ncate-National Council for Accreditation

National Council for Accreditation

of Teacher Education

Board of Examiners Report

Continuing Accreditation Visit

Wright State University

November 2‑6, 1996

NCATE Board Of Examiners

Robert C. Small, Jr., Chair

James Brewbaker

Hilary Freedman

Kenneth Murray

Ohio State Department of Education

John Nichelson

The University

Wright State University was established in 1964 as a combined branch campus of the Ohio State University and Miami University. Its purpose was to supply higher education to the Dayton, Ohio, area. It grew rapidly during the next three years, reaching over 5,000 students, and the institution became an independent organization in 1967. Wright State University now enrolls approximately 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offers undergraduate programs in the humanities, sciences, arts, as well as professional programs in such areas as teacher education, counseling, psychology, and nursing. The University also offers masters and doctoral programs, including an M.D. program in the School of Medicine.

As a part of the state system of higher education, the University operates an openadmission policy. In addition to its missions of teaching, professional service, and research and scholarship, the University maintains a commitment to serve the State and, especially, the region where it is located. Because this region encompasses the greater Dayton area, Wright State University identifies itself as a metropolitan university.

The University has undergone considerable change in administration during the last two years. Its President, Dr. Harley Flack, joined the institution in 1994; its Provost, in 1995. The Vice President for Business and Fiscal Affairs has served less than a year, and other Universitylevel administrators have been appointed during the last two years. With these recent changes in administration has come a commitment to strategic planning at all levels as well as a renewal of the institution's long‑standing role of service to the State and the region.

Committed to diversity and serving a diverse region of the State, the University actively recruits both traditional and non‑traditional students. It offers programs on a number of offcampus sites and supports a regional branch campus near Celina and St. Marys, Ohio. This branch, the Lake Campus, is 80 miles from the Dayton campus and offers both undergraduate and graduate courses and programs. The College of Education and Human Services

When the University opened in 1964, accredited programs in Education were offered by Miami University. Following Wright State University's establishment as an independent institution, it formed a Division of Education; and, in 1971, that division became the College of Education. With approximately 3,000 students, the College received accreditation by NCATE in 1979. In 1980 the College was renamed the College of Education and Human Services, recognizing that its offerings had grown to include counseling and health related areas. Initial Accreditation under the redesigned * procedures and standards was granted in 1990.

In the spring of 1995, the then Dean of the College was placed on administrative leave; and the Associate Dean, Gregory Bernhardt, was named Interim Dean. In the spring of 1996, after a national search, he was named Dean. At that time, both the University and the College were faced with a continuing gradual decline in enrollments and in State resources for operation; and budgetary support for the College declined. In keeping with the new University administration's commitment to planning, Dean Bernhardt strengthened the planning and review process for the College that had started earlier. This continuing process is broad‑based and inclusive and in keeping with the open and positive leadership style of Dean Bernhardt and has given the faculty and staff of the College a renewed sense of involvement and commitment. In

PART 11

FINDINGS FOR EACH CATEGORY

OF STANDARDS

CATEGORY 1: DESIGN OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

A. Observations

In the six years since the last visit, the Unit has refined its 1990 model, the Teacher as Problem Solver and Developing Professional. Although these changes are modest in some respects, the emerging design the educator as Problem Solver and Developing Professional) not only aptly reflects the faculty's conception of a sequential, multi‑phase process for educating school professionals but also embeds the nineteen postulates of the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER) as developed by its founding director, John Goodlad. Unit representatives speak knowledgeably of the conceptual framework and its applications to both initial and advanced programs.

Wright State University affiliated with NNER in 1993. At approximately the same ‑time, it undertook partners Transforming Education: School, University, Community, an ambitious planning venture involving collaboration among scores of community leaders, school personnel, and University faculty and administrators. The product of this venture was a series of status and planning reports that, in turn, led to the development of the Professional Year Program (PYP), a fifth‑year initial preparation program utilizing a series .of Partner Schools as sites for early/continuing field experiences and for student teaching. PYP exited its first cohort of students in August, 1996. A second cohort is in mid‑program late in 1996.

Early plans were for PYP to supplant all University four‑year and post‑baccalaureate programs; more recently, however, it appears that PYP will become the primary program in secondary education teaching fields and special education but that extant programs preparing

teachers for elementary grades will continue.

