R O S S I E R i n t h e H E A D LIN E S
The USC Rossier
Commitment
alumni support
Rossier has made official what it has been doing unofficially for years – offering help and support to graduates who ask for it. The USC Rossier Commitment was announced in November to national attention and kudos from many in the education community. The Commitment is Rossier’s pledge to be there for any alumnus who feels challenged in his or her professional work. Whether a teacher, administrator, or counselor, if you graduated from USC Rossier and you’re looking for guidance in solving a professional practice issue, we are committed to helping. A nine-person faculty committee – Rossier’s “Rapid Response” team – has been assembled to assess and respond to the needs of our graduates when they contact us. Faculty representing all of Rossier’s Masters programs – teacher education, counseling, administration, and higher education – as well our education doctorate, are on the team. Professors Shafiqa Ahmadi, Mary Andres, Ron Avi Astor, Michael Escalante, Emmy Min, Maria Ott, John Pascarella, and Julie Slayton comprise the faculty group, which is chaired by Professor Alan Green. The process is straightforward and confidential. A graduate can phone 213.740.0224 or email commitment@rossier.usc.edu and describe his or her challenge. The next step will be an assessment by the appropriate program director, who will then determine if the faculty Rapid Response team should intervene. Multiple resources and services could be suggested to aid the graduate, from professional development, to mentoring or tutoring, to conferences, to web resources. If Rossier does not have the appropriate resource, we will recommend outside resources which a graduate may choose to purchase. Just like all good businesses stand behind the quality of the products and services they offer, Rossier stands behind the preparation we provide for our nation’s classroom teachers and educators. Rossier believes that we in teacher education must take a hard look at our programs, embrace innovative solutions, and hold ourselves accountable for how our graduates perform. That’s what our students – and their students – deserve.
Rapid Response Team Chair Alan Green (center) with Los Alamitos High School Principal Joshua Arnold EdD ’13 (l) and Assistant Principal Isaac Gates EdD ’13 (r).
USC Rossier School of Education
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