#impACT
What is a QEP?
A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a part of the reaffirmation process required by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS). The goal of the QEP is to demonstrate UT Southern’s commitment to improving the quality of education and the success of our students.
Our five-year QEP will focus on the use of High Impact Practices: what they are, how they are used, and who will benefit from their use. These HIPs will be infused not only into the core curriculum, but also into the culture of UT Southern.
What are our goals?
The QEP specifies three goals to enhance the learning environment and posits that doing so will support the fourth goal – to enhance student success. The goals are to:
- Increase the number and types of HIPs that support the learning outcomes of the QEP
- Increase participation in HIPs, particularly by students in historically underserved groups; and
- Enhance student capabilities as life-long learners, through improvements in the learning environment, as evidenced by performance on the National Survey of Student Engagement’s (NSSE) ten engagement indicators and on the Personal Social Responsibility Inventory’s (PSRI) five dimensions of personal and social responsibility, and the factors of critical thinking and openness to diversity and challenges, and surveys of Tendency Toward Lifetime Learning and perseverance.
- The QEP specifies one goal related to overall student success. The goal is to: Contribute to the increase in the university’s student retention and graduation rates by increasing the number of HIPs available to students.
Entitled #impACT, our plan aims to infuse HIPs into the core curriculum, as well as the culture at UT Southern.
High Impact Practices (HIPS) are evidence-based tools for improving student success.
Preparing a QEP takes plenty of research. Click below to learn more about the resources we used to establish UT Southern’s QEP.
To Send a Message – CLICK HERE
OUR QEP
OUR TEAM
OUR TEAM
UT Southern’s QEP Team consists faculty, staff, and alumni with a broad range of backgrounds, skills, and areas of expertise.
QEP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
- R. Michael Cathey, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor of Physical Education
- Karen Ferguson, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor of Nursing
- Sissy Garner, M.A.
- Director of Marketing and Communication
- Brant Harwell, Ph.D.
- Professor of English
- Claire Paul, M.Ed.
- Assistant Director of Admissions
- Melissa Ryckman, Ph.D.
- Co-Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence; Assistant Professor of History
- Julie Shelton, B.S.
- Career Services Counselor
- Sarah C. Richardson, M.A.
- Director of Student Engagement & Development
- Kyla Young, B.A.
- Assistant Registrar; UT Southern Alumna
QEP STEERING COMMITTEE
- George Cheatham, Ph.D.
- Chair of the Core Curriculum Committee; SACS Liaison; Professor of English
- Judy Cheatham, Ph.D.
- Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs; Professor of English
- Jac Cole, Ph.D.
- Division Chair, Math and Sciences, Professor of Math
- Shanna Hanes, Ph.D.
- Chair of the Service Learning Committee; Assistant Professor of Biology
- Chris Mattingly, Ph.D.
- Director of Institutional Advancement; Registrar; Professor of Math
- Brittany Fralix
- QEP Administrative Assistant; UT Southern Alumna
- Barry Rich, M.A.
- Director of the Student Resource Center; Instructor of English
- Ken Vickers, Ph.D.
- Division Chair, Social Sciences; Professor of History
- Doris Wossum-Fisher, Ph.D.
- Chair of the QEP; Professor of Psychology
To Send a Message – CLICK HERE
HIP PHOTO GALLERY
RESOURCES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a QEP?
“QEP” stands for Quality Enhancement Plan. Every college or university that is accredited through the Southern Associations of Colleges and Schools (SACS) must implement a QEP during their re-accreditation period. Institutions select an area in which they hope to improve and then implement a five year plan to reach their goal. UT Southern’s QEP is entitled #impACT, and it focuses on adding High Impact Practices (HIPs) into the core curriculum.
What are HIPs?
HIPs are high impact practices. These are methods that have been proven to positively effect student learning and retention. Some high impact practices include research, study abroad, and development of ePortfolios. Basically, high impact practices help students learn deeply and encourage students to apply what they learn in class into other areas of their lives. They help students to think critically and become life-long learners.
Will I participate in HIPs?
Yes! Our goal is for HIPs to become part of the culture at UT Southern. So not only will you be taking classes using high impact practices, but campus and residential life will have opportunities to experience HIPs as well.
To Send a Message or Ask a Question – CLICK HERE
CONTACT
QEP CONTACT INFORMATION
QEP Administrative Assistant:
- Brittany Fralix
- (931) 424-2011
QEP Chair:
- Doris Wossum-Fisher, Ph.D.
- (931) 363-9862
QEP Resource Center:
- Johnston Center, Room J222
Visit Our University Website:
To Contact or Send a Message – CLICK HERE
HIP BLOG
From the Classroom to the Campground
Skylar Lovvo • May 29, 2019 • 2 min. read On Sunday, May 5, just one day after Martin Methodist’s 148th Commencement Ceremony, English Professor Dr. Brant Harwell traded in his doctoral regalia for a pair of hiking boots and a wide-brimmed hat. Dr. Harwell teaches, among a variety of other English courses, Nature Literature.…