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SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
ACTION PLAN
Submitted by Phyllis Fernlund, Dean of the School of Education.
STRENGTHENING TEACHER EDUCATION IN THE UNDERGRADUATE YEARS
Campus Team: Ruben Armiñana, President; Phyllis Fernlund,
Dean of Education; James Fouché, Professor of Education;
Martha Ruddell, Chair of Education; Larry Shinagawa, Associate
Professor, American Multicultural Studies; Francisco Vazquez,
Provost, Hutchins School of Liberal Studies.
San Diego conference
The Sonoma State team identified tasks for each group member
that would further the discussion and planning for an integrated
undergraduate program. These tasks included: undergraduate
advising, grant support, inclusion of other key people and groups
on campus in this issue, reviewing the RTP structure to identify
ways to support faculty working in K-12 partnerships, and broadening
the conversation through a large meeting on campus.
Unlike some of the CSU problems that were discussed at the conference,
the liberal studies programs are not homeless or chaotic at Sonoma.
Each of the multiple subject preparation programs has its own
faculty, a carefully designed curriculum, and continuity among
courses. The campus team felt hopeful about the possibilities
of creating one or more integrated programs on our campus.
Campus follow-up meetings
In the last two months, the team has met and accomplished
the following tasks:
1. Suggestions on the improvement of advising have been submitted
to President Armiñana, Dean of Humanities, William Babula,
and Dean of Education, Phyllis Fernlund.
2. The School of Education RTP criteria were shared with the
team, indicating areas in the document that provide evaluation
and inclusion of faculty work in K-12 schools. This will be shared
with the other schools.
3. A retreat was held with the Multiple Subject faculty to begin
planning an Education minor and an integrated program.
4. FIPSE grant and other grants were submitted providing a base
for an integrated program with AMCS and Education.
5. Presentations have been arranged at meetings of key campus
groups including the Academic Planning Committee and the Faculty
Senate.
6. The first steps in the recruitment and admission of a special
cohort of undergraduate students from Hutchins were implemented
by the Coordinator of the Multiple Subject program, Andrea Neves,
and the Provost of Hutchins, Francisco Vazquez.
7. We discussed undergraduate advising and recruitment into teacher
education, and the possibility of identifying "early deciders"
and designating one of the Freshmen Educational Mentoring Teams
(EMT) for teacher education. The EMT program provides support
to first year students with one faculty member and one staff member
from Student Services leading each team. Early field experiences
and advising support for the integrated programs could be incorporated
into this team.
NEXT STEPS
We are planning a retreat for the San Diego team and several other
invited faculty to continue our planning. When we have generated
several concrete proposals, we will share these ideas with faculty
in each of the schools and with our K-12 partnerships. An integrated
program in which a student takes professional coursework in conjunction
with the General Education courses and the major, and participates
in field experiences throughout these undergraduate years, seems
to be an exciting possibility at Sonoma State.
PF:jlh
12-18-97
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