Minutes of the
Graduate Committee Meeting
March 4, 2010
Prince Edward
Ms. Kathy Charleston
Dr. Jennifer Apperson
Dr. Gretchen Braun
Dr. Audrey Church
Dr. Sharon Emerson-Stonnell
Dr. Frank Howe
Dr. David Locascio
Mrs. Abbey O’Connor
Dr. Patricia Lust
Dr. Ruth Meese
Mr. Glenn Parker
Dr. Lisa Power-deFur
Dr. Gerry Sokol
Dr. Peggy Tarpley
Mrs. Susan Finch
Mrs. Kathy Charleston called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. She announced to the committee that Dr. Koyzis and Dr.
Perry were in Greece.
The minutes of February 4, 2010 were presented, corrections/additions requested, and hearing none, Dr. Apperson
moved to approve the minutes, Dr. Emerson-Stonnell seconded and the minutes were unanimously approved.
The next item on the agenda was the curriculum items.
Dr. Emerson-Stonnell explained to the committee that the mathematics courses were originally created by a statewide
coalition to prepare teachers to serve as Mathematics Specialists in the elementary schools. She explained that when the
DOE created the Mathematics Specialist license, they made the license applicable to grades k-8. Because of the
increased emphasis on statistics, geometry, and algebra in the middle school, MATH 655, MATH 657 and MATH 659
were no longer sufficient for Mathematics Specialist working in the middle school. To address the higher level
mathematics needed in the middle school new mathematics courses have been created.
Dr. Emerson-Stonnell explained the rationale for the new concentration – Curriculum and Instruction Specialist/Middle
School Mathematics. She told the committee that the Mathematic Supervisors were worried that the courses in the C&I
Specialist in K-8 Mathematics Master of Science degree did not adequately prepare Mathematics Specialist to serve in
the middle school setting and the concerns were verified by the much stronger scores in the Virginia’s Standard Of
Learning in Mathematics in grades 3-5 than in grades 6-Algebra I. Dr. Emerson-Stonnell explained that with this new
concentration there would only be one cohort in Elementary Mathematics and one cohort in Middle School Mathematics.
Education Major
Curriculum & Instruction Specialist in K-8 Mathematics
 Course Change – MAED 623 – Title Change to Instructional Design in Mathematics for Grades K-8 to better
reflect the course content.
 Course Change – MATH 655 – Title Change to Functions and Algebra for Elementary School Teachers
 Course Change - MATH 657 – Title Change to Geometry and Measurement for Elementary School Teachers
 Course Change – MATH 659 – Title Change to Probability and Statistics for Elementary School Teachers
 New Course – MAED 625 – Assessment in Mathematics
 Program Change – Name change to Curriculum & Instruction Specialist in Elementary School Mathematics.
Delete EDUC 508 as a requirement and add MAED 625.
Curriculum & Instruction Specialist in Middle School Mathematics (new concentration)
 New Course – MATH 671 – College Algebra for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 672 – Discrete Mathematics for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 673 – Trigonometry & Algebra for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 675 – Mathematical Programming for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 675 – Linear Algebra for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 677 – Euclidean Geometry for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 678 – Calculus for Middle School Teachers
 New Course – MATH 679 – Probability & Statistics for Middle School Teachers
 New Program – Curriculum & Instruction Specialist in Middle School Mathematics created to meet an identified
need at the middle school level.
Dr. Emerson-Stonnell moved that the changes in the Curriculum and Instruction Specialist in K-8 Mathematics and the
new concentration, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist in Middle School Mathematics be approved, Mrs. O’Connor
seconded and the committee approved.
Dr. Gretchen Braun presented the committee the changes in the Literacy and Culture and the Graduate Licensure in
Literacy & Culture. She explained the prerequisites for EDUC 526, EDUC 531, and EDUC 626 would change from 12 to 6
credit hours and that they would come from the Literacy and Culture program requirements or permission from advisor.
She presented a new course EDUC 647 Professional Portfolio and explained how this course would be the exit course
from the program instead of the comprehensive exam which is currently used to exit the program. Dr. Power-deFur had
concerns about this course being the exit course instead of the comprehensive exam and a discussion about the VRAReading Specialist test, the comprehensive exam and the portfolio took place.
Literacy & Culture
 Course Change – EDUC 526 – Change in prerequisites & course description
 Course Change – EDUC 531 – Change in prerequisites & course description
 Course Change – EDUC 626 – Change in prerequisites & course description
 New Course – EDUC 647 – Professional Portfolio
 Program Change – Change in list of approved electives, removal of EDUC 699, addition of EDUC 647, and
increase in total hours required by one to 37.
Graduate Licensure in Literacy & Culture
 Program Change – Change in list of approved electives, addition of EDUC 647, and increase in total hours
required by one to 25.
The committee offered a friendly amendment clarifying it is the Virginia Reading Assessment for Reading Specialist
test and a passing score that is required. Dr. Locascio moved to approve the friendly amendment and Dr. Howe
seconded. Dr. Braun made a motion for approval of the changes in the Literacy and Culture and the Graduate
Licensure in Literacy and Culture and with the friendly amendment approved, the committee approved the motion with
one opposing vote.
Ms. Charleston adjourned the meeting at 5:00 p.m. The next meeting will be Thursday, April 1, 2010 in Hiner G11 from
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.