Office of the Dean
Shared Governance
Shared governance, the set of practices under which faculty, staff and students participate in significant decisions regarding the operations of the institution, is a hallmark of all great universities and colleges. The College of Education understands the importance of broad participation and collaborative decision making and is proud of its shared governance structure. The interdependence among constituent groups at all levels of the college requires complex coordination, excellent communication among the levels, and appropriate joint planning and execution. Faculty, staff and students, through their representatives in the College Senate, are invested in the College’s success and fulfillment of its mission.
The organization of the College is complex – including both an academic organization as well as a management system. The Plan of Organization provides a framework for collaborative planning in the systematic decision–making process as it relates to academic decisions and management.
College of Education Plan of Organization-2022 Minor Revisions.pdf
- The Faculty Policies are now on the ELMS Site.
The College Assembly provides a means for faculty, staff, and students to: fulfill their responsibilities in carrying out the mission of the College, promote the general welfare, and achieve high standards of teaching, research and service.
The functions of the CEA shall include:
- to provide regularly for the collective expression of faculty , staff, and student concerns and viewpoints;
- to provide for full communication among the faculty, staff, and students of the college and the university community;
- to promote collaborative efforts in areas relating to the purpose of the College of Education;
- to formulate instruments, policies, and procedures relevant to governance;
- to act as the referendum body for the College of Education;
- to participate in activities relating to the organization and management of the College and its administrative units.
The College Senate is the representative body chosen to take action on behalf of the faculty, staff, and student in all matters pertaining to governance within the College in fulfilling its responsibilities. Delegates to the College of Education Senate include: three representative faculty members from each department, elected in staggered terms, as well as two at-large faculty senators, plus the offices of chair and chair-elect; two exempt persons and one non-exempt person elected at large; and one doctoral student, one master’s student, and one undergraduate student elected at large by each respective category of student.
The College of Education Assembly entrusts the College of Education Senate to:
- Interpret and implement the purposes and functions of the Assembly.
- Establish standing and ad hoc committees to carry out responsibilities as needed.
- Receive and act upon reports of committees.
- Report its actions, policy proposals, and recommendations to the Assembly.
- Communicate faculty, staff, and student points of view.
- Approve agenda of the College Assembly.
- Receive, consider, and refer appeals and grievances.
- Review and approve departmental plans of organization.
- Perform other functions as approved by the Assembly.
- Advise the Dean on membership to committees that he/she establishes.
Each spring, the College of Education recognizes the outstanding contributions of its community members through the College of Education Awards. These awards are managed by the college senate.
We encourage you to nominate yourself or someone in the college community for one of the following awards:
- Excellence in Teaching Awards
- Excellence in Mentoring Awards (Graduate and Faculty)
- Excellence in Scholarship (Tenured, Pre-Tenured & Professional-Track)
- Excellence in Outreach/Partnership Award
- Excellence in Service Award
- Outstanding Staff Awards
- Outstanding Student Awards (Undergraduate, Masters & Doctoral)
- ÉòоÓïÀÏʦ¼Ò·ÃÂ黨ÊÓƵ COE Excellence in School-Based Mentoring Award
- ÉòоÓïÀÏʦ¼Ò·ÃÂ黨ÊÓƵ COE Excellence in Field-Based Supervision Award
Timeline for 2026 Submissions
March 27, 2026 Application submission deadline
March 31, 2026 Application reviewed for completion, and incomplete application nominators notified
April 3, 2026 Complete Materials Submitted to Dean's Office
May 8, 2026 Awards Ceremony as Part of Faculty Assembly
For questions about the College of Education Awards, please email the college senate at coesenate@umd.edu.