one likes to deal with smelly food, please utilize the tape and permanent marker that has been placed near the refrigerator: if you’re going to store something, write your name and the date on the tape and place it on your item. This way, those cleaning the kitchen will know which items to discard and/or keep. We appreciate your cooperation and hope you utilize this great privilege of the Honors program! If at any time the kitchen is in need of supplies, please contact me at jfc7989@louisiana.edu Bon appétit!

Books XYZ
By: Melissa Montalbano

At present, the UL Lafayette Honors Program and BooksXYZ, a non-profit online bookstore, are working closely to raise money for the Dr. Milton Rickels Library, which will be located on the first floor of Judice-Rickels Hall. FYI: Dr. Milton Rickels is the husband of Dr. Pat Rickels, who was our honors director for 30 years and is still involved in our program.

BooksXYZ provides a vast array of books available for purchase. Five percent of all purchases through BooksXYZ will go to the UL Lafayette Honors Program to fund the library. Cash donations are also accepted through booksXYZ.com.

This is a massive project that requires the participation and support of all students in the honors program. If you can, please purchase Fahrenheit 451, or even some of your textbooks, through BooksXYZ. Simply go to www.booksXYZ.com/ul and select the book you would like to purchase. Five percent of your purchase will automatically go to the UL Lafayette Honors Program. You can also help by posting a link to BooksXYZ on your Facebook or Myspace. Please help the honors program make this project a success. Any little bit counts!

If you have any questions, comments, or want to get involved, just e-mail me at mmm1536@louisiana.edu .

10 Tips for Surviving Seminar
By: Mike Mouton

1. Come to the first few seminars to get a feel for them, and see what’s in store for you this semester.

Mike: Oh My Gosh! WHAT IS GOING ON WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE! WHERE AM I? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!? WHO AM I!?? WHERE DID THAT UNICORN COME FROM??!?! AHHHH!

Cooper: Calm down we’re just voting on seminar topics.

2.It is EXTREMELY important to go to the seminar proposal and voting meeting.

This is when the topics are suggested and chosen. Don’t complain if un-interesting topics are chosen, you determine what seminars are presented and which ones are voted down.

Mike: “Man why do we have to listen to this seminar. Geeze who voted for ‘Watching Paint Dry: Extreme Time Wasting?’ It’s a snooze-fest.

Cooper: You Did…….

Mike: Dang ::sigh::

3. Just because you are registered in a certain section does not prevent you from attending any other section.

Mike: I really want to watch ‘Camping in the Outdoors: It’s IN TENTS!’ but it isn’t in my scheduled seminar.

Cooper: you know you can go to it and it will count as an attended seminar

Mike: Awesome, I’ll go get my camping gear!

4. If you don’t want to listen to a certain seminar topic, go to a different one.

Mike: I’m going to watch ‘Attack of the Indie Kids!’ instead of ‘Grass Growing For Dummies’

5. Come with open minds and open ears, not malicious criticism.

There is a good chance you may be offended in seminar (it’s college if you are not offended or told an opposing view at some point you’re not doing it right) remember everyone is welcome to have and voice their own opinion but remember to wait your turn. The presenter is in control of the seminar respect them.

Mike: I don’t trust her or her opinion because I don’t trust girls with blue eyes. I hate her.

Cooper: Aren’t you dating a girl with blue eyes?

Mike: Exactly!

6. Pay attention! And participate!

It will be 10 times more fun if you take part in seminar.

Cooper: I can’t wait till I can comment on time travel. I’m going to bring my flux capacitor!

7. If you don’t like the topics propose your own.

Some of the best seminars have been presented by a first time freshman. Don’t be shy.

Cooper: Remember when you won best seminar your freshman year on your first try?

Mike: Yes…..yes I do remember ‘The Evolution of Geekdom’ ::Huge Smile::

8. Don’t be rude.

During seminar, chatting with your friends, text messaging, phone calls, sleeping, doing homework are all activities that are disrespectful to the presenter. The Presenter worked on this seminar for your benefit respect their work.

Mike: Nothing funny here DON’T BE RUDE.

9. Feel free to discuss topics outside of seminar with the presenter.

Many presenters would love to talk about the topic they were interested in sharing with the class.

Random Person: Awesome seminar Mike! I had no idea you saved that much money on you car insurance!

Mike: I could talk for hours about my strategies for saving money.

Random Person: I would love to hear about it.

10. Have Fun! Learn Something New!