6a. Unit
Leadership and Authority
1. How does the unit manage or
coordinate the planning, delivery, and operation of all programs at the
institution for the preparation of educators? The unit
has the leadership, authority, budget, personnel, facilities and
resources, including information technology resources, for the
preparation of candidates to meet professional, state, and
institutional standards. The Center for Education (unit) operates
within the context of its
Conceptual Framework, the mission of the School of Human Services
Professions (School), and the vision and mission of the university as a
liberal arts institution with a strong commitment to civic engagement.
The unit is responsible for the planning, delivery, and operation of
all programs for the preparation of educators for certification in
PK-12 schools at the initial and advanced levels. The unit cooperates
with other units and schools to provide the content and expertise in
areas of certification and licensure preparation programs. (E.g.
secondary education content, school psychology, school nurse, home
& school visitor, etc.). The mission of the Center for Education is
to create and sustain communities of informed and critically reflective
practitioners who function in a variety of institutions at all levels
of the educational enterprise. Unit faculty encourages interactive
learning experiences among faculty and
students that promote the development and application of higher order
thinking skills in the university and in the field.
The Center for Education reports to the Dean of the School of Human
Service Professions, who in turn, reports to the Provost of the
University. The Center is led by the Director, who is the unit head,
and who also serves as an associate dean for the School of Human
Service Professions. The unit also includes the Assistant Director, the
Director of Field Experiences, an NCATE Coordinator, program area
coordinators, and five full-time support staff. There are a total of 27
full-time faculty, two faculty with a percentage appointment in the
unit, and two University level administrators with faculty appointments
to the Center.
The Director of the Center for Education is a voting member of the
School Executive Committee. The Dean of the School is a member of the
Senior Leadership Team, the administrative governing body of the
University. The School of Human Service Professions has established
by-laws which conform to university by-laws but which set out specific
procedures for faculty governance in the School and Unit
Bylaws.Because of the three-tiered nature of governance, the
university, School and unit all have faculty committees that have
primary responsibilities for formulating educational policies on
academic and professional matters according to level. The specific
duties of each committee are outlined in the University Faculty Council
By-laws, the School of Human Service By-laws, and the Center for
Education By-laws (Exhibit-Bylaws).
The Director of Education is the unit head and, therefore, oversees the
development and of all education programs aimed at preparing PK-12
educators. The Center for Education faculty meet monthly. The purpose
of Faculty meetings is to furnish a forum for the discussion of
institutional and educational issues;
- To develop proposals, statements, and plans related to the
mission of the Center and to submit these to the School of Human
Service
Professions;
- To set policies regarding admissions, retention, grading,
curriculum, etc.
- To share with the School responsibility for developing
legislation and procedures necessary to
- implement such proposals, statements, and plans for the
Center (Exhibit-Bylaws VI.3).
Unit
governance encourages interactive learning
experiences among
faculty and students that promote the development and application of
higher order thinking skills in the university and in the field.
The Center for Education reports to the Dean of the School of Human
Service Professions, who in turn, reports to the Provost of the
University. The Center is led by the Director, who is the unit head,
and who also serves as an associate dean for the School of Human
Service Professions. The unit also includes the Assistant Director, the
Director of Field Experiences, an NCATE Coordinator, program area
coordinators, and five full-time support staff. There are a total of 27
full-time faculty, two faculty with a percentage appointment in the
unit, and two University level administrators with faculty appointments
to the Center.
The Director of the Center for Education is a voting member of the
School Executive Committee. The Dean of the School is a member of the
Senior Leadership Team, the administrative governing body of the
University. The School of Human Service Professions has established
by-laws which conform to university by-laws but which set out specific
procedures for faculty governance in the School and Unit Bylaws.Because
of the three-tiered nature of governance, the university, School and
unit all have faculty committees that have primary responsibilities for
formulating educational policies on academic and professional matters
according to level. The specific duties of each committee are outlined
in the University Faculty Council By-laws, the School of Human Service
By-laws, and the Center for Education By-laws (Exhibit-Bylaws).
The Director of Education is the unit head and, therefore, oversees the
development and of all education programs aimed at preparing PK-12
educators. The Center for Education faculty meet monthly. The purpose
of Faculty meetings is:
- To
furnish a forum for the discussion of institutional and
educational issues;
- To
develop proposals, statements, and plans related to the
mission of the Center and to submit these to the School of Human
Service
Professions;
- To
set policies regarding admissions, retention, grading,
curriculum, etc.
- To
share with the School responsibility for developing
legislation and procedures necessary to
- implement such proposals,
statements, and plans for the
Center (Exhibit-Bylaws VI.3).
Please refer to Exhibit Standard
6.1 in the Institutional Report. The exhibit comprises the Bylaws of
the Center for Education.
