EPP Diversity Plan

This Strategic Plan addresses diversity issues in regard to the Missouri State University, Educator Preparation Provider. It incorporates Missouri State Conceptual Framework, DESE MOSTEP Standards, Specialty Area Standards, and NCATE Standard 4 in meeting the diversity knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for professional education.

NCATE Standard 4: Diversity - The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and experiences for candidates to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. These experiences include working with diverse higher education and school faculty, diverse candidates, and diverse students in P-12 schools (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2000)

Goal I

Curriculum and field experiences effectively prepare candidates to educate students with diverse learning needs.

Strategies	Performance Indicators	Current Status	Action Steps	Resources
1.1 Specify what we expect candidates to know and be able to do regarding diversity. What are the diversity related knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.	1.1.1 Formal guidelines for diversity knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.	1.1.1.1. Draft created by Diversity subcommittee December 2001.	Final guidelines to be adopted by October 2002. If approved, an annual evaluation of guidelines will be conducted.	NCATE standards, Missouri State Professional Education program.
1.2. Incorporate PEC adopted, as well as program specific diversity standards and conceptual frameworks within program matrices and syllabi.	1.2.1. Diversity standards incorporated into Professional Education program matrices.	1.2.1.1. The Unit has not undertaken a consistent university-wide evaluation of diversity outcomes (including syllabi and program matrices) since 1998.	Means of evaluating outcomes, matrices, and syllabi needs to be designed by October 2002 to institutionalize NCATE, Standard 4 diversity requirements. All EPP faculty will report electronically or through other means sections of their syllabi showing diversity work by December 2002 to Department Heads and NCATE Committee. An annual review of syllabi will be conducted.	PEC Diversity Committee, NCATE Committee, Team I, NCATE standards, PEC, AAEPP.
	1.2.2. Embed EPP Conceptual Framework (including emphasis on multiculturalism) into all syllabi.	1.2.2.2. Candidate performances specific to previous and revised Conceptual Framework (2001), MoSTEP, and Specialty Area Standards reflect preparation in the area of diversity. Syllabi and Professional portfolio used as one instrument to demonstrate standards.	All EPP faculty need to report electronically or through other means to Department Heads and NCATE Committee sections of their syllabi showing incorporation of Conceptual Framework.
		1.2.2.3. Diversity segment is available in IDS 110 class presentations by Missouri State Multicultural Services.		Director of IDS 110; Missouri State Multicultural Services.
	1.2.3. Diversity standards incorporated into Professional Education program syllabi.	1.2.3.1. Diversity standards not formally incorporated into Professional Education program syllabi.	All EPP faculty need to report electronically or through other means to Department Heads and NCATE Committee- Team I sections of their syllabi that show diversity work by December 2002.	PEC Diversity Committee, Team I, NCATE Committee, PEC, [GC]
	1.2.4. Embed non-discrimination statement into all course syllabi.	1.2.4.1. Faculty Handbook guidelines provide non-discrimination statement to appear on all Missouri State syllabi.	All EPP faculty need to report electronically or through other means to Department Heads and NCATE Committee sections of their syllabi showing diversity work by December 2002.	Copy of Non-discrimination statement. PEC Diversity Committee, Team I, NCATE Committee, PEC, AAEPP.
	1.2.5. Embed course activities in professional education programs that enhance student understanding of multicultural issues.	1.2.5.1. Individual faculty currently embed credit and/or extra credit activities in their syllabi and encourage candidates to participate in diverse or multicultural activities/events on campus and in the wider community.	Develop and distribute list of suggestions to increase candidate exposure to diverse or multicultural activities and events. All EPP faculty need to report electronically or through other means to Department Heads and NCATE sections of syllabi showing diversity work by December 2002.	Funds to support specific programs to be secured. Multicultural Services. PEC Diversity Com . Team I, NCATE Committee, NCATE standards, PEC, AAEPP.
		1.2.5.2. Diversity workshops provided on campus wide basis to aid faculty in incorporation of multicultural issues. Ex. PEC sponsored Fall 2001 workshop; black history quiz bowl; various college exhibits and presentations.	PEC Diversity workshops scheduled for Spring 2002 to provide analysis and methodology to consistently incorporate multicultural issues.	Workshop Developers, PEC Diversity Committee, NCATE standards, PEC.
1.3. Arrange field experiences with diverse populations for all candidates within professional education programs.	1.3.1. Identification of the diverse populations and their distribution within the Springfield and surrounding area.	1.3.1.1. Springfield Public School District and area schools' collection of diverse population data.	Utilization of interaction between Missouri State classes and outlying diverse classrooms.	PEC Diversity Committee, Area Counselors, Springfield Schools Diversity Liaison.
	1.3.2. Provide information on diverse population distribution to those placing students in field experiences.	1.3.2.1. Development of brochure listing diverse contacts for field placements and related course activities.	Complete brochure by May 2002.	PEC Diversity Committee, Area Counselors, Field Experience Office.
	1.3.3. Increase candidate placement in diverse field experiences.	1.3.3.1. Educational Field Experience Office currently makes placements that provide diversity in experience.	Gather data on current placement of candidates within diverse settings. Explore systematic means of increasing candidate placement in diverse settings.	Coordinator of Educational Field Experience. School District Offices.
	1.3.4. Establish five minority scholarships at Greenwood Laboratory School for P-12 students.	1.3.4.1. Currently not available. In review by Missouri State and Legal Council.	Explore sources of funding and legal implications of establishing minority scholarships if funding sources are found, establish scholarship process and procedures.	Funding or foundation sources for scholarships. Greenwood parent advisory committee; Greenwood director.
	1.3.5. Implement increased cultural diversity components at Greenwood Laboratory School.	1.3.5.1. Currently cultural diversity components dependent upon individual classroom teachers at Greenwood.	Gather data about current diversity activities, including foreign language study. Explore means of systematically developing cultural diversity components similar to Springfield R-12, middle school Exploratory course.	Greenwood faculty, Greenwood advisory committee, Sources of funding for possible language study.
1.4. Provide professional development and support for faculty to increase cultural sensitivity and to facilitate diversity related outcomes for candidates.	1.4.1. Increase availability of updated information through electronic and other means about diversity related programs and activities to faculty.	1.4.1.1. Diversity related professional development workshops and activities have been announced through EPP listserv and through program fliers.	Presentation of Workshop March 14 & 15, 2002. Present annually. Establish and maintain appropriate faculty mentoring for diversity training.	Workshop Developers, PEC Diversity Committee, NCATE standards, PEC, EPP Listserv.
	1.4.2. Increase the number of advisement and support staff who complete the EPP Diversity Workshop, Master Advisement Workshop, and similar professional development activities.	1.4.2.1. EPP Diversity Workshop offered; Master Advisement Workshop includes significant component on intercultural communication; and other campus sponsored diversity activities.	EPP Diversity Workshops proposed for Spring 2002. Possible workshops concerning Diversity Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions.	Missouri State Academic Advising and Transfer Center, Multicultural Services.
1.5. Develop diversity/multicultural education courses offered through EPP or Professional Education.	1.5.1. Prepare candidates to educate students with diverse background and learning needs.	1.5.1.1. Currently graduate level courses are available in Guidance and Counseling and Education Administration. A non-education minor is available in African-American and Gender Studies. Short courses and capstone courses in multicultural education are available.	Gather data through the collection of past and current multicultural education courses taught on Missouri State campus. Develop a multicultural education course that would be available each semester.	Registration Office. PEC Diversity Sub-committee in developing multicultural education course.

