Roanoke’s Quality Enhancement Plan
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SACS
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“Developing a QEP as a part of the reaffirmation
process is an opportunity for the institution to enhance
overall institutional quality and effectiveness by
focusing on an issue or issues the institution considers
important to improving student learning.”
From: The Quality Enhancement Plan (Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation)
SACS
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Recognize the strengths of the QEP requirement:
narrow focus
 impact on student learning
 arises from cooperation among and insights from faculty,
staff, and students
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SACS
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Recognize the limitations of the QEP as a focused project:
Not the only worthwhile new initiative on campus—lots going
on in other areas of strategic plan
 Not intended to 'save' the world/address all areas for
improvement needed at RC
 QEP has potential for growth, inclusion of new areas over time
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SACS
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Recognize its urgency: August 2011
need to produce a quality plan that fulfills SACS
expectations: clear, focused; impacts student learning;
administrative structure; funding; assessment plan
 need to build widespread support
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open door policy for faculty/staff input
 willingness of faculty and staff to see this as a work in progress
with great potential; please don’t allow perfection to be the enemy
of very good
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The Process
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Fall ‘09 – QEP selection committee
Feb ‘10 – 1st survey of faculty, students, staff, and alumni
May ‘10 – 2nd survey of faculty and staff
Summer 2010 – President Maxey selected EL as topic
Fall 2010 – QEP development committee
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Met with depts., offices, and individuals – gather info on current practices
Reviewed literature on experiential learning (theory and practice)
Narrowed focus: research, internships, study away, service learning, and
artistic-creative works
Developed guidelines and principles, student and faculty/staff support
models, logistical support, etc
Draft of QEP by the end of this semester
Submission to SACS by August 2011
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Roanoke College
Quality Enhancement Plan
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Purpose
Student engagement is an indicator of successful classroom
performance, improved student retention, and enhanced academic
climate of an institution. When students are engaged they are
attracted to their work, persist despite challenges, and take pride in
their accomplishments. This attitude translates into other areas of their
lives and has a positive effect on peers, classroom dynamics, and
overall campus climate. Roanoke College’s Quality Enhancement Plan
(QEP) seeks to improve student engagement by enhancing the
quality of experiential learning opportunities currently available
and increasing the number of students who take advantage of
these high-impact practices (Kuh, AAC&U, 2008), which include
research, internships, service-learning, study away, and artisticcreative works.
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National Standards
and Guiding Principles
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Council for the Advancement of Standards
in Higher Education (CAS)
Forum on Education Abroad
National Society of Experiential Education (NSEE)
Best practices standards
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Overarching Objectives
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Enhance Quality (NSEE: Intention, Preparedness and Planning, Authenticity,
Reflection, Orientation and Training, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement,
Assessment and Evaluation, Acknowledgment)
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Pre-experience – learning agreement
Experience – reflection
Post-experience – public showcasing
Student support
Faculty/staff support
Logistical support
Best Practices
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Hendrix College Odyssey Program – (Artistic Creativity, Global
Awareness, Professional and Leadership Development, Service to
the World, Undergraduate Research)
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Study Abroad: Many Hendrix-run programs. e.g., “Hendrix in Florence”
Maymester: Some courses are travel and can count.
All Odyssey components have: Statement of Intent, Reflection,
Description of Project Completion (final reflection), Showcase (small- or
large- group discussions, papers, journals, and oral presentations).
Best Practices
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Centenary Trek Program: Career, Culture, and Community
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International Exchange Program: Students are enrolled in both
institutions, simplifying admissions, scholarship and credit transfer.
Study Abroad: Similar to what we do.
May Module: All students must complete one may-term course for
graduation. Some of these also meet the Culture requirement in the
Trek program.
The Trek program was the topic of their QEP and they explicitly
incorporated NSEE Best Practices into this program.
How will our program exemplify
NSEE best practices?
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Intention – Statement of intent, learning goals/objectives, learning agreement
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Preparedness and Planning – Sufficient foundation to have a successful experience
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Authenticity – Cultural immersion
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Reflection – Process of guided reflection through discussion/writing/blogging…
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Orientation and Training – Expectations are clear, all participate
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Monitoring and Continuous Improvement – “Expect the unexpected”, open communication
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Assessment and Evaluation – Based on learning
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Acknowledgment – Campus showcase, incorporate experience into RC, e-portfolio
Proposed New Model
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Encourage IL faculty to:
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add QEP quality enhancements to their IL travel courses.
develop new QEP-enhanced IL travel courses.
Provide QEP quality enhancements for students in non-QEP IL
travel courses through a Faculty Liaison.
Provide QEP enhancements to Study Abroad through a
Faculty Liaison.
Student Support (tentative)
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Simplified/one stop shopping access to opportunities
Access to Student QEP grants for books/materials/equipment
E-portfolio support (equipment, tech support, ideas/training)
IL Specific
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Can apply for travel funds
Tuition credit for 2nd IL if travel
Faculty/Staff Support (tentative)
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IL-Travel
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Can apply for grant money to cover some associated costs.
Faculty Liaison for Study Away (compensated through stipend)
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Conduct pre-experience meetings with students to establish learning goals.
Maintain regular contact with students while abroad via Skype (or some
other technology); facilitate guided reflection.
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Conduct post-experience meetings and help students with showcasing.
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Assessment of student learning outcomes.
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Work with IE, departments, and students to increase participation in study
abroad programs.
Work with IE, departments, programs, and the Registrar to find ways to
more easily transfer credit back from other institutions.
Faculty/Staff Support (tentative)
– Logistical Support and Training
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Training offered by a central QEP/EL office, e.g.,
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EL+ quality enhancement training
Off-campus, relevant faculty/staff development opportunities
Coordination with International Education
Logistical support
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Centralized entryway for students
Advertising
Showcasing
Questions
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Is this a model that makes sense to you?
From your perspective, are there issues we have not considered?
Could you see yourself transforming an existing IL-travel course so
that it would meet QEP quality enhancements?
Others?