Teacher Education Candidate Review Committee

Teacher candidates have a special responsibility to be positive role models in their classes, in their placements and in the community. The teacher certification process involves assessing “professional dispositions.” In that context, SUNY Cortland has identified important dispositions for all teacher education candidates to emulate. Each department may set its own individual disposition requirements in addition to those identified by the College.

The Teacher Education Council (TEC) has charged a subcommittee, the Teacher Education Candidate Review Committee (TECRC), with reviewing applications to the teacher education program, developing a rubric for evaluation, assessing candidate qualifications at various checkpoints and notifying students of the committee’s decision.

The TECRC reviews information about student behavior involving any violation of codes, regulations and laws such as alcohol violations, academic dishonesty and violent behavior. Regarding more serious behavioral problems, the student must inform the TECRC of any charges brought against him or her. This requirement applies to: driving while intoxicated (DWI), drug possession, a crime against a child or physical assault.

All teacher candidates need to know this information, and teacher education programs are offered in each school.

Arts and Sciences – Adolescence education programs: English, mathematics, social studies, foreign languages, TESOL and the sciences — biology, Earth science, physics and chemistry.

Education – childhood, early childhood, inclusive special education, literacy, educational leadership.

Professional Studies – health education, physical education, speech and language disabilities.

There are two critical stages to your progress in a teacher education program. The first is admission into the program itself. The second is approval for student teaching. At each of these stages – known as checkpoints – the TECRC reviews students. If you are between these two stages, you are obliged to self-disclose any charges brought against you.

• First Review: You are asked to complete an Application to Teacher Education at the time designated by the program and according to the program’s specific admissions criteria. This application includes a set of questions related to good moral character. Any application that contains a “yes” answer to one or more of the questions is forwarded to the TECRC.

For graduate students, admission to the College and application to the program are typically simultaneous.

• Second Review: Near the end of your program, when you enter the semester prior to student teaching, program coordinators facilitate the completion of an application to student teach by potential candidates. They forward that application to the Field Experience and School Partnerships Office. From that office, the list of next semester’s student teachers is forwarded to several offices on campus and the TECRC. All potential student teachers are reviewed at this point, which is also known as checkpoint

What kinds of issues must I disclose to my associate dean? Any violation of the student code, the academic integrity policy, local, state or federal law must be disclosed. In addition, some cases where charges have been brought must be disclosed. See next question.

If my case is pending, do I still have to disclose? If you are charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), drug possession, a crime against a child or physical assault you have to disclose the charge within five business days.

Do drinking tickets downtown, or in my hometown, need to be disclosed? No matter the location, violations of the law have to be disclosed; this includes drinking tickets. Some charges have to be disclosed as well.

If I forgot a violation in my past, does that matter? Yes. TECRC will read that as a “failure to disclose” which will in turn increase the risk that you will be denied entry into a program or delayed in the program.

Who serves on the TECRC?

• Associate deans from the three schools: Arts and Sciences, Education and Professional Studies
• Faculty representatives from the three schools
• A representative from the Student Conduct Office
• A representative from the Academic Grievance Tribunal
• A representative from the Admissions Office

When does the TECRC meet? Typically the committee meets every two weeks during the academic semesters. There is one meeting over winter break, and there are at least two meetings during summer break.

Are TECRC meetings open? Due to the confidential nature of the decisions rendered by the TECRC, the meetings are not open to non-members, and minutes of the meetings are not publically posted. Students are informed of TECRC decisions by email and/or hardcopy mail.

If I have a different TECRC question, whom should I contact? Contact the associate dean of your school.

If you are in a teacher education program, you are required to self-disclose a wide variety of behaviors prior to your review in the semester before student teaching (checkpoint 5).

Typically, you must reveal violations of the student code such as alcohol violations, fake ID offenses, residence hall policy violations, city tickets, etc. In addition you must report, within five business days, if you have been charged with any of the following: driving while intoxicated (DWI), drug possession, a crime against a child or physical assault.

Failure to disclose within five business days of the violation, or charge, delays and complicates evaluation by the TECRC. In its review, the TECRC may take the failure to disclose as a compounding factor, raising concerns about your integrity as a teacher candidate. It is always in your best interest to disclose fully and quickly.

In some courts, the presiding judge may choose to issue an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD or ACOD). This indicates that there are substantial reasons to hold the student in violation, but the student will be given a probationary period of several months to show good conduct. At the end, if all is well, the charge is dismissed.

If you have an ACD case, you must disclose that holding to your associate dean.

How can the TECRC affect my progress in a teacher education program?

Decisions of the TECRC may include one or more of the following:

• Deny or defer admission into the program
• Request for more information/hold
• Request for a reflection paper
• Require no fieldwork for specific period of time
• Send a letter of warning

For more information, contact the associate dean of your school.

School of Education

Kimberly Rombach
Education Building, Room 1239
kimberly.rombach@cortland.edu
607-753-5431

School of Arts and Sciences

Vincent DeTuri
Old Main, Room 125
vincent.deturi@cortland.edu
607-753-4314

School of Professional Studies

Eileen H. Gravani
Professional Studies Building, Room 1175
eileen.gravani@cortland.edu
607-753-2702