DOCUMENT RESUME JC 990 478 ED 435 410 Transfer in Virginia--an Update. Transfer Connection, 1996. TITLE Virginia State Dept. of Community Colleges, Richmond. INSTITUTION 1996-00-00 PUB DATE 26p.; "Transfer Connection" is an annual publication of the NOTE State Committee on Transfer and a cooperative effort of the State Council of Higher Education For Virginia and the Virginia Community College System. Funding for the 1996 issue of the 'Transfer Connection' was made possible by a grant from Virginia's Tech Prep Program." Descriptive (141) Reports PUB TYPE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Academic Persistence; *Articulation (Education); *College DESCRIPTORS Transfer Students; *Community Colleges; Degrees (Academic); *Educational Policy; Higher Education; Institutional Cooperation; *Transfer Policy *Virginia IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT The "State Policy on Transfer", adopted in 1991, continues to be highly effective in helping students transfer from two-year to four-year institutions. In addition, the policy has promoted cooperation between institutions, most of which have progressed beyond questions of policy compliance to practices that facilitate equitable admission and ensure that transfer students will complete their baccalaureate degree. This document presents articles on topics that are designed to increase the understanding of how credits transfer, how transfer guides can be used to facilitate transfer, and how articulation agreements are developed. Articles (1) When is a Credit not a Credit? (2) Transfer Guides--Road Maps include: (3) Guidelines for Developing Articulation Agreements for Transfer Planning; between Community Colleges and Four-Year Institutions; (4) High School--Community College--Four-Year College Examples of Articulated Programs through Tech Prep; and (5) Opportunities for Advanced Standing for High School Students. Some notable benefits of articulation agreements listed include elimination of uncertainty in the acceptance of credits, elimination of unnecessary duplication of course work, and reduction in the cost of a baccalaureate degree. Contains a list of Virginia's Chief Transfer Officers (1995-96). (TGO) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Transfer Connection - 1996 fern ,nlry COleve THUMCONNEC TION_ SCHEV An annual publication of the State Committee on Transfer -- 1996 STATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSFER (1995-96) Mr. Mark S. Sandy Ms. Carole Ballard Dr. Fred J. Heck linger Virginia Military Institute Northern Virginia Community College Tidewater Community College Ms. Laika Tamny Dr. James E. Hunter Dr. Robert L. Bashore James Madison University Central Virginia Community Virginia State University College Ms. Kathie L. Tune Dr. Dan C. Jones Averett College Wytheville Community College Dr. John H. Borgard Virginia Commonwealth University Dr. Barbara A. Wyles (co-chair) Dr. Naomi Lawhorn J. Sargeant Reynolds Community Northern Virginia Community Dr. Frank Cool, III College Norfolk State University College Dr. R. Heather Macdonald Dr. Genene M. Pavlidis College of William and Mary Dr. Ann B. Dolgin SCHEV Thomas Nelson Community College Mr. Michael C. Maxey Ms. Lonnie Schaffer Roanoke College VCCS Ms. Alison Gauch Mary Washingon College Dr. John C. Presley Rappahannock Community College Mr. Lawrence A. Groves (co-chair) Ms. Lucinda H. Roy University of Virginia Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Dr. Pryor Hale Piedmont Virginia Community College BEST C Y AVAILABLE 0 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 1/47- DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS ./ CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY 64 This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization E. Roeslec originating it. Page 1 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this 2 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. _ Transfer Connection - 1996 TRANSFER IN VIRGINIA AN UPDATE -- The State Policy on Transfer, adopted in 1991, continues to be highly effective in helping students make a smooth transition from Virginia's two-year to four-year institutions of higher education. In addition, the State Policy on Transferhas promoted increasing levels of cooperation between institutions, most of which have progressed beyond questions of policy compliance to practices that facilitate equitable admission and ensure that transfer students will be given every opportunity to complete the bachelor's degree. Most of Virginia's two- and four-year institutions are in full compliance with thgtate Policy on Transfer, and those few institutions that are not yet in full compliance are working to update their transfer policies and move toward compliance. Specifically, th6tate Policy on Transfer provides assurances to students who graduate with transfer degrees from the two-year institutions that their credits will be accepted and that general education requirements will be met. In addition, the policy, to the extent possible, provides transfer students with the same opportunities as other native students in such areas as course selection, registration, access to campus housing, and financial aid. With a lessening of the need to focus on issues of compliance with th(State Policy on Transfer, the Committee has addressed a number of issues related to better communication of transfer information. Every two-year and four-year institution in the state has designated a chief transfer officer who oversees the transfer process. In the fall of 1995, most of the state's chief transfer officers met with members of the State Committee during the conference of the Virginia Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers to discuss topics such as preparing effective transfer guides and improving accessibility of transfer information through the use of technology. In addition, the Committee has encouraged involvement of four-year college faculty in the biannual discipline meetings and the counselor meetings held for community college faculty and staff throughout the state. The State Committee on Transfer will continue work on a variety of related issues in the coming year, including the sharing of data on the progress of students who transfer and the establishment of a coordinated state-wide electronic transfer assistance system. 