The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is embarking on a new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) as part of its reaffirmation of accreditation by SACSCOC.
Psychology Associate Department Head & Director of Undergraduate Studies Erin Hardin and a QEP Steering Committee comprised primarily of a representative group of faculty from across the institution worked to identify a topic and develop a formal plan. By triangulating the goals identified in our strategic vision with the needs and opportunities identified by our institutional data and broad-based input from university stakeholders, the Committee identified the 2025 QEP topic area.
With first-year retention rates at nearly 92%, outpacing both national averages and many peer institutions, 6-year graduation rates at nearly 74%, and more than 90% of graduates having a job or pursuing further education upon graduation, we looked beyond traditional measures of student success. We have developed a detailed plan that does more than help our students graduate, and strives to help them thrive while at UT Knoxville and beyond. We look forward to implementing our QEP beginning with a formal launch fall 2025.
What is a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)?
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education. As part of the reaffirmation process, SACSCOC asks each institution to develop a plan that arises from the institution’s ongoing, integrated, institution-wide planning and evaluation process. The QEP describes a carefully designed and focused plan of action that enhances student learning (student learning is defined broadly) or the environment supporting student learning. The QEP must be consistent with the institution’s strategic plan and must be directly tied to the institution’s mission.
The QEP is developed by a team of faculty, staff, and students that represent different parts of the university community.
The institution’s previous QEP, a component of its 2015 reaffirmation, was Experience Learning – an exciting campus-wide initiative to enhance and expand experiential learning opportunities for students. Learn more about our continued efforts in experience learning.
More QEP information for faculty and staff is found on the Employee Hub.