Part I: Overview of Furman University

Introduction

Furman University is a selective, independent, coeducational liberal arts college located in Greenville, South Carolina. The current undergraduate student population is 2,804. Furman offers a distinctive undergraduate education representing the humanities, fine arts, social sciences, mathematics and the natural sciences, and selected professional disciplines, of which teacher education is prominent. Engaged learning is a hallmark of the curriculum. It emphasizes problem-solving, project-oriented, and research-based experiences in which both students and faculty are involved.For example, Furman has become a national leader in undergraduate research and collaborative research projects involving students and professors. A significant number of students participate in internships in local and regional business and agency communities. Others serve as teaching apprentices on campus or in schools. Approximately 25 percent of students enroll in study away programs. A quarter of students volunteer for social service agencies or other helping programs in the Greenville community.

In addition to its primary emphasis on undergraduate education, Furman offers two master’s degrees: a Master of Arts in education and a Master of Science in chemistry. The Master of Arts includes concentrations of study in early childhood, special education, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) for the professional development of certified teachers. One advanced program is offered in school leadership. The graduate programs at Furman complement and enhance the effectiveness of undergraduate programs through shared faculty, facilities, equipment and other resources. The university also provides a continuing education program for the larger Greenville community.

History

Founded in 1826 by the South Carolina Baptists, Furman University is named for Richard Furman (1775-1825), a prominent pastor in Charleston, who was president of the nation's first Baptist Convention and a leader in Baptist higher education. The university traces its roots to two academies established in the early nineteenth century: the Greenville Female Academy, and the Furman Academy and Theological Institution for men. During its early decades, the Furman Academy moved to Stateburg, then to Winnsboro, South Carolina. In 1850 the school was chartered as Furman University and moved to Greenville. Eight years later its theological department became the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which eventually moved to Louisville, Kentucky. Between 1920 and 1932 the university included a law school, but for most of its history Furman has been a liberal arts college. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredited Furman in 1924, and that same year the university became a beneficiary of The Duke Endowment. In 1958, Furman University moved to a new campus five miles north of the city of Greenville, surrounded by the remnants of mill communities as well as more affluent areas around Paris Mountain. Furman University received a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1973, and today ranks among the leading liberal arts colleges in the nation.

The 1897-98 Furman Catalog included a program of Pedagogics among those listed in the university curriculum. Education, which first appeared as a department in 1919-20, was a program of study consisting of four courses. In 1936, through a collaborative effort among Furman, The School District of Greenville County, and the Greenville Woman’s College, the program expanded to become the present Education Department. Furman first offered the Master of Arts degree in 1852 and since that time has usually had a small graduate program. In the past, several other graduate degrees related to education have been offered, but are no longer available. From 1956 to 1969 a Master of Education degree was offered, and from 1958 to 1970, there was a Master of Arts in psychology. Both programs served area teachers seeking master’s degrees. Furman’s Master of Arts degree in education started in 1938 and has continued to the present.

Mission, Purpose, Aspirations

 At the heart of the undergraduate course of study is the general education program. Its purpose is to ensure that all undergraduates will be introduced to the major methods of inquiry that characterize liberal study. Currently, approximately half of the undergraduate curriculum is designated for the general education program. Additionally, twenty-seven academic departments at Furman offer majors. Further, there are opportunities for interdisciplinary study, concentrations, and individualized majors. In accordance with the traditional assumptions of liberal education, both in-class and out-of-class programs are designed to develop the whole person – intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Recently, Furman underwent a major review of the general education curriculum and calendar. Currently students enrool in three courses during the fall and spring terms and two courses in the winter term, each course carries four hours of credit. The recommendations of the Curriculum Review Committee were amended and approved by 80 percent of the faculty and 100 percent of the Board of Trustees. A new structure for general education courses and a two semester (plus May experience) calendar will go into effect in the fall of 2008.

The university is committed to liberal learning within a moral and ethical context. Furman challenges students, faculty, and staff to grow both in knowledge and in faith. The university values excellent teaching and close student-faculty relationships. Small classes, individual instruction, empathetic advising, and personal attention promote active learning and cultivate intellectual curiosity. The student to faculty ratio is 11.5 to 1.

Furman aspires to be a diverse community of women and men of different races, religions, geographic origins, socioeconomic backgrounds, personal characteristics, and interests. This diversity reflects values the university hopes to embody: openness, honesty, tolerance and mutual respect, civic responsibility, global awareness, and bold intellectual inquiry. These values foster a critical examination of inherited assumptions, even as they protect freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas. Furman further aspires to offer students greater responsibility for their learning, to develop their self-confidence, and to hone their leadership potential.

Engaging the Future: A Strategic Plan
for Furman 2004-2006

 Grounded in the Furman 2001 strategic plan that featured an array of initiatives promoting Furman’s distinctive commitment to engaged learning, the most recent strategic plan challenges the university to raise its sights and address new needs while sustaining those current initiatives that have proven successful. The new strategic plan envisions information technology as an organic feature of the Furman experience, affecting virtually every aspect of the university community. The full strategic plan is summarized in Final Version of the 2004-2006 Strategic Plan: “Engaging the Future”.

