Post on 24-Dec-2015
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