Stemming from our strategic planning process, the general topic for our QEP has a focus on Innovation and Inquiry. This broad topic leaves much opportunity for TCU faculty and staff to create a proposal that will support learning and the mission of TCU while enhancing (or creating a new project) that will allow our students to be immersed in discovery, analysis, synthesis, problem solving, and communication across all our disciplines and activities. This project is designed to be broad and impact most students on campus. The successful proposal will articulate a broad vision and have measurable outcomes with a clear plan for implementation strategies. Support for the project director as well as for the development, implementation, and assessment of the QEP is assured.
To date we have identified a broad theme and gathered initial thoughts/brainstorming ideas. The next step is to form teams and develop preliminary proposals. From these preliminary proposals, up to four or five will be chosen as finalists and the authors will be asked to develop complete proposals during the Spring 2012 semester. Each of the finalist teams will receive $4,000 to support their work in completing the final proposal. The finalists will make a presentation to the TCU community near the end of the spring semester and one of them will be selected as the QEP project.
A few things that you should know about the Preliminary Proposal process.
• Our QEP really needs to be a BIG idea – in other words, it should be something that impacts most of our students and could become a “signature program” for TCU. So, think big and think broadly!
• The QEP that we select will be implemented beginning in the Fall of 2013 and will run for at least five years.
• You will need to link your Preliminary Proposal to at least one of the TCU Cardinal Principles (http://www.via.tcu.edu/cardinal_principles.asp) and to at least one of the QEP Emphasis Areas (Applied Learning, Creativity, Integrated Learning, Reflective Learning/Reflective Practice).
• There will be a budget for the QEP – but what is in the budget is up to each team. Consider the needs for new hires, space, software, etc. We are not asking for a budget outline in the Preliminary Proposal, but for those who are selected to create a Final Proposal, there will be a need to develop a budget. So, as you are thinking, consider the types of things that you might need to do that would require funding.
You can find the Call for Preliminary Proposals by going to http://www.sacs.tcu.edu/qep.asp and clicking on the “Call for Preliminary Proposals” link.
Questions? Contact Catherine Wehlburg (c.wehlburg@tcu.edu) or Ed McNertney (e.mcnertney@tcu.edu).
Important Dates:
Oct. 14, 2011 QEP Town Hall Meeting
Dec. 1, 2011 Due date for submission of preliminary proposals due
Feb. 1, 2012 Notification of finalists
May 1, 2012 Due date for final proposals
May 4, 2012 Finalists present projects to TCU community
June 1, 2012 Announcement of the QEP project
