Transfer and Articulation In Indiana

The Community College Perspective

Current State

TransferIN website assists students to identify course applicability in multiple institutions

Core Transfer Library delineates institutional commitments to accept courses in transfer

STAC (State Transfer and Articulation Committee) works to develop transfer agreements and practices

Transfer in Indiana is primarily course by course

Current State

Transfer from Ivy Tech

Associate of Science (AS) is primary transfer degree (first transfer in 1989)

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is primarily a terminal degree with limited transfer options (except course by course)

Associate of Arts first offered in 2005 but very few graduates

512 distinct articulation agreements with different 65 college and university partners

Transfer from Ivy Tech

Transfer from Ivy Tech

Of Ivy Tech’s 57 programs, 74% have transfer agreements– One agreement for Health Information Technology– 135 agreements for Liberal Arts– 55 different agreements in Business

Administration

Most university transfer agreements have been limited to a single Ivy Tech campus and based primarily on course-by-course transfer

Transfer from Ivy Tech

Course Transfer Library (CTL)

Ivy Tech offers 74 CTL courses 85% of CTL courses are accepted without

conditions 15% have conditions Some CTL courses are accepted as

undistributed credit rather than direct equivalents

Actual implementation/compliance with CTL agreements is not universal

Course Transfer Library (CTL)

What is Working

Transfer opportunities have increased dramatically in past four years (most activity in 2007)

From FY 2004-5 to FY 2006-7, total transfers from Ivy Tech increased by 133% (2,119 to 4,944)

Model agreements have been established:– AS in Nursing to BSN completion agreements– AS to BS in Business Administration at IU-East– AS to BS in Engineering Technology with Purdue,

statewide– AS to BS in Education statewide agreements with

IU and Ball State (though very different paths

What is Working?

Incredible complexity causing– Confusion and uncertainty for students– Uncertain process for student appeals– Tens of thousands of hours to develop and

maintain hundreds of agreements Excessive variation in university curriculum,

including no common lower division general education core– CHE position in Reaching Higher is to support a

common general education core to simplify transfer

Principal Challenges

Spanish Transfer Map 12 different pathways – difficult for students and advisors Technical core requirement ranges from 6 to 20, while total

credit hour requirement varies from 62 to 70 credit hours Common required courses limited to 6 classes, although 75% will

accept 14 of the same CTL courses to meet degree requirements Variance in mathematics high, ranging from requiring MATH 118

to allowing most CTL math class Science – most variance in acceptance of CTL chemistry and

least amount in biology as a choice or requirement Outliers – two require or accept GEOG 207; one requires FIT 100;

two require CINS 101 Regional campus agreements are different at both IU and Purdue

Spanish Transfer Map

Additional Challenges

Inconsistent implementation in transferring CTL courses at department level

Course by course agreements result in 2+3 transfer, hidden prerequisites, lengthening time to degree

Few incentives (and actual disincentives) for students to complete associate degrees prior to transfer

Additional Challenges

Inconsistent application of CTL 15 percent exceptions in CTL Even with university-level agreement,

departments do not always comply with CTL agreements, (recent examples in Psychology, Economics, Medical Terminology, Math)

Problems and inconsistencies not regularly referred to STAC for resolution

No clear appeals process nor ombudsman

Inconsistent Application of CTL

Incentives/Disincentives for Degree Completion

Departmental letters/communications advising students not to complete degrees at Ivy Tech prior to transfer

Limited 2+2 guaranteed transfer agreements

No preference in articulation, admissions, nor scholarship availability for associate degree completers upon transfer

Incentives / Disincentives for Degree Completion

Best Practices in High-Performing States

Statewide course catalogs, systems to inform students regarding transfer

Statewide core curriculum guaranteed in transfer (common general education core)

Statewide common course numbering or mandated compliance with course applicability systems

Designated ombudsmen for transfer and student-friendly appeals process

Incentives (admissions, transfer and scholarship aid) to students to complete associate degrees prior to transfer

Best Practices in High-Performing States

Ivy Tech Efforts to Simplify Transfer

Decreasing variation in program curricula and core textbooks

Establishing a common general education core curriculum (Reaching Higher goal)

Converting all transfer agreements to statewide agreements that guarantee transfer of at least 60 credit hours that meet degree requirements (no more 2+3 agreements)

Encouraging degree completion prior to transfer Participating in data systems to track students and

evaluate transfer student performance

Ivy Tech Efforts to Simplify Transfer

Overcoming Myths with Data

Myths– Community college courses are less rigorous– Community college faculty are less qualified– Transfer students do not do well academically

at four-year institutions Rebuttal

– Improved data on community college transfer performance

– State data systems to track performance of transfers

– Data necessary to create a culture that supports effective and efficient transfer

Overcoming Myths with Data