Fall 2018 marks the beginning of the third cohort of freshmen entering A+CE courses.

The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which began in fall 2016 and is offered in 1000- and 2000- level courses, has enrolled more than 9,500 students in A+CE designated courses. Academic Achievement through Community Engagement (A+CE) is the manifestation of UHD’s obligation to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accrediting body, which UHD has committed to improving the critical thinking ability of our students within their first two years.

Students who accumulate at least four A+CE courses with a maximum of one 'C' in one of the A+CE courses, and an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher by the end of the semester during which the last qualifying A+CE course was taken, will earn an Engaged Scholar digital badge on their transcript. The Engaged Scholar Badge signifies to future employers and graduate schools that the student has experience using critical thinking skills in the context of community issues.

Every UHD Freshman Seminar course and Composition II course is an A+CE-designated course. Since fall 2016, more than 100 faculty members ranging from every UHD college have taught an A+CE course. This offers students a variety of A+CE-designated section options from which to choose.

To help faculty navigate the process of A+CE course designation, the QEP enlists the assistance of key faculty to perform critical tasks. The QEP staff is pleased to announce its new A+CE Faculty Champions for the 2018-2019 Academic Year:

• Dr. Ashley Archiopoli, assistant professor of communication studies
• Dr. Nina Barbieri, assistant professor of criminal justice
• Dr. Shohreh Hashemi, associate professor of finance & management information systems
• Abigail Koenig, lecturer of Communication Studies
• Zeenat Mitha, lecturer of communication
• Dr. Sanghamitra Saha, lecturer of biology

Each A+CE Faculty Champion is assigned to a college or department to assists the QEP staff by overseeing the A+CE activities and guide faculty within those units. Faculty Champions also are responsible for recruiting new faculty and courses to the A+CE program, assisting faculty with completing the course designation process each semester, helping with Signature Assignment Development and developing critical-thinking strategies.

The QEP is a directive of the Office of the Provost and administrated by the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. The QEP director is Associate Professor in Microbiology, Dr. Poonam Gulati Salhotra, and the QEP assistant director Krysti Turnquest.

For more information on the QEP or the A+CE program, contact your A+CE Faculty Champion or the QEP staff at QEP@uhd.edu.