2. What members
of the professional community participate in program design,
implementation, and evaluation? In what ways do they participate? Members of the
professional community participate in program design,
implementation and evaluation through committee governance.
Committee on Promotion, Tenure, and Academic Freedom- Comprised of the
Associate Dean/Director, who serves as an ex officio member and ex
officio chair of the committee and faculty members. The Committee is
responsible for the development of criteria for the Faculty evaluative
process, and for making Faculty aware of these criteria; The Committee
reviews and makes
recommendations through their Chair to the Dean on retention of faculty
holding probationary appointments. The Committee informs the
probationary faculty annually in writing of their progress toward
meeting the criteria for tenure and promotion in accordance with the
provisions in the Faculty
Handbook.
Certification Committee - The Committee's charge is to:
- Assist
the Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs with all matters related to
the undergraduate program, including curriculum and advising.
- Review,
in concert with the Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs,
undergraduate advising assignments and resolve advising issues in the
elementary, early childhood, secondary, and special education programs.
- Determine
the principles that fit with each initial certification course in the
elementary and early childhood education programs (graduate and
undergraduate).
- Create
policies and procedures that will improve the undergraduate program.
Work with the Coordinators of Undergraduate Programs, the Director of
Field Experiences and Certification, the NCATE coordinator, and the
Associate Dean and Director to recommend changes in the undergraduate
program according to new PDE requirements and changes of 49-2.
- Prepare
minutes that are shared with the Associate Dean and Director and a
monthly report that is shared with the faculty.
- Prepare
rubrics and establish criteria for the electronic portfolio system.
- Recruit
and train faculty for the administration and rating of electronic
portfolios for students in initial certification.
Committee on
Academic Affairs- The Committee on Academic Affairs is composed of the
Associate Dean, as ex- officio member, and three (3) to five (5)
faculty members elected at large. The Committee shall elect its chair
from among its members, and a secretary to maintain a record of the
minutes. The committees duties are to:
- Meet at
least once between each regular meeting of the faculty of the Center
for Education.
- Examine
the program content of current undergraduate and post baccalaureate
certification programs, and make recommendations accordingly, through a
subcommittee on certification programs.
- Examine
the consistency of field experience requirements across undergraduate
and post baccalaureate certifications programs, and make
recommendations accordingly, through a subcommittee on certification
programs.
- Examine
the program content of current majors in the master's degree program,
and make recommendations accordingly, through a subcommittee on
graduate programs.
- Examine
the program content of the current doctoral programs, and make
recommendations accordingly, through a subcommittee on graduate
programs
and/or the Coordinator of Doctoral Programs.
- Discuss
and make recommendations on new course proposals brought before it by
the subcommittees, individual faculty, and outside agents.
- Work
closely with the Associate Dean/Director on all matters related to the
committee's charges.
- Prepare
minutes that are shared with the Associate Dean/Director.
The Committee
on Graduate Admissions- The Committee is composed of the Associate
Dean, as ex officio, the Coordinator of Admissions and Advisement as
the
Chair, and three (3) to five (5) faculty members elected at large. The
Committee's duties are to:
- Implement
and maintain published criteria for graduate admission for each of the
Center’s programs.
- Meet at
least once a month to address the business of the committee.
- Review
current admissions procedures and, if necessary, recommend changes for
faculty approval.
- Use
admissions data, coupled with outside institutional data, to make
recommendations for
changes in admission.
- Keep the
Associate Dean/Director and faculty informed about admissions data and
trends.
- Create,
in concert with faculty approval, written procedures and policies for
admission that can be published in printed matter.
3. How does the unit
ensure that candidates have access to student services such as advising
and counseling?
The unit
employs various advisory boards to give feedback on current needs in
the various fields represented in the Center for Education. To ensure
the necessary cooperation among the College of Arts and Sciences, other
units involved in educator preparation, and the Center for Education,
the Teacher Education Council was established. This Council has the
primary
responsibility for the coordination of all unit educational policies.
The Council is comprised of a representative from all areas of
certification, as well as deans from Arts &Sciences, and Associate
Deans from programs directly related to certification of candidates have access to student
services such as advising and counseling. All undergraduate and
graduate candidates are assigned a full-time faculty adviser. Advising
is evaluated as part of the annual faculty evaluation process. On the
undergraduate level, all students in certification programs must meet
with a faculty advisor in order to register for courses. In the area of
secondary education all students have both a faculty advisor from the
College of Arts and Sciences, and advisor from the Center for
Education. Students must be cleared by both advisors in order to
register for classes. A description of all student services is
contained
in the student handbook, the student bulletin, and on the website of
the University.
Bulletins and handbooks are attached as Exhibit Standard 6. 1 though
Exhibit Standard 6.4 in the Institutional Report.
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