College of Charleston

The College of Charleston, a member of the State College and University System of South Carolina, is an urban comprehensive public institution located in the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina. It is committed to providing a high quality education in the arts and sciences, education, and business. It is located in the heart of the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina. As a state supported institution, it primarily serves students from the local area and across the state but has students from 49 states and 73 countries. The greater Charleston area has a population of 543,748 with a median age of 35.5. There is considerable ethnic diversity, with 32% African American, 65% White, and 3% Other (American Community Survey Profile 2002). Because of the quality of programs, affordability, the draw to the historic city, and its temperate climate, the College of Charleston is gaining favor with national and international students, helping to realize aspirations of becoming a pre-eminent public liberal arts and sciences institution. In the last decades, enrollments have grown dramatically and have recently been stabilized at just under 10,000 undergraduate students. In addition, College of Charleston enrolls approximately 2,000 graduate students. In fall 2003, of the 11,536 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the College of Charleston, 84% were White; 9% African American, and 7% other.

The College of Charleston is now the largest educational institution in the Charleston area and the third largest higher education institution in South Carolina. On the undergraduate level, 46 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees are offered through the Schools of Arts, Business and Economics, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Mathematics. In fall 2003 there were 469 faculty members, 85% of which have earned a doctorate or the highest degrees in their fields. The faculty is 87.8% White; 4.7% African American, and 7.5% other.

The College of Charleston received its charter from the General Assembly of South Carolina in 1785. This charter gave legal form to an institution that had been founded in 1770. The first degrees were conferred in 1794. During the twentieth century, the College of Charleston has undergone three changes of status. After 1918, when women were first admitted to the College, Charleston County supplemented city funds with its own annual appropriation. Municipal and county support continued until 1949, when the General Assembly of South Carolina returned College of Charleston to private status. In 1968, the College became a state institution and African Americans were first admitted.

On July 1, 1992, the College of Charleston was granted university status through a state legislative action. Graduate degrees at the master’s level are awarded through the University of Charleston, SC, located in the Graduate School. The Graduate School offers 17 graduate programs: accountancy, computer and information science, English, environmental studies, history, bilingual legal interpreting, marine biology, mathematics, public administration and eight degrees in education (described below).

In January 2002 President Lee Higdon and the College of Charleston Board of Trustees announced the comprehensive quality enhancement initiative, the Fourth Century Initiative, designed to make the College of Charleston a nationally preeminent public liberal arts and sciences university. This initiative outlines improvements related to student recruitment and retention, the number of the faculty and staff, curricular and co-curricular programs, and facilities enlargement and enhancement.

School of Education

The School of Education is organized into three academic departments, Elementary and Early Childhood Education; Foundations, Secondary, and Special Education; and Physical Education and Health, and a number of service programs (see School of Education Organizational Chart). Candidates complete one or more of the following degree programs:

• Elementary Education (B.S., M.A.T., M.Ed.)1
• Early Childhood Education (B.S., M.A.T., M.Ed.)2
• Middle Grades (B.S.)3
• Special Education (B.S., M.A.T., M.Ed.)
• Secondary Education (Minor)
• Physical Education (B.S.)
• Athletic Training (B.S.)
• Health (Minor)
• Master of Education in Science and Mathematics (M.Ed.)
• Masters of Education in Languages (M.Ed.)

B.S. and M.A.T. degrees and secondary education minors may result in recommendation for certification if candidates meet all requirements for certification. In addition to the three academic departments, several service programs operate within the School of Education (see SOE Service Programs). The School of Education offers no off-campus programs and a limited number of courses via distance learning technologies.

In fall 2003, the School of Education reports 40 full-time higher education faculty teaching in the teacher education program, 95% have an earned doctorate. Six are African American and 35 are White. There were 693 undergraduate and 220 graduate candidates in the School of Education in fall 2003. Of these, 82% are White; 14% are African American, and 4% are other.

Considerable changes have occurred in the unit since the last NCATE visit. These changes include administrative and faculty changes, program changes, development of an assessment system, revisions in the conceptual framework, and improvements in facilities and resources.
Administrative and faculty changes. Since 1998, the following administrative changes occurred:

Program changes. Based on analysis of data, changes in professional standards and state certification levels, and revisions in the conceptual framework all of the initial and advanced programs have undergone rigorous evaluation; most have undergone extensive program revision, and some are new programs. See Table 1 for a summary of the rationale for and status of programs in relation to curriculum change.

• Mr. Leo I. Higdon became president in 2001
• Dr. Elise Jorgens became provost in 2003
• Dr. Frances C. Welch became dean in 2002
• Dr Linda H. Fitzharris became chair of Elementary and Early Childhood in 2001
• Dr. Robert F. Perkins became chair of Foundations, Secondary, and Special Education in 2003
• Dr. Thomas D. Langley became chair of Physical Education and Health in 2002
• Drs. Diane C. Cudahy and Christine R. Finnan became associate deans in 2003
• Mr. H. Thomas Hallberg became the director of the Office of Certification and Clinical Practice in 2002
• Dr. Andrew H. Lewis became the director of the Office of Professional Development in 2003.
• The Elementary and Early Childhood Department added two full-time faculty lines, the Foundations, Secondary and Special Education Department added one full-time faculty line, and Physical Education and Health added one full-time line. Two staff lines were added in the School of Education.

Program changes. Based on analysis of data, changes in professional standards and state certification levels, and revisions in the conceptual framework all of the initial and advanced programs have undergone rigorous evaluation; most have undergone extensive program revision, and some are new programs. See Table 1 for a summary of the rationale for and status of programs in relation to curriculum change.

Table 1
Status of Program Curriculum Revisions

Assessment. Major work was accomplished since the last NCATE visit in relation to assessment. We developed a unit assessment plan (see Unit Assessment System-All) and a set of dispositions that are both measurable and developmental (see Educator Dispositions across the Professional Lifespan). In addition, we created an electronic database that can be used to track individual candidate progress, aggregate data, and aid in advising (see EDA-SYS Conceptualization and EDA-SYS Screen Components).We have also begun using electronic portfolios for all initial candidates (see LiveText).

Conceptual framework. We retained the theme of our conceptual framework, “Making the Teaching-Learning Connection” and the seven Teaching and Learning standards. In determining how to link the conceptual framework and the assessment system and to align the conceptual framework with professional association standards, we developed the Elements of Teacher Competency (ETCs) to serve as an umbrella. These elements, understanding and valuing the learner (ETC1), knowing what and how to teach and assess and how to create an environment in which learning occurs (ETC2), and understanding self as a professional (ETC3), unite the Teaching and Learning standards, all of the professional association standards, and the South Carolina professional dimensions on which novice teachers are evaluated (see Standards Alignment Matrix).

Facilities and resources. Approval was granted, an architect hired, and plans developed for a new School of Education building and new classrooms devoted to education courses (see Classroom Renovations, SOE Building Plans) Approval was also granted to renovate and expand the current athletic and physical education complex. In addition, an education curriculum and resources room is built into the new College of Charleston library that will open in spring 2005.

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1 The B.S. in Elementary Education is in the process of changing. In spring 2003, the program prepared candidates for grades 1-8 certification. Beginning fall 2003 candidates admitted into the Teacher Education Program choose between a B.S. in Early Childhood (PK-3), Elementary (2-6), or Middle Grades (5-8).

2 The program supporting the B.S. in Early Childhood Education began in fall 2003.

3 The program supporting the B.S. in Middle Grades Education began in fall 2003.

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