QEP – A Major Part of SACS Process
By Sue Kearney and Ann Gleason

A new and important part of the SACS reaffirmation of accreditation process is the development of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The QEP is one of the 12 core requirements of the accreditation review. The QEP must have broad-based campus involvement and must emerge from institutional planning, assessment and research. It will address an area that clearly demonstrates Meredith’s commitment to continuous improvement of student learning outcomes.

Last year was spent identifying a broad topic around which the College would develop its Quality Enhancement Plan. The area selected through a campus-wide vote was “Strengthen the support system for academic success.” The charge of the Leadership Team to the QEP Committee included a focus on enhancing academic challenge and support through a program that will better prepare students for rigorous intellectual work.

Since last fall, QEP committee members—led by co-chairs Ann Gleason, dean of students, and Mark O’Dekirk, associate professor of psychology—have been gathering campus input for developing a QEP proposal. They have studied reports from various student and faculty surveys and other institutional research, findings from academic program and Vision 2010 assessments, and data from outside sources. They have met and talked with numerous departments and programs throughout the campus about strengths Meredith students bring to the academic community, skills which could be better developed, and how to capitalize on these strengths and develop needed skills. The QEP committee is now analyzing what it has learned and is discussing its findings with the SACS Leadership Team.

The QEP committee plans to solidify and narrow the QEP topic and identify specific student learning outcomes at its December and January retreats. Following the approval of the specific topic and outcomes, the QEP committee hopes to solicit feedback about program ideas from the Meredith community in the spring semester through campus forums, the QEP blog, faculty and staff meetings, etc.

It’s still not too late to contribute ideas to the current discussions. Click here to access the QEP web page, where you will find a link to a discussion board on Blackboard that asks for responses to several questions. The QEP committee will continue to post topics on Blackboard for comment as the proposal is developed.

The QEP proposal is scheduled to be submitted to SACS in December 2009, and it will be closely examined by an on-site evaluation team in February 2010. Once the proposal has been approved through the reaffirmation review process, the plan will be implemented and assessed. Meredith must then provide a five-year impact report showing how the QEP has made a difference in learning outcomes for students. This impact study will be part of The Fifth-Year Interim Report that will also address various requirements, standards and federal requirements for which continued compliance reports are essential.

The QEP web site states that members “envision a QEP project that will enrich our academic climate, challenge us all as a college community to grow, and help meet the vision of Meredith College's mission as a women's college in the 21st century.”

Please help us make this project a true campus-wide commitment. Log into Blackboard to participate in the discussion board or discuss your ideas or questions with one of the QEP committee members: Ann Gleason, Mark O’Dekirk, Deborah Tippett, Pam Steinke, Erin Lindquist, Jill Triana, Tim Hendrix, Andrea Irby, Toni Parker and Kelly Roberts.

Faculty/Staff Supporting Meredith: Donor Patty Blackwell
By Jean Gambrill, Assistant Director of The Meredith Fund
 
“Sometimes we can make great strides and sometimes we can only make a chink in the armor. But if we keep trying and don’t ever give up, we can make it better for all those living and working at Meredith.”— Patty Blackwell, Facilities Services
 
For Patty Blackwell, this December marks 12 years of service to Meredith College. Blackwell works in Facilities Services as the computer maintenance management system (CMMS)/customer service clerk. You may not have seen the name of Blackwell’s position written out, but you know Blackwell has fulfilled your facility requests for broken air conditioners, ant invasions, and podiums and chairs for your event. Blackwell treasures her ever-changing days and enjoys meeting and working with new people in a community environment.

While appreciating many aspects of her position, Blackwell recognizes her challenges as well. Not only does she need to complete many last minute requests, but Blackwell must skillfully match the College’s resources with the needs of a group. Blackwell wishes she could offer groups more resources to fit their needs, such as a multi-purpose/conference facility, but she accommodates the groups as much as possible.

Like all faculty and staff members at Meredith, Blackwell was asked to make a gift to the College. She began her monetary gifts to Meredith in December 2004 and continues to give. Blackwell gives in order to make a difference and to help the campus continue to grow. Blackwell contributes what she can and has not always been able to do so. As a single mother, she needed to wait until she could afford to give. Now Blackwell gives from her paycheck each month.

 “I choose to give to Meredith through payroll deduction because I don’t feel the pain of missing a chunk of change if I don’t see it in the first place,” Blackwell said. “But when I look back at the end of the year and see what I’ve given back to the College, it makes me feel good.”

If you would like make a gift to Meredith, please go to www.meredith.edu and click on “Giving to Meredith” or contact Jane Mitchell at x8392, mitchelj@meredith.edu

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