MAT Graduate Student Handbook 2017-2018

Graduate Student Handbook 2017-2018

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING:
Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, ESOL

American University
School of Education
Spring Valley, 4th Floor
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Tel. 202-885-3720
Fax. 202-885-1187

http://www.american.edu/education

1

TABLE OF CONENTS
WELCOME MESSAGE ...................................................................................................................................................3
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY ................................................................................................................4

The School of Education Vision and Mission Statement .................................................................................4
Shared Values and Educational Philosophy ........................................................................................................4
Organizing Principles ...............................................................................................................................................4
Mission Statement of the Professional Education Unit………………………………………………………………4-5
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ..................................................................................6
School of Education Office Hours .........................................................................................................................6
Advising .......................................................................................................................................................................6
Program of Study .......................................................................................................................................................6
Registration .................................................................................................................................................................6
Adding a Course.........................................................................................................................................................7
Dropping a Course.....................................................................................................................................................7
Course Transfers and Waivers.................................................................................................................................7
Course Grades.............................................................................................................................................................7
PROGRAM COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS .........................................................................................................8
Application for Graduation ......................................................................................................................................8
Transcript Review......................................................................................................................................................8
Practicum & Student Teaching Semesters...........................................................................................................8
Professional Teaching Portfolio .............................................................................................................................8
Praxis Examinations .................................................................................................................................................8
Teacher Licensure………………………………………………………………………….........................9
UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS .................................................................................................................................. 10
Grading Policy ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Incomplete Grades.................................................................................................................................................. 10
Grievance Procedures ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Grades & Schedules................................................................................................................................................ 10
Maintaining Matriculation & Leave of Absences ............................................................................................ 11
Academic Integrity Code ...................................................................................................................................... 11
STUDENT SERVICES ................................................................................................................................................. 12
Services for Students with Disabilities ............................................................................................................... 12
Health Insurance .................................................................................................................................................... 13
Fees and Payment of Bills..................................................................................................................................... 13
Financial Aid............................................................................................................................................................ 13
Bender Library......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Counseling Center .................................................................................................................................................. 14
Student Identification Cards and Parking Information ................................................................................. 14
Student E-mail Accounts and Computer Labs................................................................................................. 14
ORGANIZE YOUR STUDENT LIFE ......................................................................................................................... 16
What is my AU ID?................................................................................................................................................. 16
What is myau.american.edu?................................................................................................................................ 16
What is SafeAssign?................................................................................................................................................ 16
How do I know what books to get for my course? .......................................................................................... 16
Where do I find the Academic Calendar?.......................................................................................................... 16
LIFE ON CAMPUS ....................................................................................................................................................... 17
EagleBucks............................................................................................................................................................... 17
Lockers ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Printing...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Food ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Campus Safety ......................................................................................................................................................... 18
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION STAFF/FACULTY……………………………………………………………………19-20
CAMPUS MAP.............................................................................................................................................................. 21

2

WELCOME MESSAGE

Dear Graduate Student:
Welcome to American University and to the School of Education’s (SOE) Graduate Programs. The
SOE has a proud tradition of preparing highly skilled educators and leaders who positively impact the
lives of students and their families. We expect you to continue this tradition while at the SOE and
beyond!
This handbook was designed to help both new and continuing SOE graduate students successfully
navigate student life in the School of Education. If you are a new student, I am delighted that you
chose American and I hope that your graduate study at American will meet all of your expectations. If
you are a continuing student, I hope that the coming year will be rewarding and productive.
Best wishes and I look forward to meeting you soon,
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, PhD
Dean
School of Education

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SCHOOL OF EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

