Four Things You Need to Know About Our QEP
1. What's a "QEP"?
"QEP" stands for "Quality Enhancement Plan." A QEP is required by SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges), Savannah State University's accrediting body. It is a five-year project that will enhance the quality of our students’ education.
2. What is SACSCOC and why do you need to be accredited as a university?
SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges) is the regional accrediting body for colleges and universities in the southeast. SACSCOC accredits Savannah State University (SSU) to award degrees. Every ten years SSU must be reviewed to get reaccredited so we can:
- Maintain our reputation as a quality institution
- Make sure that SSU and its programs meet or exceed the same standards as other regionally accredited institutions
- Ensure access to federal funding such as student financial aid and Pell Grants
3. What's our QEP about?
Our currently proposed QEP on the topic of metacognition, Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU has been developed to meet institutional needs and to enrich promising existing approaches highlighted during the QEP topic identification process, while also fulfilling the university’s mission, vision, and strategic planning priorities related to enhancing student success in substantial ways. Savannah State University is committed to providing pathways to higher education for underrepresented groups and students with non-traditional or limited college preparation. Thus this QEP and its holistic approach to student success reflects the particular needs of SSU’s student body, and our commitment to ensuring that all students embark upon purposefully chosen programs of study, develop a mindset for life-long learning, and reach graduation well prepared for success in the workplace. By involving the entire university community in cooperative, aligned support for our students, this initiative offers an inclusive and multifaceted approach to the development of metacognition designed to make every Tiger successful.
Topic Selection and Implementation Process
Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU incorporates a broad-based consideration of institutional research data and strategic planning, stakeholder consultation and consensus, as well as scholarship on best practices related to student success. Faculty, administration, students, and staff have participated in shaping the QEP’s collective focus, and this collaboration promotes a wide base of support and investment in the project. There is a clear timeline, organization, budget, and management plan for implementation. Further, in executing this QEP, many significant new initiatives and augmentations will be enacted to reinforce student success practices in developing metacognition and becoming lifelong learners across the SSU campus.
Anchored in Ongoing USG Initiatives
Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU has been carefully designed to build on SSU’s participation in recent University System of Georgia (USG) student success initiatives and to continue and increase the impact SSU has already achieved through these student success initiatives. Our QEP builds on SSU’s early success with the USG’s Momentum Approach, specifically its emphasis on the importance of students’ first experiences on campus and first year of study, on developing an academic/growth mindset as well as developing student skills to enhance personal learning habits. Our QEP also get reinforcement from the exciting successes of our Appreciative Advising approach and our Tutoring/Learning Support Program both housed in our Center for Student Success and Retention.
4. Which SSU areas are uniting for student success?
A United Approach
The Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment (IRPA) will oversee the activities of the QEP, managed by a QEP Director and who is supported by the QEP Advisory Council. While the QEP will operate with its own, independent budget, a 5-year financial commitment fully guaranteed by SSU leadership, the QEP will also collaborate with existing campus resources to oversee the integration of QEP vision throughout campus. This will provide a stronger unification of those resources, as units work collectively to achieve Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU.
Ultimately, we believe that we are stronger together, and value the opportunity to coordinate our efforts thoughtfully and systematically through the structure of a SACSCOC QEP platform. This QEP Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU allows Savannah State University to pursue a natural evolution of best practice in the classroom and independent study skills for students to achieve student success. Specifically, our QEP focuses on interventions in 3 areas that are critical for student success. Click on each area to learn more:
Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU seeks to increase student success in Freshman Year Experience (FYE) by building on the momentum already generated through the ongoing FYE revision work. With the first goal of increasing consistency of the experience for students across all sections of FYE, Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU will also augment the general education curriculum of FYE.
Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU seeks to increase student success by building on the early successes of the advisors and advising and by enhancing the advising redesign with its foundation in Appreciate Advising. Also it seeks to reinforce metacognition development within the student success model by enhancing the existing tutoring services at SSU, especially tutoring focused on core courses redesigned throughout this QEP and by investing in additional resources for oversight and training in the Learning Commons Tutoring Center.
Deep Dive Learning #studentsuccessunitedSSU seeks to continue the early successes of its redesigned Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) lessions in Gen Ed Courses through best practices in metacognition and by significantly expanding the scope of course redesign efforts to all areas of the core curriculum and throughout every degree-granting program.