The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has approved the establishment of a master’s degree program in teaching and learning at historically Black Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina. The new degree program will launch in January 2022. Classes for the program are scheduled to begin in March.
The master of education in teaching and learning degree has two concentration options: education systems improvement or PK-12 education. The 12-month degree program is designed to prepare educators in a range of education settings to leverage deliberative teaching strategies and educational practices. It is designed to eliminate persistent achievement disparities through a culturally responsive curriculum.
According to Gwenda Richburg Greene, founding dean of graduate studies at Voorhees College, the master’s degree program will prepare educators to become scholar practitioners with the critical consciousness and cultural dexterity to effectively employ content knowledge, pedagogy, and disciplined inquiry. It also will prepare educators to apply the principles of improvement science in schools, districts, and education organizations in response to clearly defined problems of practice in diverse settings.
“As we prepare to become Voorhees University, I am excited about the SACSCOC approval of the master of education in teaching and learning degree. It is our first master’s degree program and a stellar example of how we are taking Voorhees to the next level of excellence,” said Ronnie Hopkins, president of Voorhees College.
It appears to me that Ronnie Hopkins and Gwenda Richburg Greene want to give “the impression” that Voorhees College is offering a new graduate opportunity for native born Black American students in SC and neighboring states. Somebody please show me where Voorhees College have the adequate number of faculty, professional space, and sustainable funding to support this new and questionable program? Case in point, how can anyone at the university level even remotely somehow assume they will be able to adequately prepare students qualitatively, intellectually, critically along with the statistical skills needed for the current higher education job market in a two semesters? For those who dissent, I challenge you to provide evidence of the intellectual footprint for the faculty who will running this program.
By the way Ronnie, what is the current retention and graduation rate at Voorhees? I rest my case. As for SACSCOC granting this “approval” is nothing more than an higher education smokescreen of the highest order because they know this program is not financially and academically equipped to handle this program. Thereby, SACSCOC will be issuing an academic summons in a few years for not meeting certain institutional benchmarks.