SOC Degree Network System Webinar New Point-of-Contact Orientation February 27, 2014 SOC Degree Network System Webinar New Point-of-Contact Orientation February 27, 2014

Servicemembers should have access to the same educational opportunities available to their civilian counterparts Educational programs should be provided by appropriately accredited colleges and universities Educational programs should be flexible in terms of scheduling, academic residency, course transfer, and acceptance of non-traditional credit SOC Consortium Principles

Serve active-duty servicemembers and their adult family members at the invitation of a Service Limit academic residency to 25% of degree (30% if degree is totally on-line) No final year/final semester requirement Accept American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations for military schools and occupational experience Participate in two-way guaranteed transfer of specific courses (applies to 90% of DNS members) Complete Student Agreements for military students DNS Member Institution Policy Commitments

Four Services, Four Project Directors Other Staff: Seth Kamen, SOC Assistant Director, DNS Demographics –156 DNS member institutions –507 Associate degrees (SOC DNS-2) –466 Bachelor’s degrees (SOC DNS-4) Introducing the DNS Alex McNamara SOCAD Project Director Joyce Larson SOCNAV Project Director TBD SOCMAR Project Director Gerry Walsh SOCCOAST Project Director

Why are you participating today?  New DNS institution  New main POC for current DNS institution  Want to know more, but not main POC  Prospective DNS institution beginning the membership process Polling Question #1

Home College – The institution where a servicemember chooses to pursue a degree and graduate; this is the school that will issue the Student Agreement Network – The naming convention for academic degree programs within a specific subject area (i.e., Accounting, Computer Studies) Delivery Method – The format in which a degree is offered as selected by the services, including Traditional (in classroom/on location), Distance Learning (various formats), and Learning Assessment Course Category Code – The common numbering system used by SOC to categorize courses from multiple institutions (i.e., AC102B, CS121B) Transferability Tables (T-Tables) – The listings of course-to-course articulations listed by Course Category Code found in the DNS Handbook Handbook – The DNS Handbook published online, on CD-ROM or in print Key Terms

SOC DNS Handbook Update Course Circulations Graduate Survey SOC DNS Student Agreements Commitment to DNS Introduction to POC Responsibilities

DNS Handbook Update When: –Annual –Summer/Fall Purpose: –Review catalog information –Review college policies, institutional contacts –Review degrees, delivery methods, courses, locations –Notify SOC DNS when changes happen Expectation: –One month turnaround Who: –Robin Champion

College Information Pages Reviewing College Policies Published Yearly in the DNS Handbooks

Polling Question #2 What entity at your institution is responsible for articulation decisions?  Registrar  Faculty  Department Chair  Transcript Evaluator  Other

SOC DNS Course Category Code Circulation When: –Fall/Spring –Maximum 3 times per year Purpose: –Add courses for new degrees –Add courses to categories –Top level review Expectation: –Return within one month Who: –Lygie Hinkle and Kyle Mahaney

SOC sends instructions, course descriptions to POC, with proposed SOC Course Category Codes POC coordinates college review and returns college’s answers to SOC DNS staff reviews all responses 100% agreement? Proposed Codes are officially assigned and SOC DNS transferability tables updated Not 100%? Course is not assigned a SOC Course Category Code Expectation: Update your college’s records and incorporate changes into Student Agreements Course Circulation Process

SOC DNS challenges –Maintaining integrity of the SOC DNS Course Category Code articulation system –Managing over 7,383 courses with assigned/current Codes –Keeping up with changes in higher education policies –Keeping up with the breadth of subject matter areas and developing SOC DNS Course Category Codes College challenges –Shepherding the course circulation reviews through college administrators and faculty Acknowledging receipt of review materials Returning college’s response to DNS staff on time –Finding the right policy balance between academic rigor and transfer flexibility Course Circulation Challenges

Does your institution’s data system have the capability of tracking military students (including family members) to graduation?  Yes  No  Unknown Polling Question #3

When: –Annually –Summer Purpose: –Report military students by Service, degree level, degree type (Network), adult family members, and other –Report only those who have been issued a Student Agreement –Different from reporting graduation for GoArmyEd and Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnerships Expectation: One month turn around Who: Robin Champion Graduate Report

Polling Question #4 How familiar are you with the Student Agreement?  Very familiar  Somewhat familiar  Not familiar at all

Introducing Student Agreements When: for each degree-seeking military student at the start of the degree What: full evaluation of transfer credits and non-traditional learning credits “Contract for Degree” Expectation: ensure copies are sent to SOC Who: various SOC DNS staff

Student Agreement Components College Information Student Information Degree Requirements Credit Hours Awarded Hours Still Needed Guaranteed Transferability

Tracking students that need Student Agreements Providing Student demographic information Completing full evaluation, review of transcripts at 6 credit hour mark Describing degree with the right amount of specificity Entering prior learning credit awards Keeping degree and course transferability up-to-date Sending copies to SOC Understanding and implementing DNS policies incorporated into the Student Agreement Knowing it is different in GoArmyEd Student Agreement Challenges for Institutions

Advocating for SOC, SOC DNS, and Servicemembers Your Commitment to the DNS Communicating Becoming an expert in all things DNS Maintaining your college’s good-standing within the DNS Being the go-to person for Servicemembers needing assistance or resolution of problems Knowing your college’s policies, and those of the DNS Keeping in touch with your Project Director(s) Responding to SOC DNS ings

Provide information and perform training on necessary and relevant topics Respond in a timely customer service oriented manner Act as a liaison to assist institutions and military services and students in coming to a fuller understanding of all perspectives SOC DNS Commitment

SOC DNS Handbooks Student Agreement (Excel) Template Pamphlets and brochures DNS Dispatch (quarterly newsletter, on Web Site) SOC and SOC DNS Web Site SOC DNS Credit Evaluation Supplement DNS staff to respond to questions and help resolve problems SOC Facebook Resources

Revisit your new POC packet of information Next Steps Review SOC DNS Handbooks Participate in other Webinars Degrees Contact information Calendar of Events Service Participation Learn about Student Agreements (see Chapter 4 of the Handbook) Review your college’s information (see Chapter 5 of the Handbook) Locate degrees from your college selected for DNS participation (see Chapter 5 of the Handbook) Look up your college’s transferability status and courses (see Chapter 8 of the Handbook) Attend a SOC Consortium and/or SOC DNS Workshop

Questions? Complete the Webinar evaluation Contact us: Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges 1307 New York Ave, NW Fifth Floor Washington, DC Visit the SOC Web site at: Find us on Facebook! Contact Us