Compliance Review

The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution.   When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline in accordance with the guidelines listed below.   The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes.   For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.

The University gives primary consideration to highest degree earned in the discipline for full-time tenure-track faculty.   For those not holding the terminal degree, the University considers other qualifying criteria and credentials.   As part of the credentialing process, each department head/director and/or dean reviews and verifies transcripts and credentials using the Verification of Faculty Credentials form and a Request for Faculty Teaching Privilege form.   Actual documentation is available in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.   The Faculty Handbook has policies for recruitment and hiring faculty.

Even though the process described above is in place, the committee is unable to determine from the documentation provided that the university is fully in compliance with the standard.   The Committee has identified faculty in each of the University's colleges who do not appear to have qualifications appropriate to their teaching assignments (see attached list).

The University will provide further documentation to support the employment of the 42 faculty identified in the Report of the Off-Site Committee as determined by the off-site committee (Request for Justifying and Documenting Qualifications of Faculty).  This documentation will be presented in a tabular format entitled Revised Roster of Instructional Faculty, and a Rationale for Identified Credentialed Faculty follows this response that is provided in a narrative format.  The Roster presents by college the faculty name, courses taught (linked to the course description in the University Catalog), academic degrees earned and additional discipline hours, course credits earned, and other qualifications and notes.  Current vitae are also included through a link to the faculty member’s name.

The Rationale for Identified Credentialed Faculty will clarify the qualifications of each of the 41 identified faculty by demonstrating competence, effectiveness and capacity, relative work experiences in the field, licensure and certifications, honors and awards, and other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes.

Please note that Northwestern does not employ any faculty member with the last name of Coatts, who was identified in the report as holding the Master of Library Information Science (MLIS) degree and teaching in the College of Education (p. 31), therefore additional information is not provided.

The University respectfully supports recommendations of discipline-specific national accrediting agencies for selecting qualified faculty, as demonstrated by its accreditation of 100% of its eligible accredited programs.   For example, the reaffirmation of accreditation of business programs in 2005 by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is indicative that the seven faculty members identified on the Roster were deemed “approved” by virtue of degrees earned, professional experience and scholarly activity, and is so noted.    

In March 2006, the Unit Accrediting Board (UAB) of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) awarded Continuing Accreditation to all teacher education and professional school personnel programs at Northwestern. The findings of the national and state reviewers included “no recommendations for improvement” in meeting the six NCATE standards. Specifically, for meeting Standard Five: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development, Northwestern demonstrated that education faculty “are qualified and model best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching.” In addition, it was shown that the (professional education) unit systematically evaluates faculty performance and facilitates professional development (NSU Institutional Report, 1995; NCATE BOE Report, 2005; and NCATE UAB Report, 2006).

The data indicate that all departments easily meet the 25% threshold except for the College of Nursing.  The College of Nursing employs a large number of master’s prepared faculty who also have specialized clinical experience.  A shortage of terminal degree nursing faculty exists in the Northwestern State University service area as well as the state of Louisiana. The nursing faculty qualifications comply with the standards set forth by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLN-AC).  Clinical expertise is the essential qualification of faculty to teach nursing students who are primarily engaged in clinical learning in hospital and clinic environments.

The Louisiana State Board of Nursing standards (Chapter 35, Part 3515), state that nursing faculty shall be hired so as “…to provide a safe, effective faculty/student/client ratio in a clinical setting…”  State regulations also stipulate that a master’s degree in nursing is sufficient for teaching in baccalaureate programs as long as the candidate has a minimum of two years of nursing practice as a registered nurse in the appropriate clinical setting.  Northwestern is consistent with the other colleges of nursing in northern Louisiana for employment of faculty prepared at the doctoral level.  Additionally, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, in the 2005 Annual Report, noted that less than 1% of registered nurses in the state hold the doctoral degree.  Of the 652 nursing faculty in the state of Louisiana, only 103 hold the doctoral degree.  Of the 103 who hold the doctoral degree in the state of Louisiana, eight doctoral-prepared faculty taught at Northwestern College of Nursing in Fall 2006. 

The challenge to attempt to recruit doctoral-prepared faculty is compounded by the extreme shortage of nursing educators and the lack of doctoral nursing programs in the state of Louisiana consisting of two state programs, neither of which are located in the northern part of the state.  In a 2005 report from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) entitled Faculty Shortages in Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs: Scope of the Problem and Strategies for Expanding the Supply, the Division of Nursing, in their National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses databases, “estimated that in 1992, 1996, and 2000, the proportion of nurses with nursing doctorates who were employed in schools of nursing with baccalaureate and higher degrees showed steady declines, going from 68% in 1992 to 49% in 2000” (cited in AACN, 2005, p.6).  Also noteworthy was the AACN report that “of the 412 doctoral graduates in 2003-2004, post-graduation plans were reported for 307 (78%) of the graduates.  Twenty-two percent reported employment commitments in settings other than schools of nursing” (cited in AACN, 2005, p.6).

