As an important part of our reaffirmation of accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Valdosta State University is in the process of developing a new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for 2021-2026, as described in Principle 7.2:

The institution has a QEP that (a) has a topic identified through its ongoing, comprehensive planning and evaluation processes; (b) has broad-based support of institutional constituencies; (c) focuses on improving specific student learning outcomes and/or student success; (d) commits resources to initiate, implement, and complete the QEP; and (e) includes a plan to assess achievement.

Determining and Developing a QEP for 2021-2026

On October 25, 2019, Provost Bob Smith charged a committee of faculty and staff to determine and develop a QEP for 2021-2026. VSU's prior QEP, Undergraduate Engagement in Discipline-Based Inquiry, provided students with focused opportunities for engaging with faculty in research and scholarly activities appropriate to the discipline. We are excited to build upon the success of this QEP while incorporating goals from VSU's Strategic Plan. The QEP Development Committee actively met during the 2019-20 academic year and finalized the proposal in 2020-21.

Brief Description of VSU’s QEP, QEP Goals, and QEP in the News

The QEP Proposal, entitled Trailblazing: Shaping the Undergraduate Experience through Experiential Learning, provides students a comprehensive offering of experiential learning (EL) opportunities reflecting the diversity of our university and the local/regional communities that we serve; the educational, research, and service disciplines of our outstanding faculty; and, most importantly, the needs of our students. Included is an array of opportunities that are recognized as High Impact Practices (HIPs) by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) including First-Year Seminars and Experiences, Common Intellectual Experiences, Learning Communities, Undergraduate Research, Diversity/Global Learning, Service Learning & Community-Based Learning, Capstone Courses and Projects. Each of these contribute to students’ sense of belonging, as well as personal growth and academic success.

Additional Resources

VSU's Strategic Plan
VSU's Mission Statement