Characteristics of the Student Body

Undergraduate
The university seeks highly motivated students with inquisitive minds, varied perspectives, a sense of personal integrity and moral responsibility, and the potential to be leaders who make future contributions to society. Many Furman students plan to enter professions such as education, law, and medicine; about 40 percent of the graduating class go directly into graduate or professional schools.

 There are 2,804 undergraduates enrolled with 2,299 attending full-time. Women account for 56 percent of the undergraduate population. Ninety percent of undergraduates reside on campus. Following are data indicating the racial/ethnic composition of the undergraduate population: one percent international (non-USA residents); 6 percent Black, non-Hispanic; less than 1 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native; just under 2 percent Asian or Pacific Islander; 1 percent Hispanic; 87 percent White, non-Hispanic; and 3 percent of unknown race/ethnicity. Seventy-one percent of all undergraduates are from out of state, excluding the international students.

The average GPA of this year's entering freshmen was 3.83, with 93 percent holding a 3.0 or above. Sixty-four percent graduated in the top tenth of their class. Twenty-one percent scored between 1400 and 1600 on the SAT, and the middle 50 percent of freshmen scored between 1200 and 1399.

Graduate

The academic reputation of Furman University attracts graduate students in education who are characterized by a dedication to teaching and leadership, a desire for the most up-to-date professional knowledge and practice, and a willingness to commit time and energy to becoming outstanding educators.

The graduate program for educators serves a population of teachers who are certified in South Carolina or another state, the majority of whom are presently full-time professional educators pursuing graduate studies on a part-time basis, defined at Furman as a minimum of one three-hour course per term. As working professionals from upstate South Carolina, they are also exclusively non-residential students. Because of the nature of Furman’s graduate population, enrollment varies from term to term. In the fall 2005 term, there were 209 graduate students with women representing 79 percent of that number. Following are the data indicating the racial/ethnic composition of the graduate program: 87 percent White, non-Hispanic; 9 percent Black, non-Hispanic; slightly more than 1 percent Hispanic; and no Asian or international students. Six students identified race as other or unknown.

 Characteristics of the Faculty

 There are 220 full-time and 52 part-time undergraduate instructional faculty. Ninety-seven percent of the full-time faculty hold the doctorate or other terminal degree. The percentage of full and part-time faculty who represent minority racial or ethnic groups is 7.5 with less than 1 percent who are international. Thirty-seven percent of full and part-time faculty are women.

Since Furman is primarily an undergraduate institution, the university does not have a designated graduate faculty. Instead, graduate courses in education are taught by members of the Education Department assigned to teach graduate courses as a part of their annual five-course teaching load and by adjunct faculty from the surrounding professional education community. During the 2005-2006 academic year, there are nine full- and part-time Furman faculty and 12 adjuncts teaching in the graduate program. Of the 21faculty,four and a half percent are Black, non-Hispanic; four and a half percent are Native American; 4.5 percent are Asian; and 85.5 percent are White, non-Hispanic. Sixty-two percent of the faculty teaching in the graduate program are women.

 Professional Education Unit

 There are 15 full-time faculty, one full-time administrative staff (Director of Graduate Studies in Education), and one part-time clinical faculty assigned to the professional education unit as members of the Department of Education. Within the unit, the department chair serves as the Director of Teacher Education. In addition, one faculty member serves as Director of Partnerships and Special Projects and NCATE Coordinator. Refer to the Professional Education Unit Organizational Chart.

Additionally, there are 9 faculty who are considered professional education faculty, but are assigned to other academic departments. Refer to Table 2 for the Academic Rank of Professional Education Faculty. (This table does not include adjunct faculty.)

Programs for the Initial Preparation of Teachers
(Undergraduate and Post-baccalaureate)

The Education Department offers a major in education (elementary), preparation for certification in grades 2-6 (elementary), and preparation for certification in approved academic disciplines for grades 9-12 or K-12. The Teacher Education Program is comprised of four-year programs of undergraduate teacher preparation in music and physical education. Elementary, secondary, and languages are initial certification programs that occur in extended post-baccalaureate preparation during the fifth year. Refer to the Structure of the Teacher Education Program.

Programs for the Continuing Preparation of Teachers and Other Professional School Personnel

The second component of the Professional Education Unit is the graduate program, which exists as a service program to teachers and other professional school personnel in the upstate of South Carolina. The program contributes significantly to the improvement of education in the larger “community” of which Furman is a part.

In this document, the graduate program in education refers to the M.A. programs offered through the Department of Education for teachers and other professional school personnel. Within the Master of Arts program in education, one advanced degree concentration is available for the preparation of other professional school personnel in school leadership. Three initial certification concentrations are also available for the continued preparation of teachers in special education (emotional/behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and mental disabilities), early childhood education, and TESOL. In South Carolina, school leadership is classified by the South Carolina Department of Education as an advanced certification while special education, early childhood, and TESOL are endorsements that may be added to an initial certificate. The Specialized Professional Associations (CEC, NAEYC, and TESOL), however, consider the latter three to be “initial” if they are the first certificate in that area. Furman’s post-baccalaureate candidates participating in the fifth year program of certification – known as the Teacher to Teacher Program (explained in the following section titled “Highlights and Initiatives of the Professional Education Unit) - may use the induction year, graduate level course work to replace three of the traditional core courses in the master’s degree program. These courses in combination with additional prescribed courses in special education, early childhood, or TESOL will lead to a master’s degree as well as add an endorsement to each candidate’s initial certification in elementary, secondary, or foreign languages.

