LSU's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

A message from Executive Vice President & Provost Roy Haggerty
September 13, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

As we kick off the Fall semester, we wanted to touch base with you about LSU’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which we will be working on throughout this year in preparation for our upcoming SACSCOC accreditation reaffirmation.

Per new SACSCOC guidelines, universities are no longer required to create programming from the ground up; we now have the option to focus on advancing existing teaching and learning initiatives. Based on evidence demonstrated via LSU’s strategic priorities, analysis of assessment findings, and exploratory activities with various constituent groups throughout the Spring and Summer semesters, we have selected undergraduate communication skills development as the QEP topic.

Communication skills are essential across all disciplines as they are a conduit through which we develop and demonstrate analytical, collaboration, creativity, leadership, adaptability, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Beyond the direct impacts communication-intensive (C-I) programming has on student learning, preliminary data suggest LSU undergraduate students who are exposed to C-I courses are more likely to graduate on time.

Because communication forms often differ across disciplines, there will likely be opportunities for programming customization across the colleges. There are several pockets of campus where exceptional C-I programming is happening, and this investment will allow us to enhance these existing efforts, while also expanding undergraduate C-I teaching and learning support and access to all disciplines.

Collective collaboration will be key to achieving this next level of academic excellence, and we are excited to team up with you to explore and experiment with customized approaches to C-I teaching and learning that best serve your respective undergraduate teachers and students. Communication across the Curriculum (CxC) has been named as the primary coordinating unit for LSU’s QEP, with leadership provided by Drs. Jacqueline Bach and Rebecca Burdette. They will be connecting with you individually throughout the semester. If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. 

Sincerely,

Roy Haggerty
Executive Vice President & Provost