Goal II

Candidates interact with EPP and school faculty from diverse backgrounds.

Strategies	Performance Indicators	Current Status	Action Steps	Resources
2.1. Evaluate and refine recruitment and retention efforts for Missouri State faculty and supervising staff within EPP programs.	2.1.1. Increase the percentage of persons who represent diverse groups for EPP faculty positions by 25% of the current level.	2.1.1.1. Review current level of faculty positions held by diverse groups. Review current recruitment efforts concerning faculty positions and persons from diverse groups.	Increase EPP faculty and staff's knowledge of the current affirmative action guidelines designed to facilitate hiring of a diverse faculty. Establish a committee to research and develop search strategy guidelines that includes all types of diversity with involvement of Equal Opportunity Officer. Recruit appropriate diverse faculty to be members of EPP search committees. Investigate funding for raising salary base more than the accepted 10% above average salary for hiring diverse faculty.	Equal Opportunity Officer.
	2.1.2. Increase the average retention rate of faculty who represent diverse groups hired for EPP positions by 25%.	2.1.2.1. New faculty network connected with Carnegie Task Force available currently for faculty in first and second years. Campus Conversations sponsored by the Carnegie Task Force allow opportunities for interdisciplinary networking. Academic Development Center now in place to provide help in professional development. Missouri State sponsored diversity/multicultural sensitivity and awareness activities and workshops to improve the work environment of EPP faculty and staff.	Review current rate of retention of faculty from diverse groups. Review current retention efforts and/or programming related to professional development for faculty. Explore the establishment of a EPP faculty mentor program. Investigate ways to assist diverse faculty and their families in finding community resources.
	2.1.3. Develop recruitment and retention plan for faculty and staff.	2.1.3.1. Currently dependent on departmental search procedures and mentoring plans.	Collect data from several institutions with demonstrated successful diversity recruitment and retention plans. Review data for use in developing Missouri State faculty recruitment and retention plan. Establish and maintain Mentoring Program to aid in retention of university and P-12 faculty from diverse backgrounds within the EPP programs.	Academic Affairs Office, Academic Development Center.
2.2. Develop and implement a plan to include university and P-12 faculty from diverse backgrounds in instruction across the curriculum (foundations, methods, and field experiences).			Establish and maintain Mentoring Program to aid in retention of university and P-12 faculty from diverse backgrounds within the EPP programs.