The School of Education Vision and Mission Statement
The faculty of American University’s School of Education (SOE) contributes to the development and
support of socially responsible and change-oriented education professionals and the motivation for
theorized professional practice.
At the center of this mission is a belief in a democratic society. The School of Education is dedicated to
the development of critically literate, reflective, caring, highly skilled professionals, who through
advocacy research, and the development of programs predicated on the principles of participation and
equity, contribute to social change and the promotion of a socially just society in a linguistically and
culturally diverse, rapidly changing, and increasingly technological world.
Shared Values and Educational Philosophy
Four interrelated organizing principles that guide the curricular, instructional, research, and professional
service activities of the School of Education faculty, inform the SOE conceptual framework. These
principles, which were derived from our mission statement, are equity, community, diversity and
excellence. These principles represent our shared values and educational philosophy.
Organizing Principles
We make clear to our students that we expect them to understand and appreciate the implications of a
professional commitment to equity, community, diversity, and excellence. We help them understand
that the meanings of these terms are not static and with time and varied circumstances we may
negotiate the meanings and implications of these principles both for our programs and for themselves,
and in keeping with the continuously changing world around us.
Mission Statement of the Professional Education Unit
The School of Education (SOE) is committed to advancing theory and professional practice through its
programs and the scholarly activities of our faculty. The faculty recognizes the significance of education
in contemporary life, the potential of education for each individual, and our special responsibilities to
produce individuals prepared for the twenty-first century. The school seeks to achieve its goals though
creative teaching, rigorous research, and professional service. It is committed to ongoing social change,
societal improvement, and advancing individual welfare and potential. Graduates of its programs act as
agents of social change through work as teachers, researchers, managers, and administrators. They share
a professional belief in working towards excellence, equity, community, and diversity.
Beyond the SOE’s fundamental commitment to its students and alumni who work in the community to
advocate for the individual, both domestically and internationally, it also prepares candidates to build a
learning society in diverse environments and for diverse populations. The mission is to equip graduates
of the SOE programs to meet individual needs, to nurture the strengths and talents of those they serve,
and to provide leadership in public policy arenas.

4

The teacher education programs at American University’s School of Education are anchored in a
knowledge-based, research- and values-informed conceptual framework. The mission of the SOE
reflects and reinforces this conceptual framework, which is derived from the teaching, research,
professional service, and value commitments of the faculty. It is illustrated below.
The conceptual framework for the School of Education has at its center the core value of Reflection,
which is supported through the professional commitments and activities evoked by teacher Beliefs,
Knowledge, and Practice. The conceptual framework is organized by the concepts of Community,
Diversity, Equity, and Excellence, and is made operational through the 10 INTASC standards.

5

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

School of Education Office Hours
The School of Education, located on the 4th floor of Spring Valley, is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm,
Monday through Friday. While not all faculty and staff are available at all times, during these hours,
administrative staff is available to answer routine questions. You may also call the office at 202-885-
3720 during regular hours.
Advising
Before your first semester, and half way through each semester, you should meet with your program
advisor to develop your program of study. Your program of study provides the roadmap for the
completion of your Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). After establishing your program, your program
advisor will contact you via a Google survey each registration period (typically October and March).
You are required to fill out the survey each semester. Additionally, your program advisors are available
throughout the year for advising.
All advising is documented through the GoEd system. Log in with your AU username and password to
see your advising schedule.
Program of Study
The program of study establishes the timetable of classes to complete your degree and assures that you
will complete your graduate degree in a timely manner. All students must file a program of study before
the end of their first semester of enrollment. The program of study is created in the GoEd system.
Students who request changes to their program of study must contact their program advisor. It is the
responsibility of the student to adhere to their program of study.
Partnership programs (City Year, CTR/TNTP, TFA, AISGW) utilize a cohort approach to
determine the timetable of classes needed for completion. The programs of study for students
in partnership programs are provided in orientation binders.
Registration
After meeting with the program advisor and completing your program of study, you will be able to
register online with your student account through the AU Portal. Registration will generate billing.
Please note that if you do not obtain an initial release from the program advisor to register, the system
will not allow you to register online. Graduate level courses taken in a different department typically
require the permission of the program advisor for that department.
After your initial semester, please go to Office of the Registrar’s home page to review the Schedule of
Classes. Based on your program of study and the posted schedule of classes, register for the classes via
the AU Portal. Go to the Academics icon and follow the online registration procedures.
For those students who are designated career switchers or partnership students, please register for the
career switcher/partnership section of a class, when appropriate. Section numbers are designated on
the Schedule of Classes. Registering for these specific sections generates the discount. It is the student’s
responsibility to register for the correct section. If you register for the wrong section, you will not
receive the discount. We cannot change sections after the add/drop period.

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Adding a Course
If you are adding a course, you must inform your program advisor. Adding a course may change your
program of study. Courses may be added through the drop/add period.

Dropping a Course
Discontinuing attendance in a course or notifying an instructor of your intention to drop a class does
not constitute an official drop. You will receive a failed grade that will drop your GPA if you do not
complete the add/drop course form. Please see your advisor for access to this form on the registrar’s
site. Please let your program advisor know that you have dropped a course so that your program of
study can be adjusted. Dropping a course may affect your graduation date.

Students in traditional programs are not officially dropped from a course until they drop a course
online through the AU Portal or in person at the Registrar’s Office. Please let your program advisor
know that you have dropped a course so that your program of study can be adjusted. Dropping a
course may affect your graduation date.

Students are not officially dropped from a course until they notify the Program Coordinator for
their program to ensure that a course registration action has been completed and sent to the
registrar. Additionally, the Program Coordinator will verify that goEd is updated after
registration changes so that the student will graduate.

