AZTRANSFER STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 6, Evaluation of Arizona’s Transfer System 1

Agenda Methods Analysis Recommendations & Findings Questions 2

Hezel Associates Custom research since 1987 – Research and evaluation capabilities – Evidence based strategic planning – Focus on education Unique expertise – Distance & online learning – Transitions in education – Professional development – Educational interventions 3

Introduction Reinforcement of the transfer system’s effectiveness – Stakeholders are..  Aware of the system components  Positive about their effectiveness and impact – More students are…  Transferring  Persisting  Graduating Data don’t lie, but don’t tell the whole story. 4

Methods 5 Statewide Data Analysis – Transfer students from Fall 2006 to Spring 2012 – Comparisons to 2007 data – Factors impacting educational outcomes Employee and Student Surveys – Online surveys of relevant employees, current & former students – Surveys analyzed by group (employee and student) and compared – Comparisons to 2007 when appropriate

Recommendations & Findings 6

Recommendation 1 7 Maintain the existing transfer system components as they are effective in promoting degree completion among transfer students.

Findings 8 Over 1,500 more students transferred in than in When compared to 2007, transfer students collected about 5 fewer credits over the course of their college career. Students who had completed an AGEC had greater odds of completing a bachelor’s degree. Almost 80% of students and 70% of employees were satisfied with the transfer system.

Recommendation 2 9 Continue efforts to increase student awareness of the various components of the transfer system to ensure all students have the information necessary for a smooth transfer process.

Findings 10 About 50% of students were aware of transfer opportunities. About 2/3 of students were familiar with AGEC, slightly less with transfer pathways and Common Courses. Publicizing and/or informing students of the transfer process was one of the most commonly cited areas for improvement by employees and students.

Recommendation 3 11 Enhance training opportunities for transfer-relevant employees to increase awareness of all components of the transfer system and the requirements of degree paths to ensure all students receive appropriate transfer guidance.

Findings 12 More than a third of employees with fewer than 5 years in current position. Students’ perceived faculty/advisors lacked familiarity with some transfer system components. Focus on maintaining high levels of familiarity and communicating relevant information to students. Confusion remained over AGEC application processes, coursework requirements for majors, and courses applying to various university programs.

Recommendation 4 13 Expand opportunities for communication between community college and university personnel to increase message consistency across institutions.

Findings 14 Discrepancies between perceptions of community college and university employees in terms of… – Student readiness – Coursework rigor – Extent of engagement in transfer process Perceived inconsistencies and need for increased communication between community colleges and universities.

Recommendation 5 15 Standardize administrative processes to ensure appropriate and consistent identification of student progress and certifications on community college transcripts to ease student transitions to universities.

Findings 16 Many employees were not aware of how or when students applied for AGEC. Variability between colleges on how AGEC completion was reported and communicated potentially producing confusion. Unclear how/if AGEC in progress were recorded.

Recommendation 6 17 Expand transfer resources available to students at the universities to enhance the post-transfer experiences for students.

Findings 18 About half of students transferred with no difficulties. Advisors perceived that students did not have adequate time pre-enrollment to discuss transfer issues. Some barriers to transfer could potentially be alleviated with additional supports on the university end (e.g., acclimation, major declaration, perceptions of inconsistencies).

Recommendation 7 19 Utilize former transfer students as resources for current and future transfer students.

Findings 20 Most students met with advisors four times per year or less. Employees and students agreed that one-on-one advising was the most effective way to learn about transfer. Students tended to rely on word-of-mouth for information on transfer.

Next Steps? Capitalize on previous successes using established processes to promote future efforts. Expand or revise resources to meet changing needs. 21

Questions? 22

Contact Us Laurene Johnson, PhD Senior Research Associate Hezel Associates, LLC (315)