FAQ
What is a QEP?
For accreditation by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), each institution of higher education is required to formulate and implement an acceptable Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The QEP is a clear plan of action that focuses on improving student learning.
What is MSU’s QEP topic?
Our QEP topic entitled “MSU: On the Write Path” focuses on improving students’ writing abilities.
How was MSU’s QEP topic selected?
MSU’s QEP on writing was determined to be an institutional priority by the Provost based on responses to faculty, student, and alumni surveys and research gathered by a QEP committee.
What are the main objectives of the QEP?
The QEP’s main objectives are 1) to implement or improve faculty resources related to writing and writing pedagogy and 2) to implement or improve resources related to student writing.
How will the main objectives be achieved?
The QEP will achieve its main objectives by establishing writing resources on campus. Writing resources that have been established for students include the Racer Writing Center housed in the Waterfield Library, free peer tutoring located in the Lowry Center, and the Open Writing Lab. Writing resources for faculty include the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program that has produced numerous faculty-led writing instruction workshops, newsletters, and a Web site containing faculty resources.
When will all this happen?
MSU’s current QEP began in 2009.
Who oversees the QEP?
Primary responsibility for the QEP is assigned to two QEP Co-Directors, who report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Reporting directly to the QEP Co-Directors are the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Program Coordinator and the QEP/Writing Advisory Board. The QEP Co-Directors meet weekly in Executive Committee with the WAC Program Coordinator and the Director of Institutional Assessment to maintain close oversight of activities implemented.
Which courses will be involved in the QEP?
This plan will affect both required core-curriculum courses that include writing and department-specific courses. The required core-curriculum courses are ENG 105, the first-year composition course, and HUM 211 and CIV 201/202, both sophomore-level general education courses. Department-specific courses are designated as Writing-Intensive (WI), indicating that they include a substantial writing component and a focus on improving writing skills.
What are the benefits for students?
In their required writing courses, students learn to write in different styles for a variety of audiences, to formulate a clear thesis, and to use correct grammar. In writing-intensive courses, students learn to write in the professional style of their field of study, to use correct discipline-specific terminology, to develop research skills, and to use appropriate citation guidelines. Through expanded student writing resources, students have access to tutoring and help for writing issues that they face.
What are the benefits for MSU faculty?
Faculty have the opportunity to attend WAC and writing-intensive course workshops, where they can learn how to improve their students’ writing, and how to incorporate techniques such as Writing-To-Learn (WTL) assignments in the classroom. Faculty can also learn new writing practices through reading monthly WAC electronic newsletters, through the WAC website (http://libguides.murraystate.edu/WAC), and through attendance at the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) and other writing-related conferences.
What is SACS?
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is one of six regional accrediting agencies in the United States. SACS accredits educational institutions from childhood centers to universities in the Southern states and also accredits US schools in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central, and South America. Visit http:/www.sacs.org/ for more information.
SACS Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits higher educational institutions in eleven Southern states (Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas) and Latin America. Accreditation denotes that the higher educational institution has an appropriate mission, sufficient programs to accomplish the mission, clear educational objectives, and achieved these objectives as indicated through effective assessment. SACSCOC accredits higher educational institutions based on certain standards and policies. Visit http://www.sacscoc.org/index.asp for more information.
What are the SACS requirements for the QEP?
As stated by SACS, the QEP topic must be chosen by identifying key learning issues in the institution through an assessment process and thorough review, and the primary focus of the topic should be to enhance student learning. The institution must be capable of starting, implementing, and completing the QEP with the entire institution taking part. Lastly, goals and a plan to assess the achievement of those goals must be identified and proposed. SACS indicates that the QEP document should be clear, focused, and concise.
For more information, see the 2012 Edition of the Principles of Accreditation: Foundation for Quality Enhancement (http://sacscoc.org/pdf/2012PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf)
How do I find out more information and become involved?
Information to contact the two QEP Co-Directors is listed in the Contact Information section.
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