QEP Updates
- The Quality Enhancement Plan is currently in the editing/revision process (July, August, 2024). The final document will be submitted to SACSCOC in September 2024.
- SACSCOC On-Site Visit - October 20th - 26th
- Implementation of the Quality Enhancement Plan is in full swing for the fall 2024 semester.
About Our QEP
What is a QEP?
As part of the SACSCOC reaffirmation process, a QEP, or Quality Enhancement Plan, is a mechanism through which the college identifies and addresses an area for improvement. A QEP must meet the following criteria:
- have a topic identified through its ongoing, comprehensive planning and evaluation processes
- have broad-based support of institutional constituencies
- focus on improving specific student learning outcomes and/or student success
- commit resources to initiate, implement, and complete the QEP
- include a plan to assess achievement.
Why is a QEP necessary?
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a crucial component of the accreditation reaffirmation process mandated by SACSCOC. Accreditation from SACSCOC signifies an institution's ongoing dedication to quality and integrity, and its ability to deliver effective programs and services that align with established accreditation standards. This process ensures that both stakeholders and the public can trust that the institution maintains acceptable standards of quality and integrity in higher education.
When SACSCOC, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, grants accreditation to a higher education institution, it confirms that the institution:
- Has a mission that aligns with higher education standards,
- Possesses adequate resources, programs, and services to achieve and maintain its mission,
- Has well-defined educational objectives that are in line with its mission and suitable for the degrees it offers, and
- Successfully assesses its progress toward these objectives and demonstrates improvements.
The QEP, which occurs every ten years, provides Bishop State Community College with a valuable opportunity to make significant and meaningful enhancements to student outcomes as part of the reaffirmation process.
What is Bishop State's Quality Enhancement Plan About?
Bishop State’s Current QEP, GPS: Guided Pathways to Success, is the Quality Enhancement Plan proposed by Bishop State Community College for the 2025-2030 assessment period.
The plan focuses on improving student success though the introduction of holistic advising practices to improve student perseverance and guided pathways to ensure students remain within their chosen degree plan when selecting courses.
QEP Topic Selection
How was the QEP topic Chosen?
- Guided Pathways to Success (GPS) expands upon the previous QEP, Strong Start, in addressing student success shifting from the Orientation Class to focusing on Academic Advising.
- Data from student, employee, and community surveys, along with outcomes data like IPEDS, were analyzed to identify a focus area aimed at enhancing student success, more specifically the Advising Process at Bishop State.
QEP Timeline
Date | |
November 2022 | President Olivier Charles issued the call for proposals for the new QEP. Four proposals were submitted by employees of Bishop State Community College. These included ACE2, WEALTH, GLUE, and MINTED. (See Appendix A) |
December 2022 | Faculty and staff voted on the QEP proposals. |
Spring 2023 | Students, graduates, and the community were invited to participate in a survey regarding priorities for student success/support. |
July 2023 | Based on Trellis survey data regarding student reasons for stopping out and institutional data on its retention rates, the steering committee narrowed the scope to proposals addressing advising and retention. ACE2 was selected as the Winning Proposal at the July 2023 Steering Committee meeting. The committee advised focus on student retention and degree completion with development of a consistent advising process across all campuses. QEP Lead attended SACSCOC Institute in Dallas, TX. |
Spring/Summer 2023 | Due to changes in administration, the Strategic Plan for the Institution was revised to address areas of greatest priority. This delayed further progress on the QEP due to revisions. |
September 2023 | QEP Launch Meeting was held to discuss the topic and duties of subcommittees. |
December 2023 | QEP Committee and Subcommittee Members attended SACSCOC Annual Conference for latest updates on SACSCOC Reaccreditation. |
January 2024 | The Strategic Plan was presented by President Olivier Charles at Institution-wide Professional Development. |
February 2024 | Literature Review Subcommittee presented findings to QEP Steering Committee |
February – June 2024 | QEP writing, review and revisions. |
April 2024 | Faculty and Staff Meeting for naming and logo suggestions for the QEP. |
May 2024 | The Graduate Survey to select the name of the QEP was disseminated as part of the Commencement Ceremony for the Bishop State Class of 2024. GPS, Guided Pathways to Success, was the winning name with 41.89% of the votes cast. |
May 2024 | Mr. Claude Bumpers announced the winning QEP name to the QEP Committee. Following the announcement of the name selected for the QEP, the Marketing and Public Relations Department and Marketing Committee were tasked with design of a logo and branding for GPS, Guided Pathways to Success. |
July 2024 | Dr. Kim Smith was appointed to be the Coordinator of the QEP |
July 2024 | QEP Coordinator and committee members attended the SACSCOC Summer Institute to prepare for the development and assessment of the Quality Enhancement Plan |
July 2024 | A draft of the QEP will be reviewed by an external evaluator selected by the College. |
August 2024 | Editing for final submission |
September 2024 | QEP Submitted to SACSCOC |
October 2024 | SACSCOC On-Site Visit – October 20 - 26 |
Resources
Contacts
Questions about the QEP? Please contact the QEP Coordinator, Dr. Kim G. Smith
Email: ksmith@bishop.edu
Phone: 251-405-7180
Questions about Academic Advising? Please contact Britney Finley, Director of Advising and Student Services
Email: bfinley@bishop.edu
Phone: 251-405-7152