Academic Affairs News

Last fall, Academic Affairs invited the campus community to provide Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) ideas that would improve student learning and/or impact student success. The focus groups we conducted produced a host of excellent project ideas. After looking at all the data collected, we sent a survey to faculty and staff asking everyone to rank-order the seven top ideas that emerged from that process. 

Approximately 23% of the respondents ranked the Graduate Profile (10 essential skills all college graduates need) as their top choice, followed closely by Experiential/Applied Learning (20.6%). Since “applied and integrated learning” is one of the essential skills in the Graduate Profile, the top two choices fit naturally together, and we feel that Toppers R.I.S.E. “A Roadmap to Integral Skills and Experiences” is the perfect name for the new QEP.  

We are in the process of forming a QEP workgroup comprised of faculty and staff from each college and key personnel from across other divisions to set up a timeline and plan for implementation. As we progress, there will be many opportunities for input from everyone on our campuses. I encourage you to share your ideas as we put together a plan to enhance and improve student success at WKU. 

Thank you in advance for your willingness to share your thoughts and expertise to help the committee build another outstanding QEP Program.  As a reminder, in 2025 WKU will submit its 10-year documentation for reaffirmation of regional accreditation to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); the QEP is a part of the reaccreditation.  

Thank you, 

Robert "Bud" Fischer