Bylaws
of the Southern Utah University Professional Education Coordinating Council
Approved Spring 2000
PREAMBLE
The Professional Education Unit (the Unit) of Southern Utah University is defined as those Professional Education Faculty (PEF) located in the College of Education (COE) and other colleges, departments, and divisions in the University. The Professional Education Coordinating Council (PECC) serves as the advising body for the Unit. The Dean of the College of Education, as the officially designated head of the Unit, has the responsibility and authority to provide direction and leadership to the PECC.
ARTICLE I
NameThe name of this council is the Southern Utah University Professional Education Coordinating Council (PECC).
ARTICLE II
PurposeThe purpose of the PECC is to ensure that the professional education programs at Southern Utah University are quality programs that comply with standard 6 of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), other professional accrediting agencies, and the Utah State Office of Education (USOE). By virtue of the committee structure and the membership, the PECC has a continuous source of information for use in considering policy and program development and/or revision. The PECC serves as a sounding board for the professional education needs of public and private agencies and recommends actions regarding the development, administration, evaluation, and revision of all professional education programs, i.e., undergraduate and graduate programs leading to licensure in education, to the Dean of the College of Education (COE). PECC also represents faculty, departmental, and college interests in the process of developing and evaluating policies and programs related to professional education. The Dean of the COE is the designated university official charged with the responsibility for providing direction and leadership to the Unit at Southern Utah University.
ARTICLE III
Relationships and ResponsibilitiesSince the PECC is the official body for recommending action(s) regarding the development, administration, evaluation, and revision of undergraduate and graduate professional education courses, programs, and faculty pertaining to professional education, the PECC has the following relationships with other university councils and specific responsibilities.
Section 1. Relationships
As indicated in Table 1, the PECC is the last Council within the Unit to review all proposals for additions to and changes in courses, degree programs, and/or emphasis areas in professional education programs. After reviewing the proposals with the colleges, departments and divisions or PEF who make them, the PECC sends its recommendations to the Dean of the COE who in turn forwards his/her recommendation to the SUU Deans' Council and the Provost for approval. The Provost then makes a recommendation to the President (as appropriate) who in turn presents his/her recommendation to the Board of Trustees for approval and then to the USOE and/or the Board of Regents if necessary.
Table 1: Procession of Professional Education Actions
Level 1. Referral to Divisional or Departmental Faculties
Level 2. Referral to Division Heads
Level 3. Referral to Departmental Chairs and Deans
Level 4. Referral to Professional Education Coordinating Council
Level 5. Referral to Dean, College of Education
Level 6. Referral to Dean's Council*
Level 7. Referral to Provost
Level 8. Referral to University President
Level 9. Referral to SUU Board of Trustees
Level 10. Referral to Utah State Board of Education and/or Utah Board of Regents**
* For matters dealing with course or programmatic changes
** When appropriateSection 2. Responsibilities
The PECC responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
a. Faculty
1) Qualifications. The PECC via a standing committee certifies that all PEF within the Unit are qualified (in accordance with NCATE Standard 5) to teach in the universityís professional education programs. The standing committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC regarding these qualifications.
2) Selection. Evaluation, and Assignment of Professional Education Faculty. The PECC via its Chair participates in the selection, annual review, and assignment of PEF within the Unit.
b. Programs
1) Curriculum and Program Approval. The PECC via a standing committee reviews and recommends action to the Dean of the COE and the Dean of the respective college on all proposed courses, programs, and/or program changes in professional education for approval by the Deans' Council. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
2) Disseminating Information. The PECC via its Chair disseminates information relating to professional education programs and curriculum to appropriate councils within the University.
3) Forum. The PECC serves as a university sounding board for the professional education needs of public and private agencies. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations regarding professional education programs and curriculum to the Dean of COE.
4) Official Liaison. The PECC via its Chair serves as the official liaison between Southern Utah University, the licensure division and other branches of the USOE, and NCATE.
