Leadership Council
February 14, 2019
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Hill 339
Notes
In attendance: David Hough, Russ Brock, Denise Cunningham, Janice Duncan, Judy Gregg, Deanna Hallgren, Stephen Kleinsmith, Dennis Lancaster, Travis Marler, Juli Panza, Emmett Sawyer, Ximena Uribe-Zarain, Sharon Lopinot
Guests:
Dr. Gearl Loden, Superintendent, Nixa Schools
Dr. Clay Hanna, Executive Director of Secondary Education, Nixa Schools
Dr. Josh Chastain, Executive Director of Digital Learning & Professional Development – Nixa Schools
Dean Hough welcomed everyone and introductions were made. He highlighted information from the following meetings:
- Think Tank, Feb. 7, 2019
- Meeting with Superintendents – Mt. Grove, Feb. 11, 2019
- Student Advisory Council, Feb. 12, 2019
- School & Community Advisory Council, Feb. 13, 2019
The top three reasons provided by Think Tank participants for why individuals are not entering the education field were compensation, negative perception of teachers/teaching, and poor working conditions or environmental issues. The lack of effective leadership was discussed, as well, as Think Tank participants noted that teachers leave the classroom early in their careers. The meeting at Mt. Grove was with eight superintendents from the South Central Associate. These districts are looking at ways to partner with the MSU COE to (a) identify college-ready students who hold promise for becoming highly effective teachers, (b) recruit them into teacher education programs at MSU, and (c) have them return to their hometowns for a year-long teaching internship. This “Grown Your Own” approach is a way to address the impending teacher shortage. Small, rural districts are isolated by geography, so they need to partner with MSU to overcome challenges by forming student cohorts that would make it cost effective for MSU to send professors to a central location in their area. However, most teacher shortages in rural areas are at the secondary level and outside the domain of the College of Education. Superintendents are confused by this organizational structure internal to the University.
COE department heads and Dr. K are working to develop Memorandums of Understanding with area schools with a special pilot program with the Nixa Public Schools. Dr. Loden, Nixa Superintendent, said they are looking at different avenues and know there is a teacher shortage and that enrollment in education programs across the nation is down. They would like to work with students that want to become educators. They also have teachers who work with student interns, practicums and student teachers and would like to look at earning credit hours that could be used for someone taking college classes instead of being pay. Details would need to be worked out. This process would be “banking” hours. A formula would need to be figured out depending on the number of interns, practicums and student teachers everyone has to determine the amount of credit. The credit hours accumulated could also be used as an incentive for current and incoming teachers hired.
Nixa Schools is introducing an undergraduate level Cadet Program. The section will have 20 – 25 students in the yearlong course. They would take classes first semester and second semester would be internships with teachers in various buildings.
Emmett said EDC249 Schooling in America could be used as a dual credit course for high school students. It could also have a practicum embedded in it. Someone from Nixa would need to teach it. The class could be an elective for History or English, then when the student enrolls at Missouri State University the student would already have one general education course on their record. Clay thought the class would be a better fit with Family/Consumer Sciences through DESE and used as a practical arts elective. Nixa High Schools students will start scheduling their classes for next year soon. They could offer EDC249 as an elective. RFT faculty need to sign off on the course and see how it could work. Their next department meeting is February 22nd, 10:00 a.m., Hill 339. Dean Hough will talk to the Provost to see if they could attend and discuss this at one of the administrative council meetings. The Dean will proceed with a MOU for Nixa in order to move forward. The document can be modified as needed.
Dean Hough handed out and discussed a draft proposal to be sent to the Provost requesting one-time funds for enhancement of marketing and recruitment in the college. The Provost has $500,000.00 available and each colleges is invited to submit a proposal. COE is requesting $83,000.00 and would involve three critical actions: (1) A Bear in Every Building, (2) a professional recruiter with expertise recruiting minority students, and (3) Bear Partnership. Stephen is working on “A Bear in Every Building”. This would involve locating MSU alums who teach at various schools and would market our university/college. It is possible that we could start this in the Fall. Stephen’s group is working on a poster to get things started. High school seniors need to be targeted, then juniors, sophomores, freshmen, etc. COE would like to hire a part-time recruiter, Ashley Flores, to market/recruit for our programs with a focus on underrepresented students. We would also do face-to-face networking which would include the Bear Partnership summer program. Bear Partnership is offered free to underrepresented students for one week in the summer. Students learn all the ins and outs of the university including registration, financial services and courses. The money awarded to colleges would go through June 2020. Dean Hough asked LC members to read through the draft and let him know of any changes/additions by the end of the day.