Furthermore, of significance is the extraordinary credentials of the nurse educators of the College of Nursing. For example, numerous nursing faculty hold certifications and credentials above basic licensure and the master’s degree which are not accounted for in the review of traditional terminal degree credentials.  In fall 2006, the following full-time faculty held special certifications: 

• M’Lou Barnett,  Family Nurse Practitioner
• Billie Bitowski, Family Nurse Practitioner
• Alana Bragg, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• Sheila Branson, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• James Brooks, Family Nurse Practitioner
• Becky Carroll, Family Nurse Practitioner
• Ann Deshotels, Certified Nursing Educator
• Susan Dungan, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Susan Holland, Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
• Teresa Kevil, Adult Nurse Practitioner
• Susan Pierce, Certified Nursing Educator
• Dana Roe, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• Callie Sexton, Family Nurse Practitioner
• Debra Shelton, Certified Oncology Nurse, Certified Nursing Educator
• Susan Snell, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
• Diane Webb, Certified Nursing Educator

 The following faculty are completing graduate course work toward the doctorate: 

• Debra Clark, Working on doctorate, now ABD
• Stephen Hernandez, Working on doctorate
• Teresa Kysar, Working on doctorate
• Karen Landry, Working on doctorate, now ABD
• Dana Roe, Working on doctorate, now ABD
• Debra Shelton, Working on doctorate, now ABD

RATIONALE FOR IDENTIFIED CREDENTIALED FACULTY

 College of Business

• Dr. Walter Creighton has been a professor and department head in the College of Business at Northwestern and has taught business and office education courses and computer literacy courses for over 30 years. He holds the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business education, and he completed his doctorate in vocational education, where his dissertation focused on microcomputer applications. He has taught over 50 seminars for the Small Business Development Center on a variety of software including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint – all of which are the software used and taught in CIS 1800 and BUAD 4800. His vita documents an extensive scholarly and service record in the areas of business, vocational, and office education, and computer information systems. He also owned and operated a computer business that focused on sales and service. His education, recognition by his peers, his scholarly and service contributions, and his professional experience qualify him to teach business and office education courses, the introductory applications programming course for non-CIS majors (CIS 1010), the basic and advanced computer literacy courses (BUAD 1800 and BUAD 4800), and an independent study course, BUAD 4000, offered for students interested in studying special topics in these areas.  He also serves as a coordinator of BUAD 4000, an independent study course for students interested in problems and issues for the business community.   As coordinator, he documents attendance, participation, and posts grades at the direction of the assigned mentor.
• Dr. Margaret Kilcoyne completed the doctorate in vocational education in 2003 and the master’s degree in business education in 1985 in preparation for a college teaching career in business and vocational education. Subject areas most commonly associated with vocational education include business (office administration and entrepreneurship), marketing (merchandising and retail), and technology. Additionally, analysis of her transcript reveals over 18 graduate hours in the discipline of computer literacy. For over 15 years, her primary teaching responsibility has been business and office education, and every semester she teaches OFAD 2200, a core requirement focusing on business report writing. She serves as a coordinator of BUAD 4000, an independent study course for students interested in problems and issues for the business community.   As coordinator, she documents attendance, participation, and posts grades at the direction of the assigned mentor. Dr. Kilcoyne has published over 35 publications, of which 10 were refereed, covering topics ranging from communication, management, business technology, job skill sets, business etiquette, statistics, finance, and research methods and design. She has made over 30 scholarly presentations at international conferences, national conferences, regional conferences, or state conferences on topics ranging from communication, management, job skill sets, business technology, business etiquette, statistics, finance, and research methods and design. She continues to participate in professional development activities ranging from distance learning, communication, business technology, business etiquette, research, and personality. She served as article reviewer for refereed proceedings, refereed book of readings and refereed journal, and recently she reviewed a business communication textbook for a national publisher.
