Delta State was one of just 14 institutions nationwide recognized for its commitment to great teaching and student success.
The recognition came at the American Council on Education’s 99th annual meeting in Washington, D.C., considered one of the nation’s most distinguished higher education events.
Delta State and the 13 other institutions recognized have adopted the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) as a scalable solution to train faculty in effective teaching. The 14 schools were introduced as the founding class of ACUE’s partners. ACUE was founded by leaders in higher education to ensure that all college students receive great instruction. Through a landmark collaboration with the American Council on Education, ACUE provides the only comprehensive, scalable, and high-quality program to credential faculty in the evidence-based teaching practices necessary for student success.
Delta State University Provost Dr. Charles McAdams attended the meeting.
“Our participation in the ACUE program and our efforts to raise funds and implement our Center for Teaching and Learning are critical for one very important reason — the single most important factor in student success is good teaching,” said McAdams. “While there are many other factors that can impact students in significant ways, effective teaching is still critical to our students staying in school and completing their degree. We have several initiatives that address important factors of student success, such as 15 is Full-Time, Academic Maps, or Proactive Advising. By emphasizing quality teaching we help all of our students be successful.”
“I was pleased to be at the American Council on Education annual meeting when Delta State was recognized as a partner with ACUE,” added McAdams. “We were congratulated for our efforts to focus attention on the importance of good teaching and its relationship to student success. It is part of the responsibility of administration to support our faculty with the tools and professional development needed to maximize our effectiveness and increase student success.”
McAdams added that the course in “Effective Teaching Practices” by ACUE is the best professional development tool available to support faculty.
The announcement marks the first anniversary of ACE and ACUE’s landmark collaboration to promote excellence in college teaching. Inaugural ACUE partners represent a diverse set of institutions, from every sector of higher education, including large public flagship universities, a state system of higher education, a community college, and a private liberal arts school among others.
Nationwide, higher education employs over one million college educators whose responsibility is to teach. These instructional faculty rarely receive comprehensive training in the evidence-based teaching practices that promote student retention, graduation and deeper levels of learning. ACE and ACUE’s collaboration was born out of this recognition.
Faculty at each of the 14 founding partner institutions are participating in ACUE’s online course in Effective Teaching Practices, the first comprehensive and scalable program to train and credential instructional faculty in the essentials of college teaching. As part of the collaboration, ACE has completed an independent review of ACUE’s course and endorsed the program and certificate awarded to faculty who complete the course.
“Given the needs of today’s students and the transformation of the professoriate, the omission of a comprehensive instructional development program is glaring,” said Kevin Reilly, president emeritus of the University of Wisconsin System and a member of ACUE’s board of advisors. “Institutions can and should do more to involve their faculty in student success initiatives. ACUE provides the training and support that these faculty seek.”
On Sunday, leaders from ACUE’s inaugural class participated in a panel to discuss their partnerships and share insights about how they are implementing ACUE’s program. The panel included Miami Dade College Provost Lenore Rodicio, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Provost Jane Gates, and The University of Southern Mississippi Vice Provost Amy Chasteen Miller.
The 14 institutions honored were:
-Delta State University
-Arizona State University
-California State University, Los Angeles
-The City College of the City University of New York
-Colorado State University
-The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system
-Goucher College
-Miami Dade College
-New Jersey City University
-Rutgers University—Newark
-The University of Colorado Denver
-The University of Nevada, Reno
-The University of Southern Mississippi
-West Virginia University
For more information, visit acue.org.
