School of Education

Contract dates affect how/when faculty report leave.

From the UWL Human Resources website:  The activities of faculty and academic staff are not organized in terms of a specific number of hours and days in specified locations. Rather, the time devoted to professional activities may vary from week to week or month to month during the course of an academic year. Frequently, faculty and academic staff engage in activity related to university responsibilities outside the academic year.

The "contract year" is typically defined in terms of the academic year, which is a continuous 39-week period starting one week prior to the start of Fall semester classes.  Typically this means that the academic year extends until the week following commencement in mid-May. 

SOE Specific expectations in relationship to the contract year: For SOE affiliated faculty, there are some required activities that may fall outside of the traditional contract year period:

• The schedule for PK-12 schools extends before and after the UWL contract year. SoE-affiliated faculty and staff that are serving as student teacher supervisors may need to be present in the schools for short amounts of time in late August (for Fall supervision appointments) or early June (for Spring supervision appointments), outside of the traditional contract year period. Currently faculty are not paid a stipend for this work, and it is considered part of the normal duties associated with the student teacher supervision workload assignment.
• SOE affiliated faculty and IAS  with student teaching and student teaching seminar obligations are required to participate in some limited meetings between August 15th and the start of the Fall contract. These meetings account for some of the total contact hours that comprise the student teaching observation workload credit(s).  SOE has no required meetings after the end of the Spring semester. However, student teaching supervisory responsibilities continue through the end of the PK-12 school districts where student teachers are placed.
• SOE holds a mandatory "data retreat" meeting at the start of the Fall and Spring semesters as part of the comprehensive assessment system in order to meet WI DPI requirements for ongoing programmatic assessment. The Fall meeting is sometimes held during the week prior to the traditional start of the contract period. The Spring meeting is typically held in late January, before the start of the Spring semester but during the contract period.  All SOE faculty and instructional academic staff are required to attend both meetings.
• SOE affiliated faculty and IAS  are required to attend monthly SOE meetings during the academic year.
• In accordance with UWL policy (see Employee Handbook, section E-10 https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/employee-handbook/), SOE affiliated faculty and instructional academic staff are required to attend at least one commencement ceremony per academic year.  

Useful links to UWL guidelines and materials:  Faculty and IAS should refer to their department bylaws for additional department-specific guidelines.  

Provost page resources for Faculty and IAS review

Retention at UWL: Description of retention portfolio materials and how to generate them.

Faculty promotion process information: Links to HR promotion resources including schedules, policies, guidelines and forms; also includes a link to the Provost's Promotion Resources page.

Post-Tenure Review process information: PTR Policy, timeline, etc. in the Human Resources Knowledge Base.

IAS promotion resources:  Links to Links to HR promotion resources including schedules, policies, guidelines and forms; also includes a link to the Provost's Promotion Resources page.

Table 5-1: Typical Contract Review timeline for Tenure Track Faculty in their 2^nd Year

Table 5-2: Typical Contract Review timeline for Eligible Tenure Track Faculty in their 3rd-6th Year

Table 5-3: Typical Promotion Review timeline for Eligible Tenure Track Faculty

Table 5-4: Typical Non-Contract Review timeline for Eligible Tenure Track Faculty

Table 5-5: Typical Post-Tenure Review timeline for Eligible Tenure Track Faculty

Table 5-6: Additional Personnel Review Information

Faculty Senate Guidelines for Faculty and IAS Workload:

• Full-time faculty members engaged in undergraduate instruction, without special class or extra-class responsibilities, typically teach no more than 12 contact hours of group instruction per week (Faculty Senate Policies, Section VIII.B).
• Full-time faculty members engaged solely  in graduate instruction, without special class or extra-class responsibilities, typically teach no more than 9 contact hours of group instruction per week. (Faculty Senate Policies, Section VIII.B)
• The total workload for a full-time equivalency for instructional academic staff shall not exceed 15/16 contact hours (e.g., 12 contact hour teaching load plus up to 3 contact hours of additional workload equivalency).  (Faculty Senate Policies, Section X.B)

UWL Overload Payment Policy for Faculty and IAS(Faculty Senate reviewed/approved on November 12, 2015):  This policy was developed in conjunction with Administration and Finance and Sponsored Research & Grants in line with UW System Policy.

