Survey Reports

Survey #1:  Broad Area for the QEP

In August/September 2010, faculty, staff, and students were invited to participate in an electronic survey to determine which University Student Learning Outcome (USLO) and which Strategic Plan goal would serve as the starting points for development of the QEP. A total of 1,643 individuals responded to the survey. The USLO selected most frequently as a focus for the QEP was USLO #1: Students develop skills in critical thinking, clear and thoughtful communication, creative expression, and honest open inquiry. The Strategic Plan theme that was selected most frequently was Undergraduate Education: Provide excellence in public liberal arts, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and faculty-student mentoring.

The QEP Leadership Team met to draft the broad area, working from the preferred USLO and Strategic Plan theme. Team representatives then met with the SACS Working Group and the SACS Executive Committee to get members’ feedback on the results of survey #1. The broad area of focus for the QEP which emerged was: Undergraduate experiences that foster the use of open inquiry, critical thinking, creative expression, and effective communication.  Details can be found in the QEP Broad Area Survey Report

Surveys #2 and #3:  Topic for the Student Experience for the QEP

In October/November 2010, survey #2 solicited QEP project topics within this broad area. Contributions were received from approximately 200 faculty, staff, and students. A QEP Leadership Team subcommittee, including two qualitative data experts, read the ideas and organized them into seven topic categories. In December 2010, during survey #3, the campus community selected their top choice out of those seven categories. The most popular choice among all constituencies was “engaged learning” projects; among faculty, this category was a near tie with projects in which students are “makers of knowledge.” After several meetings, the teams concluded that the campus community was most interested in providing engaged learning experiences that allow students to be makers of knowledge. Details can be found in the QEP Topic Category Survey Report