Accreditation

Section I: Overview

The Unit

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Towson University adheres to the twin maxims that the preparation of teachers and education specialists is an all-university responsibility, and that preparation programs thrive in a university culture that demands and values quality teaching. University-wide coordination of policies and procedures associated with professional education programs is vested in the Teacher Education Executive Board (TEEB). Chaired by the Dean of the College of Education, the TEEB includes representatives from all undergraduate and graduate education programs at the University. A long-established standing committee of the University Senate, its decisions are recognized as official policy for all professional education programs at Towson. This governance structure has provided a supportive and inclusive system within which the unit has been able to fulfill its approved mission. Thus, the Professional Education Unit is the TEEB. As chair of TEEB, the Dean of the College of Education is the unit head. (The specific roles and functions of the TEEB may be found Exhibit 4).

The mission and vision of the Professional Education Unit, closely aligned with both Towson 2010: Mapping the Future (2004) and the University’s mission statement approved in February, 2006 by Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) (Exhibit 5) is: to inspire, facilitate, and prepare educators as facilitators of active learning for diverse and inclusive communities of learners in environment that are technologically advanced.

In fall 2006, 2,198 candidates were enrolled in initial teacher preparation programs and 1286 candidates were enrolled in advanced teacher preparation programs. (Program-specific enrollment data are in Exhibit 6). Full-time professional education faculty for fall 2006 totaled 170 across fourteen departments from five of the six academic colleges; they are supported by forty-two FTE part-time faculty. See Table 1 (NCATE-required) for analysis of their academic rank. There are seven full-time administrators charged with unit responsibilities. Graduate assistants do not teach or supervise candidates.

Table 1. Academic Rank of Unit Full-Time Professional Education Faculty: Fall 2006

*Instructors on tenure-track – faculty hired in tenure-track assistant professor position who have not finished their terminal degrees; all degree work must be finished by February 1 of their first year of employment. Upon completion, they become assistant professors.
**Lecturer – faculty hired to fill a specific, non-tenure track teaching position; requires minimum of a master’s degree, experience and expertise related to the specific teaching position. Appointments are for one year and are renewable.

Since the previous NCATE/ Maryland State Department of Education accreditation, several major changes have occurred within the unit:

• While there has been only minimal growth in unit enrollments (12% over the last five years, 2% in the last three years), new programs have been added which have impacted enrollments of pre-existing programs. Due to enrollment growth in Special Education, the former Reading, Special Education and Instructional Technology Department was divided into two separate departments: Special Education and Educational Technology and Literacy. In response to state identified shortages and program evolution, a new program, Integrated Elementary Education and Special Education (EESE) was designed, and a Special Education Track added to the MAT program. Enrollment in EESE has coincided with decreased enrollment in Elementary Education. Due to enrollment growth in educational leadership programs, a new Department of Instructional Leadership and Professional Development was created. As a result, the College of Education has grown from four to six departments.

• Based on feedback from the 2000 MSDE BOE report, a second required technology course has been added to program requirements.
• In response to state and school system needs, MS degrees in both Mathematics Education and Science Education have been added to provide for the continuing development of content expertise for inservice teachers, and
• Reflecting Maryland initiatives, the unit has entered into articulation agreements with Maryland community colleges offering the Associate Arts in Teaching degree, and initiated "2+2" programs at the College of Southern Maryland (in ELED) and the Laurel Center (EESE).

Table 2. Fall 2006 Professional Programs in the Unit and Review Status

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