7. . '11111111%.11Nr.._ r. - , ""; /s-*" Ws 7' C. The Committee's monitoring of theState Policy on Transferhas been the catalyst for cooperation Page 2 3 +11a2-12.21... ,1 1'. , sif ." r, 7:;i:!!; 19 z Jo* 4:;-; The Committee's monitoring of the State Policy on Transfer has been the catalyst for cooperation between the state's four-year institutions and the community colleges. In the coming year, a representative from the Department of Education will be added to the Committee to begin to explore partnerships and agreements between the state's secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Overcoming barriers to transfer requires open communication across all educational levels, and the success of the Committee in facilitating student movement across those levels will depend on the on-going commitment of our institutions to making effective transfer a joint responsibility. This newsletter presents articles on topics that were included in the 1995-96 action plan of the State Committee on Transfer and sets the stage for the Committee's work in the coming year. Articles are designed to increase understanding of how credits transfer, how transfer guides can be used to facilitate transfer, and how articulation agreements are developed. Opportunities for advanced standing credit are also described, illustrating not only the progress made in transfer in 1995-96 but also the significance of continuing collaborative efforts in 1996-97 to improve transfer opportunities in the state. When Is A Credit Not a Credit? Understanding How Credits Transfer Despite the progress made since the adoption of the State Policy on Transfer in 1991, some students still have questions or concerns about transfer practices in the state. Perhaps the most misunderstood part of the transfer process is how credits transfer. The following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions concerning the transfer of credits from community colleges to four-year colleges and universities. It's difficult to provide simple answers to these questions; sometimes a credit is not a credit. Q. Will all credits taken at the community college transfer? 4 No, not all credits earned at the community college are accepted in transfer at the four-year institutions. Community colleges offer degree programs for a number of purposes--to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce, to develop skills for career advancement or personal growth, and to prepare students for continuing their studies at four-year colleges and universities. Generally, courses taken in the liberal arts as part of a "university parallel" transfer program will be accepted at the senior institutions. Courses taken in certain occupational/ technical areas may not meet the requirements for transfer to a four-year degree program. It is important that students understand the goals and purposes of the degree program in which they are enrolled at the community college. Degree programs designed for transfer include the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Arts & Sciences degrees. The Associate in Applied Science degree program is not specifically designed to prepare students for transfer, although some courses in these programs may be transferrable based on special arrangements between the community college and the senior institution called "articulation agreements". Most two-year transfer programs require students to complete a minimum number of credits in English composition, the humanities or fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and in some cases, foreign languages. These courses meet the lower-level general-education requirements of the four-year colleges and universities. In addition, some of the courses taken in the liberal arts may meet prerequisite or specific core requirements for courses in the studentslE major field of study. University parallel courses that do not meet either general education or major course requirements will generally be accepted as elective credits toward a baccalaureate degree. Courses designed specifically for certain occupational/technical areas usually do not transfer to meet general education or major field requirements at the receiving institution. Exceptions may be made for some major field courses in the case of programs articulated with professional schools at the four-year college. Elective credit may be given for some technical courses appropriate to the student/Es chosen field of study, but many courses may not transfer at all. Credits earned in developmental courses or courses taught at a pre-college level generally will not be accepted in transfer. Finally, non-traditional credits awarded at the community college may not be acceptable for transfer to the senior institutions. For example, credits earned through the Advanced Placement (AP) program, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or the high-school dual enrollment program may not be accepted in transfer to all four-year colleges and universities; however, most institutions will accept them from associate degree graduates if they were used to satisfy requirements for the transfer associate degree. Q. How can I find out which courses will transfer? The college to which the student wants to transfer determines which courses will be accepted in transfer, how many credits will be