Initial Selection of the QEP
The Career Portfolio was selected as the Quality Enhancement plan after campus-wide
discussions with faculty, staff, administrators, and the Board of Trustees. From
January through July of 2003, the educational significance of the QEP, the scope
required to make a project meaningful, and different potential ideas were discussed
in meetings in all departments and at all levels.
In August 2003, Dr. Pascal, Dean of Academic Affairs, recommended the selection of
the Career Portfolio as the Quality Enhancement Plan for The Art Institute of Houston
to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee approved the recommendation, and
The Career Portfolio was announced as the Quality Enhancement Plan at a college wide
in-service meeting in August 2003.
Selection of Career Portfolio Skills
In meetings in August, October of 2003, and January 2004, faculty discussed, selected,
and defined the skills to be included in the Career Portfolio. Students from the National
Technical Honor Society and Student Government were consulted for feedback and suggestions,
as were members of The Board of Trustees, and industry professionals on the Program
Advisory Committees for each field of study.
Model for the Career Portfolio
The first QEP Committee was formed in February 2004; its members included faculty from
each educational department, and staff members from many departments. The QEP Committee
met weekly through August 2004 to study Career Portfolio programs at other universities
and to design a model for the Career Portfolio at The Art Institute of Houston. The work
done by this committee formed the basis for the Career Portfolio proposal made to SACS
(The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).
Curriculum Map
Faculty in all departments were surveyed in the Winter and Spring quarters of 2005 to
establish which Career Portfolio skills they plan to teach in their classes. These
surveys have been used to create a map of the curriculum that shows where each skill
will be taught in each department.
Embedding Career Portfolio Skills
The next step is to embed the Career Portfolio skills into classes across the curriculum.
From Spring 2005 through Fall 2006, faculty committees organized by Career Portfolio skill
will write lesson plans and pilot those lessons in the classroom.
