The State of Articulation and Transfer for Maryland's Community College Students

Transcription

1 The State of Articulation and Transfer for Maryland's Community College Students Kori Smith University System of Maryland Tuesday April 3, 2012 Session ID: #324

2 Session Agenda I. Initiatives that foster the smoothing of transfer pathways for Maryland s community college students Technologies Statewide Academic Policies Other Initiatives II. Effectiveness of Efforts III. Contributing Factors to The Effectiveness of These Initiatives IV. Areas for Possible Improvement V. Final Thoughts/Looking Toward the Future

3 The Lay of the Land 16 Community Colleges 13 Four-Year Public Institutions 11 are University System of Maryland institutions 30 Independent Institutions

4 Coordinating Structures Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) coordinates the growth and development of Higher Education in Maryland establishes statewide policies for public and private colleges and universities and for private career schools. Six Higher Education Segments Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) Maryland Independent Colleges and and Universities Association (MICUA) University System of Maryland (USM) Morgan State University St. Mary s College of Maryland Private Career Schools

5 Technology: ARTSYS ARTSYS The Articulation System for the State of Maryland A computerized information system created to facilitate the transfer of students from Maryland community colleges to the University of Maryland System institutions and other participating institutions Course and articulation system developed, 1993 dynamic web based system created Allows students and advisors to ascertain the transferability status of each community college course, by indicating equivalencies and General Education area(s). Also outlines, in community college language, the recommended courses for specific programs of study at the participating institutions.

6 ARTSYS Continued Features a transcript option for students which determines the status of courses, compares them with the recommended transfer programs, and computes grade point averages. In conjunction with the electronic transfer of transcripts, enables the receiving institution to evaluate the student's record and provide information about the student's standing upon transfer.

7 ARTSYS Usage: ,000,000 Number of Viewed Pages 3,900,000 3,800,000 3,700,000 3,600,000 Number of Viewed Pages 3,500,000 3,400,

8 ARTSYS Student Benefits Self advising tool available through any Internet browser Comparison shopping for all public institutions and currently eight private participating institutions Credit Evaluations prior to formal application Transcript information can be revisited on system through community college matriculation

9 Technology: Electronic Transcripts (ET) In operation since 1991 Sending institutions transmit transcripts electronically to the repository by the sending institutions Receiving institutions can electronically retrieve the via the Internet. From 2007 to the end of 2011, 438,909 transcripts have been sent and received.

10 Benefits of Electronic Transcripts Transcripts can be sent to their prospective institutions within a matter of minutes, instead of weeks. Evaluations of course credits (with assistance from the ARTSYS system) have been reduced to seconds, instead of days.

11 Technology: Maryland Transfer Portal mdtransfer. usmd.edu Information site for Maryland s Transfer Students

12 Maryland Transfer Portal continued Developed in 2007 Includes helpful information such as detailing steps on How To Transfer, an explanation of the structure of the General Education Program, and contact information for Transfer Coordinators at all participating Maryland institutions. Benefits of the Maryland Transfer Portal Website created specifically with transfer students in mind. Large amount of helpful information in one place

13 Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) October, 1993: University System of Maryland and the Maryland Association of Community Colleges meet to discuss common interests and issues and identify general education core as priority area for articulation January 1995: Maryland Inter-segmental Chief Academic Officers respond to Maryland Higher Education Commission with alternative language for regulation Fall 1996: COMAR Title 13B General Education and Transfer ( implemented

14 Policy: General Education COMAR 13B Maryland Community College courses designated as meeting General Education will be accept by all four year public institutions as meeting General Education. A completed general education program shall transfer without further review or approval by the receiving institution and without the need for a course-by-course match A student that transfers with an Associate s degree to a public four year institution will be recognized as completing the lower level portion of the General Education component for the Bachelor s degree without the need for a course-by-course match.

15 Benefits of COMAR General Education Regulation Students can be assured that they will not lose General Education credit in transfer. Students that complete the Associate s degree will only have to complete their transfer institution s upper level General Education requirements for graduation. o COMAR stipulates that the amount of upper level General Education credit can range from credits o This equates to an estimated amount of 3 6 additional General Education courses.

16 Guiding Principles and Expectations for Implementation of Policy Developed by the Chief Academic Officers of Maryland s higher education institutions in conjunction with the development and implementation in 1996 of the General Education and Transfer regulations. The purpose was to provide direction for those seeking to interpret the requirements as they are applied across institutions. These principles are neither binding nor regulatory but do provide the best thinking of a large and diverse group charged with defining the new relationship among all institutions implicit in the General Education regulations.