Goal III

Candidates work with candidates from diverse backgrounds in Professional Education courses, on campus and in schools.

Strategies	Performance Indicators	Current Status	Action Steps	Resources
3.1. The EPP, as a unit, will evaluate effectiveness of current recruitment efforts and utilize data to design and implement recruitment plan to increase enrollment of students from diverse groups into programs included in the EPP.	3.1.1. Increase EPP faculty and staff's knowledge of the professional education programs and available resources to support prospective students, including those from diverse groups, within the professional education program.	3.1.1.1. Development of updated information through Multicultural Services on College of Education programs that contain information on requirements, scholarship information, and relevant groups on campus as well as mailings to target areas with minority populations in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.	Submit personnel preparation grant that includes financial stipends for students from culturally diverse groups.	Funding resources for printing and other dissemination costs. Secretarial support. Updated information on EPP programs. Brochures and information materials from relevant groups and organizations. Multicultural Services, Registration and Recruitment Office.
	3.1.2. Increase the number of activities conducted to recruit perspective college students who represent diverse groups.	3.1.2.1. STARR grant. Contact person Jackie Walters.	Initiate visits with middle and high schools with diverse populations in Missouri to discuss college preparation for education careers.	STARR Contact Person Missouri State Multicultural Services Office.
		3.1.2.2. Continued faculty involvement in recruitment activities.	Coordinate with Multicultural Services Office for the Fall and Spring festivals and other campus recruitment efforts.	Missouri State Multicultural Services Office, EPP recruitment staff.
	3.1.3. Increase the percentage of students who represent diverse groups who are admitted into EPP programs by 50% of current level.	3.1.3.1. Multicultural Services Offices attends regular recruitment functions and highlights materials for minority students.	Recommendation to evaluate current status for effective support from Professional Education Programs.	Funds for recruitment activities and travel expenses. Missouri State Multicultural Services Office, Professional Education Program recruitment staff.
	3.1.4. Establish tracking procedures for admission to professional education programs concerning diversity identifiers.	3.1.4.1. Review current status of tracking procedures for admission.	If not currently in place, add voluntary line about diversity identifiers on admission forms for Missouri State undergraduate and Professional Education Program.	Missouri State Admission Office, Education Advisement Office, PEC Committee.
	3.1.5. Obtain list of who took ACT and identify students with diverse backgrounds to inform them on the availability of scholarships for Missouri State undergraduate education programs.	3.1.5.1. Multicultural Services Office currently contacts high school organizations that have diverse groups of students.	Recommendation to evaluate current status. Designate an individual responsible for collection of data.	Materials on scholarship information, Missouri School Districts; Admissions Office; Multicultural Recruitment Office.
	3.1.6. Meet with international student service group to identify activities to conduct to recruit international students for EPP programs.	3.1.6.1. Faculty Lecture Series sponsored by International Student Office may be utilized by some faculty to promote Professional Education Programs.	Need to analyze pattern of enrollment and determine needed recruitment.	Recruitment information, Director of International Student Office.
3.2. The EPP, as a unit, will provide systems of support to candidates from diverse backgrounds and assess outcomes in terms of retention and student matriculation in programs included in EPP.	3.2.1. Develop and implement a retention plan for undergraduate and graduate students, including those from diverse groups.	3.2.1.1. Dependent upon individual advisors.	Designate person or advisor responsible for coordination of retention plan and student contacts.	Student Retention Services, Education Advisement Office.
	3.2.2. Increase the number of scholarships, tuition waivers, and graduate assistantships from private, university and federal sources for students from diverse groups.	3.2.2.1. Proposal under development. Currently scholarships listed within Missouri State publication on all available scholarships.	Coordinate with Multicultural Services Office to gather data on federal and other programs that Missouri State may access to increase scholarships, tuition waivers, and graduate assistantships for students from diverse groups. Develop brochure of current diversity scholarships, tuition waivers, and graduate assistantships for students with diverse backgrounds.	Director of Recruitment for the Multicultural Services Office; Admissions Office; Financial Aid Office, Secretarial support.
	3.2.3. Encourage diverse graduate enrollment in EPP programs by providing juniors and seniors from universities with high percentages of students from diverse groups information about graduate program scholarships, campus groups, etc. at recruitment fairs.	3.2.3.1. Two recruitment fairs exist. Multicultural Services Office helps in recruitment of students from diverse groups. TRIO program helps in recruitment of first generation students.	Develop brochure for all graduate level education programs.	Funding resources for printing and dissemination of materials, Missouri State Multicultural Services Office, TRIO Program Director.
	3.2.4. Ongoing contact with students from diverse groups who are enrolled in Professional Education Programs.	3.2.4.1.Currently some contacts are being made by Missouri State Multicultural Services and the TRIO program.	Explore establishing means of developing periodic on-going contact (phone calls, conferences, etc) with EPP student from diverse backgrounds. Consider designation of a faculty liaison to make periodic contact with students from diverse groups.	Multicultural Services Office; TRIO Office; Professional Education Programs.
3.3. Develop and implement a plan that ensures participation of students with diverse backgrounds in professional education instruction including foundations, methods, and field experiences.	3.3.1. Improve activities and services available to students, including those from diverse groups, to maintain their enrollment in EPP programs.	3.3.1.1. Currently help is available through the Developmental Reading and Study Skills Center, the Counseling Center, and the Education Advisement Center.	Establish means of informing students of diverse backgrounds and others about the current help available, such as a brochure or EPP website link.	Developer of EPP website link, Missouri State Developmental Reading and Study Skills Center; Education Advisement Center, Counseling Center, NCATE Team I.
	3.3.2. Increase the percentages of students from diverse groups who successfully complete professional education programs by 50% of current level.	3.3.2.1. Dependent upon individual undergraduate and graduate advisors.	Have EPP advisors take Advisement Workshops. Develop retention plan for EPP.	Advisement Center Director, COE Advisors.
	3.3.3. Increase membership and activity information to students from diverse groups concerning professional education groups and professional associations.	3.3.3.1. Dependent upon individual faculty to encourage participation in professional education organizations and associations.	Explore systematic means of informing candidates with diverse backgrounds and others about professional education groups. Gather information about appropriate groups and arrange for computer links on EPP website.	EPP Website, Organization Campus Sponsors.

