Archive for February, 2010

Kyle Dickson sent me this site as a possible resource for our QEP. Check it out.

http://magenta.cit.utexas.edu/ct/#Start

The objective of the Defining Subcommittee is to describe “research literacy” in language that includes and honors full range of “scholarship and/or other creative activities” appropriate to each field of study available to our graduate and undergraduate students.

The objective of the SACS QEP Best Practices Subcommittee is to
Identify exemplary programs at ACU and other institutions that
demonstrate research literacy.  Tasks of the committee are to:

–  Conduct a review of selected institutions that are members of the
Council of Undergraduate     Research and other peer institutions for
programs and activities that can be implemented in the QEP.

–  Conduct a review of existing programs or activities at ACU for
potential inclusion in the QEP

–  Determine methods of assessment for Research literacy that can be
used throughout the university

Chair: Kris Evans

Members: Phyllis Bolin, Greg Powell

Chair: Mark McCallon

Members: Brenda Bender, Colleen Durrington, Jaime Goff, Florah Mahlanga, and Rob Byrd

Chair: Jeff Arrington

Members: Jared Elk, Scott Perkins, Jennifer Shewmaker, Autumn Sutherlin, Allen Teel

Please feel free to contact committee members with input or questions.

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN

As most of you know, ACU will be going through its SACS reaffirmation process beginning Spring 2011. The traditional audit of academic and operational policies and procedures has been enhanced with an additional component that requires all accredited schools to engage in a five-year Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to enhance quality and student learning.

To prepare for the university’s first QEP, a selection committee was developed in 2009, chaired by Greg Straughn, to research and review topics. After receiving input from focus groups, interested faculty members, support staff from both academic and student life entities, students, alumni, and the ACU Board of Trustees, the SACS Leadership Team selected the topic of Research Literacy as the theme for ACU’s Quality Enhancement Plan.

After choosing the topic of focus, the Leadership Team, composed of Dr. Money, Dr. Jeanine Varner, Dr. Tom Milholland, Dr. Nancy Shankle, Dr. Tom Winter, and Dr. Phyllis Bolin created a QEP Development Team whose task would be to better define the topic, define student learning outcomes, identify best practices, establish a plan and timeline for implementation and develop evaluation and assessment methods.

The Development Team has already begun its work and will be collaborating with all campus partners to build a comprehensive plan that engages students in the understanding of research, its process and its value to their ACU education.

A blog http://blogs.acu.edu/qep/ has been established that will keep you informed with the team’s progress and offer a place for discussion amongst the ACU community. The development team will also be using surveys and other tools to receive input. Please use these opportunities to contribute your ideas and experiences.

The QEP will become the centerpiece of our SACS reaffirmation process. Its development and implementation are among the most important things that we will do as an institution over the next five years.  We need your help to ensure a successful plan is developed, implemented and measured. Please feel free to contact any of the members on the development team, listed below, with questions or feedback and use the blog, surveys and other discussion opportunities to provide your input.

The QEP Development Team includes:

• Phyllis Bolin, Chair
• Jennifer Shewmaker, Associate Chair, Psychology Department
• Jeff Arrington, Associate Vice-President for Student Life
• Brenda Bender, Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Rob Byrd, School of Information Technologies
• Colleen Durrington, Board of Trustees
• Jared Elk, student Political Science Major
• Kris Evans, Dir of Strategic Marketing
• Jaime Goff, Marriage and Family Therapy
• Kaye Price-Hawkins, Alumnus and Consulting-Priceless Literacy
• Tom Lee, Biology
• Mark McCallon, Asso. Dir of Library
• Florah Mhlanga, Agriculture and Environmental Science
• Autumn Sutherlin, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Allen Teel, Music
• Kyle Dickson, Adams Center, Ex Officio
• Scott Perkins, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Ex Officio
• Greg Powell, Director of Undergraduate Research, Ex Officio

This is the timeline for our submission of the QEP.

QEP Timeline

Revised 9/03/09

QEP Evaluation Criteria
(Report of the Reaffirmation Committee)

Broad-based Process—The institution uses a broad-based institutional process for identifying key issues emerging from institutional assessment
Focus of the Plan—The institution identifies a significant issue that
1. focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting student learning and
2. accomplishes the mission of the institution
Institutional Capability for the Initiation and Continuation of the Plan—The institution provides evidence that it has sufficient resources to initiate, implement, sustain, and complete the QEP.
Broad-based Involvement of the Community—the institution demonstrates that all aspects of its community were involved in the development and proposed implementation of the Plan
Assessment of the Plan—the institution demonstrates that it has goals and a plan to assess their achievement

Source: Dr. Robert L. Armacost, Special Assistant to the Dean, and Dr. Julia J. Pet-Armacost, Associate Dean, Planning and Knowledge Management, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida. “Planning for Developing a Quality Enhancement Plan.” SACS-COC Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. December 2008.