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)
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