To The UT Tyler Community:

In preparation for UT Tyler’s upcoming SACS reaffirmation in 2010, faculty and staff have been busy working in teams to focus on the necessary components of the process.

One of the most important components is the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which is a carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses an issue or issues directly related to improving student learning at UT Tyler.

The QEP Committee identified four potential QEP topics and I am pleased to announce that the UT Tyler leadership team, at a meeting the last week of June, approved their leading candidate. GATE: Global Awareness Through Education will be UT Tyler’s QEP initiative (see abstract attached).

Specifically, GATE will bring together a diverse group of students in a living and learning community.  These students will be broadly engaged in globally-enhanced learning opportunities and cross-cultural experiences. GATE’s objectives will be achieved through the integration of three curricular enhancements: 1) globally-enhanced core curriculum requirements; 2) globally-focused learning community; and 3) sophomore summer study abroad.

A special note of thanks goes to Barbara Haas and Steve Krebbs for identifying the importance of global awareness for this campus and for spending many months writing the winning QEP proposal. This initiative is made even more important because it directly relates to our mission of preparing students to be global leaders.  Global awareness and leadership ability are both among the five attributes we listed in our vision as being the most important for our graduates to possess.

Rod Mabry
President