{"id":832,"date":"2022-09-19T20:39:58","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T20:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.tarleton.edu\/qep\/?page_id=832"},"modified":"2025-02-10T16:50:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T16:50:19","slug":"qep-2021-2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/qep\/qep-2021-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"QEP 2021 – 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Many students at Tarleton State University identify as first-generation and\/or low-income students and experience financial hardships during their pursuit of a higher education. The connection between financial issues and student success in college is widely acknowledged and may follow students into their post-college years. In developing Tarleton\u2019s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), the University prioritized this issue and designed the\u00a0Texan Smart\u00a0QEP\u00a0to increase educational access and learning opportunities among all Tarleton students by strengthening resources to improve financial wellness and well-being.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"&quot;Texan<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP emerged from a strategic planning process involving careful data analysis, meaningful dialogue, and collective decision-making. This two-year, two-phase process involved Tarleton stakeholders \u2014 administrators, faculty and staff members, current students, and alumni \u2014 who were affiliated with all Tarleton locations. The\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP is aligned with Tarleton\u2019s strategic plan, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board\u2019s (THECB) higher education strategic plan, and current national efforts focused upon addressing financial wellness and well-being among college students. \u00a0Over five years, Tarleton will commit resources to support the six student learning and student success outcomes for the\u00a0Texan Smart\u00a0QEP:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Completers will describe financial attitudes, behaviors, and skills that correspond to financial wellness and well-being.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Undergraduate and graduate students will recognize how student success is influenced by the interplay between personal financial circumstances and academic performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Degree completion rates among undergraduate students will increase by six percentage points among first-time-in-college, transfer, and graduate student cohorts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Undergraduate students will identify and demonstrate marketable skills affiliated with their degree program and communicate those skills to potential employers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Undergraduate students will graduate with student loan debt that is at or below 60% of their first-year, post-graduation annual wages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Tarleton will improve processes and reduce student barriers to increase persistence and decrease time to degree.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    To meet the desired outcomes associated with the Texan Smart<\/em> QEP, Tarleton will implement multiple actions intended to have a direct and indirect impact on student learning and student success. Actions associated with the Texan Smart<\/em> QEP include new and existing initiatives that will be implemented in a well-timed and strategic manner. Furthermore, actions associated with the Texan Smart<\/em> QEP involve stakeholders throughout the university community and beyond for maximum impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP\u00a0will formalize a comprehensive assessment plan with which to evaluate the six student learning and student success outcomes, as well as the actions that contribute to these outcomes. The\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP assessment plan uses quantitative and qualitative instruments to ascertain formative and summative information. Assessment data will be gathered and reviewed periodically and shared with members of the President\u2019s Cabinet on an annual basis to determine any needed modifications. Additionally, the university community will be kept informed of the\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP progress through Tarleton\u2019s\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP website, periodic email communications, and annual checkpoints in the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP\u00a0<\/em>is an auspicious and relevant topic. Prior to the characterization of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, institutional efforts were underway to address financial wellness and well-being among Tarleton students. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has induced increased financial hardships among Tarleton students and their families. With these circumstances in mind, the\u00a0Texan Smart<\/em>\u00a0QEP has been designed to have a long-lasting, positive impact on all Tarleton undergraduate and graduate students, as well as members of the university community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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