General Preconditions

2021

GENERAL INSTITUTION PRECONDITIONS: Santa Clara University

1. Accreditation and Academic Credit

a. Institutions of higher education: A college or university that (i) is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or another of the six regional accrediting associations, and (ii) grants baccalaureate academic credit or post baccalaureate academic credit, or both. An institution approved to offer educator preparation in California must notify the Commission within 30 days if it’s regional accreditation status changes.

b. School districts or other non-regionally accredited entities: The Superintendent or CEO of the district or entity shall submit verification of the governing boards approval of sponsorship of the program. N/A

(a) Santa Clara University is fully accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This accreditation can be verified by the Office of the Provost and is in the University Bulletin on the University website and in the Bulletin of the School of Education and Counseling Psychology (SECP).

(b) Santa Clara University grants both baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate academic credit. This is information can be verified by the Office of the Provost, and is on the University website.

2. Enrollment and Completion

Once a candidate is accepted and enrolls in an education preparation program, the approved program sponsor must offer the approved program, meeting the adopted standards, until the candidate:

i. Completes the program,

ii. Withdraws from the program,

iii. Is dropped from the program based on established criteria; or

iv. Is admitted to another approved program to complete the requirements, with minimal disruption, for the authorization. In the event the program closes, a teach out plan, which includes individual transition plans for each candidate as well as a plan for candidates and graduates to access their student records would need to be developed.

The Office of Student Services for the School of Education and Counseling Psychology is responsible for the monitoring and assistance of all student enrollment and completion needs listed above. In the event of a program closing, the Department is responsible for completion of a teach-out plan, with support from the Office of Student Services as requested.

Assurance Statement from the Unit Head can be found here.

Teach out plan can be found here.

3. Responsibility and Authority

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity shall provide the following information:

a. Identify the position within the organizational structure that is responsible for ongoing oversight of all educator preparation programs offered by the entity (including educator preparation program offered by an extension division, if any).

The Dean of the School of Education, Sabrina Zirkel, is responsible for oversight.

b. Provide a description of reporting relationship between the position described in (a) the individual(s) who coordinate each educator preparation program offered by the entity. If a reporting relationship is indirect, describe the levels of authority and responsibility for each educator preparation program. Include an organizational chart for the institution as well as the division(s) within the institution responsible fore the oversight of the educator preparation unit and/or responsible for any aspect of program delivery.

Dr. Marco Bravo serves as the Director of Teacher Education.

Dr. Lisa Goldstein serves as the Chair of the Education Department

Dr. Pedro Nava is the Director of Administrative Services Organizational Chart (Appendix A)

c. Provide policies to ensure that duties regarding credential recommendations are provided solely by persons who are current employees of the Commission approved institution.

The Student Services and CTC Manager is responsible for all credential recommendations made by the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. Credential Candidates have multiple resources for finding the polices and duties of the Credential Analyst and the credentialing process. Housed in the Office of Student Services, resources are found here and here.

4. Lawful Practices

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, a program of professional preparation must be proposed and operated by an entity that makes all personnel decision without unlawful discrimination.

These decisions include decisions regarding the admission, retention or graduation of students, and decisions regarding the employment, retention or promotion of employees.

Information regarding admissions (Chapter 3, pp 22-26), retention (Chapter 4, pp 29 -46), and graduation can be found within the current School of Education and Counseling Psychology Bulletin, located on the Policies page. The Office of Human Resources webpage provides the policies and practices governing the University’s employment, retention, and promotion of employees. The Staff Policy Manual and Faculty Handbook.

5. Commission Assurances

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the program sponsor must: (a) assure that the sponsor will fulfill all of the applicable standards of program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the Commission, (b) assure that the program sponsor will cooperate in an evaluation of the program by an external team or a monitoring of the program by a Commission staff member and (c) assure that the approved program sponsor will participate fully in the Commission’s accreditation system, including the timely submission of documents required for accreditation.

Santa Clara University has an established record of fulfilling all applicable standards of program quality and effectiveness, cooperating in CTC’s efforts to evaluate and monitor our programs, and participating fully in the Commission’s accreditation system. We will continue to engage in all practices required by the Commission.

