Standard 6. Element One: Unit Leadership and Authority

The Virginia State University (VSU) mission and those of the School of Liberal Arts and Education (SLAE) and the Professional Education Programs Unit (the Unit) facilitate and support the preparation of education professionals—whether as teachers, counselors, administrative leaders—to serve their communities. Since its founding in 1882, outstanding professional education programs have been a VSU hallmark. One of the first two institutions of higher education (IHE’s) in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive initial NCATE accreditation in 1954, the Unit is afforded the resources necessary to maintain its commitment to excellence for compliance with NCATE, state, national, and professional standards, offering comprehensive, perpetually current programs and producing highly qualified professionals at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels.

Unit Leadership and Authority

Administered by a dean, the SLAE is comprised of 7departments, a free-standing program, and Professional Education Programs (PEP)—the Unit—administered by the Associate Dean for Professional Education Programs. The Associate Dean is the Unit Head and reports directly to the SLAE dean and is empowered with full authority to manage, coordinate, develop and implement all initial and advanced education programs and activities at the University. The Unit Head’s leadership responsibilities holistically encompass the direction of the Unit, including planning, fiscal management, sponsored research, fundraising (whether grants or other external funding), budgeting, personnel development and management, curriculum, and the overall operation of all programs preparing educators at VSU. The Unit has sole authority for the management and development of all education professional studies coursework and other requirements leading to endorsement in initial and advanced programs, as well as coordination for accreditation and state approval. All of the University’s collaborative activities with school districts, school partners, and all other professional education entities are under the ultimate aegis and control of the Unit Head. The Professional Education Unit and School of Liberal Arts and Education Organization Charts delineate the governance structure.

Three main academic units report directly to the Unit Head. First, the Department of Graduate Professional Education Programs is managed by a Department Chairperson and comprises the master’s degree programs (in Educational Administration and Supervision, Counseling, or Curriculum and Instruction) and Doctor of Education degree program (in Educational Administration and Supervision). Second, the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation is also managed by a Department Chairperson and houses the Physical Education program. Third, the Center for Undergraduate Professional Education Programs is managed by a Director and works with cooperating departments (those offering initial teacher education programs) to coordinate all initial teacher education programs. The Unit Head carries out operational/administrative duties with the assistance of five direct reports, namely (1) the NCATE Manager, (2) the Coordinator of Admission/Data Analyst, (3) the Coordinator of Assessment and Instructional Technology, (4) the Coordinator of Field Experiences and Special Projects, and (5) an Administrative Assistant.

In cooperation with 4 SLAE departments (History and Philosophy, Languages and Literature, Music and Art/Design, and Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, and the Interdisciplinary Studies program), 1 department in the School of Agriculture (Agriculture), and 4 departments in the School of Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics), the Unit offers elementary (PreK-6), secondary (K-12 and 6-12) and special education (MR, ED, LD) endorsements. This cooperation is facilitated through the Professional Education Council (PEC), chaired by the Unit head and comprised of Professional Education Programs faculty from all academic departments listed above. The PEC is the advisory entity to the Unit and liaison to the Faculty Senate (as one of its standing faculty committees) for all Unit curricular and programmatic matters. The PEC ensures that all Unit activity is communicated throughout the University and assists with the implementation of Unit policies, procedures, and assessments.

In accordance with the University’s Shared Governance Policy, ad hoc and/or standing committees whose deliberation can impact education programs have representation from the Unit to ensure that Unit concerns receive high-priority attention in the decision-making process. Additionally, the following University committees have an impact upon the Unit: the Faculty Senate (which has penultimate approval for all curricula and academic policy), the University Promotion and Tenure Committee, the SLAE Curriculum Committee, and the Graduate and Undergraduate Curriculum Committees, and the Facilities and Space Allocation Planning Committee. The main administrative body for academic affairs is the Deans Council in which the Unit is represented by the SLAE Dean.

