At the campus level, the quality improvement process is led by the AQIP Steering Committee, which is composed of the following members:

  • Neal Topp, Chair
  • Bill Swanson, Action Project Leader
  • Russ Smith, Action Project Leader
  • Mollie Anderson, Action Project Leader

This group works in conjunction with the Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC) to provide a coordinated approach for developing quality improvement initiatives across campus. The SPSC approves all AQIP action projects and receives monthly reports from each action project, as well as reports of progress and activities of the AQIP process. The SPSC membership can be accessed at http://www.unomaha.edu/plan/documents/2011_2012_members.pdf.

Contact Neal W. Topp, Accreditation Liaison Officer, with questions.

The Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
The Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) infuses the principles and benefits of continuous improvement into the culture of colleges and universities by providing an alternative process through which an already-accredited institution can maintain its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. With AQIP, an institution demonstrates it meets accreditation standards and expectations through sequences of events that align with those ongoing activities that characterize organizations striving to improve their performance.

AQIP Action Projects Completed (2007-2012) (.pdf)

UNO's 2012 AQIP Systems Portfolio (.pdf)

UNO's 2008 AQIP Systems Portfolio (.pdf)

Systems Appraisal Report: 2009

This report provides commentary from external reviewers on UNO's 2008 Systems Portfolio. The appraisal highlights UNO's strengths and potential opportunities for improvement.

Nine AQIP Categories

As an AQIP institution, we are responsible for assessing and documenting continuous improvement in the following key areas or 'categories':

    1. Helping Students Learn
    2. Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives
    3. Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders' Needs
    4. Valuing People
    5. Leading and Communicating
    6. Supporting Institutional Operations
    7. Measuring Effectiveness
    8. Planning Continuous Improvement
    9. Building Collaborative Relationships

Full explanations of AQIP principles and processes are available at: Accreditation (AQIP Process)

For more information about UNO's accreditation process, contact Neal Topp Ph.D., Administrative Fellow, Academic & Student Affairs.

AQIP Action Projects 2012-2013

One aspect of AQIP accreditation is the identification of institutional action projects. Within the larger sequence of activities and services that constitute AQIP, Action Projects strengthen an organization's commitment to continuous improvement; educate and motivate faculty, staff, and administrators; and improve systems and processes that will lead to success in achieving organizational goals.

Organizations choose their own Action Projects to help them achieve their visions and missions. Annual updates on the progress or completion of Action Projects are required by the HLC. These updates provide feedback, recognition, and assistance if needed.

UNO has identified three action projects for which brief descriptions are provided below. Each project is led by a coordinator and a team of faculty, staff, and students. For more information about each project, contact the teach coordinator.

On-boarding for New Employees
Chair, Mollie Anderson
  • This action project will design a dashboard providing information on UNO's effectiveness in preparing its students for their future work and educational activities.
Reporting on Student and Alumni Work and Educational Activities after Graduation
Chair, Russ Smith
  • This action project will design a dashboard providing information on UNO's effectiveness in preparing its students for their future work and educational activities.
Dashboards for Strategic Plan Goals
Chairs, Bill Swanson, Anne Branigan
  • The primary goal of this project is to improve the academic advising process in the College of Arts and Sciences by strengthening the relationship between the advising of freshmen by the professional advising staff and the advising of upper class students by faculty.
  • Academic advising in each department of the College of Arts and Sciences will be improved and the lesson learned in this project will be used in other colleges in the future.