5) Program Review. The PECC, via a standing committee, maintains current information about NCATE and other applicable professional standards and conducts systematic reviews and evaluations of existing professional education programs for the purpose of program improvement. The standing committee may suggest deletions and/or additions of new courses or program areas to reduce duplication of program offerings or to introduce innovations. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
c. Students
1) Admissions. The PECC via a standing committee systematically reviews and evaluates university admissions requirements to enter undergraduate professional education programs leading to licensure. The PECC may make recommendations to the Director of the M.Ed. program regarding admissions requirements. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
2) Appeals. The PECC via a standing committee, reviews appeals of undergraduate students denied admission to or removed from professional education programs or student teaching through the action of the COE's Professional Practices Committee. The Student Appeals Committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
3) Recruitment. The PECC via a standing committee explores a variety of procedures and reviews resources, efforts, and activities to recruit a diverse student body. The PECC may make recommendations to the University Admissions Office and the recruitment staff regarding education majors. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
4) Retention. The PECC via a standing committee may establish, where appropriate, interventions, tests and/or standards to determine if applicants who have been admitted to professional education programs will continue in the programs. The committee has the responsibility to present recommendations to the PECC.
ARTICLE IV
MembersSection 1. Members
Membership on the PECC shall include but not be limited to the following:
a. Membership on the PECC shall include appointed Unit faculty, deans, department chairs, and division heads, four public school administrators and educators, and a student representative. University representatives come from the departments and divisions of the COE and the colleges, departments and divisions which house professional education programs leading to licensure. The specific number of PECC faculty representatives from outside the COE shall be based on the number of students recommended for licensure from each college (colleges should pay attention to graduates from each department to assure as the most appropriate departmental and/or division representation) within the Unit according to the following formula:
5-30 students
recommended
for licensure31-60 students
recommended
for licensure61-90 students
recommended
for licensure91+ students
recommended
for licensure1 representative
2 representatives
3 representatives
4 representatives
b. The Dean of the COE will serve as a nonvoting chair of the PECC except in the case of a tie vote. The NCATE coordinator will serve as assistant chair of the PECC with voting privileges.
c. Every two academic years, the Bylaws Committee will review the number of students from each college outside the COE recommended for state teacher licensure to determine if adjustments in the number of faculty representatives should be made. This report will be made at the September meeting of odd-numbered years, effective in October of that year. The number of students used in the formula will be determined by averaging the number of program completers recommended for licenses during the two-year period. Fall, Spring and Summer program completers will be included in the computation.
Table 2 shows the number of PECC representatives selected from the Professional Education Faculty.
Table 2: Number of PECC Representatives, Fall 2005
College of Education (13 Total)
Humanities & Soc. Sciences (1)
Dean's office (1) *
Science (1)
NCATE officer (1)
Business and Technology (1)
Teacher Education Chair (1)
Performing & Visual Arts (1)
Elementary Division Head (1)
Iron School District (2)
Special Education Head (1)
Washington School District (2)
Secondary Division Head (1)
Student Representative (1)
Early Childhood Education (1)
Assessment Specialist (1)
Physical Education (1)
Reading (1)
Graduate Program (1)
Secretary (1)*
Teacher Education Advisor (1)*
*Nonvoting members
Total Voting Membership 19
Section 2. Appointment and Terms
Appointments and terms of membership on the PECC shall include but not be limited to the following:
a. Deans will solicit nominations for appointment to the PECC from the faculty members in the various departments and/or divisions affected by the PECC. Faculty PECC members are appointed by the Provost based on recommendations from the Dean of each college represented on the PECC for a three-year term beginning in September and ending in May. At the end of the three-year term another faculty representative may be appointed or the current one may be reappointed. Normally, no member may serve more than two consecutive terms except for PEF appointed to the PECC due to specialized assignment (i.e. Dean of the COE, COE department and division heads, NCATE Coordinator, etc.). Special assignment members shall serve as long as they hold the position which resulted in their appointment or until replaced by a designee appointed by the Provost and approved by the Dean of the COE. The Dean of the COE approves all recommendations for PECC membership.
b. The student PECC member is appointed by the Dean of the COE from recommendations from among the SUUSA student senators representing the college. The student representative is a voting member who serves a one-year term beginning in September and ending in May.
c. Four K-12 educational practitioners, (one administrator and one teacher from Iron County School District and one administrator and one teacher from Washington County School District), are appointed by the Dean of the COE from recommendations by the respective district superintendents for a one-year term beginning in September and ending in May. They may be reappointed.
d. A teacher education advisor, who serves a one-year term as a nonvoting member, is appointed by the Dean of the COE.
e. A secretary, who serves as a nonvoting member, will be appointed to serve a one-year term by the Dean of the COE to record minutes for each PECC meeting.