Information in Publications

The undergraduate and graduate University Catalogs are published biennially in even-numbered years; the current catalogs are for 2004-2006. Both describe the University’s general admission requirements and policies under “Academic Regulations and Procedures” (subheading “Admissions”). The programs and information in these documents may be amended to reflect updates or other necessary emendations relative to courses of study, policies, and other programs. Such changes are published and distributed to students, faculty, and staff at the University’s web page and special mailings. Other University publications are kept current in similar fashion. These include the following:

Academic Calendars – Calendars are published and distributed in the Office of the Provost and posted at the University website.
Marketing Publications – Marketing publications are published and distributed by academic departments and the Office of Admissions, and are updated annually to maintain accuracy.
Grading Policies – Policies are published in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs under “Academic Regulations and Procedures,” subheading “Grades.” Professors also publish their grading policies (compliant with the aforementioned University policies) in their course syllabi which are distributed to students in their courses.

All publications are reviewed on an ongoing basis so that they are perpetually current to accurately reflect programs offered at the University.

Student Services

There are 2 systems of academic advisement in the PEP Unit: 1 for initial teacher education pre-candidates and candidates and another for candidates enrolled in advanced programs for other school personnel. Initial teacher education candidates receive academic counseling via a system of faculty co-advisors. Each has a major discipline advisor (e.g., a faculty member in history, English, mathematics, etc.) assigned by the chairperson of the department housing their academic major. Additionally, the Unit assigns each candidate a faculty advisor from the Unit. These advisors collaborate to make certain that students are (1) on track for graduation, (2) enrolling in courses in the proper sequence, (3) offered assistance with academic problems, and (4) aware of, and attendant to, the assessments and non-course academic requirements for teacher candidates. Advanced candidates are assigned an advisor by the Unit, and this advisor remains in this capacity throughout the candidate’s tenure at the University.

Students who are in need of academic support may avail themselves of the Academic Support Center, a division which comprises a tutorial center (primarily mathematics and composition, but assistance is available for all disciplines). A second option in the Unit is the Praxis Preparation Laboratory staffed by the Unit and dedicated to helping pre-candidates and candidates prepare for Praxis I and II as well as monitoring and documenting their progress. Finally, as part of their contractual responsibilities, faculty members are obliged to assist pre-candidates and candidates as needed on an individual basis.

Clinical Faculty

Participation of clinical professionals active in the field is a mainstay of the Unit’s programs. There are three basic mechanisms via which this is achieved:

Active clinical professionals are hired to serve as faculty each year for the supervision of field experiences and clinical practice and co-requisite classes and seminars.
The Unit maintains a Clinical Faculty Development Program through which it provides re-training and collaborative activities for PK-12 faculty, staff, and administrators, addressing such areas and Praxis I and II preparation, pedagogy, ongoing VSU conceptual framework development and implementation, and other development endeavors. The Unit bolsters its own budget for these activities with external funding. Currently, the Unit is supporting these efforts through grants from the Virginia Department of Education ($32,000), the Cameron Foundation ($200,000), and RFTEN/NSF ($13,000).
There are 2 main volunteer groups comprised of school personnel that collaborate regularly with the Unit: (a) the Appomattox Regional Research Consortium (ARRC), comprising superintendents of the 13 school districts in Southside Virginia served by VSU for which the University provides education research data and analysis—founded in 2004; (b) the Professional Education Advisory Committee comprised mainly of human resources professionals from neighboring school districts whose function is help VSU prepare teacher candidates and participate in the ongoing refinement of the Unit and its programs.

One of the first 2 IHE’s in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive NCATE accreditation in 1954, VSU has long been regarded an education leader. Founded primarily to serve Southside Virginia (the southwestern region of the state), VSU sponsors a comprehensive Reading First Program serving Petersburg Public Schools, and has hosted a 50-Year Celebration of Accreditation, featuring keynote speakers Drs. Donna Gollnick, Thomas A. Elliot, and Lois Harrison-Jones.