The College of Education Executive Committee met on Thursday, April 25, 1996, at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room in the Education Center with Dean Toth presiding. Members present were: Drs. McGahee, Faber, Swank, Price, Gunter, Morgan, Ramsey, T. Reed, Ducharme, M. Reed, Dorminey, Johnston, Bauer, Ms. Teel, and Ms. Roberts. 

Dr. Swank discussed revisions in the Opening School Experience; the name is being changed from September Field Experience. A packet of information describing the experience has been developed and will be distributed to faculty; Dean Toth suggested that the supervising teachers for the students completing the Opening School Experience also be sent a copy of the packet of information. The major change is that students will be given a group of 14 specific tasks that they will be required to accomplish during the Opening School Experience. These tasks are related to the Conceptual Framework principles. Dr. Ramsey asked about the liability of our students while completing this experience; Dr. Swank responded that students would need to have liability insurance before being allowed to complete the experience. Dr. Dorminey questioned the need for students who had worked as para-professionals to complete the experience. A faculty committee will review all of these questions about the Opening School Experience in preparation for semester conversion.

Dean Toth announced that all of the curricular changes submitted by the College of Education at the Academic Committee meeting on April 8 had been approved.

Dean Toth discussed issues related to the Banner System. Some faculty have expressed their displeasure at having to make students "eligible" to register on the computer. Dean Toth made the point that any new process is going to have its transition problems and that we will all just have to work through the problems inherent in a new system. It was also emphasized that faculty are not going to register students; the faculty member's primary responsibility is to simply change a student from "ineligible" to register to "eligible." The student has the responsibility of going to a computer, or using the telephone, and actually registering himself/herself for specific courses. Dean Toth announced that the mobile computer labs are going to be set up to allow students to use them for registering for courses. He plans to have them open and staffed from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Ms. Roberts reported that it would only take students approximately 3 minutes to register "on-line" via the computer.

Dean Toth reported that he had heard several very positive comments about the workshop conducted by Ms. Peggy Torrey of the Professional Standards Commission (PSC). Ms. Torrey will be here again on Friday to conduct a workshop on the Conceptual Framework. Dr. Bauer reported that he had talked with Ms. Torrey about the possibility of his department abstracting the educational psychology components from the various Praxis II tests in order to ensure that they are all being covered in the psychology coursework required of all education majors; these components could also be placed on the world-wide web. Dean Toth stated that there would eventually be 20 test centers within the state of Georgia where the Praxis II would be administered; the test will be given on six different dates during the year. Dean Toth also distributed a memo from PSC dealing with proposed changes in various certification areas; he asked that department heads review the memo and let him know of any concerns.

Dean Toth distributed a copy of how the new transfer credit summary sheet would look. The new look is a by-product of the Banner System.

Dean Toth discussed the issue of indirect costs related to grants. Dr. Mary Watson has proposed a "breakdown" for these indirect costs. Further discussions of this issue will be conducted.

Dean Toth attended a specially called dean's meeting on Monday. At the meeting, Mr. Brignati discussed a draft of the anticipated FY 97 budget. It is anticipated that there will be approximately $1.4 million ($650,000 to academic affairs with $100,000 held back until fall enrollment figures are in) available for internal allocation. Vice President Benjamin has allocated an additional $255,000 to the COE for new positions for next year.

A workshop for Teacher Support Specialists (TSS) will be conducted in May; Dr. Price will help conduct the workshop. The TSS training is recommended for the cooperating teachers who help supervise student teachers. A cooperating teacher who has had TSS training receives a stipend of $250; those without TSS training receive $50.

Dean Toth discussed the new proposed Area F of the semester system core curriculum. This area will contain 18 hours. Coursework in this area should have two primary themes: (1) coursework that prepares a student for pre-requisite courses for professional education coursework, and (2) coursework that prepares a student to take the content coursework in his/her major areas. The Teacher Education Advisory Committee working on this issue recommended that not less than 6 semester hours nor more than 12 semester hours be devoted to either of these two themes.

Dean Toth distributed copies of the grade distribution for the College of Education.

Department heads were reminded that a two-year schedule of all departmental classes was due in September. This schedule should reflect course offerings through the end of the quarter system.

Dr. M. Reed distributed copies of the revised course evaluation instrument for the College of Education. Students will now be able to respond using scantron forms. She asked department heads to review the instrument and let her know if they saw any further needed changes. The instrument will be discussed at the next Executive Committee meeting.

Dr. M. Reed also distributed the final vote tally (nearly unanimous except for one department) for the COE faculty on the mission statement. She explained that the next step will involve formulating goals for the COE.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:52 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,