Mission, Vision, Priorities and Goals

Unit Vision Statement

The COE definition of “diversity” is consistent with PSU’s which includes: race, gender, ethnicity, culture, age, sexual orientation, religion, political viewpoint, military background, national origin, marital status, or disability

Mission

To prepare students to advance life-long learning in diverse learning environments including schools, post-secondary institutions, community organizations, and social service and health agencies.

Vision

In the next five years, we will be nationally recognized for working collaboratively with the surrounding communities, Tribal Nations, and our students to advance equity and excellence in education and counseling through our engaged research activities, and our community centered and culturally responsive professional preparation programs with innovative models for preparing diverse professionals who are critically engaged global citizens.

Priority 1: Assessment and Accreditation

Engage in individual and program assessment that leads to continuous program improvement. Assessment and Accreditation Goals and Objectives

• 1. All programs will consistently engage in program assessment activities that result in continuous program improvement.

  2. All programs will maintain assessment systems inline with the university's academic program review process and relevant state and national accreditation requirements.

  3. All key program assessment data will be consistently reviewed and used for program renewal. These processes and the resultant actions will be clearly documented.

  4. Conduct summative performance-based assessment in relevant teacher preparation programs and analyze candidate performance within the context of state and national data.

  5. Implement bias review of assessments.

  6. Provide dedicated support to departments and programs to enhance assessment strategies to meet program needs.

Priority 2: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Ensure that COE programs, policies, and practices advance and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Goals and Objectives

• 1. Develop specific goals across all academic programs within the COE, that align with state and university equity goals, to increase and retain student diversity across all programs.

     • Objective 1: Provide departments with student demographic data by program and create admission/enrollment goals in each area related to increasing the number of admitted students into the program for AY ‘17-'18.

     • Objective 2: Provide departments with student retention data by program, identify retention issues that may exist and develop interventions to increase/enhance student retention as needed.

     • Objective 3: Departments and program coordinators work with existing COE diversity pipeline programs (BTP, PTP, AITP) to facilitate interest in COE programs and support pre-application and admission activities for identified students.

     • Objective 4: Create an operational definition of "culturally responsive curriculum and practices" and, using these practices, implement specific measurable goals for enhancing student support and retention.

  2. Develop specific goals across all units, that align with state and university equity and diversity goals, to increase and retain the diversity of full-time and part-time faculty and staff in the COE.

     • Objective 1: Actively promote open positions beyond the PSU website to diverse community partners and networks.

     • Objective 2: Create an operational definition of "culturally responsive pedagogy" and implement specific, measurable, culturally responsive goals for retaining the diversity of COE faculty and staff.

  3. Continue to engage faculty, staff, and students in discussions about our role in the perpetuation and dismantling of racism and oppression in our own classrooms and across the COE.

     • Objective 1: Provide specific support and professional development on areas such as collaboration, bullying, and interpersonal relationships. 

  4. Draw on the PSU Equity Lens Assessment Tool to engage in a systematic examination of the COE's curriculum, policies, and practices, and develop and enact a set of strategic actions designed to remedy inconsistencies. This will occur in the following areas:

     • • a. Hiring processes with respect to part-time and full-time faculty and staff

       • b. Faculty and staff support and retention

       • c. Admissions and matriculation processes

       • d. Student support and retention

       • e. Curriculum

       • f. Research practices

       • g. Partnerships

• • 1. Objective 1: Develop a repository of information on transformative and culturally responsive practice in higher education.

• 5. Draw on the research-based practices in the field to significantly enhance candidate preparation to teach, lead, and counsel in diverse contexts.

  6. Significantly increase support for implementing diversity, equity, and social justice in the COE by adding a diversity professional to the COE leadership team in 2017 who will oversee all aspects of the equity agenda.

     • Objective 1: Create a COE Equity Plan.

     • Objective 2: Identify resources and begin to implement strategies for ongoing, sustainable professional development in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Priority 3: Faculty Research and Productivity

Significantly increase and strengthen faculty research productivity while advancing diverse methods, approaches, and tools for faculty to be engaged in collaborative research that has a transformative impact on our global, state, and local community.

Faculty Research and Productivity Goals and Objectives

• 1. Enhance faculty research capacity through COE-wide leadership and organizational support.

     • Objective 1: Continually assess COE-wide research activities, processes, and infrastructure, and implement improvements, as needed, to facilitate support for scholarly work for COE faculty to seek external funding.

     • Objective 2: Work collaboratively with Research and Strategic Partnerships (RSP) office leadership and the COE Department Research Administrator (DRA) to plan, manage, and grow external funding to support scholarly work within the COE.

     • Objective 3: Explore opportunities for involving undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in ongoing research activities, including graduate research assistantships.

  2. Identify, create, and lead high-impact, school-wide and interdisciplinary research initiatives that raise the visibility and impact of COE at state and national levels.

     • Objective 1: Connect with the community to involve members in the COE faculty research process.

     • Objective 2: Regularly recognize, celebrate, and share COE faculty scholarship.

  3. Draw on resources within the COE, across the university, and with local, state, national, and international organizations, nurturing environments that promote research and scholarly productivity at the interface of different disciplines. 

Priority 4: Technology and Innovation

Maximize the effective use of technology to promote equity in instruction, recruitment, assessment, retention, and scholarship.

Technology and Innovation Goals and Objectives

• 1. Coordinate university resources to increase support for full-time and part-time faculty, as well as staff and students, to more consistently use innovative technologies for research, teaching, and learning through professional development activities, such as consultations, workshops, and peer learning.

     • Objective 1: Continue to provide accessible technology that can be used by students with varied abilities.

  2. Facilitate greater faculty engagement in ongoing discussion about the effective use of technology in research and teaching.

     • Objective 1: Have increased dialogue among the faculty about how to support the development of students’ “digital identities.” 

  3. Increase opportunities for faculty and students to engage in technologically rich STEAM learning and development.

     • Objective 1: Ensure that existing facilities have the appropriate technology and resources to support the most innovative teaching and research practices.

     • Objective 2: Work with campus planning to ensure that our new facilities possesses appropriate technology and facilities to support innovative teaching and research activities including STEAM. 

Priority 5: School and Community Partnerships

Develop partnerships that support high-quality practical experiences and professional development for COE candidates, faculty, and cooperating professionals.

School and Community Partnerships Goals and Objectives

• 1. Strengthen existing practices while developing new guidelines and approaches to ensure high-quality practical experiences that benefit candidates, partners, P20 students, and clients.

     • Objective 1: Increase communication with cooperating professionals regarding field-based assignments, assessments, timelines, and expectations.

     • Objective 2: Develop guidelines and practices for “start of school” experiences for students who do not have placements at the beginning of the school year.

     • Objective 3: Assess the relationship between program admissions, timing of placement, and effectiveness of CTs.

     • Objective 4: Collaborate with partner agencies on equity and social justice issues. Objective 5: Collaborate with faculty and partner agencies to build support systems in field placements for candidates from underrepresented groups.

  2. Build support among local school districts and agencies for specific COE programs.

     • Objective 1: Collaborate with districts to establish pipelines to the undergraduate SPED program.

     • Objective 2: Collaborate with districts to establish pipelines and guidelines regarding BTP-R and GTEP-R programs. 

Priority 6: Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency

Maximize the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of COE operations.

Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency Goals and Objectives

• 1. Realign COE base operations to annual resource allocation.

  2. Enhance the ability for decision makers at all levels to better manage financial resources.

  3. Move toward fully paperless work methods for staff and administrators.