Transfer and Articulation In Indiana The Community College

Transfer and Articulation In Indiana The Community College Perspective

Current State § Transfer. IN website assists students to identify Current State 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

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 § Of Ivy Tech’s 57 programs, 74% have transfer Transfer from Ivy Tech 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

Course Transfer Library (CTL) § Ivy Tech offers 74 CTL courses Transfer (CTL) § Course 85% of CTL Library 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

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

Principal Challenges § 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

Spanish Transfer Map § 12 different pathways – difficult for students and advisors Spanish Transfer Map § 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

Additional Challenges § Inconsistent implementation in transferring CTL Additional at Challenges courses 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

Inconsistent Application of CTL § Inconsistent 15 percent exceptions application of CTLin 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

Incentives/Disincentives for Degree Completion 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

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

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

Overcoming Myths with Data § Myths – Community college courses Overcoming Myths with Data are less rigorous – Community college faculty are less qualified – Transfer students do not do well academically at fouryear 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