Refer to Table 1 for the Professional Programs Offered by the Unit and Status of Program Reviews, following.

Table 1

Professional Programs Offered by the Unit and Status of Program Reviews

* ITP = Initial Teacher Preparation; ADV = Advanced Preparation
** Nationally recognized; conditionally recognized; not recognized

Table 2
Academic Rank of Professional Education Faculty
Academic Year 2005-2006

Highlights and Initiatives of the Professional Education Unit

 The Education Department has a history of being active in grant projects that enhance the preparation of educators who are scholars and leaders. Grants that have concluded during the past five years are: USDOE Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement grant (shared with University of South Carolina, Benedict College, and Winthrop University); BellSouth “Recreating Colleges of Teacher Education”; Kellogg Foundation “Diversity in Education and Teacher Education” (through the National Network for Educational Renewal and shared with Benedict College); Wilson Foundation “Teachers as Scholars”; NSF “Constructing Physics Understanding” (directed by San Diego State University); USDOE "Project Jericho" technology partnership project, shared with Clemson University; The Duke Endowment “Northwest Crescent and Child Development Center” projects; SC State Title II Partnership “Standards and Assessment in Teacher Education Project”; and USDOE Technology Innovation Challenge Grant, “Village Green Project”, shared with Greenville Technology and Learning Consortium and Greenville County Schools. While funding for these initiatives has ceased, the impact on Furman’s programs for preparation of educators has remained. Ongoing and new initiatives may be found on the Education Department website Initiatives.

Teacher to Teacher Program
During the senior year, elementary and secondary teacher candidates form a cohort for their professional education requirements. The “senior block” is an integrated set of team-planned, team-taught, and team-supervised courses and practicum field experiences. The elementary senior block is comprised of three courses and a practicum in teaching: Assessment for Planning and Instruction; Diverse School Cultures: Teaching, Learning, and Management; and Integration of Curriculum and Technology. The faculty consists of at least four professors, as well as one practitioner who is shared between one district and Furman University. The secondary senior block consists of two courses and a practicum in teaching: Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Grades 9-12 and a content methods course specific to the area of certification being sought.

At the end of the senior block year, candidates graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education (elementary) or in the major related to secondary or language certification. They may be eligible to be employed as induction teachers in classrooms the following fall. During the induction year they earn a total of 12-15 hours of graduate credit – six hours of Teaching Internship (6 hours), Best Practices for Beginning Teachers (3 hours) (a state requirement to support induction teachers), and Inquiry and Research in the Classroom (3-6 hours). Course work focuses on the teacher and classroom students through discussions, readings, demonstration of best practices, and the Teacher Work Sample Project. The state-adopted Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching (ADEPT) system of performance based assessment and evaluation of teaching and also the standards promoted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), guide the presentation of best practices and inform the inquiry and research that candidates undertake during the induction year.

The Teacher to Teacher program requires candidates for grades 2-6 (elementary), grades PK-12 (languages), or grades 9-12 (secondary) to complete between 396 and 616 hours of incremental field experiences that are fully integrated into course work and practica. Prior to the senior block term, teacher candidates have a full-time early experience in the classroom at the beginning of school year. That same placement is used throughout the senior year for field experiences associated with upper-level methods courses and the full-time senior block practicum. The teaching internship occurs the fall after graduation and is conducted over 16-18 weeks. Candidates who are induction teachers are assigned a school district mentor who has time released from classroom duties to support the candidate. Teacher candidates who complete the fall-only teaching internship (not employed) are placed with a cooperating teacher. Both induction teachers and fall-only interns are co-mentored by university faculty.

Another distinctive feature of the Teacher to Teacher model is the amount and quality of mentoring provided to the induction teacher in conjunction with the resources committed by the districts. One district shares the salary for the Teacher to Teacher Coordinator (The district contributes 80 % of the coordinator's salary and full benefits.) Among other duties, the Coordinator also serves as a mentor to first year teachers in her district. All three partner districts commit the following human resources: master teachers released from teaching responsibilities to serve as mentors of the Furman University induction teachers (paid by the district), and one district administrator to serve as the liaison to the Teacher to Teacher program. The induction salaries and benefits are other resources committed by the district to the program. The university commits extensive faculty time for supervision and co-mentoring, involving the expertise of multiple faculty when needed, and administrative time devoted to overseeing the university/district partnerships.

Note: candidates who do not complete the fall-only teaching internship or the Teacher to Teacher supported induction year experience are considered “non-certifiers”. As such, they are not reported as program completers nor are they recommended for certification.