Higher Education Administration Program at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University - Research Paper Example

? Assessment of the Higher Education Administration Program at Peabody College Introduction Peabody College, d after a great educational philanthropist of America by the name George Peabody, is a college of Vanderbilt University, which specializes in education as well as human development. Among graduate schools of education, the college is famous for being a national leader. It, embodied in its students and faculty, comprises a vivacious intellectual community that deals with pressing questions and develops knowledge on education, including education administration, policy, and leadership; communities, organizations, and individuals’ development; psychology, particularly focused on children and families; and special education. The aim of the college is to train highly skilled experts from varied backgrounds, for organizations both out of and in education, who have the same profound concern for the condition of human beings. Most academic programs in Peabody College consist of a powerful practice orientation. The college admits over 1,200 undergraduates and over 600 professional or graduate students, with the full-time teaching staff numbering 125. Many teaching faculty members are great leaders of professional organizations, are scholarly journals editors’ while others are recognized nationally for their research (“Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt,” 2010). The college’s twelve faculty members are holders of named, conferred professorships. The faculty has five departments namely department of Psychology and Human Development; department of Special Education; department of Human and Organizational Development; department of Teaching and Learning; and department of Leadership, Policy, Organizations (Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt, 2010). This paper gives an assessment of Peabody College’s Higher Education Administration Program. Information on Evaluation/Assessment Activities Vanderbilt College has the certification of conferring doctoral degrees, masters degrees, bachelors degrees, and education specialist degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). SACSCOC reaffirms accreditation after every ten years, and interim reports becoming due after every five years. The college received the last accredition in 2007 and will receive the next interim report on March 2013 (“Vanderbilt University Accreditation,” 2010). Every year, the United States’ News & World Report reviews Peabody College externally vis-a-vis other graduate schools of education. The report indicates that for the last one and a half decade, the college has held a top ten position. The report also indicated that for 2012, the college was in the top spot among the national graduate school of education and that this was the third successive year. Additionally, Peabody College consistently scores highly for student selectivity, a large quantity of funded research, and a low student-to-faculty ratio. Peabody, among the first five schools, has the largest number of programs incorporated in the specialty rankings of United States’ News & World Report (“Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development,” 2011). The United States’ News & World Report further indicates that Peabody attained nine points up ahead of its closest competitor with a general score of one hundred, with programs in Special Education along with Administration/Supervision being number one in the rankings. Other recognized programs were programs in Elementary Education and Educational Psychology, which were ranked fourth; programs in Education Policy, which were ranked fifth; programs in Instruction/Curriculum, which were ranked eighth; and programs in Higher Education Administration, which were ranked ninth. The yearly rankings of graduate schools are derived from surveys of about 13,000 academics and over 1,200 programs carried out in fall 2010 while individual program rankings are derived from deans of graduate studies and deans of education school’s nominations (“Peabody ranked No. 1 for third consecutive year,” 2010). As far as internal review is concerned, the Office of Internal Audit and Institutional Risk Management deal with oversight and regulation terms. According to their definition, risk is anything that could deter the University from attaining its goals and is inherent in following the mission of the school. Their aim is identifying and managing risk crucial in the accomplishment of the school’s key strategic goals (“Internal audit and Institution Risk Management,” 2010). In the event that this department discovers any academic risk, it carries out a full comprehensive review. Porter et al. (2010) explain that Vanderbilt University has a profound history of innovating in higher education learning assessment as well as outreach programming. He explains the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education, abbreviated VAL-ED, which is a Vanderbilt University scholars-developed research-based, multi-rater tool of evaluation based on Educational and Psychological Testing Standards. This tool assesses school leaders’ perceived effectiveness. Also vital to Vanderbilt is The Commons, innovative higher education Quality Enhancement Plan. This is a living-learning community aimed at aiding in increasing first year students’ involvement in educationally purposive activities (“Vanderbilt University Accreditation,” 2010). The college has over fifteen outreach programs and research centers as well as three national research centers on campus (most of which are in the country) and its Higher Education Administration program outrivals in assessment both at examining and being examined. In fact, Vanderbilt advertises potential students’ ability of exposure to a strong research agenda and guarantees that Peabody is a key contributor to the growing knowledge body regarding education as well as public policy, and gain from normal classroom relations with intellectuals who are involved in writing textbooks (“Vanderbilt.edu’s Current Research,” 2010). Assessment Evaluation Information Students in the Higher Education Administration at Vanderbilt Peabody College can choose six specialization tracts, which they may pursue to get their master’s degree. They may choose to specialize in student affairs, enrollment management, institutional advancement, higher education policy, general administration or