Transformational Transfer Templates: More Juice for the Squeeze Association of American Colleges & Universities Annual Meeting Washington, DC January 21, 2010 Sue Blanshan, Maryland Higher Education Commission Jennifer Frank, University System of Maryland Ben Passmore, University System of Maryland Nancy Shapiro, University System of Maryland

Framing Our Work State Goals Related to College Access and Attainment State Goals Related to College Access and Attainment Lumina Foundation “Making Opportunity Affordable” Grant Lumina Foundation “Making Opportunity Affordable” Grant New Statewide Approaches to Transfer and Articulation New Statewide Approaches to Transfer and Articulation Challenges and Opportunities Challenges and Opportunities

Driving Force: Raising Educational Attainment Raise the state’s college degree attainment rate to 55% by 2020 (currently 40%) Raise the state’s college degree attainment rate to 55% by 2020 (currently 40%) 15,000 additional degrees per year to our current degree production 15,000 additional degrees per year to our current degree production Link to workforce development: majority of job growth in fields requiring a college degree (biotechnology, technology, financial services, education, healthcare) Link to workforce development: majority of job growth in fields requiring a college degree (biotechnology, technology, financial services, education, healthcare)

Key Issues for Maryland Postsecondary Education Changing Demographics Changing Demographics College Affordability College Affordability College Readiness College Readiness Closing the Achievement Gap Closing the Achievement Gap Expanding Capacity Expanding Capacity

How Degree Production Can Grow

Making Opportunity Affordable Lumina Foundation’s national agenda for higher education productivity: Increase and reward completion Increase and reward completion Generate and reinvest savings Generate and reinvest savings Educate and train in affordable ways Educate and train in affordable ways Maryland one of 11 states to receive a learning year grant (and one of 7 to receive an implementation grant) Statewide, cross-segmental higher education partnership, including executive and legislative representation

Maryland’s Scope of Work Build the state’s capacity to increase the number of students in the two-year to four-year transfer pipeline Build the state’s capacity to increase the number of students in the two-year to four-year transfer pipeline Support faculty to redesign “bottleneck” undergraduate courses to improve student learning and reduce the average cost per course Support faculty to redesign “bottleneck” undergraduate courses to improve student learning and reduce the average cost per course Promote cross-institutional collaboration in targeted effectiveness and efficiency (E&E) areas Promote cross-institutional collaboration in targeted effectiveness and efficiency (E&E) areas Engage the Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council in policy advocacy for the state’s educational attainment agenda Engage the Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council in policy advocacy for the state’s educational attainment agenda

Theory of Action Balancing top down and bottom up change strategies Balancing top down and bottom up change strategies Engaging key stakeholders at multiple levels Engaging key stakeholders at multiple levels Recent Change Example: Maryland Course Redesign Initiative (MCRI) Recent Change Example: Maryland Course Redesign Initiative (MCRI)

For Discussion Do these developments resonate with you? Do these developments resonate with you? Where are these conversations happening on your campuses? In your states? Where are these conversations happening on your campuses? In your states?

Maryland’s Opportunity: New Approaches to Transfer Increase the number of students in the two-year to four-year transfer pipeline, particularly in areas of critical workforce shortage Increase the number of students in the two-year to four-year transfer pipeline, particularly in areas of critical workforce shortage Increase the efficiency of this pipeline through improved statewide articulation Increase the efficiency of this pipeline through improved statewide articulation Increase incentives for students to complete the associate’s degree prior to transfer, including the exploration of “reverse transfer” policies Increase incentives for students to complete the associate’s degree prior to transfer, including the exploration of “reverse transfer” policies

Transfer Landscape in Maryland Community colleges enroll 47% of all Maryland undergraduates and 42% of all new FT students Community colleges enroll 47% of all Maryland undergraduates and 42% of all new FT students Community college persistence rate at 47% (9% attaining an associate’s but not transferring, 26% transferring with or without an associate’s, 12% still enrolled after 4 years) Community college persistence rate at 47% (9% attaining an associate’s but not transferring, 26% transferring with or without an associate’s, 12% still enrolled after 4 years) Of our 10,000 transfer students per year, less than 20% complete the associate’s degree first Of our 10,000 transfer students per year, less than 20% complete the associate’s degree first Less than half of Maryland community college students who transfer to USM institutions graduate with a bachelor’s within 4 years Less than half of Maryland community college students who transfer to USM institutions graduate with a bachelor’s within 4 years

