University of St. Francis earns AQIP approval
The
University of St. Francis is approved to participate
in the Academic Quality Improvement Program through
the Higher Education Commission of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools.
Using
the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
will help the University of St. Francis meet the
rapidly shifting needs of education with quality
programming, said USF President Michael Vinciguerra.
By participating in AQIP, USF will identify targets
for continuous improvement and hold itself accountable
to improve the results and activities for its
students and itself as an institution, Vinciguerra
added.
The
AQIP model is designed to move the institution
beyond the boundaries of traditional accreditation
to incorporate continuous quality improvement
into its daily activities. USF's full accreditation
status will continue as it implements the AQIP
system. The next formal reaffirmation of the university's
accreditation will be set in 2010-11.
"AQIP
will help us define and identify ourselves as
a quality institution," explained Vinciguerra.
"While we know that we offer excellent programming
which is confirmed by alumni and employers, the
AQIP process will allow us to better quantify
outcomes and plan for the future."
The
university will participate in a series of planning
and review activities to energize and reinforce
its commitment to improvement. Annual and other
reviews of USF's quality efforts will enable the
Higher Learning Commission and AQIP to monitor
progress and support USF's quality efforts. Formal
reaffirmation of accreditation will be based on
continuous participation and patterns of continuous
improvement and improving results that indicate
success, according to the Higher Learning Commission.
As
part of the AQIP cycle, USF representatives will
attend a strategy forum within a year and will
identify and commit to several strategic action
projects. The university will submit annual updates
on the action projects to be reviewed by a panel
of quality experts from the AQIP Peer Reviewer
Corps. During the next three years, USF will create
a public systems portfolio that will be continually
updated with changes in systems and processes
and the results of those changes. The systems
portfolio will undergo a systems appraisal by
AQIP peer reviewers about every four years, when
the cycle will begin anew.
The
University of St. Francis in Joliet serves more
than 4,300 students nationwide. The university
offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate study,
including education, arts and sciences, nursing,
business and social work. Ten graduate programs
are offered in business, nursing, health care
and education.