awarded, and the type of credit that will be awarded (general education, major field requirements, or elective credit). The receiving institution must be able to ensure that the credit awarded represents college-level work taught by a qualified faculty member at a level appropriate and relevant to the student's field of study. Because each college determines its own policies about accepting credits in 5 transfer, guarantees cannot be made except by the receiving institution. An important source of information on course equivalencies and the transferability of credits is the four-year college transfer guide, a publication usually made available through the admissions office. Many senior institutions also provide access to their guides through their home page on the World Wide Web. The most authoritative source of information is the admissions office at the four-year college. Admissions counselors can answer most questions or refer students to someone in the appropriate academic department who can. In addition, most community-college counselors and academic advisors can offer sound advice based on their experience, particularly with the local four-year institutions that a majority of their transfer students attend. These unofficial assessments of what will transfer are not confirmed until the receiving institution receives a final transcript from the community college and an official evaluation of transfer credit is sent. Q. Is there a minimum or a maximum number of credits that I should take before I transfer? Under most circumstances, students who begin their work toward a baccalaureate degree at the community colleges are well advised to complete the two-year associate degree before transferring. Students who have earned an associate degree in a university parallel transfer program are considered to have met the lower-division general education requirements at public senior institutions and are awarded junior standing. Certain majors, however, may require students to complete more than two additional years because of prerequisites or other requirements specific to a field of study. In the case of non-transfer occupational-technical degree programs covered by terms of an articulation agreement, acceptance of credits is normally contingent upon completion of the associate degree. Although students can maximize the number of credits that will transfer by completing a college transfer associate degree, some students may choose to transfer before completing a degree program. Particularly for some highly selective or unique baccalaureate programs, students should follow the advice of an advisor from the four-year institution to ensure that courses selected will prepare them for the major they intend to pursue. For the student who wishes to transfer but has not yet selected an institution or a major, the transfer module in the state policy presents a set of courses totaling 35 credits that meet many of the general education requirements of the senior institutions. (For courses listed as a two course sequence, some colleges will require completion of the sequence with no credit awarded for half the sequence.) Provided the student meets the terms for completion of the transfer module, this set of courses will be accepted toward a baccalaureate degree program. Students should also be advised that most colleges have a maximum limit to the number of credits accepted in transfer. Graduation requirements for the baccalaureate degree include a minimum number of credits at the upper division level and a minimum number of credits completed at the senior institution. The transfer institution will be able to answer questions on the exact number of credits that can be transferred to meet those requirements. Finally, students who have not maintained continuous enrollment in the community college may find that some of their credits are "too old," especially in the science or pre-health science areas. Some institutions will not accept any credits more that six or 6 seven years old; some may apply the "age" criteria only to courses in the major. Still others will accept credits no matter when they were taken. Q. Will credits transfer in courses where I earned a "D" or a "P" (pass/fail option) grade? What grade-point average do I have to have in order to transfer? Some public colleges and universities guarantee admission to all community-college graduates of an associate degree transfer program. Few colleges, however, will accept students on academic probation or suspension at their current college. Most colleges have policies requiring a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 for all work attempted at the community college. This means that D grades are generally not accepted for credit. Since P grades are not used to compute the grade point average, prerequisites or courses required in the major may not transfer for credit if taken under the P/F option. Many colleges make a distinction between admission to the four-year college or university and admission to a particular program of study. Students interested in highly selective programs of study may need a B average (3.00) or higher in all courses attempted in order to qualify for admission. Meeting the minimum grade point requirement for admission to the college or university may not guarantee admission to a particular program there. "The State Policy on Transfer provides guarantees on the acceptance of credits for community-college students who either complete the transfer associate degree or who meet the conditions for completion of the transfer module. Ideally, students interested in transfer should meet with an advisor before registering for any courses. There is a great deal of diversity 7 between colleges and what they want students to complete before they transfer. Nevertheless, a number of sources of information