• Dr. Julie McDonald completed the doctorate in vocational education in 2003 and the master’s degree in business education in 1985 in preparation for a college teaching career in business and education. Subject areas most commonly associated with vocational education include business (office administration and entrepreneurship), marketing (merchandising and retail), and technology. Prior to joining the faculty at Northwestern, Dr. McDonald completed 10 years of teaching business and office education for Natchitoches Parish School Board. She was the owner of and bookkeeper for two small businesses for 17 years. Since she joined the faculty at Northwestern in 1989, Dr. McDonald has taught business and office education courses. She continues to maintain currency in office administration and business education by publishing in refereed publications; making presentations in her teaching field at national conferences, regional conferences, and state conferences; and attending professional development activities. Each semester she teaches Office Administration 2200, a core requirement for majors in the College of Business that focuses on business report writing. She developed and implemented the on-line version of two office administration courses and two graduate-level business education courses. She consistently receives excellent student evaluations for courses taught.
• Kevin Boyett currently serves as director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Northwestern, a program affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Development Centers.  This program provides management assistance to current prospective small business owners. The program, a cooperative endeavor, provides support in the areas of training and business counseling in the Central and Northwest Louisiana regions.  Mr. Boyett’s unique qualifications as director and small business owner, while also having graduate coursework in management, have been deemed as appropriate qualifications for teaching the skill-based BUAD 4190 (Small Business Entrepreneurship) course. As SBDC director, he consults with 300-400 clients per year, capitalizing over $20 million.  He also received a national award as a premier consultant. His experience qualifies him for this specific class more than any person in the College of Business holding a doctoral degree.
• Dr. Margaret Cochran, a professor for 13 years and also former director of the Louisiana Scholars’ College, the state’s designated interdisciplinary honors college, serves as the College’s statistician and director of research.  Dr. Cochran’s unique qualifications have been deemed as appropriate qualifications for teaching BUAD 2120 an introductory statistics course emphasizing practical statistical applications.
• Sarah Dubois was chosen to teach MKTG 2200 (Salesmanship), a lower-level elective required only in the associate degree program in business administration. Prior to serving as an adjunct instructor, Ms. Dubois was a successful buyer and owner/operator/salesperson of a woman’s clothing store and holds the master’s degree in home economics from Louisiana Tech University.  The last semester she taught in the MKTG 2200 was Fall 2005.
• Brenda Foote, an instructor at the Leesville/Ft. Polk campus, teaches the basic computer literacy courses (COMP 1020, CIS 1800, and OFAD 1020). The OFAD 1020 course is a vocational education course utilizing word processing skills. The combination of pedagogy obtained in her master’s degree in adult education, her certification in vocational/technical education by the Louisiana Department of Education (VTIE), along with extensive up-to-date training and certification in the use of Microsoft applications software, significant business consulting experience utilizing computer application programs, uniquely qualify her to teach in the area of computer literacy.

