Donnelly College’s Quality Improvement Process Initiative

Donnelly College applied to be an AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Process) institution with the Higher Learning Commission in Fall 2010.  In Dec. 2010, the Admission Review Panel approved the request, and on Jan. 18, 2011, the Institutional Actions Committee approved that request, and affirmed Donnelly’s continuing accreditation.

AQIP replaces the traditional PEAQ process of accreditation review; instead of the comprehensive review with self-study report that can occur over a maximum ten-year period, AQIP operates in the continuous quality improvement model.   The first step is to have a team attend a strategy forum to begin development of three action projects.  Action projects with a three-year maximum duration are posted on the AQIP web-site, annual updates are performed, systems appraisals are evaluated every four years, and quality check-up visits and reaffirmation of accreditation are scheduled at five and 7 year intervals, respectively.  For more specifics on AQIP, go to ncahlc.org's AQIP home page.

A team consisting of the President, Interim Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Vice President of Student Affairs, and two faculty members attended the Strategy Forum in Feb. 2011.  After their return to campus, three committees, one for each action project, were formed.   The College’s first Action Project Declarations were posted on the AQIP web-site in May 2011.  These projects focus on enrollment, retention, and faculty development.