Logistical Arrangements

The previsit may be conducted electronically by the BOE team chair rather than in person.
Poster sessions by institutional representatives are optional.
The visit could begin on Sunday rather than Saturday if the institution’s exhibits are available electronically.
A focused visit may be conducted virtually.

Logistical arrangements for the on-site review by a BOE team should begin months before the scheduled visit to ensure that the visit runs smoothly. Usually the NCATE coordinator is responsible for this planning. The following checklist should guide the NCATE coordinator in making the necessary arrangements:

Schedule a previsit for the BOE team chair, state consultant, and/or state team chair or co-chair. Begin making these arrangements soon after you receive the name of the chair from the NCATE office.
Make hotel/motel reservations for all team members and state representatives. The following suggestions should determine the selection of a hotel:
The hotel should be located near the campus in order to minimize travel time.
- A private single room should be reserved for each BOE team member and state representative.
- A meeting room in the hotel where team members may work upon their arrival and throughout the visit should be reserved. This room should accommodate work space for the team that will include computers and printers. If the state will have its own team working concurrently with the BOE team, two separate workrooms will be required.
The team chair should be consulted regarding how he/she would like the hotel meeting room arranged and the types of supplies that are needed.
Because meals are often used as work sessions, there should be a restaurant in or near the hotel. Except for Sunday night, institutional representatives should not eat meals with team members.
Direct billing to the college/university for the hotel should be arranged if at all possible. If it is not possible to arrange for direct billing of hotel expenses, please contact NCATE’s Director of Finance.
Plan transportation for team members upon arrival and departure and between the hotel and institution. The arrangements should be made in consultation with the BOE team chair.
Provide all team members and state representatives with directions to the hotel and campus. Indicate what airport should be used.
Let team members know the best type of ground transportation from the airport to the hotel, approximate cost of ground transportation, and approximate travel time from the airport to the
hotel.
Arrange transportation between the hotel and the institution for the duration of the visit. Sometimes team chairs request the provision of a van or station wagon for the team to use during the visit.
Make the following provisions on campus:
- Set up a workroom for the BOE team. This workroom might double as the exhibit room (see below), but it should not be used for individual or group interviews. The workroom should provide as much privacy as possible. Check with the BOE chair to determine how he/she would like the room arranged. Also check with the BOE chair as to supplies that should be available in the campus workroom, as well as what technology is required or desired by the team (i.e., PCs and/or Internet access).
- Set up an exhibit room with materials that the BOE team should review while on campus. All of the items in the exhibit room should be clearly marked and there should be a directory of exhibits listed alphabetically and/or by standard. If any or most of the exhibits are accessed electronically, PCs as well as instructions for access to electronic documentation should also be provided.
- Provide the following technology for use by the team members throughout the visit. Check with the team chair for additional information about technology needs. In consultation with the team chair, the following technology provisions should be made:
- Multiple computer workstations with access to website in exhibit room.
- Multiple computer workstations with access to website in hotel.
- Printing capacity in workroom and at hotel.
- CD of website and list of additions since creation of disk.
- Name and telephone number of technology support person.
- Orientation to website as part of introduction to the unit.
- E-mail address for NCATE team while on site.
- Arrangements for video-conferencing of interviews at off-campus and branch campus sites.
Arrange support services for the BOE team during the visit. This support might include the following:
- Support staff assistance if requested by the team chair.
- Access to photocopying facilities.
- Convenience of access to a public telephone, restroom facilities, and kitchen or vending machines.
- Arrangements for off-campus visits.
- Arrangements for observation of professional education classes.
- Access to candidate and faculty records on campus.
- Access to samples of candidate products (e.g., papers, theses, portfolios, and dissertations).
Arrange for interviews and off-campus visits as outlined in the template for the visit and agreed upon with the team chair and state consultant during the previsit.
Prepare nametags for BOE members so that they can be clearly identified by institutional representatives. Also consider asking faculty to wear nametags during the visit, particularly in group interview settings.
Check with the team chair about arrangements for noon meals. Institutional representatives should not plan to eat meals with the team other than on Sunday night.
Provide clear directions and/or escorts to scheduled interviews. (In some cases, provision of transportation to distant sites on campus may be required.)
Plan the Sunday evening poster session/function (i.e., who should attend and the agenda) with the team chair. If the function is not in the hotel, arrange for team travel to the function. Poster sessions are optional for institutions hosting continuing visits from spring 2010 to spring 2012.