Fayetteville State University’s Quality Enhancement Plan Why Are We Doing This?

SACS Reaffirmation of Accreditation 2.12 The institution has developed an acceptable Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that includes an institutional process for identifying key issues emerging from institutional assessment and focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution The institution has developed a Quality Enhancement Plan that (1) demonstrates institutional capability for the initiation, implementation, and completion of the QEP; (2) includes broad-based involvement of institutional constituencies in the development and proposed implementation of the QEP; and (3) identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement.

Why are we doing MEBD? Key Issues from Institutional Assessments FSU students tend to score below comparison groups in using effective communication skills (specifically reading and writing) and critical thinking skills. Our students perceived that they were writing fewer papers than their peers and that they were doing less analytical thinking. Students served by FSU faculty need support in reading and to a lesser degree mathematics. The scores made by FSU students at the 25th percentile mean scale score and 75th percentile on the CLA are much lower than those of most schools. We Heard What They Said

What Are We Doing? Assessing student learning at the beginning and the ending of the upper division Providing faculty and staff with strategies to develop and assess a type of critical thinking—making evidence-based decisions

How Are We Doing This? Requiring students to report Rising Junior Scores as part of a major course— collecting baseline data for majors. Involving groups of faculty and staff in professional development to acquire strategies for facilitating and assessing critical thinking, specifically evidence- based decision-making. Requiring faculty and staff to embed CLA- style performance tasks in the upper division curriculum or co-curricular activities and report assessment results for comparison to baseline data.

Q uality E nhancement P lan The Fayetteville State University QEP, Making Evidence-Based Decisions, focuses on : Students’ critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills and Enhancement of the learning environment at FSU For more information about how MEBD will involve students, faculty and staff, visit: Get ready for the… The QEP is required by the accrediting agency, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and the US Department of Education.