Posted 12:42 p.m. Monday, July 3, 2023
Student Advisory Council promotes collaboration between students, dean’s office
A new advisory council is fostering collaboration and new ideas within the School of Education.
The SOE Dean’s Student Advisory Council launched with the purpose of streamlining communication between education students and the Dean’s Office. This year, the council offered Dean Marcie Wycoff-Horn its opinions on a wide range of issues, including housing, the edTPA, technology requirements, student teaching placements and transparent communication.
“The mission and vision behind this is to give students a seat at the table and allow them to share their experiences, ideas and frustrations with the dean,” Wycoff-Horn explains. “We want to make sure that, if they have any questions or concerns, we’re available to help support them and their ideas.”
Kaylee Olson, a senior majoring in middle childhood-early education, says she jumped at the chance to serve on the council after receiving the interest form last spring.
“I felt that being on the council may provide opportunities for increased communication between administration and students,” she notes. “I have always felt it's important to be an advocate for positive change, and this would be an opportunity to be involved in communicating current concerns and contributing to any positive change.”
Olson says she appreciates having a direct line of communication between students and the dean’s office. The format has proven helpful in preventing miscommunication and misinformation, she adds.
“Oftentimes, there are explanations to how or why things have been done the way they are,” Olson says. “We asked that some of that information be shared more explicitly with students, and I believe it has created more transparency between the School of Education and students.”
In partnership with the dean’s office, the council has already succeeded in several key initiatives, including establishing a dropbox where students can ask questions or share their thoughts anonymously, and organizing events meant to support students and grow their relationship with the dean’s office.
During one event, an open house, education majors were invited to the dean’s office to connect with administrators and learn about student involvement opportunities.
During another event, a workshop hosted by SOE faculty, students learned about classroom management strategies and how to implement them in their future classrooms.
Olson, who did her student teaching at Eagle Bluff Elementary School in Onalaska, says she feels well prepared to begin her career as a teacher. She credits her professors, her field experience and her more recent work with the Dean's Student Advisory Council.
“Overall, my experience at UWL and in the SOE has been very positive and beneficial,” Olson says. “I have developed great relationships with professors, faculty and peers. I could not say enough good things about the professors. Their support of students and encouragement has been nothing but an inspiration to me as I join the field of education.”