-5-
campus will be engaged in submitting pre-proposals based on the emergent themes. Several (8-
l0) pre-proposals will be selected for further development as a white paper, from which three
potential QEP topics will be identified. The three potential topics will be forwarded to the SACS
Reaffirmation Leadership Team, chaired by President Todd, for final selection. Once the topic is
detennined, a new team comprised of content experts, among others, will develop the QEP for
SACS review. Trustees and all members of the University community are encouraged to submit
their "big ideas” on the QEP website (http://www.uky.edu/Q QEP ) which Dr. Sellnow
demonstrated. Regular updates on the reaffinnation process will be presented at future Trustee
meetings.
President Todd thanked Dr. Sellnow, Dr. Snow, and Dr. Ray for the work they have done
and will continue to do for the SACS accreditation process. The QEP is a very enlightened
approach by SACS.
President Todd mentioned that the war on attrition that Provost Kumble Subbaswamy
introduced and the general studies reform that Dr. Yanarella was actively involved in when he
was head of the Senate Council could have been QEPs. When you look at the emphasis the
administration has put on undergraduate research across the curriculum, it also could have been a
QEP.
In addition to the QEP selected, there should be a list of strong suggestions that the
administration can choose to do. This will be a campus thought process which is very different
than having to have 400 or 500 must statements like the previous process and not having
anything to really take forward. President Todd applauded SACS for this new approach and said
it will be very good for everyone.
F. Discover Gennany Program
Dr. Judy "J.J.” Jackson, Vice President for Institutional Diversity, gave the second
presentation entitled "Discover Gennany Program:” a grant-funded diversity collaborative
between UK, the Gennan-American Fulbright Commission, and the Hertie Foundation. The
grant-funded initiative sends 20 diverse Gennan university students to UK at the beginning of
each fall semester and 20 diverse UK students to Gennany at the end of each spring semester.
She distributed a sheet of facts giving specifics about the program.
Dr. Jackson said that the university’s Strategic Plan involves the goal of nurturing
diversity and inclusion but also looking at closing the gap between intemational education and
multi-cultural education as well as seizing those opportunities for giving students a chance to
broaden their horizons. With the Gennan-American Fulbright Commission, the Hertie
Foundation, and the Provost’s Office, this goal is possible. She noted that there is funding for
three more years to take 20 students to Gennany with all expenses paid for a month. As the
University strives toward premier status, it needs to give the students these opportunities so they
can compete on a more global scale.
Dr. Jackson said that she and others try to leam from the experience every year in order
to do things better the next year. This year, there is a required reading about Gennan culture,