Developing Faculty Buy-in for a QEP focused on Undergraduate Education at a Doctoral/Research University

Drs. Marilyn Kurata, Edwin W. Cook III, and John C. Mayer; SACS-COC; December 4, 2005
Accompanying handout available at: http://sacs.ad.uab.edu/DevelopingQEP-2.pdf

Who we are: Part of the University of Alabama system UAB (Birmingham) UAH (Huntsville) UA (Tuscaloosa) UABs Vision Statement: An internationally renowned research university a first choice for education and health care.

Our Mission Statement:

UAB is a research university and academic health center that discovers, teaches and applies knowledge for the intellectual, cultural, social and economic benefit of Birmingham, the state and beyond.

Snapshot of UAB: A Carnegie Doctoral / ResearchExtensive University Degree Programs Total: 138 across 13 schools Undergraduate: 51 across 8 schools Fall 2004 student population: Total: 17,740 Undergraduates: 11,441

Preparing for reaccreditation University-wide strategic planning initiative

Surveys Interviews Focus groups and department-level discussions Data reviews Meetings with teaching award winners Meetings with student leaders Community input

Potential areas of enhancement:

Life Skills Leadership Collaboration & teamwork Diversity Information technology Time and financial management Global and community consciousness Critical thinking Communication skills Ethics/values/integrity Core competencies Numeracy Literacy

Academic Enrichment Research opportunities for undergraduates Participation in experiential learning Honors experiences

Focus of our Quality Enhancement Plan

Improving, in a comprehensive and integrative way, fundamental learning competencies at the undergraduate level

Formation of our QEP Committee QEP Committee the Foundation for Faculty Buy-in Led by faculty from three arts and sciences schools:
Chair from Arts & Humanities Co-chairs from Natural Science & Mathematics Social and Behavioral Sciences

External Consultant

QEP Committee Membership Representatives from:

8 schools with undergraduate programs Faculty Senate Provosts office Student Affairs Student Government Association UAB Honors Program

A faculty-driven process

Data Collection Overview Multiple methods used:

Review of literature and best practices Site visits (virtual and actual) Informal meetings with experts Faculty survey Faculty focus groups Other surveys

A dual-purpose enterprise:
Expanding our understanding of the issues Enhancing buy-in

Review of literature and best practices

Initial step in data collection, but ongoing
Shared concepts, and buy-in, within the committee

Literature review examples:

Boyer Commission report on Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for Americas Research Universities Greater Expectations Project: Taking Responsibility for the Quality of the Baccalaureate Degree Lynn Steen (Ed.): The Case for Quantitative Literacy Colby et al.: Educating Citizens: Preparing Americas Undergraduates for Lives of Moral and Civic Responsibility Articles from the Chronicle, WSJ, NY Times, etc.

Virtual and Actual Site Visits

Web site visits to > 50 colleges and universities Actual site visits to:
Georgia State University Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

Special-purpose visit
Mathematics Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)

About 50% of QEP Committee participated in site visits You cant get it all from web sites!

Input from individuals with special knowledge and expertise

Academic advisors Leaders in Student Affairs Executive Director, statewide Articulation and General Studies Committee Consumers of our graduates:
Graduate Program Directors Employers, via our Career Center

Data Collection Initiatives Targeting Faculty Buy-In Outside the Committee Survey of faculty teaching first courses in the majors. key foundation competencies. Focus Groups of faculty teaching upper-division courses in the majors. graduation-level competencies. Faculty participants nominated by QEP Committee members, deans and departmental chairs.

Key Aspects of our Faculty Survey

1. Advertised and informed faculty of the QEP process 2. Rapidly involved large numbers of faculty 3. Web-based methodology rapid acquisition and analysis. 4. Provided a baseline for later assessment of the QEP, as it is implemented 5. Follow-up contacts required to boost participation 69% of nominated faculty, representing 85% of undergraduate majors, and 98% of graduates

Sample Items from our Web-based Faculty Survey

Key Aspects of our Faculty Focus Groups 1. Like the survey, contributed to faculty buy-in:
involved many faculty advertised and informed regarding the QEP process Elicited a wider range of ideas and reactions Faculty could respond to each others ideas Less representative

2. Complemented survey characteristics:

3. 6-12 participants / group 4. Facilitators and recorders were QEP Committee members from other schools

Faculty Focus Group Agenda

1. Results of the faculty survey 2. Competencies that our graduates should have acquired, regardless of major 3. Ongoing and recommended activities that support the graduation competencies

Subtext
1. We value faculty input and are using it to shape the Plan 2. Graduation competencies are a faculty responsibility

Other Surveys Groups surveyed

Alumni Parents Association

Purpose
Further advice on graduation competencies Engaging the broader UAB community

Phases of the Development Process Phase 1: Committee of the whole Phase 2: Subcommittee process Phase 3: Writing and refinement Phase 4: Publicity campaign

Work of the committee of the whole

Confirmed focus on core competencies Data collection: design and review Small group meetings with constituents Continual liaison with schools and departments

Committee found it useful to visualize emerging issues

Enabling Core

Gen Ed Courses Major Courses

Question #1 The survey asked about this transition

Question #3 #3 How How Question should should responsibilities be be responsibilities better coordinated coordinated better between Gen Gen Ed Ed and and between Major courses? courses? Major

Question #2 What are essentials for UAB graduates?

Greatest accomplishments of the committee of the whole

Shared Vision for a UAB Graduate Consensus on targeted best practices

Weaknesses of the committee of the whole Difficult to accommodate 17 conflicting schedules Too much time spent on details Everybody has to say everything Too large for developing proposals efficiently Phase 2 of the planning process: Creation of subcommittee structure

Subcommittee structure and how it worked

Competencies Dimension Subcommittees Learning Communties Mid-Curriculum Enhancement Center for Teaching and Learning Capstone Experience Writing / Communications Coherent Ethics and Quantitative Knowledge Civic Literacy Base Responsibility

Ways and Means Dimension

Vision and practice come together

Shared Vision Competencies Dimension
Writing / Communications Coherent Knowledge Base Quantitative Literacy Ethics and Civic Responsibility

Best Practices Ways and Means Dimension

Learning Communities Mid-Curriculum Enhancement Center for Teaching and Learning Capstone Experience

Committee problem-solving used multiple representations

Subcommittee Results Subcommittees able to arrive at consensus efficiently Failure at consensus settled by committee of whole vote
Needed about 3 times

Written subcommittee reports provided basis for drafting overall plan Subcommittee members became implementation leaders

UABs Quality Enhancement Plan Shared Vision for a UAB Graduate

Communication Knowledge Problem-Solving Citizenship

UABs Quality Enhancement Plan Initial Competencies Targeted for Enhancement Writing Quantitative Literacy Ethics and Civic Responsibility

Getting the Word Out Faculty Town Hall School-wide and departmental meetings Media campaign for students
Kiosks Posters Ads

Sample media campaign posters

Sample media campaign newspaper ad

Conclusions and Recommendations Use faculty to generate the QEP Provide administrative support for faculty effort Keep the campus informed throughout the process Stress campus partnerships Start early