The Unit has implemented a cycle of program assessment measures so that it may better understand the performance of graduates and their perceptions of how well basic and advanced programs prepared them for their professional roles. Data from surveys and other measures are used as a basis for program modification.

The General Education component for initial teacher preparation programs remains strong. In 1992‑1994, representative faculty groups studied these requirements. As a result, a writing‑across‑the‑curriculum program was instituted, with an array of courses in each major being identified as "writing‑intensive." The College of Education and Human Services, further, has recently refined the General Education mathematics requirement for education majors as well as provided leadership in developing a new (still to be implemented) General Education course focusing on pluralism in American society.

Content studies for initial programs are well sequenced and consistent with the Conceptual framework. Each elementary education major completes a concentration in one of an array of options (social science, humanities, and so forth). The joint appointment of six faculty to the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Science and Mathematics has

occasioned an improved design for both mathematics and science concentrations. Syllabi are current, reflect the Unit's commitment to preparing educators to succeed in a pluralistic society, and embed technology in numerous ways.

Through their sequencing into three distinct phases, professional and pedagogical studies for initial preparation programs clearly reflect the Unit's conceptual framework. Knowledge base elements are introduced in Phase 1, reinforced and applied in Phase 2, and mastered in Phase 3

(student teaching). A sequence of clinical and field experiences provides a real‑world grounding for professional and pedagogical studies.

In initial preparation programs, student teaching is the primary vehicle through which students integrate content knowledge, professional knowledge, and pedagogical proficiencies. Prior to student teaching, students have completed courses and field experiences that prepare them to create meaningful learning experiences for all learners. Substantial confidence is expressed by end‑of‑program students (whether in PYP or four‑year programs) in their ability effectively to teach learners displaying the full range of characteristics customary in contemporary American schools. This emphasis on the ability to teach diverse students applies to an array of ethnicities, to gifted and disabled learners, and to those who are affluent and/or economically disadvantaged.

ED 440, a capstone course that candidates complete concurrently with student teaching, has been re‑tooled since 1990 in order to make it less intrusive on student teaching proper. It meets intensively before the beginning of student teaching and continues for a week of half‑day sessions at the end of the quarter. ED 440 requires completion of a reflective learning portfolio that students begin during Phase 1: Introductory Period and Professional Education (Foundations). Given the necessity for student teachers to focus on both the portfolio and the functions of skillful teaching, there is evidence that the modification of the course may not have fully accomplished the intended purpose. A review of the course may be called for in order to make certain that student teachers devote their full energies to their primary instructional role.

Advanced programs are grounded in Phase IV (Graduate and Continuing Professional Education) of the Conceptual Framework, which emphasizes the developing professional. At this

stage, the advanced student (whether in a counseling, administration, teaching, or other advanced preparation programs) is better able to synthesize his/her content knowledge, professional studies, and pedagogical insight as a basis for problem solving and growth. Among other programs, the Teacher Leader program exemplifies this quality. A general program that enrolls both elementary and secondary teachers, the program requires a core of studies while simultaneously affording students opportunities to meet requirements through courses they believe will strengthen their abilities to provide quality teaching to children and adolescents. A recent emphasis in this program has been.in‑depth applications of technology, a deficiency among classroom teachers recognized both by students and Unit faculty.

Numerous factors lead to the conclusion that instruction in the Unit is consistent with the refined conceptual framework for both basic and advanced programs and is of high quality. Unit faculty, including the bean on two occasions, have received University teaching awards. Professors display currency both in course design and in modifying instruction better to incorporate technology, performance assessment, and diversity topics. Newer faculty (those who joined the faculty since the MATE initial visit) have energized instruction and their colleagues; all faculty speak knowledgeably of current issues and topics bearing on quality instruction. Unit professors, further, take advantage of an array of professional development workshops offered through the University Center for Teaching and Learning. Finally, the appointment of an Assistant Dean for Communication and Technology has afforded an emphasis on increasingly sophisticated applications of technology in many courses, both basic and advanced.

The College requires extensive pre‑student teaching field experiences of no fewer than 300 clock hours in all programs. Field experiences in the PYP program are equally substantial and

extend throughout the school year in a Partner School. Partner School teachers (termed "mentors" in the PYP program) have learned through Wright State University workshops methods for guiding the development of pre‑professional teachers. College of Education and Human Services faculty teach a number of PYP courses on‑site and in conjunction with field experience requirements.

