The QA Commons is mindful of the dramatic and transformational impact COVID-19 is having on all institutions of higher education. As an organization, we are adapting our services to support preparing graduates for the workplace that is now changing more precipitously than ever.
Our mission is to prepare all learners for the changing world of work. We aspire to narrow the gap between higher education and employment.
Equity. Transparency. Adaptability. Sustained capacity-building.
Data consistently show differentiated results for first-generation and underrepresented groups in terms of completion, placement, salaries, and job longevity. The criteria and processes of The QA Commons are designed to help programs close these gaps and enable all students to contribute to society and their personal and professional development through meaningful and productive work and careers.
“Equity-mindedness” is central to the QA Common’s work. The term “refers to the perspective or mode of thinking exhibited by practitioners who call attention to patterns of inequity in student outcomes. These practitioners are willing to take personal and institutional responsibility for the success of their students and critically reassess their own practices. It also requires that practitioners are race-conscious and aware of the social and historical context of exclusionary practices in American Higher Education.”
In participating in QA Commons programs, faculty and administrators are asked to prepare and examine disaggregated program completion, internship participation, and post-graduation employment student success data.
Taking stock of the contradictions between the ideals of democratic education and social, institutional, and individual practices, as well as policies, expectations, and unspoken rules that contribute to persistent inequalities in outcomes among different groups is critical to moving the needle on achievement gaps.
Transparency drives accountability. It is through effective use of student-level data that programs and strategies to improve student learning and degree completion can be developed and implemented.
Public Information is one of the five categories in the QA Commons’ Employability Framework. It provides prospective students, parents, employers, and other stakeholders relevant information on such outcomes as completion rates, career pathways, potential salary ranges, and placement success. Learners are entitled to such information to make informed choices.
Adjusting to different conditions, circumstances, and environments is vital to individuals and organizations alike. In the labor force, adaptability increases one’s chance of success. Unexpected (and sometimes unpleasant) situations arise in work and in life. Adaptability expands capacity to handle change and ensures a person (or an organization) stays afloat when adversities crop up.
Adaptability is one of the Essential Employability Qualities. Additionally, the QA Commons recognizes that adaptability is critical to our own organization as well as to postsecondary institutions and programs.
The work of The QA Commons is designed to encourage program self-assessment, external review for certification, and continuous improvement. It provides a comprehensive and integrated framework for assessing and improving capacity in each area of review. Programs and institutions are supported to develop capacity and performance at each stage prior to and following certification.
“The world of work is undergoing dramatic changes before our eyes... It requires employers and employees to come to terms with a new environment, in which flexibility and adaptability have priority over job security and long-term (if not lifelong) employment, structured environments, and standardized roles and responsibilities.”
－ The Economist
Nearly 3 in 4 employers say they have a hard time finding graduates with the soft skills their companies need.
– Society for Human Resource Management
50% of managers feel recent grads are prepared for a full-time job, while 87% of grads feel they are ready for the big time.
－Payscale 2016
“Getting a well-paying job often depends on skills that too many underserved student groups don’t get while attending college… Higher-income kids are getting that from their parents and their peer groups.” －
Aimée Eubanks Davis, founder and CEO of Braven
The QA Commons was founded in 2016 with a grant from Lumina Foundation and support from the National Center for Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), providing a new approach to higher education quality assurance. Focusing on the employability of students, the QA Commons provides an innovative certification process that aims to ensure today’s graduates enter the workforce prepared for the responsibilities they will be expected to face.
After undertaking considerable research and conducting a national pilot project, the QA Commons has identified eight skills that comprise a hire-worthy graduate profile.
The QA Commons believes all disciplines need to prepare students for employability – not just those that are specifically workforce-related or pre-professional.
Convened national leaders (funded by a USA Funds—now Strada—grant). Unanimously decide that new models focusing on career readiness are vital.
Research begins on bridging the gap between Higher Ed and the workplace. Awarded a Lumina Foundation grant.
Successfully conclude Pilot Program. Awarded Lumina Foundation continuation grant. Launch Kentucky EEQ Certification Initiative.
Launched a Faculty Employability Fellows program, enabling faculty to learn first-hand about local workforce needs, employer concerns, and the views of the role higher education needs to play.
The Board of Directors oversees the organization, with a focus on mission, strategy and goals.
The QA Commons Staff, our NCHEMS partners, and our robust Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Board members comprise our entire team.
“For the rapidly changing jobs of today and tomorrow, “soft skills” are no longer just something to pick up “somewhere.” Technology, offshoring, and roboticization are but a few of the challenges graduates will face, and skills such as collaboration, adaptability, and continuous learning have become essential for ongoing employability. We need to integrate essential employability qualities with academic content and theory to prepare graduates for meaningful careers. That’s why we created The Quality Assurance Commons.”
