The College of Education Executive Committee met on Thursday, April 23, 1998, at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room in the Education Center with Dean Toth presiding. Members present were: Drs. McGahee, Ducharme, Dixey, Gunter, T. Reed, Bauer, Price, M. Reed, Siegrist, Slate, Andrews, Swank, and Ms. Roberts.

Dean Toth referred to the survey of winter quarter student teachers which was distributed by Dr. M. Reed. Dean Toth noted that the results were quite positive. He asked department heads to please pass along this information to departmental faculty. Dr. M. Reed asked department heads to provide her with any suggested changes for the survey instrument.

Dean Toth distributed a copy of an internal evaluation instrument used by the Division of Social Work. In this procedure, all of the faculty members in the Division of Social Work evaluate each other. The areas evaluated are: participation, collegiality, leadership, effective communication, and tolerance for diversity and divergence. Dean Toth suggested that the use of a similar type evaluation could be something that individual departments might examine.

Dean Toth announced that there is a GSAMS workshop coming up on Legal Issues and Educator Preparation.

Dean Toth distributed a memo from Dr. Muyskensi office (Board of Regents) detailing the correct procedure for reporting quarter credit hours in laboratory/studio courses.

Dean Toth announced that the Georgia Partnership for Excellence is sponsoring a workshop in Albany on May 5 on the topic of Teacher Dialogue Forums.

Ms. Roberts announced that the revised core curriculum document which she had distributed at last weekis meeting was incorrect. A revised, corrected copy should be distributed by May 16. Ms. Roberts reported that, in reviewing possible schedules for incoming freshmen, it will be necessary for them to take 15-18 hours each semester in order for them to get all of the necessary requirements for teacher education. Ms. Roberts also reminded department heads that, in order to access the new version of BANNER, all advisors will need to be issued new PIN (personal identification numbers) numbers. Departmental secretaries will also need to be issued a PIN number if department heads want them to be able to access the BANNER system. One of the positive changes in the new BANNER system is that a studentis entire academic history will be available on one page without the advisoris having to scroll down through different screens. Advisors will not be able to make students eligible for registration until May 13. Ms. Roberts reminded department heads of the two training sessions for the new BANNER system to be held on May 14 at 3:00 p.m. and on May 15 at 11:15 a.m. in Room 122 in the Education Center.

Drs. Dixey, Price, and Bauer reported on the department headsi workshop held in Macon on March 29-31, 1998, sponsored by the Board of Regents. A variety of topics relevant to department heads were discussed. Some of these topics were: team building, the management of difficult employees, legal matters, career development, and alignment of faculty with departmental mission. Dr. Dixey noted that an emphasis was on increased accountability in higher education. Dr. Price noted that some of the speakers emphasized the need for colleges/departments to have written policies in place. Dr. Price also discussed a presentation which she had attended dealing with the faculty evaluation process at Georgia State University. At Georgia State, non-tenured faculty are expected to do everything (teaching, scholarship, and service); tenured faculty may choose areas of emphasis (teaching, scholarship, or service). However, faculty who choose these areas of emphasis understand that they will not receive full merit pay increases. Dr. Bauer reported on some of the discussions dealing with the issue of sexual harassment. He noted that at the point that a sexual harassment allegation is first made, the university is put on notice. If the allegation is made to the department head, the department head should immediately report it to the dean, the dean to the vice president, etc. Additionally, some action must be taken immediately to deal with the allegation. Dr. Bauer also stated that discussions were held about student privacy rights. For example, no student papers should be left in the departmental office. Dr. Bauer felt that the meetings were excellent and suggested that VSU explore the possibility of hosting such a workshop for all department heads.

Dean Toth explained that a case involving a student who had been removed from student teaching had been successfully mediated. Mediators were brought in from Bainbridge College and from Coastal Georgia Community College to hear the case.

Dean Toth asked department heads to please encourage faculty members to respond to Principles for the Preparation of Educators for the Schools, prepared by Dr. Jan Kettlewell's committee.

Dean Toth discussed the evaluation of administrators. He stated that the evaluations of the COE department heads were good overall. Dean Toth noted that 57 out of the 134 faculty members in the COE had evaluated him. The two areas in which faculty were most critical of Dean Toth were: ioffers equal opportunities to all faculty members,î and iencourages self-governance.î Dean Toth stated that he felt that all administrators could learn from this evaluation process and that it was his intention to try to improve in all of the areas in which he had received criticism.

Dean Toth announced that Drs. McGahee and Bauer had been elected to serve on the pre- and post-tenure review committee for Executive Committee members. The third member of the committee will be the chair of the respective memberis departmental personnel committee.

Dean Toth reported that Dr. Graf announced at the deansi meeting on Wednesday that the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) would offer a workshop on May 11 focusing on creative thinking during the morning session and on critical thinking in the afternoon session. Dean Toth asked department heads to please announce this to their faculty members. The CATL also plans to offer workshops in the future dealing with the development of teaching portfolios. Additionally, on May 28, the CATL will sponsor a workshop on Addressing Scholarly Writing; the speaker will be Dr. Robert Lucas. Dr. Graf also announced that the advisory committee for the Center for Teaching and Learning will develop a mission statement for the center and will work on the development of both long- and short-term goals. The Center for Teaching and Learning will also assume the role of new faculty orientation each year.

Dean Toth reminded committee members that Education Career Day is April 28. There will be no Executive Committee meeting next Thursday (April 30).

Dean Toth noted some other points made by Dr. Benjamin at the deans' meeting on Wednesday:

Dean Toth noted that the COE had written about twice as many teaching and learning grants as all of the other colleges combined.

Dr. Bauer asked department heads to please ask their faculty advisors to encourage students to take PSYC 2500 in Area E of the semester core curriculum.

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

Respectfully submitted,