Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors Dr. James A. Maddirala, Jackson State University Angela E. Payne, EPhD Candidate, Jackson State University July 8, 2014 - Session 3779 Ocean Salon I, 1 st Floor
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors Session Overview Learning Outcomes JSU Executive PhD Overview Purpose of the Study Key Terms Guiding Principles SREB Policies & Practices Articulation & Transfer Policy Study Participants Data Collection & Analysis Research Questions Response to Research Questions Recommendations References Discussion Contact Us
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors This session examines the findings of a recent study to understand the narratives of university admissions counselors within a public higher education system who are responsible for facilitating the transfer admissions process as they apply articulation policy and transfer its benefits to community college transfer students.
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors Attendees can expect three learning outcomes relative to the practical application of the policy as depicted by the counselors. Those outcomes are: 1) To understand the nature of what exists in policy application, 2) To understand the form of what exists in policy application, and 3) To understand the perceptions and attitudes the counselors relative to the application of the policy.
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors The Executive Ph.D. Program (EPhD) in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University (JSU) : Prepares students to assume senior leadership roles in postsecondary institutions and other organizations Engage participants in the analysis of different facets of operations and management of post-secondary institutions http://www.jsums.edu/ephd/
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors The Executive Ph.D. Program (EPhD) in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University (JSU) : Develop solutions to potential or existing challenges facing urban and metropolitan institutions Students study higher education institutions from a transdisciplinary perspective Appreciate the role and impact of these institutions as engines of social and economic change in urban and metropolitan venues http://www.jsums.edu/ephd/
Purpose of the Study To examine the experiences of university admission counselors working in a southern public university system as they applied statewide articulation policy and transmitted its benefits to community college transfer students.
For the purpose of this study: Key Terms Articulation agreement a formal collaborative agreement between educational institutions enabling students to complete a program of study at one institution and, using accumulated credits, attain a degree at another institution, specifically a two-year college to a four-year college (Carmichael, Hall & O Meara, 2007). Core curriculum a complete thirty-hour general education course requirement achieved with a C or better by a community college transfer student at an in-state community college in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree at an in-state college or university (Institutions of Higher Learning, 2013). In-state transfer a community college transfer student who matriculates from a community or junior college to senior college or university within the same state. Transfer the ability to acknowledge credits earned at one institution and subsequently accepted by another but not necessarily as a part of a completed program or degree (Carmichael, Hall & O Meara, 2007). Transfer pathway the gateway between community colleges and four year institutions which provides for the articulation of college credit (Handel, 2011). Transfer student a student who has enrolled at a community college with intention of advancing toward a baccalaureate and for whom the articulation agreement is designed to serve (Handel, 2011).
Guiding Principles Ignash and Townsend s seven guiding principles for the development of sound policy: 1. Community colleges and four-year institutions should be equal partners with regard to providing freshmen and sophomore level undergraduate coursework. 2. Native and transfer students should be treated equally by receiving institutions. 3. As to the content area experts, faculty should have the primary responsibility for formulating statewide articulation agreements. 4. Agreements should accommodate students who transfer without an associate's degree, because transfer students will transfer to other institutions before completing sufficient credit work for graduation as required at another institution. (Ignash & Townsend, 2001, p. 173-192).
Guiding Principles Ignash and Townsend s seven guiding principles for the development of sound policy: 5. Statewide articulation agreements should include the transfer of both the general education coursework, as well as program majors and program major courses. 6. Include private colleges and universities in the statewide articulation agreements. 7. Evaluate policy with data-driven outcomes that measure success of statewide articulation agreements. (Ignash & Townsend, 2001, p. 173-192).
SREB State-Level Transfer Policies and Practices Note: Statewide Transfer Committees oversee the state s policies and practices. Statewide Core Curriculum represents a group of general education courses that transfer from one public institution to another. A Transfer Counselor Network represents transfer counselors of two- and four-year public institutions who coordinate transfer of credits and advise students. Web-Based Transfer Guides inform students and advisers about transferrable course via the Internet access (Southern Regional Educational Board, 2007).
Articulation and Transfer Policy AY 2013-2014 Agreement 8 member public universities with 15 member public community colleges 254-page document cover 194 programs Board Policy Section 512 named, Core Curriculum and Section 520 called, Transfer of the Associate of Arts degree from [this southern system s] Community/Junior College Thirty core Curriculum (guaranteed with degree) in-state transfers: English Composition 6 semester hours College Algebra, Quantitative Reasoning, or higher level Mathematics 3 semester hours Natural Science 6 semester hours Humanities and Fine Arts 9 semester hours Social or Behavioral Science 6 semester hours Additional 32 credit hours of qualified prerequisite or elective credit toward program of study Led by Articulation Subcommittee Provide safety net for transfer students Revisited annually (Institutions of Higher Learning, 2012).