UWL Workload Credit Policy - Teacher Candidate Supervision in Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs (approved March 2017 by Provost & Deans):This policy applies to all faculty and staff contributing to undergraduate teacher education programs, and was developed by the SOE Transition Team Task Force in response to a charge from Provost Betsy Morgan to "Establish a workload “formula” for pre-student teaching and student teaching responsibilities that can be used across all SOE". It was shared for feedback and revised based on comments from SOEL team, SOE membership, Chairs,  an expanded committee of faculty (including the Faculty Senate Chair) and  SOE, CLS, and SAH Deans. 

        Policy vetting process:

• Approved by 2015-16 Transition Team 4-0-0, 1/25/2016.
• Shared at Deans Council on 1/26/2016.
• Shared at SOEL team 2/8/2016
• DEADLINE for Chair & SOE membership feedback to the Transition Team (with cc: to Dean) by 2/19/2016.
• Revisions by Transition Team 4/19/2016
• Provost edits 6/28/2016
• Revisions by Transition Team: approved 4-0-0 on 10/3/2016
• Shared with Expanded TT Consultants 11/2016
• Shared with SOE membership on 11/4/2016
• Revisions by Transition Team: approved 4-0-0 on 1/11/2017
• Shared with SOE membership on 2/1/2017
• Shared with Expanded TT Consultants 3/7/2017
• Final approval Provost 3/24/2017

Serving as a department chair is one of the most challenging and engaging administrative positions at a university. Chairs liaise home department and the college/school dean, which requires that you represent the department’s interests to the university and the university’s interests to the department. As outlined in the Faculty Senate, chairs have specific roles and responsibilities (http://www.uwlax.edu/FacultySenate/ABP/FacSenatePolicies.html). In addition to the responsibilities outlined by the faculty senate, the School of Education, Professional and Continuing Education believes that effective chairs assume the following roles and responsibilities:

Transparent & Clear Communication

Respectful and professional interactions are required as department chair. Communications should be clear, accurate, coherent and professional in nature. Department chairs should include the Director/Dean on electronic communications with department members, as well as share any documents with the Director/Dean to support SoE strategic goals.

Enhance Department Culture – The chair has a key role to play in improving the overall “health” of the unit. It’s time to regroup, refocus, and support faculty so there is a positive culture and environment within the department. A chair’s responsibility is to be sure faculty’s voices are heard and valued. Each member should feel that they have the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways. In healthy departments, chairs do not make decisions unilaterally or dictate actions to faculty members, rather a collaborative nature and shared leadership promotes trust and a healthy unit. Positive norms are developed that consistently promote equity relative to all departmental matters and eliminate bullying behaviors.

Contributing to and Supporting the Department and SOE Overall Mission 

Department chairs have a responsibility to guide the unit they are leading in ways that support the strategic goals and vision for the college/school. The SoE overall mission aligns with accreditation guidelines and current education initiatives, thereby departmental curriculum development/revision, as well as other initiatives should follow suit. In doing so it allows staffing and budgetary implications to be more easily supported. 

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning relative to course offerings, staffing, workloads, etc. are crucial to a successful department that supports student learning and faculty development. Planning in strategic ways (i.e., having a master plan for course offerings) allows faculty who are interested the opportunity to teach summer courses or conduct data collection/analyses in meaningful ways that support a faculty member’s research agenda. Strategic planning also leads to greater transparency and accountability.

Honesty & Integrity

As a department chair one role to uphold is promoting a healthy unit/department by modeling honesty and truthfulness, as well as encouraging faculty members to uphold these same standards. By emphasizing these standards, and displaying them yourself, you will hopefully influence the department/office environment, resulting in a friendly and helpful workspace that is deemed a “healthy” place.

Ability to Delegate

Delegating tasks to the appropriate individuals/groups is one of the most important skills to develop. All faculty members should feel they are contributing to the department in ways that are meaningful based on their expertise and skills. Identify the strengths of faculty members and capitalizing on them is an important role of department chair, particularly when the majority of faculty members are untenured.  A department chair should be focusing time and energy on higher-level tasks that are not as appropriate to delegate.

Accountability

The chair, like all members of the department and the School of Education, should have regular meetings with those to whom they report, in order to ensure that goals and expectations are being met, and to identify any obstacles or challenges that may be standing in the way.

