Prof. Janice KarlenProf. Janice Karlen

and and

Prof. Susan SanchiricoProf. Susan Sanchirico

CUNY – LaGuardia Community CollegeCUNY – LaGuardia Community College

SENIOR and GRADUATE

COLLEGESHONORS and

PROFESSIONALCOMMUNITY COLLEGES

Baruch CollegeBrooklyn College

The City College of New YorkCollege of Staten Island

CUNY Baccalaureate DegreeCUNY Online Baccalaureate

DegreeHunter College

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Lehman CollegeMedgar Evers College

New York City College of Technology

Queens CollegeYork College

CUNY Graduate CenterCUNY Graduate School of

JournalismCUNY School of Law

CUNY School of Professional Studies

CUNY School of Public Health

Macaulay Honors College

Borough of Manhattan Community College

Bronx Community CollegeKingsborough Community

College LaGuardia Community

CollegeQueensborough

Community College

About CUNY

General Education

Senior college vs. Community college Articulation

Specific programs at specific schools PLA Credit

Credit varies by program/by college Veterans Credit

Policy and CUNY

CUNY – CAEL Grant (Ford Foundation)

Bronx Community College / Lehman College LaGuardia Community College / York College

CUNY – wide PLA The Murphy Institute for Worker Education &

Labor Studies CUNY BA City College York College LaGuardia Community College

Current CUNY PLA initiatives

Founded as a Co-op college, experiential learning had

been at the core of the academic offerings. While program requirements have changed, the foundation of experiential learning is acknowledged and provides a framework for all forms of PLA –workplace learning, portfolios, internship credit, military experience, etc.

The PLA program operates under the auspices of the Office of Academic Affairs. The faculty members who are involved have been designated as “coordinators.”

About LaGuardia

Exemption Credit for credit courses offered at LaGuardia = course match

Granted on basis of an examination or project equivalent to final course requirement

Equivalencies are determined by the faculty of the appropriate department Approved by the chairperson

To receive credit by exemption, the student applies to the appropriate chairperson or designee.

The maximum number of exemption credits towards a LaGuardia degree is 10 These 10 exemption credits may be applied toward LaGuardia’s 30-

credit residency requirement The maximum number of exemption credits towards a LaGuardia certificate

is 6 Note: Exemption credits are awarded to degree students only

LaGuardia PLA Policy

National Standardized Tests and Challenge

Examinations Portfolio Evaluation (including ePortfolio) Foreign Language Placement Exams

Register and pass third level course and receive 6 credits for first and second level language courses

Military Transcripts: AARTS, SMART, Community College of the Air For

DD214 – Honorable Discharge = elective credits Published Guides (such as the American Council on

Education CREDIT program and the Program for Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction [PONSI])

PLA at LaGuardia

Review materials – certificates of completion, military

transcripts, corporate training, etc., and determine who would be the appropriate faculty member for portfolio assessment.

As a course match institution, any PLA must line up with instructional and performance objectives of existing courses - do not grant partial or blanket credit.

For courses within our own departments, we can prepare the paperwork for credit that will be signed by the chairperson. If the course is for another department, we facilitate the process with the chairperson. Military service credit we take directly to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

The Evaluation and Approval Process

Military transcripts and the online database are

utilized to match training to courses at the college. If training/courses do not carry the exact same name or credit hours, the Admissions Office will not process it and students are referred to meet with one of the Credit for Prior Learning coordinators.

While the option for portfolio review is available, few students consider this option. Many do not have the experience necessary to document the learning or the writing skills required to complete narratives. As there are limited electives available in community college degrees, their options are often limited.

The Evaluation and Approval Process

Within CUNY

Differing institutional models Differing levels of commitment

Within LaGuardia The ePortfolio course The Business example The Math Example The Science Example

Negotiating

As educators As mentors As champions As negotiators

PLA Advisors

As educators

Administration at the college has supported the PLA effort. The coordinators have met with various departments, chairpersons, committees (Academic Standing), and the Senate to provide an overview of PLA.

With the knowledge that the program follows the CAEL standards and credit review is based on college-level learning and is course match, there has been agreement that the program is viable and beneficial for students.

PLA Advisors

As mentors

Support the learner to identify what was learned Conduct formal or informal pre-screening for

candidates who can demonstrate college level learning

Assist in the process of determining the learning that has resulted from experience

Assist learner to match prior learning to academic program and personal goals

PLA Advisors

As champions

Assist learner with resources (samples, guides) Assist learner with strategies to demonstrate

balance of theory and application Assist learner to prepare demonstration of the

learning and experience Encourage/support learner to continue in the

process

PLA Advisors

As negotiators

Facilitate process with faculty content experts who are trained in the assessment practices

Assist with the determination of the level of competency achieved and the credit equivalency as needed

Provide supporting documentation and information regarding past practice to assist in credit determination

Reinforce the concept of PLA = college level learning

PLA Advisors

Looking into the crystal ball…..

PLA and CUNY

For further information:For further information:www.lagcc.cuny.edu/cpl

cpl@lagcc.cuny.edu