Overview
2023 – 2027 Quality Enhancement Plan
To close equity gaps, Santa Fe College will design and implement a professional learning program that emphasizes effective and inclusive teaching through evidence-based, high-impact practices.
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a key part of Santa Fe College’s re-accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). "Derived from an institution's ongoing comprehensive planning and evaluation processes," a QEP "reflects and affirms a commitment to enhance overall institutional quality and effectiveness by focusing on an issue that the institution considers important to improving student learning outcomes and/or student success." (Principles of Accreditation, Standard 7).
The QEP’s focus on equity was the culmination of several years of institutional research and data collection on existing equity gaps at the College and within the communities we serve. Exploring solutions to these concerns, SF faculty and staff participated in the Achieving the Dream (ATD) workgroup. After participating in workshops and planning sessions, the ATD workgroup conceptualized the idea of a Center for Teaching and Learning at the College that would enable faculty to work together as peers to promote best practices and devise methods to increase student success for all students. In 2021, President Broadie committed to creating a Center for Teaching and Learning at SF. Simultaneously, Santa Fe initiated the process of identifying potential QEP topics, inviting the SF community to participate through town-hall meetings and online discussions in a Canvas course. Following discussion of several proposed topics, faculty and staff completed a straw poll that identified a college-wide interest in the creation of a professional learning program to close equity gaps and promote student success.
The 2023-2027 QEP contributes to the achievement of the College’s Strategic Plan and overarching goal to “expand the region's college-going culture and increase student success.” One of the key tenets of this strategic plan is to create an “equitable experience” by eliminating “barriers to participating and achievement,” closing “performance gaps,” and creating “professional development to support a culture that meets students where they are and inspires them to thrive.”
In February 2022, Dr. Lisa Armour (Interim Provost) charged the QEP Steering Committee with developing the plan for consideration by SACSCOC. Current committee members include Leslie Rios (Sciences for Health Programs), Katherin Garland (Education), Peter Concannon (English), Gary Hartge (Institutional Research), Dave Tegeder (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Melanie Roberti (Natural Sciences), Nicole Keith (Davis Center), and Ann Laffey (Social and Behavioral Sciences). The detailed five-year plan will be presented to a SACSCOC On-Site Review Committee in October 2022, and implementation will begin in 2023.
Feedback from SF stakeholders will be invaluable as the College moves forward with this project. Nicole Keith and Ann Laffey, the co-authors of the plan, are scheduling town hall meetings and conversations with departments, educational centers, and shared governance groups across the Santa Fe College community. They also created a Canvas course to provide faculty and staff with an opportunity to engage directly in the process by providing vital suggestions as the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) evolves. Follow these steps to self-enroll and participate in the discussion:
- Visit https://courses.sfcollege.edu/courses/443378.
- Login to Canvas.
- Click "Self-enroll."
- Share your ideas in each of the discussions!
Please direct questions or comments to:
Nicole Keith, Ph.D.
Academic Advisor, Davis Center
nicole.keith@sfcollege.edu
Ann Laffey, M.A.
Associate Professor, Anthropology, Social and Behavioral Sciences
ann.laffey@sfcollege.edu