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Key Issues
Establishing Statewide Transfer Agreements
With half of all public-sector students beginning their postsecondary careers in community colleges, it is important that the path to upper-division study be smooth and well-marked. A 2002 study for the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education concludes students in community colleges should not have to negotiate transfer credits individually with receiving institutions. The study recommends states that have not already done so should work to ensure common agreements exist between public two- and four-year colleges about the transfer core curriculum. Articulation agreements that extend to disciplines and majors also should be developed, beginning regionally if statewide agreements are impractical.
Creating Transfer Block Agreements
An American Council on Education longitudinal study on student transfer patterns from 13 states showed that just 37% of students who transferred completed their associate’s degree prior to matriculating to the four-year campus. Given that the majority of students who transfer do so before completing an associate’s degree, state policymakers should consider establishing transferable blocks of credit that students may complete prior to receiving an associate’s degree.
Clarifying Responsibility for Successful Transfer
Without formal legislation, responsibility for successful articulation often falls on two-year colleges instead of four-year institutions. Goals for student transfer, however, should meet state and student needs, not institutional needs. States should be clear that both two- and four-year institutions have responsibility for developing common core requirements. Active faculty involvement also is crucial to the successful transfer of general education core courses. Performance goals and measures should apply to all institutions.
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