SACS QEP Planning and Discussion Document

February 6, 2009

Background

To meet SACS accreditation requirements, Virginia Tech must develop and implement a 5-year Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that:

• Aligns with the university’s mission and strategic plan
• Results in measurable increases in student learning
• Is reviewed by SACS in spring 2010, and implemented in fall 2010.

A broadly representative committee at VT spent 1.5 years gathering data and input from students, staff, and faculty, resulting in the following general recommendations (see also full summary in attached letter from Provost McNamee):

• Enhance first year experiences for undergraduate students to accelerate their engagement with education and the institution
• Use the “pathways” framework and modern assessment tools such as ePortfolios to support more intentional student advising and self-directed learning
• Build inquiry skills to position students for engaging with VT’s strengths in research and creative endeavors
• Enhance information technology and multicultural competencies to prepare students for the realities of a rapidly changing world 
• Align QEP objectives with American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) essential learning outcomes, which provide a well-researched approach for accelerating learning and measuring learning outcomes. 

Where are we now?

Within the above framework, a new 12-person QEP implementation committee has proposed three main QEP goals and associated learning outcomes (see attached document for details).

• Encouraging Thoughtful Academic Planning
• Enhancing Research Skills
• Building Intercultural Knowledge and Understanding

To meet these goals, the QEP would:

• Build on existing First Year Experiences (FYEs) including freshman seminar courses, learning communities, introductory courses for majors, etc.  Many units already have significant FYEs; we would leverage the strengths of these existing programs as models and foundations for a dynamic and assessable FYE experience across the university
• Create new FYEs and more intentional student advising where appropriate
• Include broad representation across colleges, and robust academic/student affairs collaboration with an ultimate goal of reaching all first year students with at least one kind of FYE
• Have implementation and assessment coordinated at the university level, with colleges and student affairs designing and assessing their individual FYEs as appropriate to their needs
• Focus most new QEP resources on FYEs and keep administrative costs as low as possible
• Phase in activities over 5 years to meet the realities of major near-term budget constraints, and facilitate feedback and continuous improvement
• Help faculty and staff implement the QEP by providing:
  • Financial incentives and support
  • Faculty and staff development
  • New personnel (e.g., GTAs, academic advisors) for academic units
  • A clearing house for best learning practices that can be easily included in FYEs.

Additional Background

• A recent study indicated that institutions of our size have budgeted between ~$500k and $6 million (mean of $3 million, or $600k per year) for their 5-year QEPs.
• The QEP Implementation Team is in close communication with the Task Force on Race Implementation Team to avoid duplication of effort and to capture potential synergies.