Every semester has a specific drop deadline for a 100% tuition refund. Please note these dates
carefully. It will be up to you to abide by these deadlines and personally drop a class on time for a 100%
refund. Drops may be completed online within the period specified in the Schedule of Classes as the
time for a 100% refund. Drops made after the 100% tuition drop deadline must be done in person at
the Registrar’s office.

All students, in any program, are advised that if they do not withdraw or drop from a class before the
deadline, and they stop attending class, they will receive an FX for the course.

Course Transfers and Waivers
Academic units can approve up to 6 credits to be transferred – additional credits transferred needs
approval of the Vice Provost of Research and Dean of Graduate Studies. (See 6.2) Transferred courses
must be at the graduate level with a grade of B or better and must have been taken within the past five
years. (See 6.4.1 and 6.4.2 for information about shared credits from AU degrees.)

Waiving requirements is defined as satisfying degree or programmatic requirements by means other
than those specified in the Academic Catalog. The only circumstance where waiving is allowed in the
MAT program is if you are a full-time teacher of record. You can have 3 credits waived of the 6-credit
course, EDU-699 Student Teaching with Seminar. If you qualify for this, please speak with your program
advisor.
Please contact your program advisor to discuss the possibility of course transfer or waivers. All course
waivers must be submitted within your first semester of the program.

Course Grades
No degree credit is received for a course grade lower than a C. If a C- or less is earned in a required
course, the course must be repeated.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher as a graduate student. A graduate student
who fails to earn a 3.00 will be placed on academic probation for one semester. Students not achieving
a 3.00 during the probationary semester will be dismissed. If, at any point while a student is on
academic probation, it becomes mathematically impossible to raise his or her cumulative GPA to 3.00
within the allotted 9 credits from the onset of Academic Probation, the student will be academically
dismissed. (3.13.1)

7

PROGRAM COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

Application for Graduation
Degree Students: The completion of courses and comprehensive examinations does not ensure
automatic graduation and the receipt of the degree. All students must apply to graduate. To apply, file
an application for graduation at the Registrar (no cost) early in the semester prior to your planned date
of graduation. The form can be found on the AU Portal under the Academics section. This form will
generate a series of processes that must be completed before graduation so it is important to apply as
early in the semester as possible. More information on the application can be found on American
University’s Graduation and Commencement page.
Transcript Review
MAT students are required to complete a content area transcript review analysis with your program
advisor, program director, or graduate assistant before or during the add/drop period of your first
semester. This analysis determines if you need additional coursework to meet content area standards for
certification. Courses grades of C or better will be considered for the transcript review analysis.
Transcript reviews are done in the GoEd system.
Practicum & Student Teaching Semesters
Your coursework prepares you for your final two semesters of field and clinical placements. During the
final fall semester, you will participate in a practicum semester, which consist of 2 days a week in a
classroom. During the final spring semester, you will complete your student teaching placement, which
is 5 days a week in a classroom. More information on these two semesters will be discussed in the Field
Placement Handbook. We place you in your practicum and student teaching classrooms with the
assistance of your preferences. Caryn Ash, the Field Placement Coordinator, will contact you the
semester before your practicum placement to work on your placement preferences
Professional Teaching Portfolio
In addition to course requirements, candidates must also complete a professional teaching portfolio for
graduation. The portfolio is completed through the GoEd system. You will be trained on the portfolio
at the beginning of the practicum semester and will begin to place items into your portfolio then. These
collected artifacts, such as assignments, exemplary student work, summaries of standardized test scores,
assessments created, art, videotape, photographs, etc., will be used by to document your increasing
capabilities as teachers. The portfolio will represent your competencies and provide evidence of your
growth toward beginning teacher standards set forth by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and
Support Consortium (INTASC). To access your portfolio, please go to the GoEd system and use your
AU user name and password. Portfolio documentation is provided in your Field Experience Handbook
during your practicum semester.
Praxis Examinations
All initial licensure students are required to take Praxis II prior to graduation. Consult the ETS website
for the most updated list of required tests. Send your test scores to American University (test code
5007) and OSSE (test code 7076). Please take the appropriate Praxis II tests by December 1 for fall
graduates, May 1 for spring graduates and August 1 for summer graduates.
For licensing, all students are required to pass the Praxis CORE, Praxis Subject test and Praxis
Pedagogy test. Send your test scores to American University (test code 5007) and OSSE (test code
7076).
If you have any questions on the Praxis examinations, please contact Caryn Ash, Field Placement
Coordinator, at [email protected].

