Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1974)
College of Education wants new evaluation The National Council for Ac creditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a voluntary accrediting association, decided last May to drop the College of Education secondary education program's accreditation. After studying the materials used for NCATE's decision, the College of Education requested two weeks ago a review of the case by a different NCATE evaluation board. The program, which trains students for junior and senior high By JIM FINK Of the Emerald school teaching, was observed last October by a visitation team from NCATE. Its report was considered by an evaluation board, which decided to drop the program's accreditation. "We have reviewed all the materials, and concluded there were sufficient grounds to ask for a new evaluation board to review the materials,'' said Robert Gilberts, dean of the College of Education. He said the request is now before the NCATE executive committee, which will probably decide on the request in early October. The program's ac creditation is extended until this decision, and if the request is approved, the NCATE ac creditation is extended until the case is reviewed by an evaluation board. However, having NCATE's accreditation is not vital, Gilberts said. According to Bill Harris, director of teacher education, "NCATE does not have any legal authority to certify teachers, or accredit programs —it is an association from which colleges or univer sities may voluntarily seek ac creditation for teacher education. Not all institutions seek or have NCATE approval." The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), which has legal authority for certification and program accreditation in Oregon, presently accepts NCATE accreditation, Gilberts said. He said the TSPC is a fairly new commission, and does not yet make regualr sight visits, so it accepts accreditation by NCATE. Harris said, "We are working with the Oregon TSPC, requesting that body to make its own evaluation of our secondary program next spring. Neither the University nor the TSPC has any desire or intention of disen franchising students in the secondary teacher education program." The request for a review of the case by a different NCATE evaluation board was based on "misinterpretations" of the visitation team's report by the evaluation board, Gilberts said. College Inn may become county jail Lane County's Board of Commissioners paid $10,000 Wednesday for an option on purchase of the College Inn, a private student dormitory at 1000 Patterson St., for possible conversion to a new jail facility. Ken Omlid, board chairer, told the Emerald Thursday night that Purdential Insurance of America is asking $1.6 million. The county will lose $5,000 of the option money if it does not purchase by December and will lose the remaining $5,000 if no decision is made by February, 1975. Omlid indicated there have been objections already from citizens over the possibility of using the facility for correctional purposes. "We will not proceed until we have total sanction from the public," Omlid said. The county will not retain the old facility at 5th and Willamette Streets if the dormitory is remodeled. However, plans are being made to ease the present overcrowding at that location. The College Inn currently houses approximately 400 students, most of whom are from the University and a few that are from Lane Community College. The county could not begin remodeling work until summer next year. The county plans a work session today concerning decisions to be made about the jail problem, and the exact use of the new building will probably be con sidered. I I He said although it contained some valid criticisms, he "felt that the visitation team's report was, on the whole, positive." In 1969 NCATE gave full ac creditation to all the University's education programs except the secondary education program. It received "procedural ac creditation," which meant NCATE would send a visitation team to "revisit" the program, which it did last October. Last December the College of Education received the visitation team's report. The college then sent a report to the team giving explanations and adding needed information. These two reports went to the NCATE evaluation board which met in Denver last March, and comprised the information considered by the board, along with a short presentation by College of Education staff. Gilberts listed seven general criticisms made by the evaluation board, and commented on each one. The general areas of criticism, and Gilberts' responses, were: — A lack of complete central control of secondary teacher education by the College of Education. Gilberts said students enrolled in the secondary education program major in a specific department or school at the University and that department plays a large role in "teaching prospective secondary teachers how to teach that particular subject matter as well as teaching the subject matter itself." "We feel that it is important to have cross-campus involvement in the design of secondary teacher education programs," he said. "The University has historically resisted any absolute stan dardization of training methods for secondary teachers." — The evaluation board was critical of a lack of central advising for the program. Gilberts said central advising is ( Continued on Page 10) NATIONAL TOUR Fisher looks and sounds like The King himself 3 Vegas Shows Nightly 9:00 10:30 11:30 Standing ovations have been the rule not the exception for this incredible act. Now appearing Sept. 24th thru Oct. 6th SALUTES Call for dinner reservation 747-6444 DINNER NOT REQUIRED TO SEE SHOW The International Showroom 3350 Gateway Springfield, Oregon A KING-VAC PRODUCTION