Improving the quality of student advising in higher education – A case study

Carl B. Montano, Madelyn D. Hunt, Lowell Boudreaux
2005 Total Quality Management and Business Excellence  
This paper demonstrates the application of the quality improvement process (Deming Cycle) to improve the quality of student advising at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The quality improvement project was undertaken by the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Team at the Center for General Studies, assisted by two facilitators. All steps in the process are shown with detailed information hoping that colleagues elsewhere who would like to apply the method can do so successfully. These steps
more » ... nclude construction of SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) and flowchart, nominal group technique, control chart analysis, focus group, customer satisfaction survey, recommendations implemented, and follow-up. The president of the university credited this project as having had a definitive impact on the retention of General Studies students. KEY WORDS: Deming cycle, quality of student advising, Total Quality Management, SIPOC, voice of the process, voice of the customer, nominal group technique, focus group
doi:10.1080/14783360500235843 fatcat:wiwpc7762jfm5cajmmty47y2na