8

Teacher Licensure
The Office of Teacher Education strongly recommends students apply for initial DC licensure upon
completion of your program. You can apply for an initial license once your degree has been conferred;
you have completed the background check and fingerprinting; and you received DC passing scores on
Praxis CORE and applicable Praxis II exams.
All teacher education programs at American University are nationally accredited by the National
Association for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and approved through the District
of Columbia, which is a partner in a reciprocity agreement with the National Association of State
Directors of Teacher Education and Education and Certification (NASDTEC). Reciprocal certification
is accepted in over 40 states. You may find the reciprocity agreement at www.nasdtec.org/agreement.
Licensure is not an automatic process. It has detailed, prescribed procedures, some of which are time-
bound. You should plan carefully to complete the licensure process in a timely fashion. SOE's Office of
Teacher Education is here to help you through the process. Your licensing contact person is Caryn Ash
([email protected]).
Licensure information is available in the Field Experience Handbook.

9

UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS

*This graduate handbook does not substitute for the University Graduate Regulations. Please refer to the Graduate
Regulations for all student policies.
Grading Policy
Graduate students in the School of Education must maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to have their degree
or certificate granted. A graduate student who fails to maintain this GPA during completion of the first
9 credit hours of graduate study may be placed on academic probation for one semester, after which
the student must achieve and maintain a 3.00 average, or be dismissed. If, at any point while a student is
on Academic Probation status, it becomes mathematically impossible to raise his or her cumulative
GPA to 3.00 within the allotted 9 credits from the onset of Academic Probation, the student will be
academically dismissed. (3.13.1) A graduate student may be placed on academic probation only once. It
should be noted that the grade point average is only one measure of academic performance.
Maintenance of the required average does not necessarily imply that a student is making satisfactory
progress. The university has the right to dismiss a student whose performance is judged unsatisfactory
even though the student has maintained the required grade point average. A student who is dismissed
may not be readmitted to the university, or enroll as a non-degree student, for at least a full year after
the effective date of dismissal.
Any course for which the student receives a grade of C- or less must be retaken if the course is
a requirement for graduation.
NOTE: Courses that need to be retaken to raise a student’s GPA will have both the original grade, and
the re-take grade calculated into their overall GPA. The overall GPA must be a 3.0 or higher to receive
a graduate certificate or degree.
Incomplete Grades
Students who are unable to complete a course, and who have received the instructor’s permission can
be issued an incomplete (I) in advance of the assessment of final course assignments and must agree on
an incomplete contract before grades are posted. The instructor will then submit an “I” grade for the
semester and record the work needed to successfully complete the course online, as part of the grade
report. If the work is not completed before the deadline listed on the contract (which cannot extend
beyond the end of the next semester) the student will receive the default grade indicated on the
incomplete grade contract as submitted by the instructor. Please see further guidelines in Graduate
Regulations 3.7 and 3.13.4.
Grievance Procedures
Students who believe there is a reason to contest a grade given to them in any course taken may follow
the standard academic grievance procedures described in the University’s academic regulations.
Grades & Schedules
Students may access grade reports, class schedules, class locations, course listings, and student account
information through the AU portal. To access the portal, students must have a student I.D., OIT User
ID, and password. It is recommended that students check their transcripts a few weeks after the end of
every semester to make sure all grades have been posted. Please access the “Academics” link in the AU
Portal to route yourself to your “unofficial” transcript.

