By-laws Council for Teacher Education

Preamble

The Council for Teacher Education is the policy making body that oversees all initial and advanced teacher education programs at East Carolina University. The College of Education is the professional education unit, and the administrative body responsible for teacher education. The Dean of the College of Education has the overall administrative responsibility for teacher education. The Director of Teacher Education is the designee of the Dean of the College of Education responsible for the oversight of teacher education programs and is accountable to the Dean of the College of Education for all recommendations relating to such programs.

Article I. Purpose

To provide avenues of communication among all areas of the University and public school community directly concerned with teacher education and to make recommendations to the Dean of the College of Education concerning needs related to teacher education at East Carolina University.

Article II. Function

Advise the Director of Teacher Education on all matters related to teacher education, including:
1. Policies for the admission and retention of pre-service teachers,
2. Policies and standards for teacher education programs,
3. The design, the analysis, and dissemination of results for follow-up studies of teacher education graduates,
4. Interdepartmental, intercollegiate, and public school communications and cooperation on matters relevant to teacher education,
5. Teacher education programs’ compliance with the standards and guidelines set forth by the North Carolina Board of Education, the State Department of Public Instruction, NCATE, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Review and recommend approval of teacher education curricula.
Establish standing committees and their charges.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Council Composition

Faculty representatives shall be appointed by the department chair of each department housing a teacher preparation program, within and outside of the College of Education, following the recommendation(s) of the teacher education faculty from the department. Where possible, each licensure area within a department should be represented. The number of representatives will be determined by the number of teacher education faculty (TEF) that area employed in each department at the beginning of the academic year according to the following formula:

1-12 TEF           one representative
13-24 TEF          two representatives
25-36 TEF          three representatives
37-48 TEF          four representatives
49-60 TEF          five representatives
continuing with intervals of 12 adding one representative.

Faculty representatives must be members of the department and must be members of the Teacher Education Faculty. The Director of Teacher Education, who advises the Dean on all recommendations of the Council, will serve as the permanent chair of the Council. The Coordinator of Alternative Licensure and the COE Assessment Coordinator will serve as ex-officio members of the Council, with votes.
Two public school representatives will serve on the Council selected by the Director of Teacher Education in consultation with the Dean and appointed by the representatives’ superintendent.
One teacher education student member will serve on the Council selected by the Director of Teacher Education from recommendations made by the Council and appointed by the Dean of the College of Education.

Section 2. Eligibility for Membership

Faculty – All teacher education faculty members who hold continuing appointments and who are full time faculty members at East Carolina University.
Public School Personnel – Any full time, licensed public school educator who is a clinical teacher, counselor, supervisor, or administrator currently involved in teacher education and employed by the respective superintendent.
Student – Any student, undergraduate or graduate, who is enrolled full time and has been admitted to the Upper Division of a professional education program, is eligible for membership.

Section 3. Terms of Office

Faculty – Faculty members serve a two-year term. They are; however, eligible for reappointment. The following schedule will be used by the department/unit to make faculty appointments for the 1984-86 period and hereafter appointments will be made during the even year:Even Year Appointments
Department of Librarianship, Educ. Technology, and Distance Instruction (1 of 2)
Department of Curriculum and Instruction (2 of 4)
Department of Business, Career and Technology Education
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Department of Theatre & Dance
Department of Mathematics and Science Education (2 of 2)
School of Music
Department of Psychology
Department of Counselor and Adult Education
Department of Child Development and Family Relations

The following departments’/schools’ representatives will serve through the 1984-1985 academic year and hereafter appointment will be made during the odd year:

Odd Year Appointments
Department of Librarianship, Educ. Technology, and Distance Instruction (1 of 2)
Department of Curriculum and Instruction (2 of 4)
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Department of Educational Leadership
Department of Health Education and Promotion
Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences (2 of 2)
School of Art
School of Social Work & Criminal Justice Studies
Public School Personnel – Public school members serve one year. They are; however, eligible for reappointment. Terms begin concurrent with the fall semester of the University and conclude at the end of the Second Summer Session at East Carolina University. Members are appointed by the appropriate superintendent, by August for the following year.
Students – student members serve one-year terms. They are; however, eligible for reappointment. Terms begin with the Fall semester and conclude at the end of the Second Summer Session at East Carolina University.

Article IV. Officers

Section 1. Elections

At the first meeting of the Fall Semester, the Council shall elect a vice-chair for a one-year term for the membership of the Council. The vice-chair shall not hold an administrative appointment at the time of election. The Chair of the Council, who is the Director of Teacher Education, serves as the representative of the Dean of the College of Education.