Self-awareness – Do you know how people really perceive you? Effective leaders do. They have an easy level of honest communication with their teams and their peers, and a thorough understanding of how they are perceived. Testing others’ perception of you can be as simple as observing their behavior. Are your co-workers and team members relaxed around you? Does all conversation stop when you enter the room? 

Furthermore, determine where your strengths lie as well as what complementary strengths you need from others to successfully lead the department. This includes understanding others and learning how best to utilize their strengths. Helping everyone feel part of the team.

Self-assessment – recognizing your “growth areas” allows department chairs (or any leaders) to be better leader. Questions to consider asking yourself might include: 1) What do I like to do? 2) What are my strengths or am I good at? 3) Where are there opportunities for growth? 4) What do I dislike doing or comes harder to me? 

Note: The SOE formal chair evaluations (implemented annually) assess chairs for the aforementioned roles and responsibilities. Formal evaluations, like a chair evaluation, are also designed to enhance a chair’s self- awareness and should provide opportunity for self-reflection.

This document was developed by the CLS Dean to provide SOE-affiliated chairs with an introduction/overview/reference handout on Department Chair work with the School of Education and SOE affiliated faculty in their content departments. The CSH and SOE Deans have reviewed and approved of the content.

Info for Department Chairs with School of Education (SOE) Affiliated Faculty

Position Description

A program director is the lead faculty/staff member who serves as a spokesperson and liaison for the program they  represent. The roles/responsibilities of the program director are critical to the overall health of the education program and require effective and ongoing communication and collaboration with colleagues in and outside the program, including the Department Chair and Deans.

Roles/Responsibilities

1. Initiates, coordinates, and guides Professional Learning Community (PLC) monthly meetings with program faculty (set agenda, lead meeting, assure minutes are recorded and posted)
2. Conducts regular programmatic evaluations and prepares annual assessment reports for SOE/UWL/DPI (in consultation with program members)
3. Writes APR and other larger program assessment documents/sections as needed
4. Continually monitors program to ensure that it is aligned with conceptual framework and with state and national standards
5. Guides the PLC in monitoring student progress, and ensuring that students are adequately prepared for benchmark assessments and licensure standards
6. Initiates discussions about curricular issues and makes formal recommendations to the Department Chair/Dean regarding changes in programs
7. Represents program at biweekly SoE Leadership meetings (shares program updates and celebrations, voices program concerns, seeks clarification when needed - and takes this information back to PLC)
8. Represents programs with Department Chair(s) and SOE Dean; serves as the first point of contact for student concerns or publicity requests.  This may include occasional duties outside of the contract period.
9. Promotes Professional Education Programs on campus and in the community
10. Oversees Advisory Council by maintaining representative constituency, setting an agenda for regular meetings, and posting meeting minutes
11. Educator Preparation Program Directors only: Oversees edTPA support days to coordinate faculty coverage of support time for program student teachers.
12. Educator Preparation Program Directors only: Works with faculty mentor(s) to provide guidance to teacher candidates during the edTPA retake process.
13. Other duties specified by the Program as outlined in Program and/or Department bylaws.

Workload
Program directors shall receive 3 credits of reassigned time to fulfill the above roles/responsibilities.

Selection Process
Program directors are nominated by the aligned PLC/Program, and appointed by the SOE Dean (in consultation with the Department Chair and Content Dean where appropriate). A tie will be broken by the EPC Dean.

Length of Term
Program directors serve a 3 year term.

Evaluation Process
Program directors will be evaluated annually by the PLC/Program membership. A survey (see Appendix A ) will be distributed by the SOE Dean’s office .

Program Directors will also be evaluated by the SOEDean or their designate (in consultation with Department Chair when appropriate), and a letter from the SOE Dean’s Office summarizing their review will be filed with the Provost.  This letter will also become part of the Program Director's personnel file for the purpose of retention, tenure, and promotion reviews.

The UWL Search and Screen Policy and Procedures are a comprehensive resource for all recruitment efforts at UWL. It provides Hiring Authorities and decision makers with necessary information and guidance to meet the requirements of state and federal legislation.  The policies were last updated  11/1/2016.

