TRANSFER DOESN’T NEED TO BE SCARY: STREAMLINING TRANSFER PATHWAYS

Presented by: Lori Johnson & Cathy VaughanKCTCS - Madisonville Community College

NACADA Annual Conference October 4th-7th, 2015

• Founded in 1968 as part of the University of Kentucky Community College System

• 1997 Postsecondary Education Improvement Act – Technical and Community Colleges were merged to form Kentucky Community & Technical College System

• Today – 1 of 16 community & technical college districts in Kentucky

• Murray State University & Lindsey Wilson College are housed on our campus

• Advising Structure - Decentralized

WHO ARE WE?

HISTORY OF TRANSFER• Main focus was on AA/AS transfer students only• Minimal four year involvement and limited presence on

campus• Transfer data was provided by KY CPE (Council on

Postsecondary Education) • There was not an adequate system in place to easily

identify transfer-bound students• Transfer Coordinator was solely responsible for everything

transfer• Transfer information on the web was basic

TRANSFER SELF-STUDY

• KCTCS was dedicated to improving transfer services across the state

• FOE Self-Study was conducted in 2012• All faculty/staff involved in committee work • Students, faculty, and staff completed surveys on transfer• Resulted in 10 transfer action implementation items

TRANSFER ACTION ITEMS

• Give transfer information a higher profile on the MCC website

• Include 2+2 transfer pathways for Baccalaureate degrees on the Madisonville Advising Plans for AAS degrees

• Mandate faculty/staff academic advisors attend training throughout the academic year

• Develop a process to collect college transfer-bound student information

TRANSFER ACTION ITEMS

• Establish Enrollment Center with transfer focus• Increase opportunities for collaboration with four-year

colleges and universities• Develop process for sharing transfer-bound student data• Better promotion of services• Create institutional philosophy statement of transfer• Workgroup to examine ways advisors can be more

consistent in advising

TRANSFER WEB PRESENCE

• GO2TRANSFER link to Transfer Information webpage

KnowHow2Transfer.org TES (Transfer Equivalency System) Transfer Pathways Joint Admission Upcoming Transfer Events http://madisonville.kctcs.edu/Academics/Transfer_Information.aspx

DEVELOP TRANSFER PATHWAYS

• Met with AAS program coordinators regarding their preferred 4-year transfer pathway

• Drafted TAP (Transfer Advising Pathway) document for each AAS credential

• Received final approval from 4-year institutions• Met with AAS program coordinators on finalized TAP • Launched TAPs on Transfer website

ADVISOR TRAINING• Training provided to faculty in academic division meetings

once a year• Training provided to new faculty each semester• Training provided to first semester orientation advisors• Professional Development sessions offered college wide• Advising Resource Guide• College-wide Student Advising Syllabus• Training specific to MAPs (Madisonville Advising Plans) and

TAPs (Transfer Advising Pathways)

IDENTIFYING TRANSFER STUDENTS

• Identify students at point of application• Track new students who meet with Enrollment Center

Advisor for transfer interest• Track transcript requests• Track transfer interest on graduation applications• Flag transfer students in PeopleSoft• Flag Joint Admission students

TRACKING TRANSFER STUDENTS• CPE – 2012/2013 247 Students transferred (207 public, 39 private)

59% transferred before completing degree

65.6% female, 34.4% male

53% traditional, 47% nontraditional

54% full-time, 46% part-time

Retention after one year - With a degree (83.3%), without (77.2%)

FALL 2014 SURVEY• 166 students responded• 39% absolutely will transfer, 34% are considering

transfer, 14% have little interest in transfer, and 12.8% have no interest in transfer

• 64% considered specific 4-year institutions and 63% are considering pursuing an online degree

• 80.5% are satisfied with advising about transfer requirements

• 77% are satisfied with availability of academic advising• 73.6% are satisfied with transfer documents and

pathways available

FALL 2014 TRANSFER SURVEY

Which methods have you used to research 4-year colleges?

College Websites 66.3%

Friends/Classmates 47%

Instructors/Professors 28.9%

College Fairs 26.5%

Recruiters from other schools 20.5%

Staff (Us!) 17.5%

FALL 2014 TRANSFER SURVEY

How often have you used the following resources for developing a plan for transferring?

Academic Advisor 62%

Instructors/Professors 47.8%

Transfer Center 29%

CC Website 74.7%

Transfer pathway guides 30.7%

Course Equivalency Guides 47.9%

Four-year college websites 77.5%

FALL 2014 TRANSFER SURVEY

When do students think about transfer?

Before starting CC 36%

After the first year at CC 24%

During the first semester at CC 10%

Not considering transfer 22%

TRANSFER EVENTS• Approximately 10 four-year colleges visit MCC’s campus

annually • Western KY University has increased campus presence • Established transfer week (MSU Free Transfer Day,

Transfer Advising Day, On-Campus Transfer Fair, Online Transfer Fair)

• Student Support Services/TRIO provides opportunities for students to visit four-year colleges

JOINT ADMISSION

• Admission & Transcript Fees waived• Catalog year is determined by Joint

Admission application date• Students receive an advisor from both

institutions• Access to four-year college student

services & activities

MCC + WKU

MSU Connect

TRANSFER MARKETING PLAN• Transfer events placed on transfer webpage• Contact Joint Admission students every semester to offer

advising assistance• Joint professional development sessions with regional

four-year colleges (Transfer Spotlights)• Email students under 30 credit hours regarding Joint

Admission• Distribute transfer materials at graduation practice

CURRENT ISSUES• Transfer Advising Pathways (TAPs) are confusing to students • Continue to work on tracking transfer students• Enhance our web presence and continue to work on design of

transfer webpage• Need still exists for a transfer center/dedicated transfer staff• Several levels of advising training exists, but not “mandatory”• Faculty Advisor transfer knowledge is limited

FUTURE GOALS

• Continue to work on transfer initiatives for AAS students

• Market transfer services

• Establish process for sharing/receiving transfer bound student data

“It is the mission of academic advising to assist AAS students in selecting university majors that most effectively use their vocational credits to ensure timely completion of a bachelor’s degree”

Pratt & Brown, “Vocational Degree to Bachelors:

A Program to Improve Access to 4-Year Degrees

for All Community College Students”,

NACADA Clearinghouse Academic Advising Resources

QUESTIONS ?

Lori Johnson, Transfer Coordinator/Academic Advisorlori.johnson@kctcs.edu

Cathy Vaughan, Director of Counseling Services/Academic Advisorcathy.vaughan@kctcs.edu