Governance Structure - Who are the Decision Makers?

Committee on Teacher Education

The Committee on Teacher Education (COTE) is an interdisciplinary council consisting of representatives that coordinate the total teacher education program of the institution. COTE usually meets four times a year, twice each semester. It consists of one representative from each of the content areas (art, biology/chemistry, English/foreign language, history and social science, math/computer science, music, physical education, theater), a representative from MA in Education-Harrisonburg & Lancaster, field placement coordinator, elementary/early childhood education faculty, special education faculty, secondary education faculty, three persons from area public and private schools, two undergraduate students (6-12/PreK-12 and PreK-3/PreK-6/SPED), and one graduate student. The Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education and the Director of the Master of Arts in Education serve as co-chairs. To maintain communication between the unit and the core curriculum, the Associate Dean for Curriculum holds a liaison role.  COTE serves as an advisory and policy making body.

 The committee is supported by four subcommittees, the Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC), the Assessment Committee (AC), the Curriculum Materials Center Committee (CMCC), and the Graduate Education and Action Research Committee (GEAR). These subcommittees evaluate policy on a systematic basis and make recommendations to COTE.

Teacher Education Admissions Committee

Screens Candidates

The Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC) is composed of six persons, four of whom are elected from the Committee on Teacher Education, with the Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education or the Director of the MA in Education Program serving as chair and the Coordinator of Field Placement as a "standing member." By virtue of the position, the field placement coordinator and the assistant director of the Master of Arts in Education program in Lancaster are automatically appointed to the committee. The function of the Teacher Education Admissions Committee is to admit applicants to: undergraduate teacher education, student teaching, MA in Education, and MA candidacy on the basis of departmental criteria.

TEAC usually meets five times a year to process candidates (August, October, December, March, and May.) Admission criteria for graduate programs are outlined in this handbook. Admission criteria for the undergraduate program is outlined in the Teacher Education handbook. Students are invited to meet with the director or assistant director if their application is below criteria standards or if they wish to appeal a decision of TEAC.

Assessment Committee

Monitors the Assessment System

The Assessment Committee is charged with coordinating the development, implementation, and ongoing review of the Unit Assessment System (UAS). The Assessment Committee ensures that the unit collects and analyzes data in a manner that ensures the data are used to improve candidates, programs, and the unit. The Assessment Committee ensures that the UAS is aligned with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards and creates proposals for revisions of the system. COTE approves policy revisions of the UAS.

Membership is composed of the Assessment Coordinator, a representative from the Institutional Research Office, one representative from the education department, and one other member of COTE. The chair of the Assessment Committee is the Assessment Coordinator of the Unit, as an appointed position with departmental load hours assigned (Refer to UAS manual for further details).

Working Assumptions and Principles

1. Evaluation measures assess candidate performance and unit operations/effectiveness.
2. Candidate assessments measure knowledge, skills and dispositions according to curricula and appropriate standards.
3. Candidate performance is measured through multiple assessments and at regular intervals, matching the candidate transition points.
4. Assessments are consistent with national, state, and unit standards, best practice, and research.
5. Communication concerning the assessment processes is regular and transparent.
6. Unit members work collaboratively with the Assessment Subcommittee to further articulate, implement and review assessments consistent with the Unit Outcomes, the Specialty Professional Association Outcomes and university, state and national standards.

Roles and Processes

1. UAS Maintenance and Revision: The committee is responsible for maintaining a UAS that is effective and in alignment with NCATE standards. The Committee may review suggestions for improvement of the system from anywhere within the unit, and may also receive feedback on such proposals from anywhere within the unit. The Assessment Committee references policy proposals with the education department for information and discussion prior to presentation to COTE for approval. Final proposals for revising the UAS are drafted by the Assessment Committee; such proposals are considered to be a change in policy and, therefore, require the approval of COTE.

Oversight of the UAS: The Assessment Coordinator, in conjunction with members of the Assessment Committee, provides each level of the unit with notification of the assessment cycle, assessment instrument(s) to be used, and reporting procedures for the use of data to make decisions. The coordinator/committee provides the appropriate mechanisms for storage and recording of the use of data for decision-making purposes. The Coordinator/Committee may also review data usage reports for trends that may affect the unit, and/or to determine if data should be shared for further analysis across parts of the unit. Final responsibility for ensuring that members of the unit carry out their responsibilities within the UAS rests with the Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education and the Director of MA in Education, as a supervisory function.

Graduate Education and Action Research Committee (formerly CORP)

The Graduate Education and Action Research (GEAR) committee manages, assesses and makes policy recommendations regarding the culminating action research process of the Master of Arts in Education program. In addition, this committee advises the graduate department on program items under consideration. Recommendations are forwarded to the education department and to the Committee on Teacher Education. The Director of the MA in Education program chairs the committee serving as an ex-officio member. The Assistant Director of the Lancaster EMU site serves, as well as, two EMU tenure-track education faculty will serve two-year terms. The remaining four members are appointed by COTE for a two-year term and may include program graduates, school representatives, and AR mentors. The committee meets four times a year and serves the additional purposes of evaluating and updating "A Guide to Action Research Project."

Ad Hoc Advisory Groups

Provide Program Guidance

Ad Hoc Advisory Groups are formed for each undergraduate and graduate program area for purposes of program consultation, revision, and evaluation. Advisory groups are formed by program coordinators when major curriculum or program revisions are contemplated or when input from P-12 stakeholders would be beneficial for program improvement. The Advisory Groups consist of 5-6 teachers and administrators from area schools who are selected for their expertise. Coordinators are responsible for convening and setting the agenda for their respective advisory group. Feedback from advisory groups is shared as part of program evaluation.