Quality Enhancement Plan

What is a QEP?

A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a part of a college’s accreditation process with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The purpose of a QEP is to advance the quality of higher education at NOVA by completing a 5-year project that focuses on student learning outcomes and/or student success.

NOVA’s QEP, Writing Ourselves In: Developing Our Voices For Equity & Excellence was developed based on feedback from students, faculty and staff. The QEP is directed by NOVA’s Office of Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Academic Affairs & Chief Academic Officer.

NOVA’s QEP is devoted to improving student success in college writing while strengthening their ability to use writing to articulate their ideas, experiences and identities.

Read NOVA's Quality Enhancement Plan

Learn More

From the SACSCOC website:

[A] QEP (a) has a topic identified through its ongoing, comprehensive planning and evaluation processes; (b) has broad-based support of institutional constituencies; (c) focuses on improving specific student learning outcomes and/or student success; (d) commits resources to initiate, implement and complete the QEP; and (e) includes a plan to assess achievement. The On-Site Reaffirmation Committee reviews the document and conducts interviews to determine whether the institution has demonstrated compliance.

QEP Student Learning Goals

  • To prepare ENG 111 students for success in college writing.
  • To improve ENG 111 students' sense of belonging.

QEP Institutional Success Goal

  • To increase successful completion of ENG 111 and close existing equity gaps.

Transformational educational experiences in ENG 111 are achieved through evidence-based practices such as transparent assignment design, problem-based learning, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

How will faculty and staff at NOVA work together to help students?

Faculty members who teach ENG 111, along with librarians and writing tutors who support students, will attend annual Writing Ourselves In Institutes where they learn from experts and develop teaching strategies that foster engaged learning. They will continue their development in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and assess how new practices improve student learning, writing skills, and sense of belonging in ENG 111.

Current QEP Team

Eun-Woo Chang  Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer
J.K. (Jen) Daniels Interim Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
Megan Reynolds, Annandale Campus QEP Assistant
Karen Sutter Doheney, Professor of English, Loudoun campus QEP Co-Coordinator of Assessment
Indigo Eriksen, Associate Professor of English, Woodbridge campus QEP Co-Coordinator of Professional Development
Amy Flessert, Associate Professor of English, Annandale campus Assessment Lead
Cathy Megliola Gaiser, Professor of English, Annandale campus  PLC Lead
Scott Buswell, Assistant Professor Humanities & Social Sciences, Alexandria campus Campus Lead
Chvonne Parker, Associate Professor of English, Annandale campus Campus Lead

Holly Abbe, Assistant Professor of English, Loudoun campus 

 Campus Lead

Phil Ciarniello, Instructor of English, Manassas campus

 Campus Lead

Jo Houston, Instructor of English, Woodbridge campus

 Campus Lead
Kim Grewe, Instructional Designer, NOVA Online Campus Lead

QEP Implementation Committee: March 2021-December 2022

Annemarie Anderson Librarian, Alexandria Campus
Kristin Balbuena Coordinator for Curriculum Initiatives, Academic Affairs
Chalet Jean Baptiste Faculty, English, Manassas Campus
Vashti Bryant Associate Dean, English, Manassas Campus
Nathan Carter, co-chair Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
J.K. (Jen) Daniels Dean for Liberal Arts and Social Science, Annandale Campus; English, ESL, and ASL Pathway Dean
Karen Sutter Doheney Faculty, English, Loudoun Campus
Indigo Eriksen Faculty, English, Woodbridge Campus
Colleen Gold Policy Planning Specialist, Office of Institutional Research
Elizabeth Harlan Faculty, English, Annandale Campus
Maureen Madden Instructional Designer, NOVA Online
Nicole Martello Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator, Office of Institutional Research
Emily Miller Tutoring Coordinator, Medical Education Campus
Todd Natti Faculty, English, Woodbridge Campus and ENG Discipline Co-Chair
Alexander Purugganan Faculty, English, Alexandria Campus
Jay Steere Associate Dean, English, Annandale Campus

QEP Development Subcommittee: July 2020-February 2021

Amany Ahmed Faculty, Chemistry, Manassas Campus
Germaine Andino-Rexach Advisor, Medical Education Campus
Denise Bausch Faculty, English, Woodbridge Campus
Breana Bayraktar Faculty, English as a Second Language, Woodbridge Campus
Kathy Bohnstedt Dean of Student Success, Woodbridge Campus
Courtney Boland Coordinator, Office of Student Services
Veronica Carlan Faculty, Math, Alexandria Campus
Nathan Carter Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
Julie Combs Librarian, Loudoun Campus
Vanessa Diaz Director, Enrollment Success and College Records
Karen Sutter Doheney Faculty, English, Loudoun Campus
Joan Ehrlich Director, Disability Support Services
Tim Eichers Faculty, Information Technology, Annandale Campus
Christopher Eninger Faculty, Biology, Manassas Campus
Pat Gordon Former Advisor, Alexandria Campus
Shonette Grant Associate Dean, English, Alexandria Campus
Victoria Hill-Megginson Faculty, Criminal Justice, Manassas Campus
Kat Hitchcock Dean for Liberal Arts and Social Science, Loudoun Campus; Social Sciences Pathway Dean
Cedric Howard Faculty, Communications Studies, Woodbridge Campus
Jade Jones Faculty, Computer Science, Manassas Campus
Ritu Kansal Faculty, Chemistry, Annandale Campus
Charles Kim Testing Center Manager, Annandale Campus
Jill MacDiarmid Assessment and Resource Specialist, Office of Institutional Research
Maureen Madden Instructional Designer, NOVA Online
Nicole Martello Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator, Office of Institutional Research
Emily Miller, co-chair Tutoring Coordinator, Medical Education Campus
Nicole Munday Tutoring Services, Woodbridge Campus
Bridget Page Senior Academic Advisor, Medical Education Campus
Cynthia Pascal Director, Student Services, NOVA Online
Zahra Rafie Faculty, Sociology, Annandale Campus
Alison Thimblin Dean for Math, Science, Technology, and Business, Woodbridge Campus; Math Pathway Dean
Nicole Tong Faculty, English, Annandale Campus
Phi Phung Trinh Instructional Center Technician, Math Lab, Loudoun Campus
Ashlie Warnick Faculty, Economics, Manassas Campus
Tamara Warren-Chinyani, co-chair Faculty, Communications Studies, Woodbridge Campus
Vicky White Counselor, Annandale Campus
Nigel Word Director, Student Leadership and Engagement
Debbie Wyne Dean, Enrollment Management

QEP Topic Selection Subcommittee: October 2019-July 2020

George Gabriel former Vice President of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success
Tyson Beale former Dean of Students, Alexandria Campus
Kathy Bohnstedt Dean of Student Success, Woodbridge Campus
Shonette Grant Associate Dean, English, Alexandria Campus
Ritu Kansal Faculty, Chemistry, Annandale Campus
Rhonda Myers Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Retention
Alison Thimblin Dean for Math, Science, Technology, and Business, Woodbridge Campus; Math Pathway Dean
Tamara Warren-Chinyani Faculty, Communications Studies, Woodbridge Campus