Goal IV

Continually assess diversity related outcomes and ensure data specific to diversity are used to improve programs and candidate performance.

Strategies	Performance Indicators	Current Status	Action Steps	Resources
4.1. Collect and analyze program specific data on diversity outcomes. Assess where and how standards will be addressed and assessed within the curriculum.	4.1.1. Development of a Conceptual Framework of needed Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions necessary to help all students learn, including diverse students in P-12 schools and diverse candidates.	4.1.1.1. Conduct monthly meetings of a PEC Diversity Committee. The committee in part determines priorities for implementation of Strategies/Performance Indicators listed within this plan that have not to date been implemented.	The working draft needs to be submitted to all EPP members for review and suggestions. Then it must be taken forward to the PEC. Then submitted for final approval. Then dissemination to EPP membership.	Monthly meeting minutes from PEC-Diversity Committee, 2000-2003. PEC Diversity Committee NCATE Team I PEC AAU-EPP.
		4.1.1.2. Current working draft of Conceptual Framework of needed Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions.	Send Framework to EPP Members, March 2002; Revise, Send to various appropriate groups for review, October 2002.	EPP, PEC Diversity Committee, PEC, NCATE Team I AAEPP.
	4.1.2. Diversity outcomes identified through Program Evaluation Plan.	4.1.2.1. Not currently utilized for identifying diversity outcomes by PEC Program Review Subcommittee.	Establish and maintain identification of diversity outcomes through PEC Program Review Subcommittee process.	PEC Program Review Subcommittee.
	4.1.3. Develop a Diversity Advisory Group made up of Missouri State alumni from diverse groups.	4.1.3.1. Status under review. Proposal to be made to PEC and AAEPP council.	Invite current students and alumni from diverse groups to act as focus group to develop Diversity Advisory Group.	Meeting space, Missouri State Alumni Office, NCATE Team 1.
4.2. Establish a EPP database that reflects progress toward diversity standards.	4.2.1. Establishment and collection of candidate portfolio data.	4.2.1.1. Currently, subcommittees are working on portfolio development for each program.	Complete plans for checkpoints for portfolios May 2002. Complete plans for online portfolios December 2002.	NCATE Team 1, NCATE Planning Committee.
	4.2.2. Establishment and collection of Program Evaluation Plan data.	4.2.2.1. Not currently utilized for identifying diversity outcomes by PEC Program Review Subcommittee.
	4.2.3. Maintenance of Accreditation Reports.	4.2.3.1. Currently maintained by Dean of Education Office.
	4.2.4. Establishment and collection of graduate follow up data.	4.2.4.1. Both undergraduate and graduate are in process of being Revised.	Mail follow-up surveys, May 2002.	Dean's Advisory Com; Graduate Advisory Com.