— Ralph Wolff
President & Founder
Ralph Wolff is the Founder and President of The Quality Assurance Commons, and an independent policy consultant focusing on accreditation and quality assurance processes in the US and internationally.
He previously served as the president of the WASC Senior College and University Commission from 1996 through August 2013, and as Associate Executive Director since 1981. He is a member of the University Quality Assurance International Board (UQAIB) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and on the National Advisory Boards of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) and for the Lumina Foundation on the Degree Qualifications Profile. He also is a member of the Board of Trustees of the United States International University Africa, located in Nairobi, Kenya and Palo Alto University. He has published multiple articles and book chapters on accreditation, quality assurance, distance education, and the changing role of the library. Current projects include a research study of quality assurance standards for international branch campuses from the perspectives of the sending and receiving countries, and developing a new registry for better understanding of the meaning and standards for degree, certificates, badges, etc
Before joining the staff of WASC, Mr. Wolff was one of the founders of the Antioch School of Law in Washington DC, which now continues to operate as the David A. Clarke Law School at the University of the District of Columbia. The law school was the first ever designed to prepare lawyers to serve in public interest and poverty law settings. He later became dean of the Antioch Graduate School of Education, heading five programs in seven states. He also served as Associate Provost, setting up internal quality assurance processes for the geographically dispersed college. In 1976, he was appointed a law professor at the University of Dayton.
A graduate of Tufts University, Mr. Wolff received his JD with honors from the National Law Center at George Washington University. He continues to be a member of the Washington, DC bar.
For his service in support of quality assurance and improvement in the WASC region and nationally he was awarded in 2008 the Virginia B. Smith Award for Innovation in Higher education and, in 2013, an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Loma Linda University.
Contact: ralph@theqacommons.org
Director of Operations & Planning; NCHEMS Liaison
Michelle comes to the QA Commons with breadth of experience in both the non-profit and corporate realms. Before joining the QA Commons, she served as Director of Organizational Strategy at the RP Group, a research-based organization focused on student success and equity in the California Community Colleges. Prior to her work in the field of higher education, she served as Managing Director at Atlas Capital Advisors, as a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, and as an Account Manager at Oracle Corporation. Ms. Deasy has served on the boards of the Mural Music and Arts Project, the Presidio YMCA, the South End Rowing Club, and the Cornell Track Association. She spent several years competing internationally as a professional triathlete.
Ms. Deasy earned a BS in Development Sociology from Cornell University and an MA in Demography from UC Berkeley.
Contact: michelle@theqacommons.org
Senior Scholar
William M. Plater is currently Research Director for Civic Learning and Community Engagement for the Global Common Good at Laureate Education, Inc., a global network of more than 70 campus-based and online universities in 25 countries. He also serves as Senior Scholar at The QA Commons.
He served as the chief academic officer at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) for 19 years (1987-2006), Director of the Office of International and Community Development (2006-10), and retired as Indiana University Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs, Philanthropic Studies, and English in 2010.
Earlier, he served as Dean of Liberal Arts at IUPUI (1983-87), Associate Director of the School of Humanities (1977-83 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and as Director of Unit One, a residential living-learning program he helped create in 1971, also at UIUC.
Plater attended the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign from 1963 to 1973, earning a baccalaureate (1967), master’s (1969), and PhD (1973), all in English literature.
He is a recipient of various awards from the Chancellor’s Medallion, Morris T. Keaton Award, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Development Administration, Spirit of Philanthropy Award John W. Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs, Gerald L. Bepko Medallion for Leadership, Mayor’s Community Service Award, and the Gerald L. Bepko Award for Administrative Achievement.
Contact: wplater01@gmail.com
Senior Advisor, Research & Evaluation
Dr. Gary J. Burkholder is the Senior Research Scholar and Senior Contributing Faculty at Walden University. He serves as Senior Advisor for Research and Analytics for the QA Commons,
Dr. Burkholder has served in several senior academic and business administration roles including Program Director, Director of Online Studies, Assistant Dean, Dean, college Vice President, Vice President for Research, and Vice President for Academic Affairs. During his tenure with Laureate Education, Inc, a global network of institutions of higher education, Dr. Burkholder served as Program Director and Academic Research Lead for the Laureate Professional Assessment, in which he collaborated in the development of a cross-cultural instrument to assess workplace readiness in newly graduating undergraduate students. Dr. Burkholder’s research focus spans qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods including multivariable statistical analysis and instrument development. He has conducted research in topics that intersect psychology and public health, including those involving exercise and diet behavior change and adherence; predictors of substance use, sex risk, and HIV risk among youth and adults. More recently, Dr. Burkholder’s research interests have involved retention and persistence in tertiary education as well as online pedagogy. He has served as author on approximately 70 peer-reviewed publications and collaborated in over 70 conference presentations. Dr. Burkholder is active the American Public Health Association, serves as a peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission regional accreditation body, and serves as a reviewer for several professional journals in education, psychology, and public health.
