Western Oregon University is one of 21 higher education institutions in the country recognized for their leadership and commitment to continuous improvement by The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Western’s College of Education was specifically recognized.

The recognition award, The Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement, is named after the founding President of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and TEAC. Murray was the founding President of TEAC, served as Chairman of the Board for TEAC, and was also an initial member of the CAEP Board of Directors. He was a key advocate for a single set of educator preparation standards to unify the profession and was instrumental in the merger that created CAEP. He also served as the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Delaware from 1979 to 1995.

“Frank Murray was passionate about education preparation, a prominent leader in our profession, and an advocate for evidence to improve education. The providers that CAEP is recognizing are committed to continuous improvement and preparing their students to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” said Yuhang Rong, Chair of the CAEP Board of Directors. “CAEP Accreditation is a sign of commitment to quality through purposeful use of evidence. The Murray Leadership Recognition recipients should be proud of their accomplishments.” 

Recipients of the 2023 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement are selected from the educator preparation providers (EPPs) that were granted accreditation by CAEP at the initial level from the previous year, who provided a full complement of evidence with demonstrated data trends and no plans. Recipients had no stipulations or areas for improvement. Providers selected for recognition advance equity and excellence in educator preparation through the purposeful use of self-study procedures and evidence-based reporting that assure quality and support continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 learning. These EPPs use inquiry and assessments to establish quality assurance systems to drive improvement.

“The Frank Murray Leadership Recognition demonstrates the exemplary work by our faculty, staff, and students in the College of Education at Western Oregon University,” said Western’s Provost Jose Coll. “It reflects the values and principles shared by our university community and we applaud the College of Education for receiving this award by one of the leading national accreditation bodies for teacher preparation”.

“This fifth class to receive the Murray Recognition represents the diversity and innovation that comes with CAEP accreditation. Small, large, public, private, faith-based, and historically minority-serving,” said CAEP President Christopher Koch. “These recipients reflect the innovation that CAEP affords in achieving excellence, by meeting the standards in a variety of ways, for the diverse populations they serve.”

CAEP accreditation serves the dual purposes of accountability and continuous improvement. 541 educator preparation providers in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates have been accredited under the CAEP Standards. The CAEP accreditation process evaluates the performance of providers and focuses mainly on whether candidates will be prepared for the challenging responsibilities that educators face in our classrooms. Approximately 600 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP Accreditation system, including some previously accredited through former standards. 

2023 Frank Murray Recognition for Continuous Improvement
Al Ain University—United Arab Emirates
Alcorn State University—Mississippi
Elon University—North Carolina
Florida Atlantic University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Grace College—Indiana
Kent State University—Ohio
Liberty University—Virginia
Mississippi State University
Missouri Western University
North Carolina State University
Northwest Nazarene University—Idaho
Sam Houston State University—Texas
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Spelman College—Georgia
The University of Mississippi
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Valley City State University—North Dakota
Virginia Wesleyan University
Western Oregon University
Williams Baptist University—Arkansas

Western Oregon University, founded in 1856 in Monmouth, is the state’s oldest public university. Serving about 4,000 students, WOU is a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution with about 70% of the student population being from Oregon. A significant portion of attendees are members of under-represented groups, veterans, or non-traditional students. WOU is Oregon’s campus of choice for those seeking a transformative education in a supportive, student-centered learning community where classes are taught by faculty. 

Together we succeed.