By Matthew Falletich
The University of the Incarnate Word’s accreditation process is a crucial part of its credibility and ability to function as a higher education institution. If the university does not pass the process, it will still exist, but its ability to function normally will be drastically hampered. It would make any degree awarded by the university less valuable than one from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Baylor University, or Our Lady of the Lake University.
One particular part of this process is called the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). QEP is different from the regular 10-year plan the accreditation process typically follows. Instead, it is a five-year plan focusing on one particular area that the university seeks to improve. It also aims to help undergraduate students and address their desires for improvement in academic learning, as the accreditation committee asks both students and faculty for input.
The focus for the current QEP is reading comprehension, which is something Dr. Stephanie Grote-Garcia, chairwoman of the QEP Implementation Committee, says was “something students said they wanted more support with for their classes.” A major target of the plan is to improve the understanding of reading assignments in classes. Grote-Garcia says that students wished to have more support in understanding these assignments which could be considered difficult, and that the in-class support will make these readings more understood by students and their peers. By focusing on this, Grote-Garcia says, “If students understand what they are reading, it will help them finish their degree plan and graduate.”
One major issue the plan is targeting is artificial intelligence, which has become a major topic in both higher education and other industries. The university plans to hire peer tutors at the Reading, Writing, and Learning Center on campus. These tutors will then transition into an “AI enhanced Reading, Writing, and Learning Center,” as Grote-Garcia described. Dr. Chunling Niu of the Dreeben School of Education is also designing an AI that will work with the peer tutors to help students improve their reading and learning with their materials.
The organization overseeing UIW’s accreditation, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), will visit the university from Feb. 24-27. They will talk to both faculty and students randomly to assess not only reading comprehension but also the overall campus. The QEP, however, will begin to be implemented in the Fall 2025 semester, alongside other initiatives that are part of the accreditation process.
“This whole process is for the students,” Grote-Garcia says when asked about the importance and the committee’s confidence in the QEP. “We would love for all students to be involved in this initiative.”
