The College of Education Executive Committee met on Thursday, March 2, 1995, at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Education Center with Dean Toth presiding. Present were: Drs. McGahee, Ducharme, Gunter, Uhlir, Hertzog, Price, Wylie, Merriman, Reed, Bauer, Swank, and Ms. Roberts.

Dean Toth handed out evaluation forms for departmental classified personnel. When completed, they are to be turned back in to Dean Toth.

Dean Toth referred to the memo from Mr. Brignati concerning travel advances. The memo states that the Business Office will no longer give travel advances to faculty. Dean Toth suggested that department heads remind faculty that they may get corporate American Express cards through the University.

Dean Toth asked for an estimate of the number of faculty from each department who will attend Winter Quarter, 1995, graduation. In addition, he reminded department heads that faculty evaluations were due in his office by Friday, March 3, and that Fall Quarter, 1995, schedules were due in his office by Monday, March 6.

Dean Toth discussed the Strategic Allocation Program Collaboration Proposals from the Board of Regents' office. Two specific goals listed from this document are: (1) Post-tenure review policies and practices (both administrative and peer), and (2) ensuring minimum allocation for faculty staff development throughout the University System equivalent to 1 percent of all full-time employees' salaries by 1997; this is approximately $300,000, approximately five times what we currently receive.

Any department which is anticipating requesting a new program should e-mail this information to Dean Toth; he will forward it on to Dr. Brown. Any proposed new program, however, will require a well-documented needs assessment before even a preliminary proposal may be developed.

The remainder of the meeting was devoted to NCATE. Dean Toth announced that NCATE will look for documentation that we have corrected the weaknesses found during our 1989 visit. He then turned the discussion over to Dr. Reed, who discussed each of the weaknesses individually. Dr. Reed explained that only one standard was not met during the previous visit--that of faculty load. The other areas were classified as "weaknesses." Each year since the last visit, Dr. Reed has reported to NCATE on what we were doing to address these weaknesses. We have supplied information for five years and received no feedback from NCATE during this time. About six months ago, NCATE said that they needed more information before making a judgment. Dr. Reed passed out a handout listing these weaknesses and our response for last year. Following is a listing of these weaknesses and a discussion concerning each of them:

1. Standard I.A: Conceptual Framework. During the 1989 visit, NCATE felt that "there is an unevenness in the development of the knowledge base among programs within the unit." The Conceptual Framework Committee, chaired by Dr. Hertzog, is now responsible for this standard. Dr. Hertzog feels that her committee will be able to handle all concerns relative to this standard. She encouraged department heads to make sure their departmental representatives are working toward accomplishing the committee's goals. Dean Toth felt that there is a need for the COE to show how we have evolved from our knowledge base in 1989 to the conceptual framework of 1995. Basically, the COE conceptual framework is centered around the INTASC standards. The conceptual framework is dynamic and ever-evolving. It doesn't have to all be in place when NCATE makes its visit.

2. Standard I.C: Content Studies for Initial Teacher Preparation. During the 1989 visit, NCATE felt that "there is a lack of a formal, on-going process of collaboration between unit faculty and faculty from other schools in the college." The proposed "Plan for Change" has seemed to have taken care of this weakness. A Teacher Education Council has been formed and will be meeting shortly. The Council will consist of faculty from the College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of the Arts. The Council will be put into place during the 1994-95 school year. It was also noted that several of the faculty in the COE have Arts & Sciences backgrounds.

3. Standard I.C: Professional and Pedagogical Studies for Initial Teacher Preparation. During the 1989 visit, NCATE felt that "although there is attention given to multicultural education and cultural diversity, the differences in the terms 'multicultural,' 'minority,' and 'global' are not clear." NCATE also noted that "Education Law is not given appropriate emphasis except in a few instances concerning administration," and that "the area of Professional Ethics lacks appropriate depth and consideration." It was noted that Ms. Myra Dunn had made visits to classes within the COE to discuss multiculturalism in education. Dr. Hertzog suggested that Ms. Dunn be invited to speak in other COE classes; one of Ms. Dunn's areas of expertise is race relations. There is a need for more emphasis on education law; incidents of education law and professional ethics should be included in course syllabi. It might be possible to get COE student organizations involved.

4. Standard III.C: Professional Assignments of Faculty. During the 1989 visit, NCATE felt that "the teaching loads of faculty are excessive." It was noted that faculty teaching loads should not be more than 35 hours per year. Dr. Uhlir made the point that faculty were not aware of the different interpretation of the importance of research versus service.

5. Standard III.D: Professional Development of Faculty. During the 1989 visit, NCATE stated that "no peer evaluation is conducted." Dean Toth made the point that each department needed to have some faculty involved in this activity. Also, team teaching would be appropriate in this area. Documentation must be provided.

6. Standard IV.A: Governance and Accountability of the Unit: During the 1989 visit, NCATE noted that "there is an insufficient number of faculty, clerical, and technical staff in the unit." It was noted that several improvements have been made in this area since the last visit: a COE Copy Center is being established, the Educational Technology Training Center is operational, Larry Moore has rejoined the COE faculty on a full-time basis, and the Instructional Technology lab is being upgraded.

Announcements

Dr. Ducharme announced that there are 103 teams registered for the Math Tournament sponsored by the Middle Grades Department. The Middle Grades program and the Sports Medicine program were approved by the accrediting agencies.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,