The University has developed a working plan to help enhance the goals of the Flagship Agenda and meet its requirements for re-accreditation.
Teresa Summers, LSU’s accreditation liaison, said the Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP, is replacing the self-study previously used in the re-accreditation process.
In addition, Summers said the QEP also is designed to help satisfy Objectives Two and Three of the Flagship Agenda. These objectives are meant to enhance graduate education and undergraduate education, respectively.
According to the QEP Web site, the purpose of the plan is to lead a course of action for improvement by addressing questions of institutional quality, with special attention on student learning.
“We view the creation of a QEP as a catalyst for change and believe it is integral to achieving the Flagship Agenda,” the document said.
The document also said the LSU Reaffirmation of Accreditation Leadership Team agreed the QEP would be the most effective and efficient use of resources to ensure re-accreditation and also achievement of the Flagship Agenda goals.
Students already are seeing some parts of the QEP develop.
“As part of the QEP, we propose to develop or further expand four key programs as part of our first-year initiative,” the document said.
These four programs are the Summer Reading Program, Mobile Computing, Engagement in Research Mission and the Residential College Program.
Recently, University officials announced the first LSU Summer Reading Program, in which incoming freshmen are encouraged to read Eric Schlosser’s book, “Fast Food Nation.”
Also, members of Student Government, as well as members of the student population, currently are debating the Mobile Computing Initiative, which would require all incoming students to have a laptop computer.
Students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels also are offered several research opportunities, and the University is expanding its Residential College Program to dorms such as Graham and Acadian.
In addition to furthering Flagship Agenda goals, the QEP also is designed to assist in LSU’s re-accreditation process.
Summers said a commission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is responsible for re-accrediting LSU every 10 years. LSU will know its re-accreditation status in December, but Summers said the chance of LSU not being re-accredited are “very, very remote.”
Being accredited means universities are eligible to receive federal aid, including student loans, and it also shows that universities are equal players in the academic field, Summers said.
Summers said a review committee will come to the University April 27, 28 and 29 to assist LSU in developing the QEP and help make it “the best it can be.”
Summers said the committee hopes to speak to different people on campus about the direction of the University, including students, faculty and administrators.
In addition, Summers said students and faculty can access the QEP at www.lsu.edu/sacscoc and add their comments and suggestions by posting feedback on the Web site’s discussion board.