The teacher and special education preparation pathways coordinator works in the Department of Teacher and Special Education at Central Michigan University and supports multiple educator preparation pathway programs. This position provides leadership and coordination for program operations, candidate advising, recruitment, reporting, clinical placement processes, and accreditation-related activities. Working closely with the department chairperson, program directors, faculty, the Office of Educator Preparation, and PK-12 partners, the coordinator promotes candidate success while ensuring effective program implementation and compliance with university, state, and accreditation require
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree.
Three years of progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, program management, student services, advising, educator preparation, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
Demonstrated experience utilizing databases, student information systems, or enterprise software.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to interpret and apply policies, regulations, and procedures.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in education, higher education administration, educational leadership, student affairs, public administration, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience working with educator preparation programs, teacher certification, or clinical field placements.
Demonstrated experience supporting accreditation, assessment, compliance, or program reporting activities.
Demonstrated experience with Watermark Student Learning & Licensure or similar systems.
Demonstrated experience with academic advising in higher education.
Demonstrated experience working with grant-funded initiatives, PK-12 partnerships, or workforce development programs.
Knowledge of Michigan educator certification requirements and Michigan Department of Education processes.
Duties & Responsibilities
Coordinates the day-to-day operations for multiple educator preparation pathway programs within the Teacher and Special Education program.
Works collaboratively with undergraduate and graduate faculty program directors, department leadership, and university offices to support student advising, candidate progression, course scheduling, transcript and credit reviews, enrollment management, and program reporting.
Supports recruitment, outreach, enrollment, and marketing initiatives through partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including statewide workforce development efforts.
Collaborates with the college’s assistant director of marketing and communications to facilitate program-level recruitment efforts and develop marketing materials.
Collaborates with the Office of Educator Preparation to manage clinical placements, mentor teacher verification, candidate tracking, and educator licensure requirements.
Maintains program data, reporting systems, SharePoint sites, websites, and other operational resources while ensuring compliance with accreditation, state reporting, and university requirements.
Coordinates and maintains the master course schedule, working with faculty, CMU Online, the Registrar’s Office, and the Office of Graduate Studies to address student and program needs.
Collaborates with faculty, staff and department leadership ensure course syllabi, Blackboard course shells, and program materials align with licensure and program standards.
Develops, updates, and maintains handbooks, policy documents, onboarding materials, and non-credit learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.
Monitors student concerns and candidate success, leading monthly check-ins with enrolled students to provide advising, mentorship, professional development opportunities, and regular student engagement to support future educators.
Manages communications, meetings, special projects, inquiries, and other operational processes across educator preparation pathway programs.
Prepares and distributes reports for university leadership, departments, and program stakeholders.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervision Exercised
None.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit letters of recommendation. If you wish to include recommendation letter(s) that are not required, please utilize the Recommendation Letters upload field.
Employee Group
Professional & Administrative -Salary
Pay Range
$50,000 - $60,000 per year
Division
Academic Affairs
Department
Teacher & Special Education
Employment Status
Full-Time
Weekly Work Schedule
Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed
Location
Mount Pleasant, MI
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
CMU Leadership Standards
Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.
Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