17 Policy: Admissions COMAR Title 13B A student that completes an Associate s degree or 56 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher while attending a Maryland community college can not be denied admission to a Maryland public four year institution on a space availability basis. A student that has not completed an Associate s degree or has completed less than 56 credits may transfer to a public institution if they academic credentials would have made them admissible as a high school senior and have obtained a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

18 Benefits of COMAR Admissions Regulation Maryland s Community College students that have obtained an approximate amount of credit that equates to about two years of full time enrollment, have an advantage in the admissions process of Maryland s public institutions. Maryland Community College students that were admissible to a Maryland public institution directly from high school, can reconsider entry to that institution during a future semester.

19 Other Initiatives Statewide Nursing Articulation RN to BSN with 90 credits advanced standing Subsequent codification in State Academic Regulations Benefits: o Articulation agreement allows student flexibility to enroll in courses through any participating institution. o Shorten time to degree due to contractual nature. Discipline Groups Bring together Faculty from two and four year institutions Discussions to assist with alignment of subject competencies on both two and four year levels Benefits: o Fluid curriculum from first to last year. o Better communication between faculty.

20 Other Initiatives Continued Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) Voluntary collaboration between 2-year and 4-year Education deans & directors, Arts & Sciences faculty o Outcomes-based program articulation o AAT degree requires a minimum 2.75 cum G.P.A. and satisfactory score and qualifying scores as established by the State Superintendent of Schools on the teacher certification tests approved by the State Board of Education to be awarded the AAT degree. o Program transfers as a package Associate of Science in Engineering (ASE) Similar framework as AAT Benefits of the AAT/ASE Completed degrees transfer to four year institution as a package, without course to course match. Students are classified at their transfer institution at around Junior standing.

21 Are These Initiatives Working? In the MHEC 2008 Community College Graduates Follow-Up Survey Report, it was reported that among respondents who transferred to a four-year institution, the percent who had all credits accepted rose from 12.8% in 1996 to 40.2% in Among this same group, the percent of students who lost 1-6 credits declined from 47.3% to 32.4%, and those who lost over 6 credits declined from 39.9% to 27.5% It is important to note that for those who reported the loss of credits, they reported that the reasons were because the transfer institution did not offer comparable courses (46.1%) and because they had earned over 60 credits at the community college (43.6%).

22 Contributing Aspects to Initiative Effectiveness Policy Initiatives are weakened without a strong foundation of policy. Although only technically applicable to public institutions, inclusion of private institutions at the table encourages voluntary participation. Inclusion of all Stakeholders at the table All segments are invited to participate and give input. Ability to emerge from the Top Down or the Bottom Up Initiatives have originated from the system or institutional level.

23 Community College Transfer Students to Maryland Public Institutions 2011 Performance of Maryland Community College Transfer Students at Public Four-Year College and Universities, p.61

24 Areas for Possible Improvement Strengthening communication with Faculty Countering misperceptions of transfer students by legislators, faculty, administrators etc. Creation of databases reflecting two year to two year and four year to four year. Full institutional participation in sending and receiving Electronic Transcripts.

25 Final Thoughts/Looking Towards the Future Maryland is far from perfect when it comes to facilitating transfer, but we take pride in the efforts we have made in the past and are currently making in the present. As policymakers on both the state and Federal level are expressing an increase interest in our community colleges (e.g. Obama s College Completion agenda, National Governor s Association s Compete to Complete), the amount of resources designated to these efforts will also increase. One of the current Buzzwords in relation to transfer students: Reverse Transfer, will become exceptionally important as states look to increase the number of higher education graduates.

26 And now

27 Thank You For Your Time! Kori Smith Assistant Director of Articulation and Academic Services University System of Maryland 3300 Metzerott Road Adelphi, MD (301)

28 Resource Links Maryland ARTSYS Maryland Association of Community Colleges: Maryland COMAR Title 13B.06 General Education and Transfer Maryland Independent Colleges and Universities Association

29 Maryland Higher Education Commission Student Guide to Transfer Undergraduate Transfers Maryland Public Institutions ( ) UnderTransfMDInst.pdf 2011 Performance of Maryland Community College Transfer Students at Public Four-Year College and Universities PerfCCTransfers(AY08-09).pdf Maryland Transfer Portal National Governor s Association Compete to Complete University System of Maryland