What is a QEP?
A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a focused effort to address a current problem facing students. This is a requirement of the College’s 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation by SACSCOC.
What is the QEP title?
The QEP title is Panther PATHways: Increasing Attainment Through Access.
What is the QEP about?
Panther PATHways is a focused effort to institute guided pathways and provide structured guidance and proactive, holistic support measures for all students.
How was the topic selected?
The topic of the QEP was determined through a multistep process that involved a broad cross-section of
faculty, staff, and students. The process began with the 2019 convocation, refined by the QEP Planning Committee, narrowed down through a Define & Refine workshop, and finally selected through a Topic Selection workshop. In the end, it was determined that the problem the QEP should address is that “students need structured guidance and holistic support measures.”
What is the goal of the QEP?
The overarching goal of the QEP is to improve student completion rates (attainment) through access and
enable the seamless transfer to a four-year institution and/or in-field job placement.
Why was this topic selected?
The postsecondary credential attainment rates in the College’s tri-county service area are far below the state average as shown below:
DeSoto County = 13.3% (66th of 67 counties in Florida)
Hardee County = 12.3% (67th of 67 counties in Florida)
Highlands County = 25.7% (47th of 67 counties in Florida)
What are the intended outcomes of the QEP?
Attainment of a postsecondary credential will be achieved through:
- Exploring student career and academic options beginning with the end (student success goal) in mind
- Engaging students using holistic support measures
- Equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and resources to complete their student success goal
What is the timeline for the QEP?
Implementation of the QEP will begin in 2021 through several pilot projects and will be fully institutionalized four years later by 2025. Panther PATHways will become the norm by which students are guided onto and along their chosen career path to obtain a credential.
What actions will be implemented by the QEP?
Panther PATHways will provide activities in four discrete
components to help improve attainment through access:
- Prepare students for their PATH
- Advise students on their PATH
- Teach students along their PATH
- Help students successfully complete their PATH
To accomplish this, a wide variety of different activities
have been identified that will establish:
- Comprehensive Outreach to K-12
- Career Assessment
- Academic and Career Communities
- Clear Program Maps/Pathways
- Professional Development for Faculty and Staff
- Meta-Major Advising
- Expanded Use of Technology
- Mandatory Advising Checkpoints
- Focused Dual Enrollment Advising
- Advising for Transfer
- Interim Grade Reports
- Career Counseling
- Caring Campus
- Employer Engagement
How will we know if the QEP is successful?
The College is committed to increasing the attainment rates of the service district by a minimum of five percentage points over the next five years.