College deans have been meeting with the Provost and President to discuss budget cuts for next year. As of right now the Academic Affairs portion to cut is approximately $1.2 million. All colleges under Academic Affairs have been asked to cut positions to make-up this deficit. COE’s portion has not yet been determined; however, Dean Hough expects it to be between $80,000 and $100,000. The LC reviewed information from Banner on the number of students and faculty from Fall 2012 – Fall 2018. In Fall 2015 COE had 2,151 students and 62.6 faculty. In the Fall 2018 COE had 1,852 students and 66.4 faculty. We are also paying for more per course than in the past. There was a discussion on how to support low enrollment programs. The Dean asked for suggestions. It was suggested to assign faculty in low numbered programs to other duties and possibly have faculty teach another class instead of research. There will be further discussions on this by the COE Budget Committee.
Judy Gregg reported that the CAEP Self-Study was uploaded in AIMS on January 29th. We should get formative feedback within the next few months. We do not know who is on the CAEP review team yet, but in-state members have been selected. The CAEP Writing Team will continue to keep information in Shared Point to be used during the Formative Feedback period and for the Site Team visit in November. This is to document continual progress post-self study. Administrators and faculty should continue to email documentation to the WT. The WT will decide which CAEP Standard to house the documentation. Judy met with the Faculty Advisory Council on this yesterday and will also discuss at department meetings.
Around the Table
Stephen Kleinsmith
He is working on the new COE brochure and needs a few more quotes. He is also organizing Student Advisory Council and School & Community Advisory Council meeting. He and Dr. Schmitt are undertaking a study the IA. Over the past three years 33 school districts have hired IA graduates. Each district is being asked to provide MEES data to allow for comparisons of IA teachers, MSU traditional student teachers and other IHEs. Dr. K also organized the February 13th professional development session for staff. Pan Hedgpeth spoke to the group about “Professional Work Environments and Customer Service.” Isaac Balasundaram spoke to the group about procurement procedures. As part of this presentation COE was encouraged to understand policies and to contact the Office of Procurement with any questions. Isaac explained the proper use of P-Cards, noting what was allowable and not. Dr. Satterfield requested the policy be placed on the COE web under a College policy, as well. The COE department heads agreed to work on this.
Janice Duncan
Their social studies instructor, Tim Pfeil, will be awarded the George Hummasti Teacher Merit Award from the Missouri State History Department/Sons of the American Revolution tomorrow at the National History Day competition, 1:30 p.m., PSU Theater. Over, 2,600 students in grades 6 – 12 participate. Of those, 500 will go on to the state level. Three new students have been enrolled this week. They also have some families coming in to tour Greenwood.
Russ Brock
Six schools in the area were determined comprehensive schools. Five are in Springfield and one in Sarcoxie. The schools will work with DESE to get funds in order to make improvements. There are 54 targeted schools with the majority being special education. Targeted schools need to have a plan in place. If they are targeted for three years they are then designated comprehensive.
Denise Cunningham
They have a candidate for Child Life coming in next week for an interview. The end of February there will be three candidates for Child/Family Development with an emphasis in family studies. There are 39 students for the Internship Academy for next fall. This is down from 52. The total pool was lower. There will be eleven in the St. Louis area. They are not expanding to Kansas City at this time. Twenty-five of the students are Early Childhood majors. Diana Piccolo, who works with Outreach, is working with faculty and staff at West Plains to bring back Missouri Educators for Tomorrows Schools (MOETS). Debra Price is working on two events, Pathways to Teaching, and Teachers to Campus.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
Submitted by Sharon Lopinot, Executive Assistant II