international higher education. For completion of each specialization, the student is supposed to earn 36 credit hours within two years. During the course of their study program, students may also take up dual specializations (“LPO Graduate Programs: Leadership That Works,” 2011). In the U.S. News and World Report-conducted annual external assessment, among graduate schools of education, the College held the first position, having appeared in the top five graduate schools for eight years. In the specialty rankings, the Higher Education Administration program was position sixth nationwide (“Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development,” 2011). Vanderbilt has the responsibility of reporting to or getting approval from SACSCOC before implementing any substantive change in its programs. A substantive change refers to any significant alteration or development of a degree program including starting joint degrees, altering a program’s delivery method, duration or content considerably, offering programs or coursework at a more advanced level, as well as offering new courses/programs by means of collaborative agreements. In the event that a college, school or department is considering a significant change in a program, it is required to fill in the Substantive Change Survey in order to establish whether it needs to report the change to SACSCOC beforehand (“Vanderbilt University Accreditation,” 2010). Assessment and Evaluation Instruments Currently in Place The United States News and World Report ranked Peabody College by measuring, to some extent, teacher preparation, faculty retention, student body numbers, admissions numbers, graduation rates and cost (“Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development,” 2011). In 2008-2009, 125 students from Peabody College were assessed to become certified or licensed teachers. The college has a faculty ratio of 2.7:1 and its full time students amount to 635. It has ninety-one faculty members at a tuition fee of 1,568 dollars per credit for graduate students. Incoming graduate students had an average of 1128 combined GRE scores (“Admissions & Programs,” 2010). As part of the accreditation process, institutions provide SACSCOC with a Quality Enhancement Plan, which deals with a focused issue/topic related to student learning enhancement. They are also expected to provide SACSCOC with a Compliance Certification, which shows conformity to federal regulations, standards, and requirements (“Vanderbilt University Accreditation,” 2010). Internally, the staff provides the Office of Internal Audit with key risks’ reports, which is followed by a facilitated discussion between the concerned parties and they hold a strategic discussion of the risk and the way in which it may affect the mission of the school. An official draft document is later developed and distributed for editing and review (“What to Expect during an Audit,” 2010). Research students in the Higher Education Administration Program partake some assessment measures, which that gives them hands-on experience accessing other institutions of higher education such as the National Centre on Performance Initiatives (NCPI), located in the school of education of Peabody College. NCPI carries out scientific and independent studies on the institutional and individual effects that performance incentives have in education. It was established in the year 2006 through a ten million-dollar, five-year development and research funding from the Institute of Education Sciences of the US Department of Education (Performanceincentives.org, 2010). Porter et al. (2010) also points out that students in Peabody College’s Higher Education Administration Program are also able to use an assessment form that Vanderbilt University’s scholars develop, thereby giving them a hands-on instrument of assessing secondary education professionals. The VAL-ED (Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education) is a researched-based assessment tool of a leadership evaluation system, which captures, in broad strokes, the way in which education leadership may be evaluated. Assessment Criteria Externally, the United States’ News and World Report rated Peabody College through measuring partly, externally funded research-generated, and graduation rates, doctoral program acceptance rate and average GRE scores (“Grad School Rankings,” 2011). Internally, the Higher Education Administration academic together with the Dean Office department presents a checklist to identify and protect against risk. There exist guidelines that serve as internal criteria to prevent a complete review from a lapse being identified in one of the areas. To start with, university staff must maintain, among the responsibilities on the checklist, an effectual system of processing additional pay forms, timesheets and personnel action forms to guarantee timely, reasonable distributions to departmental centers. It is also the responsibility of staff to uphold an effective work performed verification system to make sure that certified payroll distributions reasonably mirror the actual work performed. An effective system for ensuring that individuals signing effort certifications, actually, have first hand understanding of the activities of the suitable staff and faculty or an appropriate means of confirming that the work was performed. Finally yet importantly, there must exist among the staff an effective method of dealing with after-the-fact effort documentations administered out of the plan confirmation system aptly (“Internal audit and Institution Risk Management,” 2010). Some of the opportunities for research as well as assessment that students in the Higher Education Administration Program get entail educational programs’ analysis through the National Center on Performance Incentives (NCPI), an independent federally funded (10 million dollars) and federally chartered (2006) research center based in Peabody’s College of Education. The goal of this research center is to carry out independent and scientific research concerning the impact of pay-for-performance on broader education policy, teacher behavior, student achievement schools, and school organizations (Performanceincentives.org, 2010). According to Porter et al. (2010), the VAL-ED model indicates that values and beliefs, personal characteristics, and leadership skills and knowledge inform the actual leadership behaviors that teams or individuals exhibit while executing their leadership duties. These leadership behaviors then