Governance & Membership
The leadership and oversight of the UNI Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is marked by shared governance. The governing structure consists of:
- EPP Leadership Team (College of Education Dean, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Teacher Education, EPP Faculty Chair)
- Executive Council
- Elementary Teacher Education Senate
- Secondary Teacher Education Senate
- Graduate Licensure Council
- Associate Dean of Educator Preparation
- Clinical Placement Administrator and Licensing Advisor
The Educator Preparation faculty is part of the total University Faculty, as defined in Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution of the Faculty of the University of Northern Iowa. Affiliate members are university staff, such as professional and scientific and merit staff, who support the program. Standing committees with specific responsibilities related to maintaining and exceeding compliance requirements established by Chapter 79 report to the Executive Council, senates or graduate licensure council. The Executive Council also may appoint ad hoc committees as needed.
Members include required faculty voting memberships, voluntary voting memberships and non-voting affiliates. Membership automatically continues unless the member discontinues affiliation with the teacher education program or the university; has a leave of absence; or voluntary or affiliate members request to discontinue. Members can request a change of status by contacting Sarah Vander Zanden, Educator Preparation Faculty Chair.
Executive Council
- Dean, College of Education: Colleen Mulholland (chair)
- Dean, College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences: Maureen Clayton, Associate Dean (designee)
- Dean, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences: Brenda Bass
- Dean, College of Business Administration: Leslie Wilson
- Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education: Benjamin Forsyth, College of Education
- Educator Preparation Faculty Chair: Sarah VanderZanden, College of Education
- Lori Wurtz, CATS Secretary, College of Education
- Secondary Teacher Education Senate: Kevin Droe, School of Music, College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
- Elementary Teacher Education Senate: Amy Staples, Special Education
Graduate Licensure Council: Nicole Skaar, Educational Psychology, Foundations and Leadership Studies, College of Education
Teacher Education Senates & Council
Elementary Teacher Education Senate
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, COE (non-voting)
- Sarah VanderZanden, EPP Faculty Chair & Teacher Education Senate Chair (non-voting)
- Sheri Hoffman, Department of Teaching
- Amy Staples, Special Education
- Megan Lemke, Student Representative
- Scott Ellison, Educational Psychology, Foundations & Leadership Studies
- Audra Hootman, Middle Level
- Curriculum & Instruction (Elementary Education)
- Allison Pattee, Curriculum & Instruction (Early Childhood)
- Sam Eskelson, Mathematics Education
- Wendy Miller, Art Education
- Kim Hurley, Physical Education
- Sunah Chung, Curriculum & Instruction (Literacy)
Practitioner Representative
Secondary Teacher Education Senate
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, COE (non-voting)
- Sarah VanderZanden, EPP Faculty Chair & Teacher Education Senate Chair (non-voting)
- Morgan Anderson, Educational Psychology, Foundations & Leadership Studies
- Megan Balong, Department of Teaching
- Jennifer Anderson, Business Education
- Chad Christopher, Social Sciences/History Education
- Kimberly Conner, Mathematics Education
- Lawrence Escalada, Science Education
- Sheila Benson , English Education
- Hilal Ergül, TESOL/World Languages
- Kyle Rudick, Communication-Theatre Education
- Lisa Riedle, Technology & Engineering (non-voting)
- Kevin Droe, Music Education
- Samantha Goss, Art Education
- David Hernandez-Saca, Special Education
- Sarah Farias, Physical Education/Health Education
- Ben Schafer, Computer Science Education
- Meggan Barrow, Student Representative
- Mike Hansel, Practitioner Representative
Graduate Licensure Council
- Rebecca Dickinson, Social Work
- Joan Bessman-Taylor, Library Science
- Olivia Chen, Counseling
- Jennifer Garrett, Speech-Language Pathology
- Kenneth Hayes, Principal Preparation Program
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Chair (non-voting)
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, EPP (non-voting) COE
- Nicole Skaar, School Psychology
Boards & Committees
Advisory Boards
Undergraduate Teacher Education Student Advisory Council
Assessment Committee
- Benjamin Forsyth, COE
- Aliza Fones, CHAS
- Chepina Rumsey, CHAS
- Mandie Sanderman, COE
- Stephanie Schmitz, COE
- Sarah Vander Zanden EPP Faculty (Chair) (ex officio), COE
Clinical Committee
- Megan Balong, (Co-Chair), COE
- Samantha Goss, CHAS
- Sherri Hoffman, COE
- Mandie Sanderman, COE
- Catherine Miller, CHAS
- Mary Beth Rygh, COE
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex-officio), CHAS
Convocation Committee
- Allison Barness, COE
- Chad Christopher, CSBS
- Lawrence Escalada, CHAS
- Benjamin Forsyth
(Chair), COE - Stacy McGauvran-Hruby, COE
- Denise Tallakson, COE
- Amy Curley, COE
- Jenny Connolly, COE
- Becky Hawbaker, COE
- Lori Wurtz, CATS Secretary (non-voting), COE
Curriculum Committee
- Chad Christopher (Chair), CSBS
- JD Cryer, Elementary, COE
- Alison Beharka, Secondary, CHAS
- Benjamin Forsyth, COE
- Meredith Pecinovsky, COE
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), COE
Diversity Committee
- Heather Gallivan
(Chair), CHAS - Amy Staples, COE
- Hilal Ergül, CHAS
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), COE
Faculty Committee
- Ashley Jorgensen (Chair), COE
- Kevin Droe, CHAS
- Allison Pattee, COE
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Faculty (Chair),
COE - Lori Wurtz, CATS Secretary (non-voting), COE
Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee
- Wendy Miller (Chair), CHAS
- Amy Lockhart, COE
- Benjamin Forsyth, Chair, COE
- Barbara Gager, COE
- Sarah Vander Zanden, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), CHAS