Evidence of assurance can be found here.

6. Requests for Data

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must identify a qualified officer responsible for reporting and responding to all request from the Commission for data including, but not limited to, program enrollments, program, completers, examination results, including performance assessments, and state and federal reporting within the time limits specified by the Commission. Institutional contact information must be updated annually.

Data and requests for data come from two positions in the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. The Student Services and CTC Manager and the Senior Director of Student Services. Both are members of the Office of Student Services, overseen by the Senior Assistant Dean of Enrollment and Student Services.

Evidence of assurance can be found here.

7. Veracity in all Claims and Documents Submitted

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must positively affirm the veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission.

This is accomplished by the sole submission of recommendations to the Commission by one employee—the Student Services and CTC Manager.

Evidence of assurance can be found here.

8. Grievance Process

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must have a clearly delineated grievance process for candidates and applicants. The grievance process information must be accessible to all candidates and applicants and the institution must be prepared to provide documentation that candidates have been informed of the grievance process and that the process has been followed.

The grievance process can be found directly on the Policies page of the Student Services webpage. The process is also outlined in all academic bulletins (page 40-41 of the 2020-21 academic bulletin, also found on the webpage noted above).

9. Faculty and Instructional Personnel Participation

All faculty and instructional personnel employed by colleges and universities who regularly teach one o more courses in an educator preparation program leading to a credential, shall actively participate in the public school system at least once every three academic years, appropriate to their credential area.

Faculty who are not in the Department, School, or College of Education are exempt from this requirement.

All faculty who teach courses in instructional methods or instructional leadership in any of our CTC professional preparation programs participate regularly in public elementary and/or secondary school classrooms. Activities completed by faculty include the following: student teaching supervision, lesson modeling for teachers and professional development work with teachers. All records of participation are maintained in the office of the Chair of Education in the Faculty Activity Reports .

Evidence of Faculty Participation in Public-School System can be found here.

10. Communication and Information

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must provide easily accessible and accurate information to the public, prospective educators, and enrolled candidates about the requirements for admission and successful completion for all its educator preparation programs.

nformation on admissions and admissions requirements can be found on the School of Education and Counseling Psychology Admissions page. Program completion information / the process for receiving a recommendation to the CTC is housed under the Credential Services page.

11. Student Records Management, Access, and Security

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the sponsor must demonstrate that it will maintain and retain student records in accordance with the institution’s record retention policy.

Institutions will provide verification that:

a) Candidates and graduates will have access to and be provided with, transcripts and / or other documents for the purpose of verifying academic units and program completion.

Information on admissions and admissions requirements can be found on the School of Education and Counseling Psychology Admissions page. Program completion information / the process for receiving a recommendation to the CTC is housed under the Credential Services page.

Students may access their academic advising transcript at any time through their personal eCampus account. Official transcripts can be ordered from their eCampus account or requested from the Office of the Registrar at no charge. Information on both options is found here. Appeasement letters (Appendix B) showing academic progress are provided to all credential candidates enrolled in clinical teaching practicum starting mid-Winter quarter (Appendix C).

b) All candidate records will be maintained at the main institutional site or central location.

The School of Education and Counseling Psychology transitioned to an online data system and now maintains electronic records for all candidates. Any outstanding / historical physical files are located in two secure locations in Guadalupe Hall, home of the School of Education and Counseling Psychology. Files are kept in secure rooms access only by key cards specifically programmed for entry by approved personnel.

Electronic records are only accessible by personnel with authorization through our secure data systems.

c) Records will be kept in securely locked cabinets or on a secure server located in a room not accessible by the public.

All SCU academic records are maintained electronically, through eCampus. Students may access their academic advising transcript at any time through their personal eCampus account. Records and Retention policy is provided (Appendix D)

12. Disclosure

Institutions must disclose information regarding any outside organizations that will be providing any direct educational services as all or part of the educator preparation programs sponsored by the institution and identify the type of services the outside organization will provide. N/A

Evidence of assurance can be found here.

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