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Maintaining Matriculation & Leave of Absences
Degree Students: Once enrolled in a degree program, a graduate student is expected to make progress
toward his or her degree objective by maintaining continuous enrollment at American University. If, for
some reason, students do not register for classes in a given semester (except summer) they have two
options: either they must register for one credit hour to maintain matriculation, or they must request a
Leave of Absence.
To maintain matriculation, the student must register for EDU-099. This is a cost of $150 for the
semester. While registered for the 0 credit course, the student will still have access to the AU library,
career center, AU portal, and AU email accounts. However, there will be no fitness center access. This
is only to be used at the end of the program.
All temporary leaves are limited to 2 semesters, either consecutive or non-consecutive. (10.4.1)
Exceptions can be made for long-term military leaves, assuming the student can provide a start and end
date of military service. (10.4.1.3) Medical leaves require documentation that the medical condition has
been alleviated and that the student is ready to return to academic life. Medical leave documentation
should be provided to at the Dean of Students. (10.4.1.2) It is the student’s responsibility to notify the
School of Education if they need to request a leave of absence.
Please see further guidelines on the Provost’s Graduate Regulations Page. Failure to register for a
semester or to request a leave will result in an administrative stop or withdrawal on a student’s
transcript.
Time Limits to Degree: Graduate students are required to finish their degree within the time frame
stipulated in the Graduate Regulations. (5.9) Master degree students or graduate certificate students are
expected to complete all degree requirements in no more than six years after the date of first enrollment
in the degree program. Students who need more time to complete their degrees should review the
guidelines in the graduate regulations document.
Certificate Students: Certificate students do not need to maintain continuous enrollment every fall and
spring semester, but must complete a minimum of six credit hours per year to maintain good standing
in their certificate program. Students need to complete all certificate requirements within four years.
(7.1) Please notify you program advisor if you need to take a semester off.
Academic Integrity Code
Academic integrity lies at the heart of intellectual life. As members of a diverse community committed
to the advancement of knowledge, we affirm the importance of respecting the integrity of one another’s
work. The American University Academic Integrity Code describes standards for academic conduct,
rights and responsibilities as members of an academic community, and procedures for handling
allegations of academic dishonesty. As an institution of higher learning, American University views
academic integrity as an educational as well as a judicial issue.
The first obligation of a student is to pursue conscientiously the academic objectives, which he or she
has set. Accordingly, it is expected that each student will conform to the regulations of the college or
school in which he or she is enrolled, and of the classes in which he or she is registered. It is further
expected that all examinations, tests, written papers, and other assignments will be completed according
to the standards set forth in American University’s Academic Integrity Code.
Copies of American University’s Academic Integrity Code can be found at the Office of the Registrar,
or online.

11

STUDENT SERVICES

Services for Students with Disabilities
Disability Support Services and the Academic Support Center work with students having temporary or
permanent physical and learning disabilities respectively to promote full participation in academic
programs and other campus activities. Support services, should they be required, are intended to
remove competitive disadvantages to enable students with disabilities realize their own potentials and
objectives.
Disability Support Services (202-885-3312) and the Academic Support Center (202-885-3360) function
as liaisons and advocates for students with disabilities with various academic and administrative offices
on campus regarding support and appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities. In
addition, Disability Support Services also functions as a resource for students, faculty, and staff and
maintains a text telephone (TDD/TTY). (Text telephones are also available in other offices throughout
campus.) Referrals are also made to other resources, both on and off campus. Advocacy in special cases
or assistance in resolving grievances through informal and formal measures are provided by the Section
504 Compliance Coordinator.
Auxiliary Aids
Students who require auxiliary aids will be permitted to use such aids, including but not limited to, tape
recorders, Braille or recorded texts, oral or manual interpreters, note-takers, other assistive or adaptive
equipment, or assistants. Students may be accompanied by guide dogs in classrooms, in other university
premises, and in university housing. In many cases, the university’s role will be to inform students of
resources available to them through state vocational rehabilitation agencies, other government
programs, or charitable organizations. The university will not provide wheelchairs, hearing aids,
personal attendants and other kinds of “personal devices.” The university, however, is the “provider of
last resort” for some of the other categories of auxiliary aids that are unavailable from any other source.
The university’s responsibility for provision of auxiliary aids will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Proof of Disability
Students with disabilities are not required to notify the university or any of its offices or personnel of
their disabling condition either prior to, or subsequent to, their admission to the university; however, if
students request support services or program modifications on the basis of being disabled and the
disability is not easily discernible, the university reserves the right to require written verification from a
licensed physician, licensed clinical psychologist, or other professionals with the competencies to
determine that the student indeed has a disability that substantially limits one or more major life
activities. To avoid the need to produce written verification to several offices, students who anticipate
that they may at some time request accommodations are strongly encouraged to file such a written
statement as early as possible in advance of when the accommodations will be needed. Students with
physical disabilities should file a statement with the Office of Disability Support Services; and students
with learning disabilities, with the Academic Support Center. Those offices will then verify to other
offices, upon request, that the student in question is entitled to the services being requested.
Confidentiality
Information and records about the student's disability and accommodations, if any, are treated as
confidential information under applicable federal and state laws, as well as university policies, and are
only provided to individuals who are required to receive such information on a need to know basis.

