Kathleen Cepelka, associate dean of the School of Education, said advisers are currently working with students in the School of Education on an individual basis to inform them about the new college.,”The School of Education will become the College of Education next fall, allowing students to have a primary major in education and graduate a semester earlier than the current program allows.

Kathleen Cepelka, associate dean of the School of Education, said advisers are currently working with students in the School of Education on an individual basis to inform them about the new college. Students coming in as freshmen next year will automatically enter into the College of Education, while current freshmen and sophomores will have the option of switching to a course of study for the College of Education or remaining with the School of Education, Cepelka said. All juniors and seniors will remain in the School of Education.

Cepelka said the primary difference between the new college and the current school is that students in the college will have education as their primary major and their content major as a secondary major, a reversal of the current arrangement. Students will still be required to have two majors.

Cepelka said so far many students have shown enthusiasm about the formation of the College of Education.

"We've been meeting with all the advisees, and frankly they seem pretty excited because they know they're moving efficiently toward their goal of licensing," she said.

Cepelka said one of the major benefits of the program will be that within the College of Education, students will be able to graduate in four years while still completing their student teaching requirement, which currently takes students an extra semester to fulfill.

Patrick Mitoraj, a freshman in the College of Communication who plans to pursue a degree from the College of Education, said he is glad that the time required to complete the degree will be shortened with the new college.

"I think that's definitely a good thing because it will save me money and time, and I'll be able to get a job sooner," Mitoraj said.

Caroline Schnecke, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences who plans to enroll in the College of Education next year, also said she is excited about the college.

Schnecke said one of the biggest improvements associated with the new college will be the development of a unified identity for education majors.

"At freshmen convocation they called out all the colleges and everyone stood up for their college, but we were all unsure about what to do and which one we were associated with," she said. "Now we can say we're education majors."

Gabrielle Francis, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences pursuing a degree in history and education, said she wishes she could take part in the change.

"I understand that there always has to be a cutoff for things like this, but it would have been nice to graduate with a degree from the college," Francis said. "I'm very happy with the School of Education's program, but part of me feels a little cheated that everyone a year younger and so on is getting that recognition."

Francis also said she fears that graduating in four and a half years, which is what the School of Education program requires, will hinder her in the search for a job after graduation.

"I think that graduating in December of '09 instead of June of '09 puts me at a disadvantage as far as the job market goes, because it's such awkward timing," she said. "That is probably the most frustrating."

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