 School of Creative and Performing Arts

• Pia Wyatt holds the MFA from the University of Victoria.  Her vita documents an average of 20 years of experience in the areas of professional ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance instruction prior to joining Northwestern’s faculty.  She also has conducted and choreographed workshops in all styles of dance at the local, regional, national and international levels.  Her professional experience, in addition to her academic preparation in theatre, qualifies her to teach the introductory and intermediate jazz dance courses (DAN 1110 and DAN 1510), and DAN 3060, an interdisciplinary course in movement for actors.  She transferred from the dance program to the theatre program in Fall 2006. 
• Dr. Christine Allen earned the doctorate in piano performance in Spring 2006.  She has taught private piano lessons for over 30 years, coordinates the class piano program at Northwestern, is a guest clinician for the Suzuki Institute in nearly 20 states and in Canada, and has presented at numerous conferences in her discipline.  Her vita documents several concert appearances nationwide.  Each semester she offers private piano instruction for graduate students (MUS 5700) in addition to major and minor piano instruction for undergraduate students.  She has been on the music faculty for 13 years.
• William Brent has been the director of the School of Creative and Performing Arts since 1987.  He holds the master’s degree in applied conducting.  Since joining the faculty in 1984, he has been Director of Bands, serving as the conductor of the Wind Ensemble and the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band (over 300 members).  As director he has also been responsible for all spirit groups and currently directs the activities of the marching band’s auxiliary dance line, who receive activity credit for participation (DAN 1170).   He has adjudicated, conducted, or served as a guest clinician for over 500 events nationwide.  He also serves as director/conductor of his church choir.  His documented professional and scholarly contributions of nearly 30 years qualifies him to teach the graduate-level conducting course (MUS 5700), graduate-level ensemble performance course (MUS 5290), and graduate-level high school marching band techniques (MUED 4220), and graduate-level high school band literature (MUED4460).
• Paul Christopher, an instructor of cello, holds the master of music degree with 14 graduate hours in cello study.  He has performed as cellist in numerous regional orchestras across the country, and his performances have been critiqued in master classes worldwide.  In addition, he has been principal or assistant cellist in over 15 symphonies and festivals nationwide over the past 25 years.  His extensive professional experience as a cellist qualifies him to teach private graduate instruction in cello (MUS 5710).
• Masahito Kuroda is an adjunct faculty member in low brass (euphonium).  He is ABD in euphonium performance, and his dissertation topic addresses computer-based acoustical measurement of resonance frequency on the euphonium.  At Northwestern he coordinates all computer functions for the School and is responsible for all recordings of music performances.  He has been a guest soloist in numerous wind ensembles nationwide, documents a record of student successes in regional competitions, has been an international finalist in euphonium quartet competition, and has been recognized nationally for excellent euphonium performance.  He studied at the Japan Ministry of Education, and was recognized as an outstanding college student in its dispatch program.  His education, professional, and scholarly contributions and awards qualify him to teach private graduate instruction in euphonium for major study (MUS 5710), minor study (MUS 5700), music technology (MUS 4200), and performance literature in the area of low brass (MUS 5390).
• Dr. Sheri Oyan earned the doctorate in saxophone performance in spring 2006.  She serves the University as an adjunct professor of saxophone performance.    Her vita documents several solo and ensemble performances nationwide, and she has participated in several symphony performances and recordings as well.  She studied under major saxophone professors Griffin Campbell and Dale Undersood.  Her professional experiences and academic preparation qualify her to teach the graduate level saxophone pedagogy course (MUS 4150) and the private graduate instruction minor course in saxophone (MUS 5700). 
• Terrie Sanders holds certification from the McClosky Institute of Voice as a Certified McClosky Technician (CMT).  She holds the master of music degree (voice) from Northwestern, and has successfully completed 120 additional hours in instruction at the McClosky Institute during her 14 years as a faculty member.  She teaches the graduate introductory course to McClosky technique (MUS 5870).  Her certification as a CMT qualifies her to teach this course.
• Mary Seigler holds the master of music degree in voice.  She was a regional winner in auditions held by the San Francisco Opera, was a finalist with the New York Metropolitan Opera auditions, has extensive training in the Alexander Technique as well as the Body Mapping and Dalcroze techniques, and her vita documents several vocal performances nationwide.  She has been on the music faculty for 17 years and has 28 years of total professional experience.  Her professional contributions and teaching experience qualify her to teach the private graduate instruction minor course in voice (MUS 5700).