Dr. Burkholder received his Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island in Experimental Psychology as well as his MA and BA degrees in Psychology. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from the University of Washington.
Dr. Burkholder has received several teaching and mentoring awards, including the distinguished faculty award at Walden University, the award to the dissertation chair of the student receiving the Outstanding Dissertation Award, the David Wilson Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Laureate Education Pyramid Award for excellence in Technology, Business, and Education. He is also the recipient of the University of Rhode Island Distinguished Achievement Award.
Contact: gary@theqacommons.org
Director, Kentucky Engagement
Brad Clark is the Lead Principal at Latent Talent Accelerator, and currently serves as the Senior Advisor of Employer Engagement for Quality Assurance Commons.
Before founding Latent Talent Accelerator, he was the National Director of Economic Opportunity and Professional Learning at Hope Street Group. He also served as the State Director of the Kentucky Teacher Fellows Network for Hope Street Group from 2015 to 2017. Prior to leaving the classroom, Brad was an upper elementary teacher for nearly a decade and has served in a number of advisory and community-based roles in education and workforce over the past 15 years.
Brad holds a BA in history from Eastern Kentucky University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Morehead State University.
Contact: brad@theqacommons.org
Senior Advisor, Assessment
Jillian Kinzie, Ph.D. is Associate Director, Center for Postsecondary Research and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Institute, Indiana University School of Education. She conducts research and leads project activities on effective use of student engagement data to improve educational quality and issues of teaching and learning, and serves as senior scholar with the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) project.
She is co-author of Assessment in Student Affairs (2016); Using Evidence of Student Learning to Improve Higher Education (2015); One Size Does not Fit All: Traditional and Innovative Models of Student Affairs Practice, Second Edition (2014), and Student Success in College (2005/2010). She is co-editor of New Directions in Higher Education, is on the editorial board of Innovative Higher Education and the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, and serves on the boards of the Washington Internship Institute and the Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. She is a peer reviewer for several accreditors and regularly consults with colleges and universities about assessment, effective educational practice, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and support for student success.
She was honored with a Student Choice Award for Outstanding Faculty at IU (2001), received the Robert J. Menges Honored Presentation by the Professional Organizational Development (POD) Network in 2005 and 2011, and in 2014 was named Senior Scholar by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).
Kinzie earned her PhD from Indiana University in higher education with a minor in women’s studies. Prior to this, she served on the faculty of Indiana University and coordinated the master’s program in higher education and student affairs. She also worked in academic and student affairs at Miami University and Case Western Reserve University. She is currently co-PI on the Lumina Foundation funded “Assessing Quality and Equity in HIPs” and the Strada Foundation study, “Learning about Undergraduates’ Preparation for Work and Careers”.
Her scholarly interests include the assessment of student engagement, how colleges use data to improve, student and academic affairs partnerships and the impact of programs and practices to support student success, as well as first-year student development, teaching and learning in college, access and equity, and women in underrepresented fields. She has published on these topics and translated this scholarship at hundreds of institutions and higher education member organizations to increase the use of assessment results to inform improvements in undergraduate education and to enhance conditions for student success.
Senior Advisor, Finance
Dr. Robert Allison is a senior financial executive for not-for-profit and private higher educational institutions. His strengths include financial management, leadership, institutional strategy formation, capital planning/capital development, and business services planning.
Dr. Allison has a proven track record of institutional change and development, having held financial executive positions at Vanguard University of Southern California and California Lutheran University. He holds an EdD from California Lutheran University, an MBA from the University of Washington, and a BA in History for Vanguard University of Southern California.
Executive Assistant
Laleh has worked in both the financial services industry and the non-profit sector. She has held positions in wealth management, private client services, investment consulting, and branch management at Wells Fargo, Citibank, and California Bank & Trust. Laleh also has extensive experience working for a non-profit. She was the Director of Fundraising for Silicon Valley based Pars Equality Center and enjoyed utilizing her sales and management skills to implement and grow fundraising initiatives.
Laleh Kazemi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Organizational Management from St. Mary’s College of California.
Contact: laleh@theqacommons.org
*NCHEMS
Chief Academic Officers, Chief Executive Officers, and other dedicated experts serve our mission as advisors, advocates, and sounding boards.
The QA Commons works with a cadre of experienced, professional educators to review Employability Self-Assessments and EEQ CERT portfolios. Click HERE to view our Independent Reviewers and their bios.
