In the Fall 2015 semester, the student body at McNeese State University selected Advising to be an integral component in its next Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). A visit by Dr. John N. Gardner of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education allowed faculty and staff to express their concerns regarding improving student learning by utilizing improved advising practices, among other recommendations, as a key tool for refining student success. Furthermore, focus groups held among faculty, staff, and student leaders during the Spring 2016 semester all stressed the need for advising to play a substantial role in improving student success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QEP is a core requirement for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on College (SACSCOC) accreditation and is an essential part of preparing for our Compliance Certification, to be completed in Fall 2016, and leading to reaffirmation of accreditation in Spring 2017. A QEP is a special project an institution undertakes to improve student learning and the campus environment in which learning takes place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QEP will be McNeese State University\u2019s second one: from 2006-2008, the McNeese community engaged in a researched-based process that included constituent input to develop the Write to Excellence initiative. Write to Excellence transformed our campus community by introducing a \u201cwriting across the curriculum\u201d program, which focused on emphasizing effective writing in the disciplines. The University also developed and implemented the Write to Excellence Center, a campus writing lab, which continues to enjoy success to this day. Finally, the last QEP developed a course called Freshmen Foundations, which is devoted to improving the freshman experience The Write to Excellence QEP, which formally launched in fall 2008, was central to our 2007 SACSCOC reaffirmation. The project reached its formal completion in 2013 with the submission of our 5th-Year interim report to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Although Write to Excellence has reached its formal conclusion, the systemic improvements to student learning and the learning environment continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beginning in Spring 2016, a QEP Implementation Team convened and held bimonthly meetings to further develop and refine the QEP. Although Advising is favored by the majority of University stakeholders\u2014students, faculty, and staff\u2014after much deliberation, the Committee came to the conclusion that improvements to Advising will be enriched by the addition of student learning outcomes related to professionalism and post-undergraduate career planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QEP is currently in development with the Committee continuing to meet in the Summer 2016 semester to refine goals and student learning outcomes and to launch pilot improvements by Fall 2016. This page will serve as one of several resources for gathering and disseminating information on this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QEP topic selection process involved reviewing institutional data on student learning and gathering input from the broader university\/community on issues, ideas, and methods that would enhance student learning or the learning environment. During 2013 and 2014 ideas were gathered from building meetings, town-hall meetings, student-led forums, and other venues, as well as through a topic submission form on this website. Those ideas are available at the links below, and a survey was distributed to choose top candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Institutional and external reports and links related to student learning and other related higher-education issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QEP Steering Committee consists of a broad, cross-section of faculty, staff, students, and community involvement. The primary purpose of this committee is to support and advise on the topic selection process. Additional responsibilities follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following table documents activities undertaken and planned for QEP selection and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n