12

Health Insurance
For any full-time student, student health insurance is mandatory, unless the student signs a waiver.
Please call the AU Student Health Center (202-885-1222) or visit their site here for more information
about insurance and waiving insurance. The Student Health Center is located on the first floor of the
McCabe Building.
Fees and Payment of Bills
Fees are paid through the AU portal, by check mail to American University Student Accounts, P.O.
Box 17539, Baltimore, MD 21297-1539 or in-person at AU Central, 201 Asbury Building. Students who
are attending on an assistantship or other University financial aid will find their bill adjusted at the
beginning of the semester. In addition to paying tuition, all graduate students are assessed a Graduate
Activity Fee, Sports Center Fee, and Technology Fee per semester. These fees are not covered by either
tuition remission or by assistantship awards, and may vary in cost according to full or part time status.
Financial Aid
Various payment plans and student loan options are available. Students need to be registered for six
credit hours or more each fall or spring semester to receive Federal financial aid. Consult the Office of
Financial Aid, at AU Central, 201 Asbury Building | Email: [email protected] | Phone: 202-
885-8000, about all student loan options. Access their website here.
Funding and Scholarships
The Office of the Provost maintains lists of internal and external funding opportunities for graduate
students at AU. Some of these opportunities support students who are already enrolled in graduate
programs, and they may be relevant for SOE students. The Office of Merit Awards also provides
information and counseling for students interested in nationally competitive scholarships.
Bender Library
The University Library supports student study and research through its services and collections, and
serves as a gateway to a vast array of resources outside its walls. The library's print collections include
over 745,000 volumes, which are supplemented by 20,000+ e-books, 258,000 digitized primary source
materials, 45,000+ online periodical subscriptions, 41,000+ media and sound recordings and 14,245
musical scores. Through its many on-line and electronic resources, students have access to citations,
abstracts, and the full text of additional resources. ALADIN, the library's on-line catalog system, lists
holdings for American University and six other Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC)
libraries. Many electronic databases are also available through ALADIN, permitting students to find
references to books, newspapers, and journals.

13

Counseling Center
Graduate school can be a stressful time in adult life, but help is available! Any graduate student who is
experiencing psychological stress for any reason is encouraged to stop by the Counseling Center at 214
Mary Graydon, or to call them at 202-885-3500 for an appointment. The Center is available for
confidential initial counseling, and referral out for extended services. The Center also runs discussion
groups.
Student Identification Cards and Parking Information
Registered students need to obtain an American University identification card. Information on how and
where to obtain this card can be found by calling the One Card Office at (202) 885-3370. This card will
serve as a student ID and library card.
Parking information can be obtained at the front desk of the Public Safety building, by calling (202)
885-3111, or online here. Commuter parking lots on campus are free after 5:00 PM.
Shuttle Bus: AU runs a regularly scheduled shuttle bus service from the Red Line Tenleytown Metro
Stop. This shuttle is provided free to students with valid IDs. Board the shuttle bus next to the Sears
appliance store on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue. During regular semester weekday hours the
shuttle will run every ten minutes between the hours of 7 am and 12:30 am (midnight). Schedule
available here.
U-Pass: The University Pass (U-Pass) pilot program will be available to all full-time undergraduate,
graduate, and law students for the fall 2017 semester. The U-Pass program will provide unlimited rides
throughout the semester on Metrorail and Metrobus (including express and airport shuttle buses) for
trips to school, work, internships, cultural events, and entertainment. The cost of the pass will be added
as a mandatory student fee for all full-time undergraduate, graduate, and law students and can be
covered by financial aid. For more information, please visit the U-Pass site. Cards will be available for
pick-up at the beginning of the semester, and will be linked to a unique serial number for each student.

Student E-mail Accounts and Computer Labs
E-mail accounts are automatically established for all students upon their first registration. To first
activate your account, go to the AU Portal. You will also establish a password that will have to be
periodically updated, to enter the AU Portal. There are several computer labs on campus open to AU
students - please check the OIT webpage for information on the location and times of these labs.
NOTE: You need to obtain your student photo ID prior to being able to use the computer labs and
have access to AU Portal.
Blackboard
Blackboard is an online site that allows AU professors to post information about classes, assignments,
videos, and more. Students can use the site to access important documents, submit assignments, contact
classmates, participate in discussion boards, and check course grades. Please note that not all professors
use the Blackboard site. There is an instructional podcast recommended by the library for students who
are new to the system. Additional assistance can be found here.
Logging into Blackboard
1. Open your Internet browser.
2. Visit this page (blackboard.american.edu).
3. You will be prompted for your Blackboard username and password. For AU students, faculty, and
staff, your Blackboard username is your EagleNet ID. (i.e., ac1047a or jdoe). Your Blackboard
password is your EagleNet password.
Note: Blackboard requires a separate login from the AU Portal, but the username and password should
be the same.

