Transfer Initiatives in Massachusetts: Clearing the Way for Student Success Commonwealth Transfer...
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Transcript of Transfer Initiatives in Massachusetts: Clearing the Way for Student Success Commonwealth Transfer...
Commonwealth Transfer Advisory Group
Francesca B. Purcell, Director for Academic PolicyStudent Transfer Symposium | May 9, 2008Museum of Science, Boston
Background
Commonwealth Transfer Advisory Group established in April 2007 to:
Evaluate policies and practices
Diagnose barriers
Compare other state approaches
Make recommendations
Identify costs
CTAG Charge
Background
From May 2007 to May 2008, CTAG has:
Studied national literature, data, policies, & websites
Provided analysis on Massachusetts transfer data
Surveyed Massachusetts transfer professionals
Heard presentations from out-of-state and in-state experts
Investigated technology solutions
CTAG Work
Findings
Common Findings on the National Scene
Increasingly complex student enrollment patterns
Crucial role of community colleges
Inefficient transfer costs time and money
Growing federal and state interest in transfer
National Transfer Themes
Findings
Scope and Direction of Transfer A significant percentage of new students previously earned
credits at another higher education institution. Student transfer is multidirectional. Community college students tend to transfer prior to
earning an associate degree. Students mostly transfer within their geographical region
although this varies greatly by region.
Academic Performance of Transfer Students There is generally a positive relationship between the
range of transferable credits completed at a community college and subsequent grade point averages and graduation rates from the state colleges and the University of Massachusetts campuses.
Massachusetts Transfer Trends
Findings
Policies & Agreements Supporting Students who Graduate from a Community College
Commonwealth Transfer Compact (guarantees credit transfer)
Joint Admissions (guarantees admission)
Tuition Advantage Program (33% tuition discount)
Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education Compacts
Additional Articulation Agreements
MA Transfer Policies/Agreements
Findings
At the Institutional Level: Lack of clear and comprehensible information. Lack of understanding about which credits will transfer
toward a bachelor’s degree. Inconsistency in course acceptance and application to the
degree. Students not consistently taking transferable courses.
At the System Level: Current policies and agreements inadequate and confusing. Inconsistent and/or insufficient advising. Lack of understanding and communication among sectors. Difficulty sustaining and adhering to statewide transfer
policies.
Sample MA Transfer Challenges
Findings
National Responses to Transfer Barriers
Statewide transfer agreements
Common general education transfer core
Centralized transfer website
Electronic transcripts/Online degree audits
Comprehensive reporting of transfer student success rates
Standing Oversight Committee
Legislation
Sample Transfer Solutions
The primary goal of removing obstacles to transfer and creating a coherent and clear transfer process is to help students succeed in meeting their educational goals.
Guiding Principles
1. Student Success
Transfer is a shared responsibility amongst higher education institution leaders, faculty, and administrators; state agency policy makers and legislators; and students.
Guiding Principles
2. Shared Responsibility
Guiding Principles
A statewide transfer policy compatible with academic quality and institutional integrity can be instrumental in improving student success.
3. Academic Quality
Guiding Principles
The student learning outcomes associated with the general education programs at the Massachusetts public institutions of higher education as a whole are comparable and are more important than individual courses.
4. General Education
Guiding Principles
Any transfer student within the system of Massachusetts public higher education who earns a degree should be deemed successful and the respective institutions should be counted as contributors to the student’s educational achievement.
5. Recognition of Contributions
Guiding Principles
The development and assessment of program-to-program and course-to-course transfer across institutions is best accomplished by regular and sustainable faculty collaboration based on the establishment of common student learning outcomes.
6. Faculty Collaboration