At least one placement in initial preparation programs must be in a culturally/economically diverse setting. Advanced programs with a field experiences component (Educational Leadership and Counseling, for example) also require practica working in a setting characterized by diversity. Through mandating these placements, the Unit had successfully addressed the weakness cited by the 1990 BOE.

Through blocking field experiences and selected courses in Phases I and II, the unit affords students the opportunity to apply conceptual and pedagogical knowledge in real classrooms. However, in some instances, these experiences are characterized by relatively passive observation rather than substantive participation in planning and instruction, a matter deserving of attention as the faculty seeks further improvements in this dimension of the program. Because PYP students are already college graduates, they occasionally serve as substitutes for cooperating teachers, thus participating in a realistic array of teaching functions.

Numerous collaborative planning and research activities underscore a strong sense of community among College of Education and Human Services faculty, between College faculty and faculty in the liberal arts and sciences, and between the College and the region it serves. The Partners Transforming Education endeavor described previously exemplifies this relationship, but the unit has not relied on this impressive venture alone to create and maintain linkages that

I I

improve not only P‑12 education but the institution's programs. Through Partners Transforming

Education, community representatives and school system personnel have gained a sense of

ownership in teacher education at the University; this sense is maintained in Partner Schools and

elsewhere.

The Unit cites numerous outreach efforts that, collectively, build community between P‑ 12

practitioners and while simultaneously attracting classroom teachers to enroll in graduate study.

On campus, the College of Education and Human Services has provided leadership in efforts to

refine the General Education component, most recently in an analysis and revision of courses in

order to help undergraduates come to a more substantive grasp of diversity issues, including gay

and lesbian lifestyles and learner disabilities.

B. Weaknesses Corrected Since the Previous Visit

LE (new Standards I.D). Courses include some attention to cultural diversity but

sufficient emphasis is not given to American ethnic and racial groups in courses.

Reading lists are outdated

The Unit has corrected this weakness. Courses consistently reflect this dimension and are

current. Student teachers are confident of their ability to work with diverse populations.

ILA (new Standard I.H. While graduate students may participate infield‑based

experiences that include culturally diverse populations, it is not clear that the unit's

policies either encourage or make certain that this occurs.

The Unit has corrected this weakness. Clear policies make‑ certain that students in

advanced programs experience settings where they will work with culturally/economically

diverse populations.

IIB (new Standard I.A). Pie unit lacks a policy oil using follow‑up study results to

assure that improvements are made.

This weakness has been corrected. A cycle of assessment is in place; data derived from

assessment are used as a basis for program modification.

C. Weaknesses Continued From the Previous Visit

None

New Weaknesses

None

CATEGORY 11: CANDIDATES IN PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

A. Observations

The Unit has been successful in attracting a high quality of candidates to its programs. For undergraduate candidates to be admitted to teacher education, they must have completed 45 quarter hours with a 2. 5 GPA, score a minimum of 172 on all sections of the Pre‑Professional Skills Test (PPST), have positive recommendations from first‑year professors and advisors, submit a writing sample,and take part in an interview. Admission to the graduate program requires a score of at least 30 on the MAT or 800 on the GRE. Unconditional acceptance requires a 2.7 GPA for undergraduate work, though a student may be conditionally accepted with a 2.5 GPA. Students may petition for waivers of these requirements and conditional admission and, if admitted, must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the first 12 quarter hours. Students with a baccalaurate degree who are interested in entering the College to obtain only certification must have a 2.5 GPA and must have completed a set of preprofessional courses. The decision to admit a student to the College is the sole prerogative of the Unit.

Although the University maintains a modified open admissions policy, high quality candidates are actively recruited throughout Ohio. Students who received a score of at least 23 or better on the ACT are contacted by the University, which also participates in many college fairs and career days. National Merit and National Achievement Commended Scholars and Semifinalists receive a four‑year, full‑tuition scholarship as does any Ohio high school valedictorian or salutatorian. In addition, National Merit or National Achievement finalists receive a four‑year scholarship for tuition, books, room and board. Both the University and the College offer many competitive scholarships for which qualified candidates may apply. Over 25%

of the students entering the College have a GPA of 3.5 or above.

