SACS Quality Enhancement Plan FAQ

What is a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)?

• The QEP is a required component of our application for reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges (COC).
• The QEP is a recent addition to the SACS accreditation process.
  According to SACS, a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) must address an issue that enhances educational quality and improves student learning.

What is the FGCU QEP?

• The main focus of our QEP is on undergraduate student learning with respect to two university undergraduate learning outcomes—ecological perspective and community involvement.

Why was this topic selected for the QEP?

• The process of selecting the topic included a review of the university mission statement, guiding principles, undergraduate student learning outcomes; analysis of SACS criteria for selecting a focus of the QEP, focus group interviews, and consultation with the academic community.
• The topic was selected because it has broad university support and is consistent with the guiding principles and mission.

What is the QEP mission?

• The mission of the QEP is to develop in students an ecological perspective and foster community involvement through experiential learning, scholarly dialogue, and interdisciplinary engagement.
• In other words, the QEP will enhance student learning in ecological perspectives through service-learning, direct and meaningful experiences, and a respectful exchange of ideas between students and faculty from different disciplines and colleges.

How does the QEP benefit our university?

• The QEP supports the unique mission of FGCU.
• The QEP allows us to establish an identity as a leader in service learning and environmental sustainability.
• The QEP provides FGCU with an unparalleled opportunity to enhance student learning.
• The QEP allows us to systematically assess student learning in areas that are central to the mission of FGCU.

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What is included in the plan?

The QEP is a five-year plan that will be implemented immediately following our accreditation visit. The entire campus will be involved in this effort.

The following activities are included in the QEP:

• Appointment of the QEP director and staff.
• Appointment of the QEP Advisory Committee.
• Curricular development and revision based on assessment data (with a focus on three courses—University Colloquium, Styles and Ways of Learning, and Connections).
• Faculty and student research in ecological perspectives and service-learning.
• Training and development activities through the QEP Training Institute, University Engagement Day, college-based training, and novice instructor training.
• Assessment and evaluation of the QEP and student learning.
• Assessment of courses currently including ecological perspectives and/or service-learning.

Who has administrative oversight for the QEP?

• FGCU has created three new positions to support the QEP. We are expecting to fill these positions by July 2005.
• The QEP Director reports directly to the Associate Vice President of Curriculum and Instruction.
• The QEP Coordinator reports directly to the QEP Director.
• The Community Partnerships Coordinator reports directly to the Director of the Center for Civic Engagement.

Who was involved in the development of the QEP?

• Faculty, staff, students, trustees, and administration were involved in the selection of the QEP topic and the development of the actual plan.
• The QEP topic has received strong support from all campus constituencies.
• Presentations, meetings, e-mail messages, public forums, and web sites were used to share information about the QEP.
• The QEP committee (appointed in September 2004) was comprised of faculty, staff, students, and administration representing the entire academic community.

What are the key indicators of a successful QEP?

• Evidence of institutional commitment to quality enhancement.
• Evidence of a central focus on student learning.
• Evidence of truthful, accurate, and complete reporting of the QEP.
• Evidence that our plan ties in with our current university planning and evaluation process and the university wide strategic plan.
• Evidence of broad-based institutional participation in the identification of the topic.
• Evidence that the QEP is based on best practices and research.
• Evidence that there are adequate human and financial resources to develop, implement, and sustain the QEP.
• Evidence of a clear timeline of implementation.
• Evidence of an assessment and evaluation plan for evaluating the QEP and student learning.

Where can I go for further information?

For further information, please contact Peg Gray-Vickrey, Associate Vice President of Curriculum and Instruction, at 590-1094 or mgrayvic@fgcu.edu.
The entire QEP plan can be accessed from the SACS link on our FGCU home page.

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