Section 2. Duties of Officers of the Council

Chair – The Director of Teacher Education will serve as permanent Chair of the Council. As such he/she will
1. Chair Council meetings.
2. Compose the agenda.
3. Appoint a parliamentarian from the membership of the Council to serve a term of one year. Reappointment to the position is possible.
4. Assign to the appropriate Council committees items for discussion and action recommendations.
5. Appoint and provide the charge to ad-hoc committees as deemed necessary to carry out Council functions.
6. Determine and recommend to the Dean of the College of Education changes in the Bylaws of the Council.
7. Report to the Council all actions taken on recommendations by the Dean of the College of Education, Faculty Senate, Graduate Administrative Board, and University administration and other organizations impacting on teacher education.
Vice-Chair
1. Act as presiding officer in the absence of the Chair.
2. Assist the Chair in setting the agenda and conducting other functions as deemed necessary by the Chairperson.

Article V. Council Meetings

Section 1, Regular Meetings

The Council shall hold regular meetings, at least monthly (September through April) on the second Monday of the month,during the academic year, and may meet during the summer months. The Chair as deemed necessary may convene special called meetings. All meetings are open. Visitors to the Council may participate in discussion only with the consent of the Chair. The meetings will be conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order as it affects committees.

Section 2. Quorum

A majority of the membership of the Council shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3. The Agenda

East Carolina University faculty, students and public school personnel desiring to bring specific matters to the attention of the Council shall communicate, in writing, to the Chair or Vice-Chair seven working days or more preceding the meetings at which these matters are to be considered. This time limit may be altered by a majority vote of the Council. The Chair of the Council shall confirm the meeting agenda with the Dean and publicize the agenda at least five working days before each meeting for consideration at subsequent meetings. All matters related to teacher education that require action by the Faculty Senate must first be considered and acted on by the Council for Teacher Education, the Dean of the College of Education, and any appropriate committees of the Graduate Administrative Board or Faculty Senate before being submitted to the Faculty Senate.

Section 4. Minutes

Minutes of the Council meetings shall be recorded, transcribed, and a synopsis distributed to all members of the Council. In addition, copies of the minutes should be distributed to the Dean of the College of Education, unit chairs, Faculty Senate Chair, Dean of the Graduate School, Teacher Education faculty, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Director of Distance Education, University Curriculum Chair, Graduate Administrative Board Chair, and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within ten (10) days after each meeting. At least one permanent file of minutes shall be kept in the Office of Teacher Education.

Section 5. Special Meetings

Upon written request or approval of at least one-third of the Council, the Chair of the Council must call special meetings within seven (7) days of receipt of such request. The council may also be called into session when deemed necessary by the Chairperson. Notice of the time, place, and agenda will be distributed to the Council at least one full week prior to the meeting.

Article VI. Amendment to Bylaws

Amendment of the Bylaws shall require a vote of two-thirds of those members of the Council present and voting at a regular or properly called meeting at which a quorum is present. Fourteen (14) days notice of pending bylaws change must be given to members of the Council of Teacher Education.

Council for Teacher Education Committees

Currently, there are four (4) standing Committees of the Council for Teacher Education as described below. In addition, ad-hoc committees will be established by the Chair as needed.

Membership: Standing committees will be appointed by the Council from its membership. No member of the Council can serve on more than two standing committees. Appointment will be made in August for the following year.

Officers: A Chairperson of each committee is elected from the membership of the committee, excluding ex-officio members, for a term of one year.

Interim elections may be held to fill an office that has become vacant or to replace an officer that two-thirds of the committee membership deems is not fulfilling the obligations of the office.

Operations: The charge of each committee of the Council is listed below. Each committee shall operate according to the latest version of Roberts’ Rules of Order as it relates to committees.

Minutes of each committee meeting shall be sent to the members of the Council. A file of each committee’s activity, minutes, and other records shall be maintained in the Office of Teacher Education. All committees shall hold their meetings in open session and the chairperson of each committee shall inform the Office of Teacher Education of meeting date, time, and place, in order that interested faculty may attend.

Standing Committees:

Policy Committee:

Membership: Five (5) faculty members, one of which is from the College of Education, chairpersons of the standing committees of the Council, plus Director of Teacher Education, and one teacher education student. The Chair will be elected by the committee with chairperson of other standing committees not eligible.
Functions: Policy committee considers matters relating to administrative policies and procedures of teacher education not under the jurisdiction of other committees. It receives suggestions and recommendations from the Council concerning appointments to standing and ad-hoc committees.
Quorum: Five (5) members constitute a quorum.

