Bridge to Success: The College Readiness Experience

Pasco-Hernando State College believes in the power of education. Committed to an open-door policy, the College supports the pursuit of knowledge and provides accessible and affordable opportunities for all students to reach academic and career goals. The College embraces diversity and values the contributions of our students, faculty and staff, and the unique communities within our district. Embracing a student-centered environment lies at the heart of our mission.

The College embraces diversity and values the contributions of our students, faculty and staff, and the unique communities within our district. Embracing a student-centered environment lies at the heart of our mission.

As success is one of PHSC’s core values, the College ensures that achievement is prioritized and uniquely individualized for each student. Efforts focus on the personal and professional achievement of competencies and skills that empower students to make lifelong decisions relevant to successful careers and personal growth.

As an opportunity for enhancing student success, PHSC is in the process of implementing a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) focused on college readiness titled Bridge to Success: The College Readiness Experience.

What is a QEP?

The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is an integral component of the reaffirmation of accreditation process through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a regional accreditation agency.

The QEP

The QEP is derived from an institution’s ongoing comprehensive planning and evaluation processes. It reflects and affirms a commitment to enhance overall institutional quality and effectiveness by focusing on an issue the institution considers important to improving student learning outcomes and/or student success. The plan is implemented over a five-year period.

The QEP is a document developed by the institution that:

  1. has a topic identified through its ongoing, comprehensive planning and evaluation processes;
  2. has broad-based support of institutional constituencies;
  3. focuses on improving specific student learning outcomes and student success;
  4. commits resources to initiate, implement, and complete the QEP; and
  5. includes a plan to assess achievement.

SACSCOC 2018 Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, Section 7.2, page 58-60

SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan Framework

PHSC's QEP Topic Selection

In fall of 2017, PHSC established a QEP Topic Selection Committee, comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community members. The charge of this Committee was to identify topics that focused on improving specific student learning outcomes and student success that aligned with the College’s vision and mission. 

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness provided data and information relevant to PHSC and student learning for committee members to consider. Four potential QEP topics were identified: (1) college readiness; (2) advising; (3) retention and completion; and (4) developmental education.

Ten focus groups, with a total of 119 College stakeholders, were conducted. Additionally, a QEP Topic Selection Survey was administered collegewide. The focus group and survey findings were used to guide the QEP Topic Selection Committee to determine the preferred topic of College Readiness—recommended to and approved by PHSC’s District Board of Trustees at their January 2018 meeting.

QEP Development and Implementation Committee

The QEP Development and Implementation Committee was established after the topic was approved by the District Board of Trustees. This Committee is comprised of broad-based College stakeholders to oversee the development and implementation of the QEP. The specific charge of this Committee is to build upon the work of the QEP Topic Selection Committee by researching the chosen QEP topic and identifying the best practices necessary to address the topic. In addition, the Committee will write, implement, assess, and maintain the QEP. The Committee began meeting in September 2018.  

In order to efficiently perform the development duties and responsibilities of the Committee, several subcommittees were formed. Committee Members were provided the opportunity to serve based upon their interests. The various subcommittees include: activities, branding and marketing, budget, course of action, curriculum and assessment, implementation, instructor certification, QEP outcomes, and student population.

QEP Executive Summary

Mission Statement

PHSC’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) improves student success by providing engaging, meaningful, and relevant learning experiences in four specific areas of college readiness: problem solving, intellectual openness, time management, and persistence.

Target Student Population

A part-time or full-time student who is attending Pasco-Hernando State College for the first time (FTIC), has earned 6 or fewer credit hours from an accredited institution of higher education, and is enrolled in coursework that leads to an Associate in Arts degree.

Course of Action

A first semester experience designed to enhance the first year of college by addressing college readiness issues for participating students.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Reflect on successful and unsuccessful actions and outcomes used in solving problems.
  • Use a process to effectively solve problems.
  • Engage in discussions with others of different viewpoints and opinions.
  • Demonstrate willingness to explore new ideas and concepts.
  • Manage how they spend the hours in a day to effectively accomplish stated goals.
  • Engage in self-reflection to monitor how they spend their time.
  • Recognize their ability to achieve goals. Demonstrate effort to achieve goals.
  • Adapt plans in order to overcome obstacles.
  • Identify the impact of both interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences.
Student Success Outcomes
  • Increase first-year retention rates.
  • Increase completion rates.
Summary of Course of Action

Bridge to Success: The College Readiness Experience is comprised of a course, SLS 1106 Journey to Success. This course emphasizes study in four specific areas of college readiness: problem solving, intellectual openness, time management, and persistence. The primary purpose of this course is to help students develop the attitudes and skills necessary to be successful in college. The SLS 1106 Journey to Success course also includes Passport to Success, a series of co-curricular activities that expose students to PHSC’s student support services.