About

• Academic Enhancement at the University of South Alabama is dedicated to advancing student learning and success through key institutional initiatives. The Academic Enhancement leads the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Quality Enhancement Plan, a required component of the SACSCOC accreditation process, and other strategic programs designed to improve academic outcomes. In AY 2023-2024,  Academic Enhancement proudly launched the LevelUP: Uniquely Prepared for What Comes Next QEP, aimed at uniquely preparing South Alabama students for their careers.

  Academic Enhancement provides faculty and staff professional development, individual support, leadership development programs, and program funding opportunities to achieve effective implementation of the QEP, while ensuring the continuous assessment of QEP outcomes to maintain compliance and drive improvement. Collaborating with units across the university, Academic Enhancement integrates learning tools like Canvas and Portfolium to advance the QEP, develops instructional resources, embeds career readiness activities, and manages communications for the QEP. 

  Housed within the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Academic Enhancement supports ongoing SACSCOC accreditation efforts, including compliance narrative writing and review, site visit planning and implementation, and SACSCOC meeting participation and presentations.

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  Julie M. Estis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

  Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness
  Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology

  Julie M. Estis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP serves as the Associate Vice President in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and holds a faculty appointment as Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology with a joint appointment in Medical Education. Dr. Estis is an experienced higher education leader known for collaborative problem-solving and purposeful leadership. Her expertise spans academic enhancement, institutional effectiveness, accreditation, strategic planning, assessment, and faculty development. Grounded in a faculty background and service-oriented mindset, she is dedicated to mobilizing teams, inspiring action, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement through meaningful engagement and data-informed decision-making.

  In her leadership role in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Dr. Estis oversees university strategic planning, assessment, accreditation, state authorizations, university surveys, the academic calendar, the faculty handbook, and other institution-wide initiatives. She also serves as the university’s liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), guiding ongoing self-evaluation, action planning, and reporting to ensure continuous compliance.

  Dr. Estis has extensive experience leading Quality Enhancement Plans (QEPs), including USA’s current LevelUP: Uniquely Prepared for What Comes Next QEP, which advances students’ career readiness through reflection, integrative learning, and skill development. She also led USA’s earlier TeamUSA QEP, which focused on using Team-Based Learning to improve learning outcomes. She is an internationally recognized Team-Based Learning Collaborative Certified Trainer-Consultant and past president of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative.

   

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  Michelle A. Hale, Ph.D.

  Associate Director, Academic Enhancement

  Michelle A. Hale, PhD serves as the Associate Director of Academic Enhancement at the University of South Alabama, where she leads initiatives to support student success and faculty development. Dr. Hale is an experienced educator, researcher, and marketing professional with over 25 years of experience. Her career bridges academia and industry, showcasing expertise in instructional leadership, online education, and marketing communications..

  Dr. Hale is responsible for championing implementation of the LevelUP QEP, developing course assets in Canvas, and managing marketing communications for Academic Enhancement and the LevelUP QEP.  She assists with the creation and delivery of professional development for faculty and staff, coordinates ongoing assessment of QEP outcomes by gathering data, and ensures compliance with assessment protocols.

  Dr. Hale previously served as Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor at The University of Alabama where she taught online graduate and undergraduate courses. Her research has focused on the role of technology in leadership, cognition in technology-mediated learning, and collaborative communication strategies. In her academic career, Dr. Hale has designed and taught courses at undergraduate and graduate levels, successfully launched an online undergraduate minor in Digital Consumer Engagement, and chaired numerous master’s capstone projects. Her leadership extends to faculty service, including serving on Faculty Senate, university-wide technology governance, and curriculum development.  

  Beyond academia, Dr. Hale has extensive marketing communications experience. As Vice President of Marketing at Accelerated Technology and later as Director of Marketing Communications at Mentor Graphics, she managed global teams, developed comprehensive marketing strategies, and implemented impactful campaigns that supported multimillion-dollar business growth.