Section 3. Eligibility and Qualifications
Eligibility and qualifications to serve on the PECC shall include but not be limited to the following:
a. Faculty PECC members, who may be department chairs, must be full-time employees of the University and members of the PEF. Temporary, visiting, and adjunct faculty may not serve on the PECC. PEF are faculty, deans, department chairs or division heads, who teach or oversee professional education courses, (i.e., courses required of students pursuing licensure or that are taught as part of graduate work in education ), or who advise or supervise student teachers.
b. The student representative must be admitted to a professional education program in the Unit.
c. The four K-12 educational practitioner PECC members must be currently practicing public school teachers or administrators.
Section 4. Responsibilities
Responsibilities of the members on the PECC shall include but not be limited to the following:
Members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the PECC. Members are expected to meet with an appropriate caucus, serve on standing committees and any ad hoc committees appointed by the Chair of the PECC, and facilitate communication between the PECC and faculty, students, and area schools.
Section 5. Proxy Voting
While proxy voting is discouraged, members may select a proxy from PEF as long as a letter designating the person as proxy is given to the PECC secretary prior to voting. A person may hold only one proxy.
Section 6. Resignations and Replacements
Member resignations and replacements on the PECC shall follow these procedures:
a. Faculty PECC members must submit a letter of resignation to the Dean of their college and send a copy to the Dean of the COE. The Dean of the PECC member's college, in consultation with the Dean of the COE, may replace the PECC member for the remainder of the member's term.
b. The student PECC member must submit a letter of resignation to the Dean of the COE who appoints a replacement from among the COE student senators for the remainder of the term.
c. K-12 educational practitioners must submit a letter of resignation to the Dean of the COE who, in consultation with the local school district, may replace the practitioner with a substitute for the remainder of the member's term.
ARTICLE V
Officers and Chairs of Caucuses and Standing Committees
Section 1. Officers
The officers of the PECC shall be the Chair and the Vice Chair. The secretary in the COE Dean's office serves as secretary of the PECC and is not an officer.
a. Chair
The Dean of the COE serves as the Chair of the PECC and votes only in case of a tie. The Chair's responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1. Chairing the regular meetings of the PECC and its Executive Committee.
2. Disseminating information relating to professional education to appropriate entities within the University.
3. Serving as the official liaison between Southern Utah University and the licensure division and other branches of the USOE, NCATE, and other professional accrediting agencies.
4. Conducting systematic reviews and evaluations of existing programs in SUU's Professional Education Unit.
5. Participating in the selection, evaluation, and retention of PEF within the Unit.
b. Vice Chair
The NCATE Coordinator, or the Dean's appointed designee, serves as the Vice Chair of The PECC. The Vice Chair's responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1. Chairing the regular meetings of the PECC and its Executive Committee in the absence of or at the discretion of the Chair.
2. Assisting the Chair with PECC activities and responsibilities.
3. Serving as a member of standing committees.
Section 2. Caucus Chairs
Caucus chairs are regular voting members of the PECC who are appointed for one-year terms by the Executive Committee of the PECC. The chairs' responsibilities include but are not limited to:
a. Chairing the regular meetings of the caucus.
b. Communicating concerns of caucus members to the Officers and the PECC.
c. Communicating concerns of the Officers and the PECC to caucus members.
d. Meeting once per semester (or as necessary) as a combined group.
Section 3. Standing Committee Chairs
Standing committee chairs are elected at large by the membership of PECC to serve three year terms. Only regular voting members of the PECC are eligible to serve as standing committee chairs. Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:
a. Chairing the regular meetings of the standing committees.
b. Communicating concerns of the committee members to the executive committee and to the PECC.
c. Attending the Executive Committee meetings.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. Regular Meetings
The PECC meets monthly or as needed from September to May. All meetings are open.
Section 2. Special Meetings
The Chair may call special meetings as needed. Any standing committee or caucus chair may request a special meeting. Except in emergency situations, at least one week's prior notice will be given.
Section 3. Quorum
The presence of a simple majority of the voting membership of the PECC shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4: Agenda
An agenda will be distributed to PECC members and Unit deans, department chairs and division heads one week before the regular meeting. Items for the Agenda must be submitted to the secretary at least five working days before the regularly scheduled meeting.
Section 5. Minutes
The minutes of the regular meetings will recorded by the PECC secretary and distributed to members and Unit deans, department chairs, and division heads within five working days after each regular meeting. Reports of standing committees and caucuses will be summarized in the minutes and copies of the complete reports will be available from the secretary. Minutes of special meetings will be recorded by a selected committee member and distributed to appropriate individuals in a reasonable amount of time.
ARTICLE VII
Executive CommitteeThe purpose of the PECC Executive Committee is threefold: (1) to prepare the agenda for the monthly meeting, (2) to develop long-range plans to present to the PECC and Dean of the COE, and (3) to assist the Dean of the COE whenever requested.