The University and the College offer a number of scholarships to attract minority students to the University and to the College. Recruiters visit all of the high schools throughout Ohio that have a high percentage of minority students, and activities to attract minority high school students to campus are in place. Of particular note is a summer program, known as the Wright Track, which brings minority. students to the campus.. Also, Camp Attracting Prospective Educators (CAPE), organized by the Ohio Department of Education, annually enrolls over IGO minority high school students. Wright State University has applied to hoast the program in 1998. Outreach programs are offered to minority middle‑ school students to help them make appropriate choices in high school. Scholarships, both competitive and noncompetitive, are available for qualified minority students. These programs have had a positive effect: the percentage of minority students in the College has risen from 3.4% in 1990 to 5.7% in 1995. In addition, 25% of the students in the Professional Year Program (PYP) are minority students.

A public, traditionally Black institution, Central State University, located within fifteen

miles of the WSU campus, has recently lost enrollment. The College has welcomed many of

Central State's students to take preprofessional courses; and, even though these students do not

represent an increase in the percentage of minority st udents in the Unit's Teacher Education

programs, the result is that more minority students are enrolled in courses. On the other hand,

there is also a concern within the College that many high‑caliber minority students may be

siphoned off by other programs within the University that provide opportunities for minority

graduates in higher paying jobs than teaching.

While not specifically addressed in the standards, one minority group, those with physical

disabilities, is heavily represented at the University and in the College. The Campus Climate Committee has developed an action plan to address improved access for the disabled well beyond that required by Federal guidelines. When monies became available for additional computer laboratories, the College of Education and Human Services successfully proposed adapted facilities and equipment for disabled students.

The Unit has made a major effort to expand and improve its system of student advisement. Upon admission to the College, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who works with the student on professional issues related to graduation. In addition, three certification advisors are available to the candidates on a walk‑in basis. These advisors make themselves available to students by scheduling evening and Saturday hours. Student records are maintained on the University mainframe computer through the Registrar's Office and the Office of Student Services. Students are able to register for courses and access their grades through the University's automated system, "Raider Express." The computerized Student Information System (SIS), used throughout the campus, makes all pertinent student information about students available to advisors and supports more effective counseling. Students are aware of the requirements for gr aduation and certification and, in general, indicate that they are pleased with the level of advice they receive in both the graduate and undergraduate programs.

Technology assists students to maintain high performance standards in the College. Students communicate with their certification advisors via E‑mail Advisor Grams or via a Web Page site. Surveys help Unit faculty determine problems that students may be encountering. "Concern Conferences" may be called at any time by the student or the advisor, and the advisor calls mandatory conferences if the student's GPA falls below an established level.

Throughout their programs, candidates are assessed in a variety of ways including written

and oral exams, demonstrations, and other measures culminating with a major portfolio that

faculty use as a tool for authentic assessment of professional growth. Recently, students have

begun to prepare electronic portfolios and multimedia presentations to demonstrate their

proficiency in technology. To achieve certification, students must pass the National Teachers'

Examination (NTE). During the past five years, 100% of the students taking the NTE have

passed the Professional Practices portion of the exam.

B. Weaknesses Corrected since the Previous Visit

H.C. (Old IIC.) The advisory system is inadequate

The advisory system has been improved to provide adequate services to

students.

II.B. (Old II.A.) The composition of students in the unit does not reflect cultural

diversity.

The composition of students in the unit reflects the cultural diversity of the

surrounding area.

Weaknesses Continued from the Previous Visit

None

D. New Weaknesses

None

CATEGORY III: PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FACULTY

A. Observations

Members of the professional education faculty demonstrate their commitment in various ways to their role as teacher scholars who are engaged in the professional community. The College of Education and Human Services sponsored a faculty retreat in 1995 that highlighted the need for faculty members to become more familiar with current technology, to make greater use of technology in their instruction, and to acquaint students with the uses of technology in schools. Faculty make use of training provided by the Center for Teaching and Learning in many ways, including increasing their familiarity with educational technology and with portfolio development. Several faculty members have created their own web pages, and many use E‑mail to communicate with students. As a part of their interviews, recently employed Unit faculty members have been required to present demonstration lessons integrating technology.

The College of Education and Human Services has established six joint appointments with the College of Science and Mathematics. These joint appointments support the College's commitment to content scholarship. One faculty member with a joint appointment in Mathematics recently received tenure, following review and approval from both colleges.

