The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the institutional accrediting body for Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC).

The development of a QEP, a program designed to improve student learning and/or student success, is a primary component of the SACSCOC reaffirmation of accreditation and consists of a five-year action and implementation plan designed to enhance student learning and further strengthen Chattahoochee Valley Community College’s educational mission.

The CVCC QEP, entitled COMPASS (Comprehensive Onboarding by Mapping a Pathway for Advising and Student Success): Navigating Student Success at CVCC, will revitalize the current advising model and first-year experience for students through the development of a proactive advising model that is inclusive of student onboarding and the transition to the College. This topic was chosen through the collaborative process of assessing data; researching best practices; and gaining feedback from students, faculty, staff, and administration.

CVCC recognizes that barriers may prevent a student from enrolling in and succeeding in college. The holistic approach of providing the tools for student success begins with support in the initial step: submission of a college application then navigation through the enrollment funnel to matriculation. While the support starts with the student’s first step, the critical component of the QEP must be proactive advisement to assist students with developing an academic map with key milestones or checkpoints to keep students on target to graduate, thus improving persistence, retention, and graduation rates. Revamping pre-college orientation (New Student Experience “NSE”) along with the orientation course (ORI 105 B) and personalizing advising practices through the use of student success navigators will provide a more intrusive and personalized first-year experience for students.

Key Goals of the QEP

• The successful matriculation of first-time students through targeted effective student communications and support with student success navigators and a restructured mandatory pre-college orientation that includes the introduction of advisors, student success navigators, and academic success coaches;

• A significant increase in retention and graduation rates through a blended advising model that consists of student success navigators, academic success coaches, and faculty advisors along with professional development for faculty to improve advising strategies, learn to utilize early alert tools, and learn about student support services and non-cognitive barriers that impede student success; and a redesigned orientation class and implementation of an expanded early alert system;

• A significant increase in career placement or college transfer through proactive blended advising and targeted support from student success navigators. 

Projected Program and Student Learning Outcomes

• The student matriculation rate will significantly increase.

• Student retention and graduation rates will increase through the following: a blended advising model that consists of student success navigators, academic success coaches, and faculty advisors; increased professional development for faculty to improve advising strategies, learn to utilize expanded early alert tools, and learn about student support services and non-cognitive barriers that impede student success; a redesigned orientation class, and implementation of an early alert system.

• A significant increase in career placement or college transfer through proactive blended advising and targeted support from student success navigators.

For additional information about the QEP, please contact Ms. Sheinoura Wise-Nash, QEP Director/Student Success Coordinator at sheinoura.wise@cv.edu.