Section 1. Membership
The members of the Executive Committee shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Chair of Teacher Education and chairs of the standing committees.
Section 2. Terms of Office
The chairs of the standing committees shall become members of the Executive Committee at the September meeting and serve three-year terms. The terms of the Chair and the Vice Chair are continuous.
Section 3. Meetings
The Executive Committee shall meet prior to each meeting of the PECC. The PECC Chair shall designate a secretary who records and distributes minutes to Executive Committee members. Other meetings may be called by the Chair of the PECC as needed. Normally, members will be given one week's notice prior to meeting.
Section 4. Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda, initiate action, and oversee long-range planning for the PECC.
Section 5. Proxy Voting
Proxy voting is not allowed on the Executive Committee.
Section 6. Quorum
A simple majority of the Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VIII
Committees and Caucuses
Section 1. Standing Committees
The PECC has standing committees directed by chairs elected by the PECC and composed of three to five members selected from the PEF and approved by the PECC. Standing committee members and chairs serve staggered three-year terms. The committees and their purposes shall be:
a. Bylaws Committee, whose purpose is to review and recommend revisions of the bylaws when needed. The Vice Chair of the PECC is an ex-officio member of this committee.
b. Program Review Committee, whose purposes are to examine review and evaluate existing professional education programs submitted every five years and make recommendations for deletions and/or additions of new courses or program areas and innovations that might be incorporated in programs. The committee recommendations are presented to the PECC and to the Dean of COE for submission to the Deans' Council for final approval. The Vice Chair of the PECC is an ex-officio member of this committee.
c. PEF Recruitment and Qualifications Committee, whose purpose is to (1) review plans, procedures, and resources for the recruitment of a diverse professional education faculty and (2) certify that PEF in the Unit and those faculty proposed for membership on the PEF meet the qualifications stipulated in Standard 5 of the NCATE Unit Standards or other standards contained in the PEF Policy Manual. The committee recommendations are presented to the PECC and to the Dean of the COE for final approval. The Vice Chair of the PECC is an ex-officio member of this committee.
d. Student Recruitment, Admission and Retention Committee, whose purposes are to (1) review plans, procedures, and resources for the recruitment of students and make recommendations to the PECC; (2) review and evaluate university admission requirements to enter the professional education program and make recommendations to the PECC, (3) coordinate with the COE Professional Practices Committee to insure that applicants who have been admitted to professional education programs are suitable to remain in these programs. The Vice Chair of the PECC is an ex-officio member of this committee.
e. Student Appeals Committee, whose purpose is to hear appeals of students denied admission to professional education or student teaching or who have been removed from these programs. The committee's recommendations are presented to the PECC and to the Dean of COE for final approval. The Vice Chair of the PECC is an ex-officio member of this committee.
Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees
The Chair of the PECC will appoint ad hoc committees as deemed necessary and desirable to assist in carrying out the program for the year. Such appointments expire when the committee's charges have been completed or at the end of the academic year. The Executive Committee may authorize the appointment of special committees to serve longer than one year. The Chair of the PECC or the chairs of the ad hoc committees shall call regularly announced meetings.
Section 3. Caucuses
The PECC has six caucuses composed of representatives from each program leading to licensure or to an advanced degree in professional education. The chair of each caucus is appointed by the Executive Committee from among the voting membership of the PECC for a one-year term. Each caucus shall include members selected from PEF working in the various programs. Caucus memberships are standing assignments, depending only on a member's continuing participation in the program as PEF. Caucuses shall meet at least twice a year or as often as deemed necessary by caucus chairs and/or members. All meetings of each caucus are open. The calendar of meetings must be distributed to PECC members by the October meeting of each year.
a. Elementary Education Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in elementary education issues to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
b. Early Childhood Education Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in early childhood education issues to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
c. Secondary Education Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in secondary education issues to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
d. Graduate Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in graduate issues in education to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
e. Special Education Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in special education issues to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
f. Reading Education Caucus, whose purpose is to provide a forum for all faculty interested in reading and literacy issues to discuss and make recommendations to the PECC.
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robertís Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the conduct of PECC meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the PECC may adopt.
Section 2. Parliamentarian
The Chair of the PECC may appoint a parliamentarian from among the PECC membership.
ARTICLE X
Amendment of BylawsThese bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the PECC by a two-thirds vote, provided the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting. Amendments to these bylaws must be approved by the Dean of the COE, and the Provost.
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