Transfer Regulations in Maryland General Education and Transfer in COMAR (1996) General Education and Transfer in COMAR (1996) Students who have completed an associate’s degree or 56 or more semester hours of credit with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 “may not be denied direct transfer” to a Maryland public institution Students who have completed an associate’s degree or 56 or more semester hours of credit with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 “may not be denied direct transfer” to a Maryland public institution General education hours/subject areas specified (30-36 for associate’s degree and for the bachelor’s degree), without common core course requirements or common course numbering General education hours/subject areas specified (30-36 for associate’s degree and for the bachelor’s degree), without common core course requirements or common course numbering Completed general education program shall transfer “without further review or approval” and “without the need for a course-by-course match” Completed general education program shall transfer “without further review or approval” and “without the need for a course-by-course match”

New Direction: Statewide Articulated Transfer Programs Began in 2001 …Teaching (Associate of Arts in Teaching) Began in 2001 …Teaching (Associate of Arts in Teaching) Beginning in 2010 … Engineering (Associate of Science in Engineering) Beginning in 2010 … Engineering (Associate of Science in Engineering) Under Development … Nursing (Statewide Articulation, including ASN to BSN to MSN) Under Development … Nursing (Statewide Articulation, including ASN to BSN to MSN)

These new programs are … Outcomes-based (common learning outcomes for the first two-year of study) Outcomes-based (common learning outcomes for the first two-year of study) Standards-based Standards-based Developed by two-year and four-year disciplinary faculty Developed by two-year and four-year disciplinary faculty Approved by institutions Approved by institutions Approved by the state Approved by the state Full transfer programs “without further review” Full transfer programs “without further review”

Associate of Arts in Teaching The agreement allows for block transfer (not course-by- course) to both public and independent institutions The agreement allows for block transfer (not course-by- course) to both public and independent institutions Elementary Education/Elementary Special Education, was the model for subsequent agreements in other teaching specialties: early childhood education/early childhood special education and secondary education in the fields of chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, and Spanish Elementary Education/Elementary Special Education, was the model for subsequent agreements in other teaching specialties: early childhood education/early childhood special education and secondary education in the fields of chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, and Spanish Currently 36 AAT programs being offered at thirteen of Maryland’s community colleges Currently 36 AAT programs being offered at thirteen of Maryland’s community colleges Significant AAT degree growth appeared in four years Significant AAT degree growth appeared in four years

Associate of Science in Engineering Two fields approved: Computer Engineering & Electrical Engineering Two fields approved: Computer Engineering & Electrical Engineering Four ASE proposals under review by MHEC from two Maryland community colleges Four ASE proposals under review by MHEC from two Maryland community colleges Independent/private institutions voluntarily participating Independent/private institutions voluntarily participating Challenges related to dynamic nature of engineering programs and strong/distinct four- year programs Challenges related to dynamic nature of engineering programs and strong/distinct four- year programs

Nursing Articulation Only about 15% of associate’s degree nursing students continue on for the bachelor’s degree Only about 15% of associate’s degree nursing students continue on for the bachelor’s degree Preliminary exploration to increase the number of nursing student graduates, with a particular emphasis on improving articulation between lower- and upper-level degree programs Preliminary exploration to increase the number of nursing student graduates, with a particular emphasis on improving articulation between lower- and upper-level degree programs It is important to examine both the traditional AA/AS to BSN and the RN to BSN routes It is important to examine both the traditional AA/AS to BSN and the RN to BSN routes The high degree of specificity of nursing pre-requisites and core requirements by each individual institution is an issue The high degree of specificity of nursing pre-requisites and core requirements by each individual institution is an issue There are not enough nursing faculty (only 13% of nurses hold a master’s or doctoral degree)—this poses major challenges for program capacity There are not enough nursing faculty (only 13% of nurses hold a master’s or doctoral degree)—this poses major challenges for program capacity

Common Facilitators Statewide oversight councils Statewide oversight councils Continuous review process Continuous review process External accreditation/quality control External accreditation/quality control

Common Challenges Targeted recruitment for high-needs areas Targeted recruitment for high-needs areas Level of student preparation (e.g. PRAXIS I exam for AAT students) Level of student preparation (e.g. PRAXIS I exam for AAT students) Discipline specializations Discipline specializations Program differences across four-year institutions (e.g., research institutions, comprehensive institutions) Program differences across four-year institutions (e.g., research institutions, comprehensive institutions)

For Discussion Are your institutions/states considering new approaches to transfer and articulation? Are your institutions/states considering new approaches to transfer and articulation? What do you see as your greatest or emerging needs with respect to transfer and articulation? What do you see as your greatest or emerging needs with respect to transfer and articulation? Have you found effective incentives for students to enroll and complete? For institutions to collaborate? Have you found effective incentives for students to enroll and complete? For institutions to collaborate?