14

IT Help
Answers to your technology questions are just an e-mail, instant message, or phone call away.
Contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, [email protected], or here to reach one of our
professional staff who can answer your questions and provide general troubleshooting assistance.
You can receive help with computer configuration issues, discuss software problems, report
network access difficulties or hardware malfunctions of university owned equipment, or get advice
on just about any technical issue you may face at AU.
Most questions can be answered over the phone during your initial call, but if necessary a network
analyst may be sent to your campus location for on-site assistance. The best time to call is from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, but the IT Help Desk is staffed every day, around the clock.
Program Newsletter
The Office of Teacher Education maintains a weekly newsletter so that you can receive important
messages about jobs, internships, program events and both university and SOE social events. If you are
not receiving this newsletter, please email [email protected]. The newsletter is sent out during
the Fall and Spring semesters.
SOE Social Media
Please like our SOE Facebook Page and follow @AU_SchoolofEd to stay in touch with events, jobs,
internships, and teacher happenings!
NOTE: Please make sure that the department has current, updated contact information for
you, should it become necessary to contact you or your family personally in an emergency.
Please log into the AU Portal and the GoEd system to be sure information is up to date.

15

ORGANIZE YOUR STUDENT LIFE

What is my AU ID?
When logging in on some university related websites (e.g. Blackboard, when in the library) you are
being asked to enter your account information. That information is the part in front of the @-sign
of your email address (for example fr1234a) and the password you chose for your student account.

What is myau.american.edu?
Myau.american.edu, also known as “the portal,” houses your official AU information. This is how
you register for classes, view your final grades for each term, see your schedule for each term,
request transcripts, connect to AU’s HR department, apply for graduation, sign up for certain
events, and much, much more. You log in with your AU account. Please note that passwords for
myau.american.edu are only valid for 90 days. You will be required to change your password after
the 90 days are up. Once you change your password it is ALSO changed for your AU email
account, Blackboard, and AU’s wireless network!

Please note that while other systems such as GoEd and Blackboard are essential for your progress as
a student, the portal shows your official academic progress.

What is SafeAssign™?
SafeAssign™ is a plagiarism prevention service integrated into Blackboard. This service helps
educators prevent plagiarism by detecting unoriginal content in student papers. In addition to acting
as a plagiarism deterrent, it also has features designed to aid in educating students about plagiarism
and importance of proper attribution of any borrowed content...

How do I know what books to get for my course?
If you go through myau.american.edu/Academics/Buy Textbooks (under the personalized links
column) you will see your registered courses. You can click on “All My Courses” and you are
automatically forwarded to the University Bookstore.

 Books are listed – You can buy or rent them through the bookstore OR look for other
vendors that may sell or rent the books for a better price

 No books are listed – Professors have until 4 weeks before classes start to submit their book
requests. If no book is listed for your class it means, there is no request submitted by the
professor yet. If two weeks before classes start there is still no book listed, it is likely that for
that class there will be no textbook.

 Still unsure? Check Blackboard if a course syllabus has been posted and if that lists
textbooks.

 Still unsure or no syllabus? Email the professor. All professors can be found via
www.american.edu using the search bar in the top right corner.

Where do I find the Academic Calendar?
The 2017-18 Academic Calendar can be found here. The academic calendar contains important
dates about classes, registration periods and final examinations. The School of Education strictly
adheres to this calendar.

16

LIFE ON CAMPUS

EagleBucks
AU’s mascot is the Eagle, hence the campus currency is called EagleBucks. EagleBucks is a prepaid
form of currency that comes off your AU ID Card. You can also add money to your EagleBucks
account anytime throughout the semester. Your EagleBucks rollover if you do not spend them all.
EagleBucks are redeemable everywhere on Campus and at many places in Tenleytown and the
Northwest D.C. Area. Click here to load money on your AU ID card, check your balance, and look
for vendors off-campus that accept EagleBucks.

Lockers
AU has permanent lockers and temporary lockers.

 Spring Valley lockers. Lockers are available throughout the Spring Valley building.
 Permanent lockers (located in the library) are given out on a first-come-first-serve basis

with graduate students getting first priority. Read your Today@AU email carefully as this is
where the library will announce that lockers are available (about 2 weeks before classes start).
There are certain locker rules that the library will ask you to sign (e.g. you are not allowed to
store food).

o Hint: Ask for a locker in the basement – these are slightly bigger than the lockers on
the other floors. Hint: You will get a key chain with the locker number on it. Lockers
may be difficult to find (at first) so ask for a map. These lockers can be extended into
the spring and summer terms but the key must be returned no later than a year after
you received them.

 Temporary Day lockers are available in the Commuter’s Lounge located on the first level
of the East Quad Building. You pick a combination for your numbers lock. All lockers are
emptied at the end of the day so don’t forget to pick up your things!
o Hint: The Commuter’s Lounge is a great place if you need a quiet place to study/do
homework/charge your phone or laptop. Students there are very courteous and
respect each other’s need for some quiet working time.

