Addressing areas of disagreement or concern may be initiated by either the faculty member(s) (instructor and/or field advisor and/or faculty mentor) or the teacher candidate/intern and may pertain to academic performance, assigned standing, and/or professionalism.
In all cases of disagreement or concern between faculty members and teacher candidates/interns, the preferred course of action is for the candidate/intern or faculty member to raise the concern directly and constructively with the other party who is obligated to actively listen and provide a timely, respectful response. It is expected that most disagreements and concerns can and should be resolved informally.
If more formal process is required, the following steps should be followed:
Step 1. Teacher candidate/intern and faculty member(s) meet and discuss the concern. If the concern is not resolved informally, then, as an outcome of the meeting, a written summary that outlines the concerns, the desired outcome and a proposed action plan with a timeframe should be developed either collaboratively or by the person who initiated the process.
Normally, this meeting should occur within seven days of the written request.
Step 2. Teacher candidate/intern and faculty member(s) meet with the Director of Undergraduate Programs or designate. The summary from the initial meeting is discussed. If necessary, a formal Professional Assessment Report including desired outcomes, an action plan with a timeframe is developed.
Normally, this meeting should occur at the earliest possible date following the initial meeting (Step 1).
Step 3. Teacher candidate/intern and faculty member(s) meet with Associate Dean or designate. The Professional Assessment Report is reviewed and discussed.
Normally, this meeting occurs at the earliest possible date following the second (Step 2) meeting.
Step 4. Recommendations by Associate Dean or designate to the Dean regarding the issue are made. The final decision is made by the Dean.
Normally, this meeting occurs at the earliest possible date following the third (Step 3) meeting.
If a teacher candidate/intern is designated with a ‘Student of Concern’ status as an outcome of the Academic Performance Evaluation/Progression review at the end of each course and/or the Candidacy Review in June, then either Step 2 or Step 3 of the formal process will be initiated by faculty member(s) in consultation with the teacher candidate/intern and the Director of Undergraduate Programs.
The resulting Professional Assessment Report could involve re-submission of assignments and/or a remedial plan to address areas of concern.
Please refer to the sections entitled ‘Assessment Guidelines & Procedures: Coursework’ and ‘Assessment Guidelines & Procedures: Field Experiences’ for more information regarding addressing concerns during coursework or field experiences.
A teacher candidate/intern with a ‘Student of Concern’ status for more than two courses and/or field experiences may be required to discontinue or withdraw from the program. Please refer to the Academic Calendar sections entitled ‘Academic Performance Evaluations & Progression’ and ‘Candidacy Review’ for more information.