MINUTES OF THE MEETING

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The College of Education Executive Committee met on Thursday, April 20, 2006, at 8:30 a.m. in Room 255 in the Education Center with Dean Gunter presiding. Members present were: Drs. McGahee, Gerber, Hull, Stanley, Martinez, Griffin, Lee, Reffel, Siegrist (for Leech), Hilgert, Zahner, Bauer, Corbin, Mr. Pearce, and Ms. Roberts. Guests: Dr. Cox, Dr. Judd, and Mark Swift.

Dean Gunter congratulated Dr. Don Leech (in abstentia) on being named as the new head of the Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology, effective July 1, 2006.

Dean Gunter noted that several Executive Committee members, including himself, had recently been on NCATE/PSC accreditation visits; he asked all of these people to share their thoughts/ideas on these visits. Dean Gunter showed some of the "electronic documentation" which Georgia Southern had in place for its visit; Dean Gunter had received permission from the Georgia Southern College of Education to share this documentation. Dr. Judd, who had also been on the Georgia Southern visit, noted that electronic documentation should be easy to locate. Dr. Hull noted from her visit to a different college that written materials supplied to team members were sometimes illegible.

Dean Gunter reported on the plans which have already been completed for the October NCATE/PSC accreditation visit. Interview times have been scheduled with President

Zaccari and with Vice President Levy. Hotel accommodations have been made for team members at the Marriott Courtyard. Dean Gunter and Dr. Lee have made the writing assignments for the sections (standards) of the Institutional Report. Standards I and II will be written together; the team members responsible for these two standards are: Drs. Lee, Reffel, Hull, Hilgert, Corbin, Lee, Judd, Leech, and Ms. Roberts. Standard III will be written by Drs. McGahee, Griffin, Bauer, and Mr. Pearce. Standard IV will be written by Drs. Stanley, Soady, Zahner, and Martinez. Standard V will be written by Dr. Gerber, and Standard VI will be written by Dean Gunter. The reports are due by June 5.

Dr. Lee showed the Student Field Placement Data Form through LiveText. The primary purpose of this form is to "track" students in their field experiences. The form, which is set up as a web link, will be completed by all COE students who are participating in a field experience this semester, including student teaching. Dr. Lee will send the form out to department heads who will forward it to faculty members to send to their students who are involved in a field experience. Dr. McGahee will send the form to this semester's student teachers.

Dr. Lee re-introduced an issue which had been discussed at last week's Executive Committee meeting. Dr. Lee has revised the STPIS (Student Teaching Program Improvement Survey); it is now known as the CSPI (Candidate Survey for Program Improvement). This survey is completed by student teachers near the end of student teaching; the purpose of the survey is to determine the candidates' overall impression about their teacher preparation programs. On the survey, candidates are asked about whether or not COE faculty demonstrate fairness, a belief that all students can learn, and professionalism. At last week's meeting, a great deal of discussion had taken place about how to define "fairness" and "professionalism." After further discussion at today's meeting, it was decided that the following items would be included on the survey: (1) Overall, did faculty members you have had in your professional program model fairness, (2) Overall, did faculty members you have had in your professional program model behavior that reflects the belief that all students can learn, and (3) Overall, did faculty members in your professional program model professionalism.

Dr. Lee announced that Dr. Cox, Dr. Judd, and she were developing an assessment calendar which will provide specific dates on which assessment data will be disseminated to programs.

Dean Gunter informed the department heads that, in July, he wants each department to complete a self-assessment of all departmental programs based on the standards using the PSC template. Dean Gunter intends to put these self-evaluations on the COE website.

Dean Gunter announced that the Executive Committee retreat would be held June 25-27 at the Jekyll Island Clarion Report and Spa. The focus of this retreat will be to analyze COE assessment data in order to "close the circle" of the review process.

Dean Gunter distributed the report from the COE Technology Committee. Dean Gunter announced that he had met with Dr. Brovey, Bobby Watson, and Joe Newton. The report was a "Memorandum of Understanding: Sharing and Management of Information Technology Resources by the Valdosta State University College of Education and Division of Information Technology." Dean Gunter will send the report to department heads via e-mail; he asked department heads to get feedback from their faculty by next week's meeting. The report will be considered at next week's meeting.

Dr. McGahee distributed a report from the COE Field Experiences Fee Committee; the committee had been composed of Drs. Judd, Hilgert, and McGahee. The report recommends that the COE assess a $100 fee for student teaching. Dean Gunter asked that this report be discussed with departmental faculty. It will be considered for approval at a later Executive Committee meeting.

Dean Gunter requested that the COE Assessment Committee undertake the task of defining "evidence-based practices." Dr. Judd, as chair of this committee, agreed to do so.

Dean Gunter, Dr. Reffel, and Dr. McGahee reviewed issues which had been discussed at the EPAAC meeting last week in Macon. Dr. Reffel reviewed the three new courses which are being mandated by the Board of Regents. Dr. McGahee noted that he had raised issues associated with the new GACE tests, mainly that GACE I would be given only one time during fall semester and that these scores would not be available until February, 2007. Dean Gunter asked Dr. McGahee to draft a letter on behalf of the COE education deans to be sent to Dr. Fran Watkins outlining these issues and requesting a one-year transition period from Praxis to GACE.

Ms. Roberts passed around a sign-up sheet to help with the COE cook-out scheduled for May 2.

Dr. Griffin distributed a handout and a registration form for the third annual induction and master teacher conference entitled "No Teacher Left Behind," scheduled for May 10 on the VSU campus.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:22 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,