Foundations for Learning, Well-Being, and Career Quality Enhancement Plan (2025-2030)
Although many students are succeeding, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville seeks to strengthen the conditions that support student thriving.
Purpose
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) focuses on Strengths Learning, Academic Well-Being, and Career Readiness to advance student learning, persistence, and post-graduation success. The QEP integrates curricular and co-curricular practices across the undergraduate experience and emphasizes intentional assessment and continuous improvement.
QEP Focus Areas
1. Strengths Learning – Students identify, engage with, and apply their CliftonStrengths through selected courses, advising, and strengths-based experiences.
2. Academic Well-Being – Students build awareness of academic resources and apply practices that support learning, engagement, and persistence.
3. Career Readiness – Students develop confidence and apply career readiness skills through coursework, advising, career coaching, and applied experiences.
Developmental Design Across the Undergraduate Experience
Focus Area Awareness & Early Application (Years 1-2) Application & Integration (Years 3-4)
Strengths Learning Identify strengths and participate in strengths-based activities
Academic Well-Being
Career Readiness
Build resource awareness and monitor academic flourishing
Build confidence and awareness of competencies
Assessment and Monitoring
Apply and integrate strengths in academic and career contexts
Apply and sustain academic wellbeing practices
Apply career readiness skills in learning and applied experiences
Assessment and action operate as a formative, multi-year cycle. Year 1 establishes baseline conditions using focused surveys, reflections, and applied indicators. Years 2 and 3 emphasize implementation and ongoing monitoring, with progress tracked through a centralized dashboard. Findings are assessed to support institutional learning, transparent review, and ongoing refinement.
Implementation Actions
Faculty and academic leaders play a central role in implementation through the following actions:
Course Integration: Selected courses incorporate strengths, academic well-being, and career readiness practices aligned with QEP goals.
Faculty Fellows: Faculty Fellows interpret assessment results and curate instructional resources that support teaching and learning.
Advising and Coaching Alignment: Advisors and career coaches reinforce QEP practices through strengths-based advising, academic support conversations, and career coaching.
Continuous Improvement: Results are reviewed annually to inform course design, Success Grant priorities, and targeted academic supports.
Questions? Dr. J. Patrick Biddix, Professor and Executive Director of the QEP, pbiddix@utk.edu