 College of Education

• Sharon Ebarb, Kay Gilson, and Paula Watts all teach graduate-level courses in the graduate add-on certification program in school librarianship.  All hold the accredited master of library science degree (MLS) recognized by the American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries as the terminal degree in library science.  Each has several years of experience as a school librarian, all documented on their vitae.  They all participate in professional activities related to their field.
• Terrie McCallister was the Instructional Technology Facilitator for the State Department of Education (Region VI) until 1996, when she joined Northwestern’s Electronic and Continuing Education as an Instructional Technology Specialist. Her vita documents extensive professional development, both face-to-face and on-line in educational technology or computer literacy on the local, regional, and national level.  She has also presented over 20 technology-related programs to teacher educators over the past six years.  She holds the educational specialist degree in educational leadership with a concentration in educational technology, and she currently teaches introductory technology courses for undergraduate teacher educators.  In spring 2006 she taught ETEC 4820, a dual-credit graduate/undergraduate course in the evaluation and use of computers in education.  Her education, professional contributions, and current position as regional technology facilitator qualify her for teaching this course, which is no longer offered for graduate credit.  She no longer teaches graduate-level courses.
• Darlene Williams is currently Director of Electronic and Continuing Education at Northwestern, a position she has held for five years.  In that position she coordinates Northwestern’s electronic campus (eNSU), serves as the University’s main electronic technology trainer, is the University’s BlackBoard system administrator and liaison for the Southern Regional Electronic Campus (SREC).  Her vita documents experience as a school system technology coordinator and also includes documentation of over 30 publications and presentations on educational technology issues.  Additionally, her work has garnered over $500,000 in educational technology grant awards for Northwestern.  She is completing the doctorate in curriculum and instruction (currently she is ABD), and her dissertation addresses online student perceptions of variables that impact performance.  Her education, experiences, and her scholarly and professional contributions qualify her to teach ETEC 4840, a dual-credit graduate/undergraduate course that addresses the planning, development and implementation of educational technology networks; and ETEC 5720, a graduate-level course that replaced ETEC 4840 in Fall 2006.
• Cynthia Allen¹ serves as the director of counseling and supervises a staff of three counselors at the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, the state’s residential high school for gifted and talented students.  Her graduate study was completed at the University of Alabama, and she has earned 40 clock/continuing education hours on a two-year licensing renewal cycle since 1989 totaling approximately 400 hours.  She is licensed by the State of Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and in 2004 and 2006 became a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), respectively.   She taught COUN 5000, an introductory counseling skills course, in the Fall 2006 semester.
• Frances Conine¹ has served since 1992 as director of student services at NSU where she provides supervision to the offices of counseling and career services, health services, and testing services.  Prior to this appointment she served as director of counseling and career services for approximately 10 years as well as in other counseling-related positions in higher education over the past 25 years.  In addition to graduate study in counseling, she is licensed by the State of Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners as a licensed professional counselor (LPC), a licensed family and marriage therapist (LMFT) and as a clinical counseling supervisor (LPC-S).  She has earned over 360 clock/continuing education hours in counseling. Conine has provided supervision for 3 interns who successfully completed the state-mandated 3000-clock hour program to earn licensure.   She taught COUN 5000, an introductory counseling skills course, in the Fall 2006 semester.
• Veronica Ramirez currently is director of the University’s Planning and Assessment office, and is the EEO officer for the University.  She holds the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, and has professional experience as a child/adolescent therapist for a national burn hospital, as an elementary school teacher, and as a researcher in adolescent sexuality.  Her vita also documents professional and scholarly contributions in educational assessment in higher education.  Her academic preparation and professional experience in psychology qualifies her to teach the undergraduate course in child and adolescent psychology (EPSY 3010), required of all pre-service teachers for certification.
• Lisa Rougeau is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in the areas of adolescence and young adulthood.  Her vita documents 20 years of teaching experience in secondary English in Louisiana, and she is an English/Language Arts curriculum writer for the Louisiana Department of Education.  She holds the bachelor’s degree in English education and the master of arts degree in English.  In addition to teaching freshman composition and rhetoric, she co-directs the National Writing Project for Northwestern.  Additionally, she teaches the graduate-level preparatory course for teachers pursuing National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification (EDUC 5150).  She also teaches the undergraduate course in content reading instruction (RDG 4080), which focuses on content area literacy, subject matter standards, benchmarks, writing across the curriculum, and performance assessment for secondary education.  Her teacher certification, National Board certification, and work experience qualify her to teach these courses.
• Holly Wilson* is a practicing school counselor with over 25 years of experience in teaching and counseling.  Having earned the Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Counseling), she is certified as a school counselor by the Louisiana State Department of Education and is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC). Wilson has served as a consultant for teachers of at-risk students, a special education facilitator, and for providing counseling, consulting, and coordinating services for families.   She taught COUN 5000, an introductory counseling skills course, in the Fall 2006 semester.

