Sample Internship proposal For a Minor in Higher Education

Transcription

1 Ph.D. in Educational Leadership Proposal for a Minor in Higher Education Respectfully submitted by the Department of Educational Leadership School of Education and Human Services February 2002

2 Proposal for a Minor in Higher Education in the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership Purpose of the Minor: The Higher Education minor in the Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership is designed for doctoral students interested in higher education administration in a college or university, or in higher education planning and policy formation in a governmental, accreditation, or other related agency or organization. The purpose of the program is not to train students for narrowly focused employment in higher education, but to prepare them for increasing responsibility and contribution as leaders of today s changing higher education environment. Through relevant course work, supervised field experiences, and independent administrative projects, students will gain a broad understanding of higher education practices, systems, policies, and issues. They will also develop the skills and dispositions for leadership and management in higher education settings. An extended internship in a higher education organization supervised by practicing university or college administrators will provide opportunity for the development and demonstration of leadership competence and specialized knowledge. The minor will be coordinated by a professor with 17 years of university administrative experience (ten at senior levels) and all faculty teaching in the minor will have significant higher education administrative experience. An external advisory board of working university administrators will assist the faculty in maintaining the minor on the cutting edge. The current membership of the Advisory Board includes: Dr. Susan Awbrey, Dr. Bill Connellan, Dr. Ronald Horwitz, Dr. Pat Nicosia, Dr. Mary Otto, and Dr. Mary Beth Snyder. Unique Features and Strengths of the Minor in Higher Education: The Higher Education minor is flexibly designed to meet the needs of students with different career goals and levels of administrative experience in higher education administration.. Through a carefully designed sequence of courses all students will be provided with a broad overview of the diversity of American higher education organizations and institutions. In addition, all students will undertake an in-depth examination of contemporary higher education policy, practice, issues, and challenges. Academic and theoretical course content will be related to daily practice through a two-semester (100 contact hours and six credit hours) supervised internship in a higher education setting chosen by the student and approved by the minor coordinator. Concurrent with the internship, students will complete a major internship project of interest to them that will either solve a problem or make a lasting contribution to the internship setting. For example, a student interested in virtual education may select to complete his or her internship at the Michigan Virtual University headquarters in Lansing and undertake a project related to faculty development in the use of computer-based instruction. While it is recommended that students take all of the core courses and both semesters of internship, the minor is designed to permit students to substitute one semester of internship for a School of Business Administration graduate course in non-profit accounting (with approval of Dr. Sandra Pelfry, the course instructor). The design of the minor also permits the addition of one additional minor or non-minor course of the student s choosing. Over the next year the

3 minor coordinator plans to invite qualified individuals to develop additional elective courses in higher education finance, development, information management, and student affairs. Dr. Mary Beth Snyder, Vice President for Student Affairs has already committed to developing the course in student affairs. Dr. Snyder has a doctorate in higher education and six years of parttime teaching experience in student affairs at Iowa State University. These additional course options will be especially useful for students who seek to hold senior administrative positions that require specialized expertise. The minor is also designed to provide students with the opportunity to reflect on what they and their colleague doctoral students are learning in their internships, as well as develop a support network for their career aspirations. This will be accomplished through monthly internship seminars. Seminars will be scheduled both on campus and on-line to give students experience with the power of virtual (internet-delivered) higher education. The seminars will provide a venue for reflection and dialogue not often available to administrators in the work setting. Finally, the design of the minor should significantly expand the employment horizons of students by exposing them to a wide cross section of higher education administrators and settings. In CIL 912, Administering the University or College, students will tour a variety of university offices/facilities and interview the administrators in charge. For example, a class may visit administrators as diverse as the Vice President for Student Affairs, the President, the Director of the Office of Equity, an academic dean, the Alumni Coordinator, the Director of Risk Management, the Chief of Police, the Athletic Director, the General Counsel, the Payroll Manager and the Registrar. Not only will such visits open the students to new employment opportunities, but it will help students understand the complex nature of higher education institutions and the interrelationship between the area in which they choose to work and the remaining functions of the organization. Minor Requirements: The Higher Education Minor consists of 28 credit hours. 12 credit hours of required courses 6 credit hours of internship 2 credit hours of internship seminar 4 credit hours of internship project 4 credit hours of electives 28 total Required Courses: (12 credit hours) CIL 911: Contemporary American Higher Education (4 credit hours) CIL 912: Administering the College or University (4 credit hours) CIL 913: Executive Processes of Leadership and Management (4 credit hours)

4 Internship Courses: (12 credit hours) CIL 914 and CIL 915*: Internship in Higher Education (3 credit hours each/ 6 total) CIL 916 and 917: Internship Seminar in Higher Education (1 credit hour each/ 2total) CIL 918 Internship Project in Higher Education (4 credit hours) *Note: ACC 612: Accounting for Non-Business Entities may be substituted for CIL 915 with permission of the cognate coordinator and course instructor. Electives: (4 credit hours) Students may use any four credits earned in one or more related courses at the 500 level or above. Students interested in taking ACC 612 with little accounting or budget experience are encouraged to first take ACC 510 (3 credit hours) and one credit hour of CIL 611 Issues in Education for the four credit hours of elective. Enrollment in School of Business Administration Courses requires instructor approval. Course Descriptions: The following is a brief description of each proposed new course. Full syllabi are included at the end of this proposal. CIL 911: Contemporary American Higher Education. This course will provide a broad understanding of American higher education through examination of its current status and emerging future. Students will gain knowledge of the national organization and diversity of mission and types of higher education institutions. Core values, best practices, emerging trends, and policy debates that are shaping American higher education institutions will be examined; as will the roles of federal agencies and funding programs, state governing boards and financing plans, and national accreditation and professional organizations. Students will also explore selected contemporary issues in higher education: e.g. the development and impact of virtual universities; changing diversity in student enrollment; the implications of the success of corporate or for-profit universities; performance funding and accountability; the business of athletics. CIL 912: Administering the College or University. This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the various divisions, functions, and administrative roles in higher education institutions. The emphasis will be on mid-level administration. A unique feature of this course will be the opportunity for behind the scenes visits to and interviews with the administrators of diverse institutions and different units of Oakland University. These on-site visits will help students understand the complex nature of higher education administration in concrete and meaningful ways and will expose them to exemplar and diverse practices allowing them to see first hand the effects of different leadership styles and methods. Each student will also complete an in-depth study of one area or unit of a university or college of interest but unfamiliar.