Study Participants Predetermined population with priori issues (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994) Specialized knowledge Eight-member public system in SREB region Population of twenty professionals in system with distinction Invitations extended to population Seven participated one institution nonresponsive Maximum variation selection (Schwandt, 2007) Non-probability or purposive (purposeful) sampling (Jupp, 2006)
Seven Institutions Four PWI s Three HBCU s One PWI - Historically Women s Two land-grant institutions New enrollment highest in AY 2011-2012 New enrollment lowest in AY 2011-2012 CJC new transfer highest in AY 2011-2012 CJC new transfer lowest in AY 2011-2012 CJC in-state new transfer average is 9.9% Study Participants
Data Collection & Analysis Contextual Category Interviews Semi-structured Background, Experience and Meaning Mutually-agreed upon location Observation Bound by statewide articulation agreement Viable community college transfer student population Hosted event during research period Document Review Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Institutional Printed Advising Materials Institutional Web-based Advising Materials
Data Collection & Analysis Framework Analysis Familiarization Identifying a Thematic Framework Indexing Charting Mapping & Interpretation (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994) Triangulation Multiple data sources Convergence, Corroboration, Correspondence (Bryman, 2006)
Research Questions 1) How did university admission counselors apply statewide articulation agreement policy and transmit its benefits to community college transfer students? 2) What knowledge did university admission counselors have regarding the statewide articulation agreement policy? 3) How do university admission counselors describe the adequacy of the resources available for their use in policy application. 4) How do university admission counselors describe their perspectives and attitudes toward statewide articulation policy implementation in their system.
Response to Research Questions 1) How do university admission counselors apply statewide articulation agreement policy and transmit its benefits to community college transfer students?? 1) Articulation agreement as an equalizer I have memorized the core curriculum because I can guarantee that I am going to have to say it over and over again. When I m at community colleges, all students ask me is, What will transfer? University 5 I m talking about the public colleges here because without the agreement the smaller schools wouldn t be able to compete, AT ALL! -- University 2 we use the word transfer a lot. That word represents the agreement in my mind and it helps me; well, all of us tell the students the same thing. University 6.
Response to Research Questions 2) What knowledge did university admission counselors have regarding the statewide articulation agreement policy? 2) What students need to transfer The four-year university s gonna know exactly what s gonna transfer. I normally counsel students on the front end, and don t try to explain articulation so much as I just say to them if they re [classes] are not technical classes then they are going to transfer -- University 1. So, my presentation to them is it s ok to get a degree in HVAC because they get paid, as long as you get that 30 [core thirty curriculum] it gives you options for furthering your education. This is the knowledge I have about the agreement cause that s what they need to know. At least that s how I see it. University 4.
Response to Research Questions 3) How do university admission counselors describe the adequacy of the resources available for their use in policy application? 3) Access to community college students You have to figure out what gets their attention. It would be great to have direct contact with every student. University 7 You can ask almost any community college recruiter in the state and they will tell you that do not like the college fair at the community college, not like the high school. In the high school they make the kids come and at the community college the students comes if they want to. Sometimes, when they walk through and just ignore us, I feel myself just reaching for them; saying stuff like, Come on over here so I can tell you what [University 2] can do for you. -- University 2
Response to Research Questions 4) How do university admission counselors describe their perspectives and attitudes toward statewide articulation policy implementation in their system? 4) Cooperative and meaningful relationships Being a former college student definitely helps me relate. I had to have those core thirty hours; they have to have those core thirty hours. It is something you can talk to them about and empathize with them. I tell my students that I am like a concierge at a hotel like I m the front desk. If they have any questions or problems with scholarships or whatever, they come to me. So I feel like I m more of a direct route. -- University 3 If it is important to him, it is important to the school so we work hard to use the policy to help get students. It seems like that is what other people [professional colleagues] think too. They are out here just like I am because their school thinks the student is valuable. University 6 The agreement would have some power without us, but we would have no power without it. -- University 2
Recommendations Close the knowledge gap Eliminate the barriers to access to students (not enough staffing and not enough exposure on campuses) Understand how technology can be affected reach more students and increase policy efficacy
References Carmichael, M., Hall, T. & O Meara, R. (2007) A discussion of past, present, and future articulation models at postsecondary institutions. Journal of Technology Studies, 33 (1-2) 9-16 Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/jots/v33/v33n1.pdf Bryman, A. (2006). Qualitative Research. (see http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/35066_chapter3.pdf) Handel, S. (2011). Improving student transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions: The perspectives of leaders from baccalaureate-granting institutions. The College Board. Retrieved from http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/11b3193transpartweb110712.pdf Jupp, V. (2006). Purposive Sampling. The sage dictionary of social research methods. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9780857020116 Ignash, J. M. & Townsend, B. K. (2001). Statewide transfer and articulation policies: Current practices and emerging issues. In B. K. Townsend and S. B. Twombly (eds.). Community colleges: Policy in the future context (p. 173-192). Westport, CT: Ablex Publishing. Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). (2013b) Articulation agreement between board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning and the community college board. Retrieved from http://www.mississippi.edu/cjc/downloads/articulation_agreement.xlsx Ritchie, J. & Spencer, L. (1994). Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research" by Jane Ritchie and Liz Spencer in A.Bryman and R. G. Burgess [eds.] Analyzing qualitative data, pp.173-194. Schwandt, T. (2007b). Types of sampling. In L. Shaw, K. Greene, A. Virding, & C. Rivard (Eds), The sage dictionary of qualitative inquiry (p. 271). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB). (2007). Clearing paths to college degrees: Transfer policies in SREB states. Washington, D. C.: Creech, J. D.1311.5
Statewide Articulation Agreement Policy Impact on University Admissions Counselors Discussion
Contact Dr. James A. Maddirala, Associate Professor Jackson State University james.a.maddirala@jsums.edu 601.979.1158 Angela E. Payne Executive PhD Candidate, Jackson State University Director of Admissions, Meridian Community College apayne@meridiancc.edu 800.MCCthe1