Excerpted from the UWL S&S Policy and Procedures document:

Positions that Cross Units or Divisions:

If a position includes appointments in two or more units or divisions, collaboration is expected throughout the recruitment process. Collaboration should occur on the position description (including required and preferred characteristics), on the selection of candidates for final interview, and any/all offers of employment.

School of Education Affiliations:

School of Education (SOE) affiliated position recruitment requests need to come jointly from the SOE Dean and the Dean of the home department. Departments are expected to follow the Hiring Procedures Policy for SOE Affiliated Faculty in Teacher Education Programs (approved 3/2017 - Provost and Human Resources) available on the SOE website.

Hiring Policy for Adjunct Field/Student Teaching Supervisors:

Adjunct Field and Student Teaching supervisors are funded and hired by the SOE Dean.  If a department/program is in need of adjunct Field or Student Teaching supervisors, the Program Director or Department Chair should contact the Field Experience Coordinator aligned with their licensure program to describe their needs. The Field Experience Coordinator will work with the prospective adjunct hire to communicate workload, salary, and other responsibilities, including required training for the supervisor, background check requirements, edTPA support activities, etcetera. All adjunct supervisor contracts are negotiated by the SOE Dean or their delegate.

Policy vetting process:

• Approved by 2015-16 Transition Team 4-0-0 on 1/25/2016.
• Introduced to Deans at Deans Council on 1/26/2016.
• Consultation with DPI on 1/26/2016
• Shared at S)EL team 2/8/2016
• DEADLINE for Chair & SOE membership feedback to the Transition Team (with cc: to Dean) by 2/19/2016.
• Revisions by TT - approved 4-0-0, 03/22/2016,  10/05/2016
• Shared with SOE membership on 2/1/2017
• Revisions by HR, Provost, Chair of Faculty Senate, Provost/Vice-Chancellor, Deans, Affirmative Action Director, Human Resources and three Department Chairs appointed by the Senate Executive Committee 11/2016
• Revisions by TT - approved 4-0-0, 3/7/2017
• Final approval Provost 3/24/2017

Advising policies in SOE stem from WI legislative code, which makes stipulations about advising for teacher candidates in educator preparation programs:

PI 34.13 (1) The institution shall ensure that all students have access to and are provided information and resources on student services, including personal, professional and career counseling, career information, tutoring, academic, and job placement assistance.

PI 34.13 (2) The Dean shall ensure that all students upon entry into and throughout the professional educator preparation program will be provided with an advisor and written information describing the educator preparation program leading to licensure.

PI 34.14 (1) The SCD shall create and implement an explicit plan with adequate resources to recruit, admit, and retain a diverse student body.

Thus UWL SOE has the following policies concerning advising:

• Program advisors are assigned by the department or college office when students declare their major/minor.
• Content area co-advisors are assigned by the content department or Dean's office (depending on the program).
• All advisees need to have a program plan for graduation/program completion that is initiated by the program advisor.  This plan is updated and shared with the advisee at each advising appointment (at least once per semester). The plan should be aligned with their Academic Advisement Report in WINGS, and should include any accommodations or exceptions.
• Co-advisors and program advisors should consult with each other to be sure they are working together to build the same advising plan, communicate concerning the progress of their advisee, and discuss any supports the advisee might need. 
• Students identified as being supported by the Senior Multicultural Advisor should be part of a shared database that is accessible to the Senior Multicultural Recruiter/Advisor, the Academic Services Director/Certification Officer, and the SOE Dean. 

Comprehensive Assessment System (CAS)

The CAS is a data system that tracks the progress of teacher candidates as they move through the teacher education program and into their careers.  Data from the CAS is reported to DPI as part of the Continuous Review Process.  Constituents of the School of Education (SOE) determined which data should be included within the system and the SOE assessment coordinator is tasked with gathering, organizing, and analyzing data, as well as preparing reports.  In addition to data on benchmark assessments, SOE collects the following data through surveys. 

• Program Evaluation/Exit Survey: The Program Evaluation Survey provides a comprehensive overview of graduating teacher candidates’ perceptions of their teacher education program, with special regard to the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards; the Conceptual Framework; portfolio; strengths and areas of concern within field experiences, majors, and minors; Professional Learning Communities (PLCs); and advising.  Student teaching seminar instructors should make completion of this survey a requirement in their courses, with time in class to complete it if possible.

