Quality Enhancement Plan
QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP)
What is a QEP?
Life University is scheduled for reaffirmation of its accreditation in 2021 by our regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). As part of this process, which takes place every 10 years, SACSCOC requires member institutions to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). A QEP is a carefully designed and focused plan of action that seeks to advance student success by addressing key issues identified from institutional assessment.
What is Life University’s QEP?
Our QEP is Enhance, Engage, Excel: Changing the Retention Paradigm at Life University. Through our QEP, we seek to engage students in co-curricular and academic services to increase retention. Our QEP includes three primary goals and associated outcomes:
The QEP Management Team, comprised of faculty and staff representatives from across the University, identified the topic and goals for our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) through an exhaustive examination of existing institutional data and initiatives tied to student success, as well as a thorough analysis of quantitative and qualitative data resulting from the institution’s strategic planning process. Through its review, the Team found the following areas of need for each goal:
Please view the QEP Narrative for additional information on the process used to develop LIFE’s QEP.
To achieve the goals created for Enhance, Engage, Excel, LIFE will enhance the tools and strategies it uses to identify and meet students’ unique academic and co-curricular expectations, needs and interests. Moreover, we will proactively seek to engage all students in opportunities and resources that foster a sense of belonging and connection to the University community. In doing so, LIFE seeks to ensure current and future students excel in their journey at Life University. Specific actions the University will implement during the QEP include:
Additional information about the planned actions, including timelines for implementation, can be found in the QEP Narrative.
To measure the effectiveness of Enhance, Engage, Excel, Life University developed a comprehensive assessment plan to monitor the overall progress of the project and its planned outcomes. Assessment will be ongoing throughout the implementation of the QEP over the next five years, and the University will use the resulting data to continuously refine and improve the project and its associated strategies. Direct measures, including participation in co-curricular events and percentage of students receiving early alerts, will be assessed along with indirect measures, such as student satisfaction and engagement with the campus community. Additionally, LIFE will use two key performance indicators, retention and student engagement, and associated assessments to monitor progress toward the overall goal of the plan. A detailed overview of the assessment plan can be found in Section IX of the QEP Narrative.
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QEP MANAGEMENT TEAM
Bill Watson,
QEP Director and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Keiko Childs,
Registrar Coordinator, Student Affairs
Shawn Cradit,
Associate Professor, College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studiess
Vince Erario,
Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Erin Gilligan,
Project Coordinator, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Tameka Glass,
Executive Director, University Advisement
Erica Hampson,
Advisor, University Advisement
Jessica Lewis,
Project Coordinator, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
John Thornhill,
Assistant Professor, College of Chiropractic
Alan Wells,
Associate Dean, College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies
Howard Wright,
Director, Office of Institutional Research