COUNSELOR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MINUTES
Thursday, January 30, 2014– Winther 3002 E
Attendance: Brenda O’Beirne (Chair), Cindy Anderton, Jennifer Betters-Bubon, Jeff Cook,
Krista Kim, Don Norman, Anene Okocha, Dave Van Doren, and Laura Pressley (note taker) were
present.
1. Approval of minutes (1/23/14)
a. Don made a motion to accept the minutes. Cindy seconded the motion.
b. Department discussed revisions to minutes from department meeting taken by
Anene, who had sent revised minutes via email.
c. Cindy restated the motion so that in the revised minutes Item 4, regarding
department check-in would end after the word “members”. It will now state:
“Check-in was done by all members.” All in favor. None opposed. One abstention.
2. Additions to agenda
a. Don presented the curriculum of the Marriage and Family Therapy section. He
said the syllabus was done but that this needs to be discussed further. Don will
work with Brenda and Jennifer on this, and will send them a timeline so that the
structure and plan can be put together.
b. There were no other additions to the agenda.
3. Check-in
a. Check-In was done by all members.
4. The “essentials” – the top 2 “must haves” for assessment in each of the core courses.
a. The department discussed the importance of having essential assessments being
consistent across all courses. This can be helpful at times when adjuncts or
interns are here; different instructors teaching the same course; and, to ensure
the department is meeting CACREP standards.
b. Principles
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Goals papers, transcripts, final paper, final
exam which incorporates various aspects [essay/take home
exam/personal goals].
ii. Two Essentials: Transcripts and Final Exam
c. Theories
i. Two Essentials: Theory Paper and Final Exams
1. The final exam is multiple choice, application, and partial take
home. It is given the week prior and is used for students to discuss
their knowledge of theories related to their primary focus of
counseling [school, clinical mental health, etc].
d. Research
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Literature review, article/journal critiques,
midterm, and research proposal.
ii. Two Essentials: Journal Critiques and Final Research Proposal
e. Group
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Facilitation – Individual, Midterm exam –
[take-home essay, or an in-class and covers through chapter 9 of Corey],
Group Proposal [describes a group they anticipate leading one day –
including planning and developing a curriculum], Group facilitation.
ii. Two Essentials: Midterm [take home essay] and Group Facilitation
f. Lifespan
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Exams, developmental autobiography,
developmental stage.
ii. Two Essentials: Developmental Stage and Exams
g. Social cultural
i. Assessment Tools Presented: MAP project – integrate theories and
personal experiences, advocacy and cultural immersion paper, reflection
journals, exploration of their background and self and reactions of their
background, self-exploration assignment.
ii. Two Essentials: Self-exploration papers and
community/culture/immersion/MAP project
h. Professional practices
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Midterm, final exams, group project
[students come up with an ethical dilemma and they go through ethical
decision making process to see what the class would come up with].
ii. Two Essentials: Exams and Ethical Dilemma Group
i. Career
i. Assessment Tools Presented: Career intervention project to integrate
learning [group or individual – optional] and includes a holistic focus;
social trend to think about mental health and career needs; program
analysis of a site [students describe services and how they would improve
it, includes interviews, evaluation plan, available services, and overall
analysis]; Life Career Rainbow
ii. Two Essentials: Career Intervention project [individual/group] and the
Career Development Project [group/individual]
j. Clinical
i. Two Essentials: Diagnosis Final Project [an integrative final project, done
in class, where students are watching and giving feedback], and
Exams/Quizzes
k. Appraisals
i. Two Essentials: Exams and Evaluation Paper
l. Department reviewed the list and briefly discussed awareness of course items
such as the multiple ways of assessment, projects that require rubrics, diversity of
assessment tools and testing, group and individual work, in class and take home
exams, group and individual and group exams, format of exams [multiple choice,
essay, etc], group projects, and student self-evaluation.
5. CACREP Process
a. The department discussed how the process will happen. Brenda asked us to look
at the 2007 report and then our section to see where we are and where we need to
go to be in line with the most recent 2009 Standards. There will be 3-4 different
dates where we would work with our teams. We can work on our sections of the
report that we have responsibilities for and get feedback from one another. The
pairs would ask for feedback from the group as they feel is necessary, and
everyone should be able to access those documents on the T drive or asking for
specific feedback through email.
b. Brenda said that the goal is to do this primarily during this semester since the
department has the Audit and Review in October 2014. CACREP is due January
2015, so this will be a parallel process.
c. We will be pulling out the sections that we are working on and then put the pieces
all back together. Brenda is working with Alicia to get examples of how things are
filed and where things will be located on the T Drive.
d. For the report, it will go electronically to CACREP. They require 4 CDs with
embedded content and links, and one paper copy. It will be important to find
multiple ways of including information about the sections.
e. There is also another example we can use which may be helpful in organizing our
sections, and we can compare what we still need to complete, or data we need to
locate. Some sections such as with the school courses, it will be critical to find the
gaps and overlaps with using 2001 or 2009 standards when the emphases are
different. We will need to make sure that those overlaps are covered. Jennifer
promptly put that example of the CACREP report in the CACREP folder as a
standalone document on the T Drive and sent it to the department via email.
f. Brenda noted that it will be important to have good leadership in ensuring that
the most recent CACREP standards are being met with all courses.
g. February 27th will be the next time that the groups are working together in the
dept meeting. By this date we’ll have the beginning drafts and would be ready to
share with the group or, if we have major questions or concerns happening with
how to navigate a section that we can bring them back to the group.
6. CACREP work teams
a. This was a productive time for the pairs to meet together, discuss timelines and
tasks.
7. Student concerns
a. Student concerns were presented and discussed.
8. Clinical/practicum updates
a. Krista said students have been grateful for the consultation schedule.
b. Jeff said that Internship files will be coming back.
c. Anene presented the issue about some agencies requesting different
documentation or having different requirements, such as a separate letter.
9. The meeting was adjourned with motion by Jennifer. Dave seconded. All in favor. None
opposed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Laura Jeanette Pressley