Recipients: All student teachers

Sent: Week 10

Due: Last day of classes

• Field Experience Survey: At the end of each semester, teacher candidates in field placements are asked to complete a survey relating to their perceptions of their most recent field experience.  The current survey is centered on the three edTPA tasks: planning, instruction and assessment. Teacher candidates are asked to rate their level of agreement with statements relating to each tasks (“In my field experience, I was able to practice…”), and data used to determine the level of opportunity teacher candidates have to practice the three tasks while in their field placements.  Field course instructors should make completion of this survey a requirement in their courses, with time in class to complete it if possible.

Sent: Week 11

Due: Last day of classes

• Alumni Study: In October 2010, the Alumni Survey was reinstated and redesigned to assess the perceived effectiveness of the teacher education program in preparing recent graduates for their professional careers.  An Employer Follow-Up Survey was also created to evaluate employers’ opinions regarding the quality of teacher graduates from UW-L and their preparedness in the InTASC standards.  The surveys are sent to graduates and employers,   three and five years after graduation. 

Recipients: Graduates 1, 3 and 5 years out of the teacher education program

Sent: Fall semester – Week 5

Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

Leadership Performance Evaluations

Faculty holding leadership roles with associated workload assignments are evaluated annually through surveys administered by the EPC Office.

• DES Chair Evaluation

Recipients: DES faculty
Sent: Spring semester – Mid May
Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

• IPSE Director Evaluation

Recipients: IPSE staff

Sent: Spring semester – mid May

Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

• Program Director Evaluations – (Appendix A)

Recipients: Program membership
Sent: Spring semester – Mid May
Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

Program Specific Surveys - need some language and/or guidelines here?

Currently these surveys are specific to and developed by programs. They are sent using start and end dates determined by programs and/or instructors.  All programs are invited to create/modify program-specific surveys.

• NAEYC - Recipients: ECE Block
• MC-EA Program Evaluation Survey - Recipients: MC-EA student teachers
• PETE Evaluation Survey - Recipients: PETE student teachers
• Special Education Survey - Recipients: Special Education student teachers

Additional Surveys Sent to EPC Partners - cooperating teachers receive at most one survey

• Cooperating Teacher Survey

Recipients: Cooperating teachers

Sent: Spring semester – Week 15

Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

• PDS Teacher Survey

Recipients: Cooperating teachers

Sent: Spring semester – Week 15

Due: Survey remains open for two weeks from send date

Excerpted from the UWL Departmental Bylaws Template: 
(All bylaws are available via the Academic Affairs website under Resources/Academic Departments - Administrative Resources)

The Role of Bylaws for Faculty Personnel Decisions: UW System and UWL policies and procedures govern the primary responsibilities regarding personnel review of faculty. Departmental by-laws serve as a faculty member’s guide regarding specific faculty responsibilities of teaching, scholarship and service, merit evaluation, and faculty personnel review as it relates to retention, promotion, and tenure. The by-laws template outlines the key policies and procedures associated with faculty functions under the guidance of UW System and UWL’s Faculty Senate. The Human Resources Employee Handbook reflects components of faculty employment associated with faculty as state and university employees.

In 2016 Faculty Senate approved the Statement on School of Education Affiliated Faculty Teaching, Scholarship, and Service Expectations, which can be found in Appendix B of the UWL Departmental Bylaws Template.  All departments housing SOE-affiliated faculty should have this Statement included as a part of their departmental bylaws.

The WI Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requires that candidates for admission to a teacher education, administration, or pupil services program successfully pass a criminal background check (CBC) as one criterion for admission (WI PI 34.018(2)). By applying for admission to one of these programs, candidates agree to provide the necessary personal information to UWL in order to initiate their CBC, and to complete their portion of the process prior to the deadline specified in their admission letter. Candidates are responsible for all costs associated with their criminal background check(s). Admission decisions by programs are contingent upon CBC clearance by the UWL Office of Field Experience or designated graduate program representative.

Additional criminal background checks may be required for teacher candidates if the time period between criminal background checks exceeds five years, if the CBC was performed prior to admission, and/or if there are other mandated CBCs that must be met. The Office of Field Experience will record the criminal background checks conducted each semester.  See the CBC policies and guidelines for more detail.