Curriculum Committee

Membership: Eight (8) members, two (2) of which must be faculty members in the College of Education, plus the Director of Teacher Education and one teacher education student. The Chair shall be elected by the committee.
Functions: Curriculum committee reviews and evaluates all departmental curricula leading to North Carolina licensure of teachers and special services personnel. It will also recommend needed curricula changes so that curriculum duplications do not occur. The Curriculum Committee will recommend to the CTE exceptions to the Professional Core courses, see Appendix 1 (amended April 2009).
Quorum: Five (5) members constitutes a quorum.

Admission and Retention Committee

Membership: Five (5) members, two (2) of which must be faculty members from the College of Education, plus the Director of Teacher Education. The chair shall be elected by the committee.
Functions: Admission and Retention committee reviews, and when necessary recommends to the Council, changes in the admission and retention guidelines and standards. In addition, the committee is empowered to hear and act upon disciplinary cases involving teacher education students.
Quorum: Four (4) members constitute a quorum.

Evaluation and Planning Committee

Membership: Six (6)members, one (1) of which must be a faculty member from within the College of Education, plus the Director of Teacher Education. The Chair will be elected by the committee.
Functions: Evaluation and Planning committee insures that systematic evaluation of teacher education programs and its graduates is provided to the appropriate persons, departments, agencies, and schools. In addition, the committee will develop a plan for Teacher Education following the cycle established by the university.
Quorum: Four (4) members constitute a quorum.

Ad-Hoc Committees

Ad-hoc committees will be appointed by the Council Chair as needed. All ad-hoc committee memberships shall be composed of a minimum of one (1) appointee from the Council and may include (but not necessarily include) members of the teacher education faculty at-large.

Appendix 1 to the Bylaws of the Council for Teacher Education

CTE Policy Committee Recommendations Regarding the Procedure for Proposing Changes to the Professional Core Curriculum Approved April 13, 2009

Purpose

This policy establishing a process for considering proposed exceptions to the approved CTE Professional Core Curriculum rests upon two key principles.

The Professional Core constitutes a set of common curricular experiences, grounded in the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards and the standards of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, deemed vital to the professional development of teachers. Therefore, any proposed exception to the Professional Core approved by the CTE warrants our fullest concern and consideration. The process presented here would enable the CTE to approach proposed changes cautiously, while affording individual program areas the opportunity to present any proposed exceptions in a manner conducive toward reflective deliberation, particularly on issues tied to the ability of the proposed exceptions to address the same sets of professional standards as those addressed in the CTE–approved Professional Core.
Reflective deliberation on proposed exceptions to the Professional Core Curriculum opens opportunities for dialogue and collaboration among faculty across program areas. Such dialogue and collaboration can help guide the work of those proposing exceptions to the Professional Core, while at the same time affording those program areas affected by the proposed changes a voice in helping CTE ensure the integrity of that Core.

Procedure

Submissions of proposed changes to the Professional Core Curriculum must adhere to the following sequence.

Prior to proposing any exception to the CTE approved Professional Core Curriculum, a program area must submit a Request for Exception to the CTE which answers the following questions (Note: This is informational only – no motion or vote is necessary):
1. What exception is being proposed to the Professional Core?
2. Why does the program area need this exception?
3. What is different/special/unusual about the program which makes an exception to the Professional Core Curriculum necessary?
4. How does the proposed exception enable the program’s curriculum to address the same professional standards as the course currently required in the Professional Core?
The Director of Teacher Education and/or the Chair of the CTE will forward the Request for Exception to Department Chairs and/or Area Coordinators affected by the proposed change.
When the course/curriculum change is developed, it will be submitted to the CTE Curriculum Committee. The entire package of documents will include:
1. Course Proposal/Syllabus
2. Matrix of equivalence between new course/curriculum and Professional Core Curriculum in respect to content, standards, outcomes, assessments, evidence, and products
3. Demonstration of dialog among the Program Area Coordinators and/or faculty designees affected by the proposed change.
The CTE Curriculum Committee will distribute its agenda (two weeks in advance) to CTE membership and specifically Program Area Coordinators and Department Chairs affected by the proposed change.
A recommendation from the CTE Curriculum Committee will be forwarded to the CTE for a vote.

By-Laws – Revised April 2009