 College of Science and Technology

• Dr. Richard Devault is an associate professor of mathematics who holds master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics.  As part of his teaching assignment, he coordinates Space Science 1010, a one-hour undergraduate credit course for students who have a Joint Venture on Engineering (JOVE) undergraduate research scholarship through the University’s Space Science program (directed by the head of the Department of Mathematics).  Students perform research under the direct supervision of a credentialed faculty member in an area of chemistry, physics, mathematics, or biology, and Dr. Devault coordinates the functions of this group of scholars.  Dr. Devault directs research in the area of mathematics.
• Dr. Kathy Autrey holds the doctorate in vocational education and the master of business administration degree.  Additionally, she earned 21 graduate hours in mathematics, six of these hours in applied mathematics (statistics). She also is currently completing the master’s degree in mathematics education from Western Governor’s University. She teaches the undergraduate core mathematics courses (MATH 1020 and 1060), the mathematics statistics course (MATH 2100), and the developmental math course (MATH 0920).  She has been on the mathematics faculty since 1993, and since that time she has contributed scholarly and professionally to the field of mathematics on the local, regional, and national level.
• Dr. Malcolm Whitehead earned the doctorate in exercise science in spring 2006.  He has been an invited instructor at several sports medicine workshops, is published nationally in the area of exercise science, and has presented at over 25 regional and national conferences in sports medicine and exercise science.  Currently he directs the human performance laboratory at Northwestern and has also served as a research associate for a laboratory of applied physiology and coordinator of sports exercise testing and prescription.  His education, professional, and scholarly contributions qualify him to teach HP 5470, a graduate course in fitness programming for health promotion specialists.
• David King is head of the Department of Aviation Science and oversees the undergraduate concentration of aviation science that is part of the bachelor of general studies degree.  He holds the bachelor’s degree in aviation science, and he also holds the master’s degree in industrial psychology.  His vita documents over 30 years as a licensed pilot and instructor, and he maintains over 10 FAA ratings and privileges.  He also has logged over 4,000 hours of flight time.  He has served as a flight school administrator for several state and federal programs, and he maintains continuing education requirements for continued licensure.  His licensures, continuing education, and professional experience and service qualify him to teach undergraduate courses in the aviation science program.
• Larry Varnado is currently an instructor in the aviation science program.  Over the past 30 years he has coordinated flight operations, coordinated the academic program, and has served as chief flight instructor and chief ground instructor.  He holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate, a Flight Instructor Certificate, a Ground Instructor Certificate, and has maintained all licensures through FAA and state-approved continuing education coursework.  He has logged over 5,000 hours of airplane single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, and glider flight time.  His licensures, continuing education, professional experience and service qualify him to teach undergraduate courses in the aviation science program.
• Dr. Litton Nugent holds the Ed.D. in secondary education.  He has earned 29 graduate hours in physical and biological science courses.  His vita documents 25 years of experience in instruction of college-level physical or biological science courses, and he has taught over 30 years in the Natchitoches Parish School system in biology, chemistry, physics, and computer literacy.  He is active in several regional and national science-related organizations, including the National Science Teachers Association, where he served as a Key Leader.  As an adjunct instructor, he teaches SCI 1020, a general education biological science course for non-science majors.  Its interdisciplinary focus addresses issues such as the chemical basis of life, cell structure, organismic processes and photosynthesis, all requiring a competency in physical science (students are required to have completed SCI 1010, a general education biological science course for non-science majors, or CHEM 1070 (Basic Chemistry).  His teaching experience (both secondary and higher education), and his academic preparation in physical and biological science qualify him to teach this introductory course.
• Dr. Leeann Sticker holds the doctorate in animal nutritional physiology and the master’s degree in animal nutrition.  Her transcript documents graduate hours in cellular and exercise physiology, Rumen physiology and metabolism, endocrinology, genetics, physiology, and nutrition.  She has taught biology, nutrition, and animal science courses, both face-to-face and by distance, since 1994, and serves as department head of science at the Leesville/Ft. Polk campus.   She is a member of the Graduate Faculty and has authored internal and external grants, and presented and published on the local, regional, and national level in the areas of biology and nutrition.  Additionally, she has reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, and she has directed graduate research for students with Louisiana State University.  Her academic preparation, teaching experience, consistent excellent ratings on the Student Evaluation of Instruction, and her high level of scholarly and professional activity in her teaching area qualify her to teach biological science courses such as physiology.
• Shane Bordelon holds the master’s degree in secondary education and has earned 18 graduate hours in physical and biological science courses.  His vita documents over 30 years of experience in secondary instruction of biology, chemistry, physics, and general science. He teaches SCI 1020 as an adjunct instructor, a general education biological science course for non-science majors.  SCI 1020’s interdisciplinary focus addresses issues such as the chemical basis of life, cell structure, organismic processes, and photosynthesis, all requiring a competency in physical science (students are required to have completed SCI 1010, a general education biological science course for non-science majors, or CHEM 1070 (Basic Chemistry).  He also teaches SCI 2020, which is a continuation of SCI 1020 and focuses on additional interdisciplinary topics including organismic biology, ecology, and environmental science.  His teaching experience (both secondary and higher education), and his academic preparation in physical and biological science qualify him to teach these introductory courses.

 College of Liberal Arts

• Timothy Pardue holds the master of arts degree in criminal justice.  He has over eight years of experience as a police officer, and his credentials include over 1,750 hours of in-service training in the law enforcement area.  He has two years of teaching experience in the area of drug abuse, and he completed classroom instruction in on-line instruction (both BlackBoard and Web TV).  His academic credentials, his in-service training, and his varied work experiences in the area of drug use and abuse qualify him to teach CJ 4500, a course offered for dual credit (graduate and undergraduate).  He taught the course for graduate credit in Fall 2005, and since then the course was changed to undergraduate credit only.  He no longer is on the graduate faculty.
• Patricia Clark holds the master of social work degree (MSW), which is considered the terminal degree by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE).  She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and her vita documents over 30 years of experience in social work, 20 of those in child protective services, both as a clinical social work and as a supervisor.  Her terminal degree, state licensure, and past work experience qualify her to teach SOWK 4260, a dual-credit graduate/undergraduate course in protective services in child welfare.

