Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 4 of The Illinois Commitment
Partnering with 4-year Colleges on Community College Campuses: LCCC and Greenville College
Lewis & Clark Community College
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice?
There is a critical need for teachers in Illinois. The need is particularly acute in such disciplines as special education
and secondary mathematics and science, and in urban and rural schools. There is also an ongoing need for more
minority teachers. In addition, the high cost of tuition, the number of university-specific major courses that often
require community college graduates to complete three more years of courses to earn a baccalaureate degree, and
rising energy costs for commuting students make attendance at four-year institutions for some students prohibitive.
To increase the number of students who graduate with associate’s degrees and baccalaureate degrees in teacher
education, Lewis and Clark and Greenville College formed the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP) in
2003. The UTEP program allows Lewis and Clark students to complete an associate’s degree and the courses needed
for a major in education during the first two years of college at Lewis and Clark and then continue in the Greenville
College junior and senior level education courses while remaining on the campus of Lewis and Clark.
Description of the effective practice:
During the nearly two years of UTEP program planning, Lewis and Clark and Greenville College worked
collaboratively to develop the program. Among the planning principles were the concepts of a seamless transition for
students through their academic experience; joint programs and services that were transparent to students; a focus on
providing students with experiences in diverse schools; and whenever possible, joint admission to Lewis and Clark
and Greenville College with the same opportunity to complete the baccalaureate degree in education as native
Greenville students. As knowledge of the program has grown, it has become easier to identify UTEP majors from
their first appointments in the Lewis and Clark enrollment center. The benefit of this model to Lewis and Clark
students is increased access to affordable and flexible education on their own home campus; and for the two colleges,
an efficient use of resources.
Partnering with Greenville College in the undergraduate teacher education programs, as well as a master’s degree in
education program, and a baccalaureate degree completion program for adult learners, empowered Lewis and Clark to
engage in program planning with Missouri Baptist University in 2005-2006. Based on the same principles, this
partnership agreement includes baccalaureate degrees in Human Services, Management, Accounting, Administration
of Justice, Sports Management plus two master’s degrees. All degree programs will be offered on the campus of
Lewis and Clark Community College. The goal, as with Greenville College, is to increase the number of students
who will graduate with associate and bachelor’s degrees.
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
Sustainability is achieved through careful coordination and planning at several levels. Lewis and Clark’s general
education courses are approved by the IAI (Illinois Articulation Initiative) and the education courses are approved by
Greenville College under their ISBE and NCATE certification. The junior and senior level courses are taught on the
Lewis and Clark campus by Greenville College faculty, some of whom are full-time Lewis and Clark faculty who
teach as adjuncts for Greenville College in the UTEP program. Because of the emphasis on learning assessment by
both institutions, Lewis and Clark and Greenville have agreed on common course objectives, measurable learning
outcomes, and common learning assessments. All UTEP students and Greenville College native students use the
electronic portfolio software, Livetext, to document their learning.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
By way of example, in fall 2005 over 100 students were enrolled in baccalaureate programs offered by Greenville
College on the Lewis and Clark campus. It is anticipated that Missouri Baptist College will begin offering five
baccalaureate programs on the Lewis and Clark campus in spring 2007. If the enrollment growth experienced by
UTEP is any indication, these university programs on community college campuses will produce a significant number
of trained teachers and baccalaureate graduates who are likely to stay in their home communities and provide
professional services locally.
Contact Information
Name: Tom Wunderle
Email: twunderle@lc.edu
Phone: (618) 468-2004
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