Student Success Center

Finance sophomore Kashyap Dangar works at the Student Success Center, which resulted from a previous quality enhancement plan.

A UT Dallas initiative aimed at boosting students’ academic success on campus was recently narrowed to a handful of categories and is now open for proposals from the public.

More than 200 initial suggestions were gathered earlier this semester from the campus and the community on ways to improve student learning. They were narrowed to five broad categories. One program will eventually be selected for implementation.

Once chosen, the program will be a part of a five-year quality enhancement plan, or QEP, and a key part of the University’s reaffirmation of accreditation process by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.  

The accreditation for colleges and universities is an important benchmark that ensures quality and a commitment to continuous academic success.

“The University is required to develop a five-year QEP that will improve student learning or the environment that supports student learning on our campus,” said Dr. Jessica C. Murphy, head of the committee charged with evaluating and selecting the plan. “We were really pleased with the response that we had at the first part of this process and are looking for more detailed ideas about how to improve student learning.”

Each of the initial suggestions were grouped into categories and narrowed to focus on ideas that could be implemented. They are first-year experience, communication counts, wellness, curricular globalization and digital learning: innovation and integration.

Offer Your Ideas

Visit qep.utdallas.edu to submit your proposals for the newest QEP. There also is a guide that outlines the process and elements needed to create a well-rounded proposal. The deadline to submit proposals is June 1.

In 2008, the University established a program called Gateways to Excellence in Math and Science that included group workshops, one-on-one tutoring and other strategies that boosted student success in courses such as chemistry, physics and math. The Gateways program was renamed the Student Success Center and has continued beyond its five-year initial timetable, providing students with added instruction and tutoring.

“The five categories really encompass a wide range of topics,” said Murphy, who is also an associate professor of literature at UT Dallas. “We hope they inspire some creative ideas.”

Proposals for the newest QEP may be submitted until June 1 by visiting qep.utdallas.edu

Under the “submit” tab, there is a guide that outlines the process and elements needed to create a well-rounded proposal. 

“We really hope that everyone with a stake in improving student learning or the environment that supports student learning here at UT Dallas takes time to share their ideas with us,” Murphy said.