Student teaching supervisors are primarily adjuncts and are expected to visit student teachers every 10 days, University supervisors are invited to campus at least once each year to discuss issues relating to student teaching. Over the past two years increasingly full‑time faculty rather than adjuncts have been used as supervisors. Professional Year Programs mentors take a University course that is offered on‑site, and

school faculty are involved in co‑teaching courses and in participation in the PYP Governance Councils at each school. The Unit provides adjuncts with an orientation session so that they can understand the expectations of the College. In addition, they receive guidance on developing syllabi and selecting texts, and they receive regular communication from the College on important issues.

The faculty is actively involved in refining teacher preparation programs.. Milestone One: A Synthesis Report (1992) and Milestone Two: A Pathway for Educational Renewal (1995) exemplify the ways in which current and future plans have been developed. For example, the Professional Year Program (PYP) involves College faculty teaching courses in the schools and co‑teaching with school faculty. This PYP design reflects the.integration of John Goodlad's postulates within the College's conceptual framework. The Teacher Leader master's program began in 1978 in three sites as an off‑campus means of providing courses to teachers who were at a distance from campus. The program has grown to 28 sites and has been modified in response to district requests to include a focus on educational technology. The College of Education and Human Services continues in its eleventh year as a training site in Reading Recovery, and faculty members are involved in NNER activities, reinforcing their commitment to the Unit's conceptual framework.

Since 1993, a majority of faculty have been involved in professional activities including publications, significant grant activity, and presentations to local, state, and national organizations. Faculty members are active in professional associations, attending conferences, presenting at state and national professional meetings, and serving as editors

and contributors to national newsletters. A number of them hold of offices in such organizations.

The Unit is committed to ensuring a diverse faculty. The Five Year Affirmative Action Objectives for CEHS (1996) includes the College five‑year staff objectives and target goals for racial and gender employment for the College and for each department. The current faculty of 51 includes six African‑Americans and one Hispanic. Fifty‑three percent of the faculty are women, and 50% of the department chairs are female. Of the adjunct faculty, 6.4% are minority and 55% are female. The College works closely with the University's Affirmative Action Office and recruits through advertisements in publications and electronic media, including those which specifically address minority populations. The College has the best minority faculty percentage of any college at the University.

The Unit ensures that work load assignments and teaching loads are balanced to enable the faculty to be effective in the areas of teaching, scholarship and service. Faculty load responsibilities currently fall within MATE guidelines for initial and advanced programs. Recent resignations and retirements have. required the College to hire three new faculty members, and there are proposals before the University administration for more faculty positions. However, budget constraints have caused increases in class size and limited the implementation of some teaching innovations. Adjunct faculty are used to ensure that adequate sections are available.

The Unit supports the professional development of the faculty. Faculty participate in development activities sponsored by the University Center for Teaching and Leaming; and College faculty members are viewed by the Center and by the University as a whole as

a resource to all University faculty. Recently, the College received an alumni grant to staff a Faculty Institute as part of the Center. Ample financial resources are available to support professional development; and, in 1995, while $600 per faculty member was budgeted, in fact $1800 per faculty member was expended.

University service is important to the College, and College faculty members are active on College and University committees including the University Academic Council. The CEHS Faculty Performance Planning and Evaluation Process document of October, 1993, guides the evaluation of staff. Faculty are encouraged to develop their own portfolios, and faculty members from the College have provided workshops and written material to guide their colleagues in the development and use of portfolios. These portfolio workshops have been offered to all University faculty through the Center for Teaching and Learning.

B. Weaknesses Corrected Since the Previous Visit

No weaknesses were cited at the last visit.

C. Weaknesses Continued from the Previous Visit

None

D. New Weaknesses

None

CATEGORY IV: THE UNIT FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION A. Observations

Professional Education programs at Wright State University are governed by a Unit that is comprised of faculty members and administrators within the College of Education and Human Services and, to a limited extent, of faculty members in other colleges within the University. All courses in professional education are housed within the College. The Dean of the College of Education and Human Services serves as the administrator of the Unit, and Professional Education programs are coordinated through the College Faculty Council. The Dean is responsible for certifying that candidates in such programs meet licensure requirements. Representatives of the College sit on University committees governing such matters as curriculum, promotion and tenure policies, and graduate programs and policies.

