The Anatomy of An Articulation Agreement: More Than a Photo Op AACRAO Technology Transfer Conference July 9 – 11, 2017 New Orleans Lois Bishop – DePaul University Director/Community College Partnerships Judy Doyle – Northern Illinois University Assistant Director/Registration & Records/Transfer Articulation Coordinator

The Anatomy of An Articulation Agreement: More Than a Photo Op AGENDA TODAY Introductions Stories “T’was the day before signing” “It needs to include faculty? From both schools?” What is an articulation agreement anyway? When and why do you use an agreement? How is an effective agreement created? What processes can be used to improve the impact of agreements?

What is an Articulation Agreement? A formal agreement between two or more partner colleges and universities that documents and guarantees a policy or pathway for a specific academic program or degree. These types of agreements may also be called Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement MOU/MOA

DePaul University It’s the combination of our Education, Environment and Ethos that makes DePaul one of a kind.

DePaul University A teaching university - highest priority is on programs of instruction and learning In an urban setting - 115 years of being part of and contributing to Chicago Guided by Catholic Vincentian values Purposeful education Urban environment Vincentian values

Northern Illinois University Enrollment of 19,000 including Undergraduate, Graduate and Law students. Over 50% of NIU students hold credits from other institutions.

Northern Illinois university Located in DeKalb, Illinois 65 miles west of Chicago Regional Centers in: Hoffman Estates; Naperville; Oregon; and, Rockford.

https://nscresearchcenter https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshotreport-twoyearcontributionfouryearcompletions26/

Community Colleges Community colleges constitute an important role in higher education Around half of students completing 4-year degree previously enrolled at a 2-year school, 46% nationwide 61% in Illinois Two-thirds of these students enrolled at least 3 terms at a community college. https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshotreport-twoyearcontributionfouryearcompletions26/

Average Transfer-Out Bachelor’s Completion Rates by State Illinois was third in the nation in completion rates for students transferring from a community college to a four-year school, at 48% and 6 points higher than the national average. The national 6-year completion rate for incoming freshmen was 59%. Average Transfer-Out Bachelor’s Completion Rates by State IL 48% Source: Community College Research Center, Columbia University: Tracking Transfer Report, January 2016. http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/announcements/new-metrics-help-institutions-states-improve-transfer.html Note: For confidentiality, states with fewer than three institutions reporting are not shown. Freshman rate: https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport10/

12 Illinois 4-year Universities 48 Community Colleges 39 Districts 12 Illinois 4-year Universities 100+ Private Colleges and Universities

Illinois Transfer Destination Schools – Top 15 (IBHE, Fall 2015)

IAI – General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) Requirements (12-13 courses, 37 - 41 SH) Discipline: Requirements Communication: 2 course sequence in Writing, C grade required 1 course in Oral Communication Mathematics: 1 course Physical & Life Sciences: 1 course from Physical Sciences 1 course from Life Sciences At lease one must be a lab course Humanities & Fine Arts: 1 course from Humanities 1 course from Fine Arts 1 course from either Humanities or Fine Arts Social & Behavioral Sciences: 3 courses from at least 2 different disciplines

Types of Articulation Agreements Compact agreement: 2+2: 3+1: Guaranteed Admission: University Centers: Reverse Transfer: State Wide Initiatives:

Components of an Articulation Agreement – Part 1 Statement of Purpose Addendum Timeframe Degree requirements Course requirements

Components of an Articulation Agreement – Part 2 Articulations The Agreement is a recorded document Promotion

What Are the Advantages of an Agreement? Strong partnership Support and credibility Sense of attainability of bachelor’s degree Systematizes something that might otherwise have been random Documented degree pathways A new or innovative program

Topics for Discussion At your institution: When should you use an articulation agreement? Where does an articulation agreement get started? How do you implement processes at your school to facilitate the development of articulation agreement?

When Should an Articulation Agreement Be Created? Change in policy: Is what we are agreeing to different than current policy? Will this facilitate the students moving from one school to the next to complete the bachelor degree? Will this create institutional awareness and support that extends beyond: a specific individual; or department; and, people’s memories?

How does an Articulation Agreement Get Started? Faculty: either at 2-year or 4-year school Administrative professionals: President, Registrar, Department Chair, Dean Transfer Departments: Admission Offices, Partnership Offices, Transfer Advising/Counseling Offices State or Local mandates and policies

Process Of Creating And Implementing ‘Successful’ Agreements – Part 1 Centralized Coordinator 2-year Faculty 4-year Faculty Registrar Articulation Coordinator Deans Provost/VP Academic Affairs IT Support Legal Affairs

Process Of Creating And Implementing ‘Successful’ Agreements Work flow development Centralized form Who will maintain and keep it current Who manages the process

Best Practices Determine the differing perspectives on reasons and uses of articulation agreements One coordinator to oversee all agreements How to maintain articulation agreements

Questions? Discussion… Ideas!

Contact information Lois Bishop DePaul University LBishop5@depaul.edu 312-362-5161 Judy Doyle Northern Illinois University JMDoyle@niu.edu 815-753-8211