Overview of the Institution and the Unit

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION____________________________________________________________
This institutional report is designed to provide the visiting joint accreditation team from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) with documentation on the status of, changes within, and improvements to our teacher education programs since our previous accreditation visit in 1999. Like other higher education institutions in the late 20th and early 21st century, National College of Education (NCE) and National-Louis University (NLU) have faced challenge as well as opportunity. We are proud of how we have addressed our challenges and of our accomplishments, and we are pleased to be able to offer this documentation.

Our Conceptual Framework, “A Professional Community Advocating for all Learners,” has served as a compass throughout the period since our last accreditation visit and remains a steady guide as we continue to fulfill our mission. The Conceptual Framework articulates the vision we share in our professional community and shape our purposes and goals. Our vision celebrates the power of multiple forms of diversity and honors the unique strengths and needs of all persons. Our vision recognizes that each person learns within specific and diverse contexts within or beyond our community. This powerful and nuanced view of diversity, though simply stated as a commitment to all learners, under girds our educational philosophy and mission. We believe in the power of inquiry and reflection as tools for constructing meaning (knowledge) from existing theory and from practice. Our Conceptual Framework, therefore, demands that all members of our learning community act upon our knowledge and beliefs, model best practices, collaborate, and advocate for advancement in educational quality and opportunity for all learners.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INSTITUTION________________________________________________
National-Louis University is a large private institution, with a student population exceeding 14,000. NLU offers a wide range of degree and certification programs, from pre-baccalaureate to doctoral, through its three colleges:

• National College of Education
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Management and Business
  

The University is unusual in that it developed from and with an education school, which continues to be the largest college within the University. Dr. Curtis McCray, NLU President, has described National College of Education (NCE) as the “point of the arrow” in the university. National College of Education enjoys an especially collegial relationship with the College of Arts and Sciences. The liberal arts and general education curriculum, originally developed in NCE, was the basis of the foundation of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1981 (see the Exhibit Room [ER] for a more detailed historical overview of the College and University), and many current faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences were originally NCE faculty. They deeply understand teacher education in the contexts of their disciplines.

The two schools work closely to schedule classes (including creating and/or adapting courses to meet standards) to address student needs, and to coordinate undergraduate student advising. Most undergraduates enter NLU through the College of Arts and Sciences. Faculty in both colleges worked together to develop the new articulated Baccalaureate-Master of Arts in Teaching (BA-MAT) program in secondary education and the new School Counselor program. Furthermore, both colleges have collaborated on the Illinois Teacher Education Partnership grant (ER: grant documents). The Center for Academic Development, managed by the College of Arts and Sciences, benefits students in all three colleges. For example, CAD provides workshops to prepare candidates for the Illinois Basic Skills Test (see http://www3.nl.edu/centers/cad/services.cfm). Through the Provost’s Office, all three colleges assist one another to develop relationships with area community colleges. Furthermore, faculty and administrators from all three colleges collaborate on central policy committees such as the President’s Extended Cabinet, the Provost’s Team, and the Council for Enrollment Management.

NCE and the university that has grown up around it have remained true to their roots in progressive, constructivist educational principles and a mission oriented toward social justice. From its beginnings in 1886 as Miss Harrison’s Training School, for kindergarten teachers, in the heart of Chicago, the University has focused upon a commitment to improving the lives of children, adults, and organizations. For example, NCE was instrumental in the founding of the PTA and later played a major role in launching the national Head Start program. More information on the history of NCE is in the ER.

Characteristics of the NLU Student Body
National-Louis University has an enrollment of over 13,000 students. Over half of these are National College of Education students. The vast majority of NLU students, even at the undergraduate level, are working adults and many also contribute to or are the chief source of income for their families. The College and University have worked hard to accommodate the needs of these working adults by scheduling and locating classes that are convenient to our students. Consequently, most of our classes are offered during the late afternoon and evening. Further, we have developed multiple academic centers, including five in the Chicagoland area to bring our programs to our students. The addition of on-line programs in Interdisciplinary Studies and Early Childhood Education also helps us reach out to candidates who might not otherwise be able to participate in our programs (ER [Exhibit Room]: program descriptions, see also: http://www3.nl.edu/academics/distanceedprograms.cfm).