Professor Michael Mass will step down as director of the University Honors Program at the end of the academic year, after 26 years in the position.
Mass has been at AU since 1974 and became the Honors Program Director in 1985.
He never expected to be in the position so long, he said. He thought he would only be the director for a year.
“It was never the ultimate plan,” Mass said.
After taking his first sabbatical since 1989, Mass will return as a full-time professor in the Kogod School of Business in the spring of next year. He will also teach honors colloquium courses, including “Legal Issues of Globalization" and "Contract Law: The Law of the Deal.”
As director, Mass’ responsibilities included admitting new students and designing courses for Honors students. The job has changed considerably over the years with the increase in the size of the program.
During Mass’ tenure, the Honors program increased from about 300 to 1,100 students. Honors colloquia also increased from three per year to about 15 per semester.
“I’m proud of the students,” Mass said. “I would put them up, not only on paper, but in terms of their intelligence, in terms of their drive, in terms of their intellectual curiosity.”
Nominations are now being accepted by the Provost’s office for a new director. Candidates will likely be senior faculty who have taught in the Honors Program or have an understanding of the Honors Program.
Honors moves to Hughes
Mass’ decision comes a little more than a month after the Honors Program office moved into Hughes Hall 105 on Dec. 9. The office used to reside in Hurst Hall, room 206.
Most Honors students are also currently housed in Hughes, allowing greater convenience for students who need access to the office.
Next year, most Honors students will live in Hughes. Upperclassmen will be able to live in Centennial Hall.
“The intention is for all Honors students to have access to the Honors space,” Mass said in an e-mail.
The old office was shared with other organizations and professors who were not directly linked to the Honors Program. Wheelchair accessibility was also limited due to a lack of elevator access to the office.
“We were in that old space for about a decade,” Mass said. “And it was never supposed to be a permanent space.”
The new office also features two entrances, one from the lobby of Hughes and the other from the outside. The outside entrance, which has yet to be finished, is for those who do not live in Hughes and may not have swipe access.
College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Erin Hannigan said the previous office was not well-organized.
“It was pretty cluttered and closed-quartered in there,” she said. “If there were a lot of people in there, like over five, it was hard to move yourself around.”
The office for the Frederick Douglass Scholarship program is also in Hughes. Mass said the closer proximity will allow greater collaboration between the two programs. All Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars are in the Honors Program.
The space’s official opening will happen later this spring.
zcohen@theeagleonline.com