 College of Nursing

• Teresa T. Kevil received the master of nursing science (M.N.Sc.) degree as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and an Adult Nurse Practitioner from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1980.  She has a total of 24 years of teaching experience.  She taught at the undergraduate level both at Northwestern State University (beginning in 1977) and at the University of Nebraska (in the 1990s).  Her basic nursing experience was predominately in both medical/surgical and intensive care unit settings.  She achieved national certification as a critical care nurse during that time, was certified as an American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Life Support instructor, AHA Basic Life Support Instructor-Trainer, and served on the Shreveport American Heart Association EMS committee. She has published chapters in two intensive care-focused nursing books.  She has been a professional consultant as a nurse expert for both the plaintiff and the defense in numerous malpractice cases for over two decades.  She has been a frequently invited speaker at numerous seminars throughout her career: to nurses, advanced practice nurses, and radiologist technicians.  She has practiced as an Advanced Practice Nurse, as an Adult Nurse Practitioner, since 1995 in both emergency department and primary care clinic settings.  She served as a content reviewer for an advanced practice nursing textbook. She has taught Physical Assessment for 20 years, both at the undergraduate and graduate level.  She has coordinated the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program since 1999.  She is responsible for teaching and coordinating all didactic content and clinical experiences in all clinical courses in the FNP program and the Advanced Health Assessment course.  As coordinator, she is responsible for ensuring the curriculum content adheres to the most current national, state, and local clinical standards. She is responsible for evaluating quality of courses, revising courses as needed, and preparing students for successful completion of the national certification exam.  The past three graduating classes, (2004 – 2006) {n=39}, the graduates have achieved a 100% pass-rate on national certification.  She also teaches designated content in the introductory Nurse Practitioner role course, selected core courses, and has taught in the adult nursing clinical courses.  She serves as academic advisor for graduate students.  She has been involved in orienting and mentoring new graduate faculty.  She has been co-project director on two Division of Health and Human Services--Division of Nursing funded grants for the Family Nurse Practitioner program.  She is currently a member of a grant team with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center which received funding from the National Library of Medicine.  This grant helped establish a clinic for indigent, high-risk, diabetic clients.  Her faculty practice is performed at this clinic where she precepts students as they staff the clinic.  She holds prescriptive authority from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.  She received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Nursing in 2001 and 2004 and received the Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners in 2005.  Her strong clinical background and varied experience make her uniquely qualified to teach graduate students at the advanced practice nursing level.
• Beatrice K. Launius received the master of science in nursing (MSN) degree as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) from Northwestern State University.  She has a total of 18 years of teaching experience.  She taught at the graduate level at Northwestern State University (beginning in 1999) and was the Critical Care Clinical Instructor at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport in the 1990s.  Her basic nursing experience was predominately in critical care unit settings.  She achieved national certification as a critical care nurse during that time, was certified as an American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Life Support instructor, AHA Basic Life Support Instructor, AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support instructor.  She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals.  She has been a professional consultant as a nurse expert for the plaintiff in several malpractice cases.  She has been a frequently invited speaker at numerous seminars.  She has practiced as an advanced practice nurse, as an ACNP, since 2000 in both the critical care unit, step-down in-patient setting and in primary care clinic settings.  Having received baccalaureate degrees both in biology and in nursing, she has maintained a lifelong interest in pathology and has taught Advanced Pathophysiology for seven years at the graduate level.  Having taught in the acute care nurse practitioner program the past two graduating classes, (2005 – 2006), the graduates {n=8} have achieved an 84% pass-rate on national certification.  She is responsible for evaluating courses, revising courses as needed, and preparing students for successful completion of the national nursing certification examination.  She has been involved in mentoring ACNP students as well as fostering a support group for ACNP students after graduation upon entry into practice.  She holds prescriptive authority from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.  Her strong clinical background in the critical care field makes her uniquely qualified to teach graduate students at the advanced practice nursing level.
• Donna Long received the MSN with a concentration in maternal-child nursing from Northwestern State University (1992) and a certificate as a Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, (1994).  She has had over 30 years of clinical nursing experience with the majority of her experience as a WHNP in the primary care setting of a large academic hospital.  She has taught at the undergraduate level in the College of Nursing for three years.  She holds licensure as an advanced practice nurse as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.  She maintains certifications both as an OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner and a Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility Nurse from the National Certification Corporation.  She has conducted research and published research findings in a refereed journal.  She has been recognized by her peers in three different health care areas (community health, diagnostic testing center, and by the College of Nursing at Northwestern) as Nurse of the Year.  She was also selected for the Outstanding Graduate Student award during her graduate education at Northwestern.  Her strong clinical background and specialty certifications uniquely qualify her to teach in the low-risk obstetric course and in the course focusing on primary care delivery in women’s health.
