Alcorn State University successfully completes SACS COC Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile Project
Alcorn State University successfully completes SACS COC/Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile Project
On January 11, Alcorn President M. Christopher Brown II presented certificates of recognition to the participants of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC)/ Lumina Foundation for Education “Degree Qualifications Profile” project.
Dr. Donzell Lee, vice provost, Dr. Kassie Freeman, director of Strategic Innovation, Dr. LaToya Hart, director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, and Dr. Josephine Posey, ASU history research associate, led Alcorn State University’s effort. To complete the presentation, the committee used degree qualifications profiles submitted by the department chairs that map out degree programs in agriculture, education and English as a cross-section of the University programs. Dr. Lee delivered the presentation at a meeting prior to SACS annual conference on December 8, 2012, in Dallas, Texas.
“The project was an attempt to look closely at what is required in a degree, what we expect our students to know upon graduation and what the degree will prepare them to do,” stated Dr. Lee.
The national “Degree Qualifications Profile” project involved select HBCUs-members of SACS, and was aimed at creating a tool that would help transform U.S. higher education. The project outlined specific learning outcomes that benchmark the associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Dr. Brown and Dr. Samuel White, executive vice president and provost, expressed their appreciation and commended the team on successful completion of the project.
“Usually, when national projects in education are launched, large universities are used to set the example,” said Dr. Brown. “We are pleased that for this national program, the work that has been done by HBCUs will be used as a national model. Alcorn’s presentation really stood out at the conference. Representatives of many universities discussed it and approached us to find out the details of our work.”
Dr. Donzell Lee said on behalf of the committee, “It was a chance for us to find out what other institutions were doing.”
Dr. Freeman added, “The committee members had individual meetings with department chairs that enabled us to get an in-depth look into select programs at Alcorn. This project would be impossible to accomplish without the wonderful work of chairs, members of the departments, as well as faculty and staff across campus. It was a great team effort.”
Dr. White presented the project participants with the final copies of the report and stated, “The work that was done will dictate where Lumina will go from there. Spider webs will move forward thanks to this successful project.”
Dr. Cynthia Scurria, chair, Department of English and Foreign Languages, said, “Working on the degree profiles was an informative exercise for the department. I am really interested to see how the project develops.”
Dr. Posey commented, “A project of this nature is significant to the outward mobility and success of our graduates. It is always beneficial to take a serious look at our degree qualifications.”
Dr. Brown closed the meeting wishing everybody a happy, healthy and productive year.
