Quality Enhancement Plan

2/22/08

Quality Enhancement Plan is One Step Closer:  Global Competence Emerges as a Theme

by Ginger Zillges

Since 2006, the faculty and staff have been meeting to discuss what topic Regent University should select as the subject of a plan to improve student learning and to accomplish our global mission.  Developing a Quality Enhancement Plan is part of our SACS reaffirmation of accreditation process. We are now one step closer to a plan.  See the historical timeline related to the QEP to review how the Regent Community has progressed in its efforts.

The theme of global competence surfaced at the February 14, Phase II QEP subcommittee.  Marta Lee, Dail Fields, and Fred Rovai had written a comprehensive literature review to seek a better understanding of the theme global.  After reading the literature review, faculty identified three components which seemed to relate to SACS requirements.  These were global reach, global perspective and global impact.  According to the Principles of Accreditation, the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

(1) includes a broad-based institutional process identifying key issues emerging from institutional assessment, (2) focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution, (3) demonstrates institutional capability for the initiation, implementation, and completion of the QEP, (4) includes broad-based involvement of institutional constituencies in the development and proposed implementation of the QEP, and (5) identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement.

In order to accomplish the above and our global mission, Shauna Tonkin proposed that our students need to be globally competent.  That notion implies that faculty and staff development would also need to be considered.  Drs. Tonkin and Rovai worked together to create both a theoretical framework and a program evaluation model that would give focus to the writing committee as they begin.  In addition, a marketing committee headed by Sherri Stocks will begin exploration of creative ways of publicizing the QEP campaign across the university campus to achieve full campus involvement and commitment. Dr. Hunt, Chair of the QEP Committee commented that he was very pleased with the grassroots approach taken so far.

As the writers write and the marketers create, keep your eyes open for more news about Regent’s QEP and the advancement of our institutional mission, “to provide excellent graduate and undergraduate education, from a global, biblical perspective in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world, and to be a leading center of Christian thought and action.”