Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
ACCREDITATION
STC is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). We will be considered for “Reaffirmation of Accreditation” in 2010. The Accreditation Process is governed by the Principles of Accreditation published by SACS. The Reaffirmation process requires that the College provide evidence that it complies with the Core Requirements and Comprehensive Standards specified in the Principles of Accreditation through a Compliance Certification. STC prepared a successful Compliance Certification for approval of our accreditation as a Level II-Baccalaureate degree granting institution in 2005. STC will again complete a Compliance Certification for our 2010 reaffirmation. The Principles of Accreditation can be found on the SACS website at the following link:
What is the QEP?
In addition to a Compliance Certification, the Principles of Accreditation requires each college to prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) as part of the reaffirmation process (Core Requirement 2.12). The Quality Enhancement Plan is a “compelling, thoughtfully designed & transforming course of action that has a meaningful impact on student learning, analyses and applies data to action, engages the college community, and enhances the future for the institution and students” (Diane K. Troyer, 2006). The QEP is a 5-year, focused project. The requirement to have a QEP not only satisfies an accreditation requirement, it will provide an excellent opportunity for STC to specifically address a vital student learning issue in order to enhance student success.
QEP PLANNING TEAM
In order to create a QEP that focuses on student learning and meets the other SACS requirements, a QEP Planning Team was established to identify several viable QEP topics via input from our STC stakeholders and community. The Planning Team evaluated those topics during the 2007-2008 academic year and then selected one for the QEP, based upon input from our College constituents. The Planning Team had broad representation every Division within the College, including: Faculty, Academic Affairs, Student Services, Administrative Services, and Information Services & Planning.
QEP Implementation Team
Once the QEP Topic was selected, a QEP Implementation Team was established to develop the topic into a viable plan for Implementation. This team divided their work into 5 subcommittees: Assessment, Budget, Program Design and Literature Review, Marketing and Professional Development. During the 2008-2009 academic year, this team designed the QEP project and wrote the plan. This team will also play an advisory role as the QEP is carried out over the 5 years of the project.
QEP AT STC
South Texas College (STC) proposed Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) addresses the low success rates in Developmental Mathematics courses. The current developmental math sequence involves three courses: Basic Mathematics (MATH 0080), Introductory Algebra (MATH 0085), and Intermediate Algebra (MATH 0090). According to Institutional data from the First-Time-In-College (FITC) students in the sequence, only 32% of those students were “college ready” within two years (Research & Analytical Services, 2009a).
The process of selecting the QEP theme was designed to be open and include all stakeholders of the College. After months of campus-wide meetings, and review of institutional research related to student learning, the QEP Planning Team identified the need to improve student success within the Developmental Math courses as the QEP topic. Therefore, the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan calls for the redesign of the traditional Development Math three-course sequence (MATH 0080, MATH 0085, and MATH 0090) into a two-course sequence (MATH 0100 and MATH 0200) with expanded lab hours and a redesigned pedagogical approach, including increased lab time and computer-aided instruction. In addition, the proposed design will incorporate required mandatory assessment, active learning techniques, and intensive student support services.
Student success for the purpose of the QEP will be evaluated by the following goals:
- Ensure 70% of students meet at least 70% of the Developmental Math Program Learning Outcomes.
- Increase success rates of students in Developmental Math courses (as evidenced by grades of “C” or better or passing scores on Texas Success Initiative [TSI] approved assessments).
- Increase the First-Time-In-College (FTIC) percentage of students who become “college ready” in Mathematics to 50% (by earning a grade of “C” or better in the highest-level course in the Developmental Math sequence or achieving passing scores on TSI approved assessments) within a two-year period.
A thorough literature review confirmed the College community’s decision.
As the project is implemented over the initial five-year period, it will be modified according to the results of both formative and summative assessments conducted both internally and externally. The project is poised to transform student lives and the College culture by improving success in Developmental Mathematics.