Quality Enhancement Plan

What is a QEP?

A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a part of a college’s accreditation process with the 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
Writing Ourselves In Progress Report

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.

Flowchart titled 'How did NOVA arrive at the QEP Topic?' showing a multi-step process that includes student feedback, committee work, research, and strategic alignment to determine NOVA’s Quality Enhancement Plan focus.
How NOVA arrived at the QEP topic: This visual outlines the decision-making process that led to the selection of the Writing Ourselves In initiative.

Implementation timeline for NOVA's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), spanning multiple years. Includes milestones such as planning, faculty training, institutional support, and assessment phases beginning in 2023 and continuing through 2028.
QEP Implementation Timeline: This timeline outlines the phases of NOVA’s Writing Ourselves In QEP, including planning, training, rollout, and assessment over a five-year period.

Current QEP Team

Name and Designation Committee Role
Eun-Woo Chang, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer (Brault) QEP Project Director
J.K. (Jen) Daniels, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Brault) Writing Ourselves In Advisor
Megan Reynolds (Annandale) Writing Ourselves In Assistant
Karen Sutter Doheney, Professor of English (Loudoun) Writing Ourselves In Co-Coordinator
Amy Flessert, Professor of English (Annandale) Writing Ourselves In Co-Coordinator
Cathy Megliola Gaiser, Professor of English (Annandale) Winter Institute Lead and Annandale Campus Lead
Scott Buswell, Assistant Professor of English and ESL (Alexandria) Alexandria Campus Lead
Chvonne Parker, Associate Professor of English (Annandale) Assessment Lead and Winter Institute Co-Lead
Holly Abbe, Assistant Professor of English (Loudoun) Loudoun Campus Lead
Phil Ciarniello, Instructor of English (Manassas) Manassas Campus Lead
Jo Houston, Instructor of English (Woodbridge) Professional Learning Community Lead and Woodbridge Campus Lead
Kim Grewe, Instructional Designer (NOVA Online) NOL ENG 111 Liaison
Indigo Eriksen, Interim Director of Faculty Development (Brault) Faculty Development Liaison

QEP Implementation Committee: March 2021 – May 2023

Name and Designation Committee Role
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
Susan Monroe Faculty, English, Alexandria 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
Sarah Bartlett Wilson Faculty, English, Alexandria Campus

QEP Development Subcommittee: July 2020 – February 2021

Name and Designation Committee Role
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

Name and Designation Committee Role
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