5 CIL 913: Executive Processes of Leadership and Management. This course is designed for students who aspire to executive leadership and who want to make a positive difference in their organizations. The course will focus on the complex processes of leadership, management, and power at the senior levels (president and vice president) in higher education administration, however, students seeking leadership positions in p-12 and other large non-profit settings may also benefit.. The course will explore the methods used for successful organizational change and improvement. Course topics will include: effective leadership methods, environmental and organizational assessment, whole system planning, strategic use and development of resources, motivating and supporting change and innovation, higher education governance and political processes. Student teams will complete an environmental scan and organizational analysis of one unit within a university or college and develop a plan for a new or improved initiative. CIL 914 and 915: Internship in Higher Education. Students will complete a 100 contact hour internship (six credit hours) in one or more higher education settings. The internship will normally be completed during two consecutive semesters, however, alternate arrangements may be made with Higher Education Coordinator approval. Internships will be supervised by the Coordinator and a site administrator who will serve as the intern s preceptor. Internship sites and preceptors will be selected by students with assistance (if desired) and approval of the Higher Education Coordinator. Students may not complete their internship requirement in their current employment setting unless they will be interning in a different unit of the institution and have a preceptor other than their immediate supervisor. CIL 916 and 917: Internship Seminar in Higher Education. Student interns will meet monthly on campus or on-line with the Higher Education Coordinator to reflect on and share their internship learning experiences with each other. Student experiences will be examined in the context of national trends and best practices in higher education and the students career and growth objectives. A goal of the seminar will be to develop a supportive peer network that students may rely upon as they assume increasingly responsible positions of leadership after graduation. CIL 918: Internship Project in Higher Education. Each student will complete an administrative or leadership project of his or her choosing which will solve a problem or make a lasting contribution in the internship setting. Students will undertake all phases of the project from identifying the problem or need, to planning and implementing the solution. Leadership and team skills will be developed as the student works with site administrators and staff on the project. Projects will be documented and presented in a professional format appropriate to the nature of the project. Enrollment Projection: At the present time at least three students are currently enrolled in the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership core courses who have declared their focus as higher education administration. Annual enrollment in the Higher Education Administration Minor will be determined by the department faculty as they make the admissions decisions for the Ph.D. in Educational

6 Leadership. With appropriate marketing of the minor, it is anticipated that the minor will easily have more demand than space available. It is recommended that 3-5 students be admitted each year to ensure a reasonable enrollment in the required courses, assuming they were scheduled in a two year cycle. Required courses would also be open to students in other minors or other doctoral programs, thus potentially increasing course enrollment by non-majors. Internship courses would be scheduled each year during fall, winter and spring semesters and could be offered regardless of enrollment size since they are independent study in nature. Resources: The resources needed for the Higher Education Cognate are minimal. A budget prepared by the School of Education Office of the Dean has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Mary Otto, SEHS Dean and Dr. Virinder Moudgil, Vice President for Academic Affairs and is attached. The budget demonstrates that the minor will be more than self-supporting when students are enrolled and has no immediate negative cost implications for the university. Administration and Instruction: The Higher Education Coordinator will be Dr. Sandra Packard, a tenured, full professor in the School of Education and Human Services and an experienced university administrator. As presently designed the coordinator will generate credit hours through supervision of all internships and service as internship seminar instructor. These will be credited as course load assignment, thus eliminating the need for additional load reduction (or expense) for minor coordination. Course instruction will be provided by existing faculty and administrators within the university. All administrators listed on the attached course syllabi have already indicated their interest in and willingness to serve as instructors. Other qualified administrators are present at Oakland who may also be willing to teach when approached. Minor coordination and will necessitate the reassignment of instructional load for Professor Packard and the allocation of extra service or part-time pay for full-time administrators if needed. The hiring of additional faculty is not needed to initiate the minor and would be dependent on enrollment growth. Facilities and Equipment: The minor requires no additional facilities or equipment than that already available within the university. Most core courses will be taught in the evenings or on weekends throughout the year. Although classroom space is at a premium, the new SEHS building to open in August will provide adequate and appropriate space. Supplies and Operating: A small budget will need to be provided for a program brochure, mailings to prospective and current students, mileage for internship supervision, honoraria for non-oakland guest speakers, and minimal instructional supplies. At the present time stipends are not planned for internship preceptors or for Oakland administrators who serve as guest lecturers for a single class. This decision may change for departmental consistency or should payment become a necessary incentive for service.

7 Library: A small collection of higher education titles is available in Kresge Library, however, additional books should be added to the collection. In addition to the print journal collection at Kresge Library, numerous education journals are available in full text online to the Oakland University community from the library s web site ( The link OU online full-text journal holdings will direct users to these journals by identifying the databases where these online journals may be accessed. Also, users may search ERIC, Education Abstracts, PsycINFO, Periodical Abstracts, and WilsonSelect from FirstSearch to identify articles, and in many cases retrieve the full text version of those articles.