• Dr. Susan Pierce holds the doctorate of education degree (Ed.D.) and a MSN and has 15 years of continuous experience as a nurse educator. She has presented nationally and internationally to nursing and medical audiences regarding Evidence-based Practice, a primary movement to enhance the quality of health care delivery. She has conducted and published nursing research using national sampling and that research continues to be a force impacting approaches to evidence-based practice in both nursing education and the clinical setting. Dr. Pierce has numerous publications in peer-reviewed nursing journals and texts and frequently is a reviewer of journal articles and book chapters. She has served as a consultant to a local arm of a regional health care system focused on the implementation of evidence-based practice by nurses. She has assumed leadership roles for state, national, and international nursing organizations, working to promote nursing research and evidence-based practice. Dr. Pierce received the Nightingale Award for Outstanding Nurse Researcher from the Louisiana State Nurses Association in 2005 and the Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Nursing in 2004. With Dr. Sally Cook, Dr. Pierce co-teaches NURG 5995, a graduate seminar in evidence-based practice that they have designed to prepare the advanced practice nurse to make practice decisions based on the most current best evidence.
• Dana C. Roe received the MSN degree as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) from Northwestern State University College of Nursing in 2000. Ms. Roe has a total of seven years of teaching experience.  She has taught at the undergraduate level at Louisiana Vocational Technical College (1998) and Northwestern State University (beginning in 1999).  Ms. Roe’s basic nursing experiences were predominately in the medical/surgical, inpatient obstetric, inpatient gynecologic, and newborn clinical areas.  Ms. Roe has achieved national certification as a women’s health nurse practitioner as well as certifications in neonatal resuscitation and advanced fetal monitoring.  She has published one article in a refereed nursing journal on the subject of politics in nursing care and one article in a non-refereed journal regarding women’s health. Ms. Roe has been the invited speaker for numerous recognition ceremonies as requested by the undergraduate nursing student body at Northwestern State University (NSU).  Ms. Roe is responsible for teaching and coordinating didactic content and clinical experiences in all clinical courses in the WHNP program.  As coordinator, she is responsible for ensuring the curriculum content for both didactic and clinical courses adheres to national, state and local standards of care. Ms. Roe is also responsible for teaching didactic courses which delineate the role of the nurse practitioner, and engage the nurse practitioner in evidence-based research.  Ms. Roe’s faculty practice is performed at a hospital based obstetric-gynecologic clinic in collaboration with four of the most successful obstetrician-gynecologists in the Shreveport, Louisiana, area.  Ms. Roe holds prescriptive authority from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and maintains active certification as a women’s health nurse practitioner.  Currently Ms. Roe has completed all forty-eight hours of doctoral education, and passed the general comprehensive examination, in the doctorate of nursing science program at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Nursing. Ms. Roe is working on her dissertation and is scheduled to complete the dissertation in December 2007.  Her strong didactic and clinical background and experience as a women’s health nurse practitioner, in addition to her ongoing doctoral education make her exceptionally qualified to teach graduate nursing students at the Advanced Practice Nursing level
• Debra Shelton received the MSN degree in Adult Health and Nursing Education. She is pursuing her doctorate in higher education leadership and has completed 40 hours toward the degree and is working on her dissertation. She also has six academic hours in educational technology. Ms. Shelton has over 18 years of teaching experience in associate, baccalaureate, and graduate nursing education. She received certification as an academic nurse educator from the National League for Nursing in 2005.  She was one of the first 240 nurse educators in the nation to receive the certification and one of only six in the state of Louisiana who initially achieved this certification. She has published and presented on nursing education topics nationally and internationally. In addition to her educational experiences, she has six years of nursing administration experience from nurse manager to Associate Chief, Nursing Service. She is certified in Nursing Administration from the American Nurses Credentialing Committee. Ms. Shelton’s clinical background includes over 30 years experience in adult and critical care settings. She holds licensure from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing as an advanced practice nurse as a clinical nurse specialist in adult health. She holds and maintains clinical certification as an oncology nurse from the Oncology Nursing Society and does faculty practice at the Overton Brooks V.A. Medical Center. In addition, she is a trainer for the Oncology Nursing Society for their ONS Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Course. She teaches this course to nurses throughout north Louisiana. She speaks annually at the oncology conference in the community.  In 2005, she was honored by the Louisiana State Nurses Association with a Nightingale Award for Nurse of the Year for her accomplishments in nursing. Her educational and clinical backgrounds make her uniquely qualified to teach graduate students in adult health and critical care concentrations and in nursing education and nursing administration functional roles.

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¹ONE-TIME EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT. In late July 2006 the College of Education unexpectedly lost two licensed Ph.D.-prepared counseling faculty to other universities in Louisiana who made late hiring decisions. The University has hired a licensed Ph.D.-prepared counseling faculty member who has accepted employment in a tenure track faculty position beginning in January 2007.  The University continues to recruit for hire by June 2007 another licensed Ph.D.-prepared faculty member for the other tenure track faculty position.