Through the work with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, an employer advisory group has convened to continue to help EEQ Certified programs and QA Commons program participants connect to local workforce needs.
President/CEO, South Central Workforce Development Board
President/CEO, South Central Workforce Development Board
Dr. Robert Boone serves as the founding president/CEO of the South Central Workforce Development Board and its non-profit community enterprise, Employward, Inc., located in the economically thriving region of South Central Kentucky, just north of Nashville, TN. Dr. Boone takes an entrepreneurial and systems approach to building an organization that is a leader in talent pipeline solutions that are sustainable and transformative for both career-seekers and employers.
Dr. Robert Boone serves as the founding president/CEO of the South Central Workforce Development Board and its non-profit community enterprise, Employward, Inc., located in the economically thriving region of South Central Kentucky, just north of Nashville, TN. Dr. Boone takes an entrepreneurial and systems approach to building an organization that is a leader in talent pipeline solutions that are sustainable and transformative for both career-seekers and employers.
Founder and President, New Initiatives, LLC
Founder and President, New Initiatives, LLC
Dennis Doggett is Founder and President of New Initiatives, LLC, an established international business growth consultancy focused on supporting the profitable growth of B-2-B manufacturers as well as lubricant and fuels distributors in North America and around the world. Prior to founding New Initiatives in 2010, Dennis spent six years at Shell Oil Company where he was General Manager in the areas of Network Development, Business Development, and B2B Marketing. He also spent six years as Vice President of Business Development of the Valvoline Company.
Dennis earned an MBA from Morgan State University and a BBA in Management from Eastern Kentucky University.
Division Director, Robert Half
Division Director, Robert Half
Lisa James is the Division Director for the Lexington, Kentucky branch of Robert Half Finance and Accounting. With over 400 offices nationally
and internationally, Robert Half has been the industry leader in specialized accounting and financial recruiting for over 70 years. Lisa joined Robert Half in 1995 after a 10 year career in accounting. In her 24 years with Robert Half, Lisa has partnered with all industries placing accounting and financial talent in positions. ranging from entry to executive levels.
Ms. James holds a BA in Accounting from the University of Kentucky.
Senior Human Resources Business Partner, CHI St. Joseph Hospital
Senior Human Resources Business Partner, CHI St. Joseph Hospital
Amanda Jumper is the Sr. HR Business Partner at CHI Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. She is responsible for aligning business objectives with employees and management and achieves business results through collaboration. She serves as a consultant to management on Human Resource related issues, including but not limited to employee relations, performance management, policy application and compliance, workers’ compensation, organizational development, workforce planning, and compensation.
Ms. Jumper began her Human Resources career as a Human Resources Specialist for State Government. She then worked in HR roles at Gill Industries and Berea College. She holds MBA from Indiana Wesleyan and a BS in Political Science from Campbellsville University and is an active member of United Way of the Bluegrass (Madison County) Board of Trustees.
Executive Director, Pritchard Committee
Executive Director, Prichard Committee
Brigitte Blom Ramsey is the executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. Before joining the Prichard Committee, Brigitte was director of public policy for United Way of Greater Cincinnati focusing on state policy in Kentucky related to early childhood education.
Ms. Ramsey spent a decade as an elected member of the Board of Education in rural Pendleton County, Kentucky and served as a governor-appointed member of the Kentucky Board of Education for six years. Ms. Ramsey has worked in policy, research, and advocacy on issues related to education, poverty, and state taxes and budgets – including work for universities in Ohio and Kentucky and for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. She holds undergraduate degrees in economics and international studies and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Kentucky Martin School.
Executive Director, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program
Executive Director, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP)
Jeff Whitehead is executive director of the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP) and its local Workforce Investment Board (WIB), which provide workforce and employer services to 23 rural counties in Appalachian Kentucky. Jeff is dedicated to the mission of preparing, advancing, and expanding the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, and believes this mission is best accomplished by
embracing partnerships and service strategies that expand opportunities for workers while being responsive to industry needs. He is working to ensure that Eastern Kentucky and its workforce are discovered as a solution to industry needs statewide and beyond, and are well equipped to compete in a global and digital economy. Jeff is a member of the Advisory Council for Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) and serves as chairman of the Education and Retraining Roundtable. He provides leadership to the National Economic Council’s Tech Hire Initiative in Eastern Kentucky, serves on the board of directors for the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation, and the FAHE Recovery Task Force. He has served on the Kentucky Career Connect Coalition Board, and as Chairman of the State’s Local Workforce Directors.
In 2018-19, a Kentucky Stakeholder Advisory Committee was convened to help link employer needs with the (then emerging) certification process.
As new programs move through the EEQ Certification process, additional employer advisory councils will convene.
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