JANIE HARRIS
Editor-in-Chief, News Editor
The Office of Academic Affairs and the Student Government Association, or SGA, plan to host an open forum on both campuses for students to voice their opinions about Piedmont’s future Quality Enhancement Program, or QEP.
“We have three proposals that we agreed on as a campus last spring, and now, we need feedback from students to move forward,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Perry Rettig.
The QEP is part of the reaccreditation process Piedmont must undertake in order to prove plans are in place to improve the college. The plan must focus on undergraduate instruction; after sifting through various plans proposed last year, the committee, created to assist President James Mellichamp in selecting the best plan for Piedmont, has narrowed the possible avenues down to three plans.
“The QEP will be very vital to Piedmont’s accreditation process. SGA is eager to take part because this will affect the students more than anyone one campus,” said Secretary of SGA Pearl Oppenheimer.
On Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Demorest students can attend the forum located in the Stewart Hall Auditorium. On Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., Athens students, faculty and staff can visit the Meeting House to let their voices be heard.
Rettig explained the purpose of the forums is to open up a dialog and answer questions students have about each of the proposed ideas as well as the QEP as a whole.
However, if students, faculty and staff members are not able to attend the forums, they can find an interactive blog and feedback form on PilgrimNet that explains each of the three proposed ideas. Here, visitors of the site can post questions and comments to those who developed each idea.
Rettig said after looking at all of the feedback from the site and the open forums, the committee will then prepare a statement for Mellichamp and his cabinet to help them make a final decision in January.
For more information about the QEP, attend one of the forums or contact Rettig at [email protected].
