SMU in Four

Start Smart. Finish Strong

Quality Enhancement Plan 2020-2025

SMU in Four – SMU’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) – is the University’s comprehensive approach to improving SMU’s retention and four-year graduation rates. To this end, our QEP advances student academic success through its most essential form: progress toward degree. The strategies in this QEP build upon existing University practices to integrate three important levers, which will be activated across academic majors and student-support resources to address the needs of all SMU students and ultimately lead them to greater levels of success. 

SMU in Four implements three essential pillars that will direct changes to help students in their early years: Early Alert, Academic Advising, and First-year and Gateway Course.

Early Alert Pillar

Improve the collection of early and midterm progress report data to support student interventions to promote student success.

Academic Advising Pillar

Implement changes to the advising experience so that students view their assigned advisors as important resources on campus who care about their situation.

First-year & Gateway Course Pillar

Improve the design and instruction in first-year and gateway courses to promote student engagement and success and reduce any unintended equity gaps that might exist.

Explore Our Commitment to Mustangs

You can view full details of the 2022 1-Year Report, SMU in Four, by downloading the full proposal.

Explore Our Commitment to Mustangs

You can view full details of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), SMU in Four, by downloading the full proposal.

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Contact

Molly Ellis, Ph.D.
Co-Director, SMU in Four
Associate Director of Learning Analytics & Student Success
Center of Teaching Excellence

214-768-3983
mkellis@smu.edu

Dustin Grabsch, Ph.D.
Co-Director, SMU in Four
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education & Academic Success
Student Academic Engagement & Success

214-768-4887
dgrabsch@smu.edu