Division I Progress Toward Degree: Improving the Certification Process

Cross Campus Collaboration Regularly scheduled training. People respond well to standardized processes (no surprises). Does your campus respond well to task forces? Know their busy times and work around them. How can you make it easier for them? Work on the relationships year round. Know all of the people who support you, directly and indirectly.

Degree Applicability – how do you know? Standardized calendars for getting updates. Annual review process with each college. Education of college advisors and liaisons. Evaluate available tools on campus. Explore the use of technology to automate the process.

Certifying Transfer Eligibility Define everyone’s role: coach, compliance, admissions, certifying officer, FAR. Set requirements for timing of reviews and documentation needed for reviews. Restrict offers of aid until certain process steps are complete. Define steps to be taken before SA is allowed to trigger transfer.

Certifying Transfer Eligibility – part two Google and the National Student Clearinghouse are your friends. Define a specific process for course articulations, including roles and timing. Be aware of nontraditional coursework and know how your institution will handle it. Document procedure to check for declaration of degree and degree applicability of transfer coursework.

Certification Risk Areas What is your process / how do you triage: Transfers Repeated courses High performing students Major changes Double majors Failed courses Optional minors Grades that aren’t degree applicable Remedial courses

Cool Things We’ve Seen From IT First, know what they can already do, without creating a custom solution for you. Exception Reports. Degree applicability information and achievement of PTD requirements printed on the certification form for each SA. Specific excel queries written by the certifying officer exported at regular times throughout the year.

More Cool Things We’ve Seen From IT Custom certification reports exporting certification information by team. Regular change of major reports. Reports of nondegree courses for review by academic staff.

Role of the FAR How and when does the FAR insert himself or herself? What information/tools do you provide the FAR so they can be an informed participant in the certification process? What are the other ways the FAR can provide leadership in this process?

Policies and Procedures Define all of the players and their roles. Include roles in job descriptions. Flowchart the process. Define who has ultimate authority for important steps in the process. Include timelines and deadlines.

Policies and Procedures Include how collaboration works – who to contact with questions, who reviews the work, etc. Include every detail – course substitutions, incompletes, etc. Schedule and perform a regular review of policies and procedures, including who is involved and when.

Annual Calendars Simple list of every step to be taken by month. Prioritize each step. Include who takes each step. How does each step impact the others? Who needs to know the outcome of each step?

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