are available to the student who wishes to navigate the path from community colleges to the four-year colleges and universities." TRANSFER GUIDES - ROAD MAPS FOR TRANSFER PLANNING Transfer guides have become essential sources of information on transfer in Virginia. These guides, which have been published by all public four-year institutions in Virginia, are often the first place that community-college students look when they begin to plan for transfer. The State Policy on Transfer requires all public institutions to publish transfer guides. The State Committee on Transfer has issued a set of guidelines for the development of transfer guides, but has not required a specific format to which all institutions must adhere. As a result of the flexibility provided in how the transfer guides look and are organized, there is a good deal of variety among the different guides. However, all guides must provide specific information on programs of study and the community-college courses that are required to meet the first two years in each program. In this way, community-college students can consult the transfer guides of the colleges to which they plan to transfer and know precisely which courses to take to meet the first and second year requirements in programs such as business administration, engineering, and allied health. Transfer guides also provide listings of general education requirements for all degrees at the institution, along with the community-college courses that meet these requirements. Students who may not have decided on a major can follow these guidelines to ensure that they will be taking courses that not only transfer but that meet general education requirements. In addition, many transfer guides provide course-by-course equivalencies for all community-college courses that are accepted by the institution. All the guides give course equivalencies for the state transfer module. Transfer guides also contain additional information such as application procedures, financial aid, evaluation of credit, housing, and registration. An important new addition to sources on transfer in Virginia will be the inclusion of the transfer guide in each four-year institution's site on the World Wide Web. In the not-too-distant future, potential transfer students will be able to access transfer information through the World Wide Web from computer terminals on campus or at home. In addition, any faculty advisor or counselor at any community college will have access to the most up-to-date transfer information through the World Wide Web. Students at other four-year institutions inside or outside of Virginia will also be able to review the transfer requirements of institutions to which they plan to transfer. Whether in print or on the World Wide Web, transfer guides will continue to play an essential role in the transfer process in Virginia. _taltrp- "In the not-too-distant future, potential transfer students will be able to access transfer information through the World Wide Web fron computer terminals on campus or at home." Guidelines for Developing Articulation Agreements Between Community Colleges and Four-year Institutions Associate in Applied Science Degree Programs The State Policy on Transfer provides certain guarantees about the transfer of credits for community-college students who complete a university parallel associate degree program. To facilitate student transfer from the non-transfer or occupational-technical degree programs, the State Committee on Transfer encourages institutions to develop formal articulation agreements that establish the parameters of transfer practices and requirements for the applied degree programs that have related programs at the four-year institutions. The following guidelines have been prepared to provide some direction for those who would like to develop articulation agreements between the community colleges and the four-year institutions. Definition Articulation is a systematic process for matching or coordinating community college and senior institution degree program requirements to facilitate student progress through educational levels. Articulation agreements are formal documents that provide certain guarantees to transferring students that cover the sequencing of courses, credits granted 9 for course equivalencies, and additional courses or requirements that must be met to complete the baccalaureate degree at the four-year college or university. Although agreements can be reached between secondary schools, community colleges and senior institutions for articulating academic and competency-based curriculums, references made to articulation agreements by the State Committee on Transfer refer to formal arrangements between Associate in Applied Science degree and Baccalaureate degree programs in Virginia. Benefits of Articulation Agreements Articulation agreements eliminate uncertainty in the acceptance of credits eliminate unnecessary duplication of course work reduce the cost of a baccalaureate degree provide opportunities for development of more advanced skills lessen time to graduation by alleviating problems that result in delays in program completion prevent loss of credit encourage students to pursue higher level educational goals provide incentives for completing associate degree programs reduce the need for duplication of instructors, course materials, equipment and facilities encourage collaboration between educational institutions benefit students, institutions, and the communities served. Developing Effective Articulation Agreements Identify student or institutional needs that might be met through collaboration between the colleges. Bring together administrators and faculty for initial discussions to explore the feasibility of linking the programs and identify possible benefits of, and obstacles to successful articulation. 10