The College organization consists of four departments: Teacher Education; Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Human Services; and Educational Leadership. This structure is the result of a reorganization carried out in 1994, when Special Education and Early Childhood Education were added to the Teacher Education Department and the Educational Leadership Department was expanded to include a number of programs, such as Vocational Education and Library‑media Education. The position of Director of Professional Field Experiences was created at this time to coordinate and provide leadership for placement and supervision of students in such programs.

Following the departure of the former Dean in 1995, the Associate Dean was appointed Interim Dean. In 1996, after a national search, the Interim Dean was selected

to fill the position of Dean of the College. Under his leadership, College faculty morale has improved, and the College has moved ahead on the strategic planning process begun earlier. Faculty leaders have emerged as a part of this re‑examination of the College's mission and vision. These developments within the College have taken place in conjunction with a University commitment to an institution‑wide strategic planning process growing out of a two year‑long development of a vision statement. The College and University planning continue.

In addition to the Dean, the College is administered by an Assistant Dean, a Budget Manager, and the chairs of the four departments. Further administrative support is provided by the Director of the Division of Professional Development, the Manager of the Office of Student Services, and the Director of Professional Field Experiences. A search is under way to fill the position of Associate Dean.

The University provides the College with faculty resources that are adequate to carry out its mission, and. a commitment has been made to add new faculty positions. A modest reduction in the use of adjunct faculty members has taken place during the past year, although a considerable number of adjunct faculty continue to teach undergraduate and graduate courses and supervise field experiences. Stabiltiy is provided by the fact that most adjuncts have an extended relationship with the College and University. In addition, the College has been especially active in seeking and successful in receiving external grant support for research and program development. Most recently, Federal funding of $167,000 has been made available for the Developing Future Teachers Project, and the College has received $366,000 for its Reading Recovery Program, now in its eleventh

year. Many of these programs are carried out jointly with one or more school divisions; and several involve other institutions of higher education, for example, the Western Region Assessment Project, which involves Wright State University, two other state universities, and nine school districts. Provision does not seem to have been made at the College or University level to fund these activities when the external support is no longer available.

The College and the University make available to members of the faculty and staff an extensive variety of development activities. Funds for College faculty travel are generous and equal to that provided to faculty in other units. In addition, through University funds and funds from the College Foundation, support for scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students has increased during the past two years.

Operating within the College is the Educational Resources Center, a materials center for professional education that provides a wealth of traditional and state‑of‑the‑art texts and instructional technology. There are both considerable use of and satisfaction with its collection and services among faculty members and students. The Center is open to Wright State University students, faculty, and staff and to personnel in the regional schools and other educational agencies. A part‑time technical assistant position in the Center was recently expanded to provide additional services to the College.

The Dunbar Library contains an extensive collection of Education‑related periodicals and monographs. An Education collection development specialist works closely with faculty liaisons from the professional education programs to maintain and expand these holdings. Recent reductions in University subscriptions to periodicals in

response to rapid increases in the cost of such materials have had limited impact on the Education collections. Access to journals in the fields housed in the Unit has been extensively expanded through electronic means. In addition, through Ohiolink, a collaborative library organization among fifty of the higher education institution libraries in the State, the Dunbar Library makes available electronically and through Interlibrary Loan a diverse collection of materials and indexes.

The budget of the College of Education and Human Services has declined during the past two years, in part reflecting a decline in enrollments. In the past two years, as a part of its strategic planning, the College has undertaken restructuring activities to off‑set these reductions; and the University administration has expressed a commitment to Professional Education programs as a part of the University's reaffirmed commitment to outreach and service to the community and the State. Representative of this commitment is the allocation of six faculty positions to the College for the 1997‑98 academic year.

B. Weaknesses Corrected Since the Previous Visit

No weaknesses were cited at the last visit.

Weaknesses Continued from the Previous Visit

None.

D. New Weaknesses

None.

PART III

Exemplary PRACTICES

Exemplary Practice

The institution's and College of Education and Human Services' emphasis on diversity, especially in valuing individuals with an array of physical disabilities, is exemplary. The College of Education and Human Services plays a leadership role in making certain that University education is fully accessible to persons with disabilites. It also promotes the infusion of topics and concerns of Americans with disabilities in General Education offerings as well as in its own programs.