Printing
Your AU ID card has $25 in printing money already loaded onto your card per semester if you are a
full-time student ($12.50 per semester if you are part-time). Printers print black and white only and
print double-sided by default. Printing stations are located on the lower level of the library.

Food
Aside from main vendors in Mary Graydon Center (first floor), there are many smaller food places
(e.g. Ward building, SIS building, Mud Box on the lower level of the library). Most vendors only
accept Eagle Bucks or cash so make sure you have enough money on your AU ID card, but some
also accept credit cards.

Next to the Spring Valley Building is the Spring Valley shopping center that includes Wagshalls
(market with a salad bar, hamburgers & tacos to order; and the deli next to CVS with hot food bar
and sandwiches), Tara Thai. Across the street is La Pain Quotidien and Millie’s.

17

Campus Safety
AU’s Public Safety Officers are trained police officers. Simply, they are here to ensure that AU’s
students are safe.
Self-Defense Classes
AU’s Public Safety offers free self-defense classes each semester to any member of the AU
community. The class, taught by AU Public Safely officers (both female and male) teaches specific
moves on how to defend yourself should you be attacked. In addition to a shorter, introductory,
gender-neutral course, a longer, more intensive course focused on violence against women is
offered. Classes are announced via Today@AU. The Public Safety office is happy to hold classes for
groups that are unable to make the pre-scheduled classes. If interested in holding a class not listed
on the calendar, please email [email protected].
Public Safety Escort Service
To ensure your safety you can call Public Safety for an escort on foot or in a vehicle if you need to
walk alone on campus at night. To arrange for an escort, call 202-885-2527 or use an emergency
telephone.
Safe Ride to Campus
You always have a way home. If you are stuck in the city without any money or a ride home, you can
call a cab and have it take you to American University’s Office of Public Safety. Notify Public Safety
that you are on your way by calling 202-885-2527. Public Safety will pay for your cab and place the
charge on your student account. This ensures that you always have a way back to campus. D.C. is a big
city--do not hitchhike and do not accept rides from strangers.

18

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION FACULTY/STAFF
Front Desk: 202-885-3720
Fax: 202-885-1187

Staff

NAME EXT. EMAIL OFFICE TITLE
Caryn Ash Coordinator of Field Placements
Ophira Bansal 3715 ash SVB 480 ITEP Program Coordinator
Julie Sara Boyd Assistant Dean, Online Education
3128 bansal SVB 476

3727 jboyd SVB 447

Brittney Cosby 8201 bcosby SVB 452 Graduate Programs Coordinator

Grace Covello 3761 gcovello SVB 452 EPL Graduate Programs Coordinator
Senior Site-Director, Jumpstart Program
Victoria 3157 vict Sports Center Annex
Thomas 174 IIE Senior Grants and Contracts
Coordinator
Lela Gant 3639 gant SVB 444 Senior Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant
Jackie Garcia 3728 jgarcia SVB 446 Director, IIE
3720 soeadmin SVB 471
TBD 3744 dgsodani SVB 453

Danielle 3705 wilner SVB 442 Panamá Bilingüe Program Manager
Sodani

Rebecca
Wilner

19

Faculty

NAME EXT. EMAIL OFFICE TITLE
Alida Anderson 6214 aanderson SVB Associate Professor: SPED
455
Kaili Baucum 3714 sarah Professorial Lecturer: EPL
Sarah Irvine 8964 tdennis SVB Director of IIE: Associate Professor,
Belson 443 Special Education Program Director
Traci Dennis --- fashola Director of UG Teacher Ed: Instructor
SVB
Toks Fashola 3719 cholcomb 477 In-Residence Researcher
Jermain Griffin Professorial Lecturer: ITEP
Cheryl 3740 cynthia --- Dean
Holcomb- --- owen
McCoy SVB Associate Dean of Academic Affairs;
Cynthia Miller- 6259 caparker 449 Associate Professor: Director of ITEP
Idriss --- epeterso Researcher in Residence
Laura Owen SVB MAT Program Director: Senior Professorial
Carolyn Parker 6209 jtsnyder 465 Lecturer
3762 steele Assistant Professor
Emily Peterson 3719 vvasque --- Senior Professorial Lecturer: EPL Program
Jason Snyder 3048 vassallo Director
3723 eaworden SVB Associate Professor: EPL
Jennifer Steele 479
Professor
Vivian Vasquez --
Associate Professor
Stephen Vassallo SVB
461 Associate Professor: ITEP
Elizabeth
Worden SVB
459

SVB
473

SVB
475

SVB
469

20

CAMPUS MAP

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