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 Elizabeth Hughes, Educator Preparation Faculty Chair.
Executive Council
- Colleen Mulholland (Chair), Dean, College of Education
- Mary Black, Dean, College of Education
- Maureen Clayton, Associate Dean, College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
- Brenda Bass, Dean, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences,
- Leslie Wilson, Dean, College of Business Administration
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, Educator Preparation, College of Education
- Elizabeth Hughes, Educator Preparation Faculty (Chair), College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
- Margo Baugh, Secretary to the Dean, COE
- Sam Eskelson, Associate Professor, Mathematics, Secondary Teacher Education Senate
- Amy Staples, Special Education, Elementary Teacher Education Senate
Nicole Skaar, Professor, Learning, Leadership and Community; Graduate Licensure Council, College of Education
Teacher Education Senates & Council
Elementary Teacher Education Senate
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, COE (non-voting)
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty Chair & Teacher Education Senate Chair, CHAS (non-voting)
- Tim Weih, Literacy (Dept. of Literacy, Early Childhood & Special Education)
- Dawn Mollenkopf, Early Childhood (Dept. of Literacy, Early Childhood & Special Education)
- Amy Staples, Special Education (Dept. of Literacy, Early Childhood & Special Education)
- Morgan Anderson, (Dept. of Educational Foundations & Professional Experiences)
- Dana Atwood-Blaine, Elementary Education (Dept. of Elementary & Middle Level Education)
- Audra Hootman, Middle Level Education (Dept. of Elementary & Middle Level Education)
- Kevin Droe, Music Education (School of Music)
- Wendy Miller, Art Education (Dept. of Art)
- Sam Eskelson, Mathematics Education (Dept. of Mathematics)
- Kim Hurley, Physical Education
- Teresa Pham, Student Representative
- Kristen Schrock, Practitioner Representative
Sunah Chung, Curriculum & Instruction (Literacy)
Secondary Teacher Education Senate
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, COE (non-voting)
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty Chair & Teacher Education Senate Chair, CHAS (non-voting)
- Theresa Hirst, Special Education (Dept. of Literacy, Early Childhood & Special Education)
- Megan Balong, Educational Foundations & Professional Experiences
- Jennifer Anderson, Business Education
- Chad Christopher, Social Sciences, History Education
- Alison Beharka, Science Education
- Sheila Benson , English Education
- Joshua Gordon, TESOL/World Languages
- Kyle Rudick, Communication-Theatre Education
- Lisa Riedle, Technology & Engineering (non-voting)
- Kevin Droe, Music Education
- Samantha Goss, Art Education
- Heather Gallivan, Mathematics Education
- Ben Schafer, Computer Science Education
- Brianna Carroll, Student Representative
- Joshua Wilkinson, 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
- Elizabeth Hughes, 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, Associate Dean, Ed. Prep.
- Aliza Fones, CHAS
- Chepina Rumsey, CHAS
- Stephanie Schmitz, COE
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair) (ex officio), CHAS
- Karinne Tharladson, (Chair), Associate Dean, Assessment Clinical Experiences, COE
Clinical Committee
- Megan Balong, (Chair), Clinical Faculty, Ed. Foundations & Prof. Experiences, COE
- Erika Bass, Secondary Non-COE
- Shelly Bromwich, Early Childhood
- Leasha Henriksen. Student Teaching K-12
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex-officio), CHAS
- Amy Lockhart, Elementary Education
- Katie Simpson, Middle Level
- Karinne Tharladson, Associate Dean, Assessment & Clinical Experiences
Convocation Committee
- Allison Barness, Faculty, COE
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, Ed. Prep., COE
- Stacy McGauvran-Hruby, Marketing & Communications Manager, COE
- Amy Curley, Events Coordinator, COE
- Jenny Connolly, (Chair), Director of COE Advising
- Jordan Wells, Secretary III, CATS Office
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), CHAS
Curriculum Committee
- Chad Christopher (Co-Chair), Secondary (CSBS)
- JD Cryer,(Co-Chair), Elementary, COE
- Lawrence Escalada, Secondary, (CHAS)
- Benjamin Forsyth, Associate Dean, Ed. Prep., COE
- Meredith Pecinovsky, CATS Advisor
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), CHAS
Diversity Committee
- Heather Gallivan
(Chair), CHAS - Amy Staples, COE
- Hilal Ergül, CHAS
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), CHAS
- David Hernandez-Saca, COE
Faculty Committee
- Ashley Jorgensen (Chair), COE
- Kevin Droe, (Chair), CHAS
- Allison Pattee, COE
- Elizabeth Hughes, EPP Faculty (Chair), (ex officio), CHAS
- Lori Wurtz, CATS Placement Office Secretary III (non-voting), COE
Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee
- Wendy Miller (Chair), CHAS
- Amy Lockhart, Ed. Foundations & Prof. Experiences, COE
- Barbara Gager, CAS Office Advisor, COE
- Mary Beth Rygh, Student Teaching Coordinator
- Karinne Tharaldson, Associate Dean, Assessment & Clinical Experiences
- Sarah VAnder Zanden, EPP Faculty Chair (Past)