College Governance

A5: Description of the Boards and Standing Committees
a. Academic Affairs Board

5. Teacher Education Council

Purposes:

The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) requires the designation of a specific unit which will insure that an institution's professional education programs are organized, unified, and coordinated in a manner that enables it to fulfill its mission.  The Teacher Education Council is that officially designated unit at Hope College.  Its primary responsibility is the advancement of the professional education programs by means of review, evaluation, and recommendation of policies to the unit head, the Dean for the Social Sciences.

Functions:

1. Review, evaluate, and recommend policy to the head of the unit, the Dean for Social Sciences, as stated in the purposes of the Council.
2. Work with the Education Department in developing and maintaining a plan for full and regular evaluation of the professional teacher education program.
3. Review and monitor policies for admission and retention of students in the teacher education program.
4. Review and approve staffing recommendations from departments for faculty who will teach courses in the professional education sequence.
5. Periodically receive from the Education Department a description of the knowledge base for the professional education sequence.
6. Engage in dialogue with the Education Department about teacher preparation programs.
7. Provide a broader context for discussion of issues specific to the Education Department but also important to the campus academic community.
8. Provide opportunities to inform and elicit support from the campus community for the Education Department's mission and programs.
9. Foster the interaction of the Education Department with other departments.
10. Foster the interaction of the Education Department with area K-12 school personnel.
11. Advise and support the Education Department in its efforts to prepare teachers for elementary and secondary schools.
12. Examine issues referred to it by departments or individuals regarding the program and policies of the Education Department.
13. Refer issues to other appropriate bodies for review and action.
14. Establish "standing" and "ad hoc" sub-committees to study specific issues relevant to full committee responsibilities (e.g., Secondary Programs) at the discretion of the Council or Chair.
15. Review and send to the Curriculum Committee recommendations for changes in courses/programs in the professional education program (e.g., in cases where change would result in the addition or deletion of courses or an increase or decrease in the number of semester hours in the approved teacher education program).
    

Membership:

1. Standing Members:
   
   
   1. Chairperson:  Dean for Social Sciences who is head of the Education Unit.
   2. All full-time/regular faculty of the Education Department.
      


2. Rotating Members: (all are appointed by the Dean for Social Sciences)
   
   
   1. One faculty representative from each of the College's four academic divisions.
   2. Four area K-12 in-service teachers.
   3. Four area K-12 administrators (principal or curriculum director).
   4. Two Hope pre-service teachers (junior and senior).