lead to school performance on such core components as giving a rigorous curriculum and first-rate instruction. Are the Assessment Procedures Consistent With Goals? Are They Fair and Reasonable? Wherever they go (Fortune 500 companies, policy-making settings, schools, social service agencies, among other places), Vanderbilt Peabody College’s graduates bring about systemic changes. The college’s doctoral graduates are prominent in major academic, government and, policy positions. In the same way, the teaching graduates, who have gone to teach in 45 states and almost 30 foreign countries, use the hands-on classroom experience that they gain form the college and become confident professionals who have been proved to stay in teaching at a rate 50% higher than the national average. Of the teaching graduates, over 30 are university or college presidents, more than 10,000 are practicing teachers, and more than 175 are school superintendents. In general, Vanderbilt Peabody College’s graduates serve their communities and professions in outstanding ways, and they have assisted the college in building a global reputation for excellence (“Preparing Leaders,” 2010). The Peabody College of Education’s field achievement is indubitably a clear indicator that the college has really achieved its goal of excellence within the education field. Holding the college’s Higher Education Administration program to the high standards that it regularly outshines in annual external review is therefore a reasonable and fair expectation. Peabody College’s procedures for internal assessment at are designed to maintain administration ahead of the perceived risk curve. There is need to update risk assessments for changes in management objectives, initiatives, controls and reporting and regulatory requirements. The Chancellor expects every risk owner to review risk assessments for any changes to risks, controls or the evaluation of controls and reveal those changes in order to update the risk database. Any changes to previously identified controls, control assessments and risks; as well as new risks identified are updated in the risk database. Solid business practices as well as a strong control environment that are normally supported by policies form the basis for internal controls. Formal policies’ deficiency however does not prevent good business practices (“Internal audit and Institution Risk Management,” 2010). The VAL-ED’s key processes (planning, implementing, supporting, advocating, communicating as well as monitoring) talk about the specifics of how leaders form core components. Porter et al. (2010) explain that the six core processes include performance accountability; measuring rigorous curriculum; establishing high standards for student learning; offering quality instruction; managing connections to external communities; in addition to establishing a culture of learning and professional behavior. While endeavoring to produce competent professionals of higher education, every student-learning leader should strive to attain these appropriate goals. How the Assessment and Evaluation Results are used and with whom they are shared Externally, the United States’ News and World Report compiles graduate education schools’ relevant information for ranking against one another. These act as a tool for faculty and potential students to define potential institutions’ quality. The United States’ News and World Report broadcasts the assessment results through media outlets where the public can access them. Internally, the risk assessments’ latest version together with a list of persons engaged in the primary assessment meetings are distributed annually for update and review. Before the final copies are distributed to the Board of Trust Audit Committee and the executive management, senior management submits input (“Internal audit and Institution Risk Management,” 2010). Next, the VAL-ED instrument reports results by first showing how the principal compares with a countrywide peer-group and then portraying the performance of a principal as distinguished, proficient or basic as experts determine. The developers envisage that districts that use the measure will decide on the scores of certain types of raters or how much weight to give the instrument as well as whether to emphasize performance against a standard or performance against peers (Porter, et al., 2010). Utilizing this tool will undoubtedly familiarize Higher Education Administration Program’s students with educational appraisal from the assessor’s view. Conclusion For students who have an interest in careers as scholars and researchers, Peabody College would be an excellent choice. In the United States, it remains one of the top five schools of education that for years has been ranked highly – both for its individual programs and as a college and that offers numerous opportunities to its students. Furthermore, the college offers practical education in over a dozen areas both for professional and graduate students. References Admissions & Programs, 2010. Retrieved from http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Admissions_and_Programs.htm Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.vanderbilt.edu/catalogs/peabody_grad/peabody.pdf Grad School Rankings, 2011. Retrieved from http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools Internal audit and Institution Risk Management, 2010. Retrieved from www.vanderbilt.edu/internalaudit LPO Graduate Programs: Leadership That Works, 2011. Retrieved from http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Leadership_Policy_and_Organizations/Graduate_and_Professional_Programs.xml Peabody ranked No. 1 for third consecutive year, 2010. Retrieved from http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Vanderbilt_Peabody_ranked_No_1_for_third_consecutive_year.xml Performanceincentives.org, 2010. Performance Incentives. Retrieved from www.performanceincentives.org/research Preparing Leaders, 2010. Retrieved from http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Preparing_Leaders.xml Vanderbilt.edu’s Current Research, 2010. Retrieved from www.vanderbilt.edu/currentresearch Vanderbilt University Accreditation, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.vanderbilt.edu/provost/vanderbilt-university-accreditation/ Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Ranked_Among_the_Best.xml What to Expect During an Audit, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.vanderbilt.edu/internalaudit/whattoexpect.html Read More