1. The Reverse Transfer Initiative An enhanced partnership between Maricopa Community Colleges and Arizona Universities

2. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative Ted Bland – Reverse Transfer Coordinator Maricopa County Community College District theodore.bland@domail.maricopa.edu http://www.maricopa.edu/reverse-transfer

3. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative Call for an additional 5 million community college graduates by 2020. − President Barack Obama’s American Graduation Initiative – July 14, 2009

4. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative …..Reverse Transfer project is a major step in improving higher education outcomes, which will benefit us as a nation. More students will get the degrees they deserve. Community colleges will be recognized for the value they add to education. And — by granting more degrees — states will be better positioned to attract new business. − Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, President and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)

5. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative What is “reverse transfer”? It is the use of university coursework to fill the missing gaps of an associate’s degree.

6. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative 2014-2015 Academic Year 7,548 new students transferred to ASU, NAU or Univ of Arizona with at least 12 Maricopa credits… …yet only 3,352 students did so with enough credits to be awarded an associate’s degrees = at least 4,196 students who did not complete an associate’s degree ( 56% ) * as of November 17 th, 2015 / Source: ASSIST Data Warehouse

7. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative 2014-2015 Academic Year 5,481 new students transferred to ASU in 2014-2015 with at least 12 Maricopa credits… …yet only 65% of students (3,563) will graduate with a bachelor’s degree within 3 years …improves to 73% of students (4,001) will graduate with a bachelor’s degree by year mark = 27% or 1,480 students no bachelor’s degree after 4 years

8. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative But students trying to transfer coursework backwards is nothing new… Focus on formalization and standardization of procedures to create efficiencies. Reverse transfer exists elsewhere in U.S… Has not been instituted in Arizona.

9.  Commitment from the university and community college presidents across Arizona Arizona Joint Council of Presidents – January 2014 Arizona Joint Council of Presidents – January 2014  Helios Education Foundation grant to implement Participate in nationwide Credit When It’s Due initiative Participate in nationwide Credit When It’s Due initiative  Goals:  Increase the number of associate degree holders in AZ  Assist historically disadvantaged students  Pioneer reverse transfer in Arizona  Raise the District’s graduation rate Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative

10. Arizona Reverse Transfer Initiative Instituting:  Processes for collecting student consent  Facilitation of transcript exchange between Arizona universities and the District  Auditing of degree progress  Outreach to degree-eligible students

11. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative Partnering Universities:

12. Arizona Strengths for RT implementation: 1. Economies of scale  Three state universities  Two additional centrally located private universities  Large community college districts Arizona Reverse Transfer Initiative

13. Arizona Strengths for RT implementation: 2. Highly articulated state  AGEC – Arizona General Education Curriculum  AZTransfer.com  Arizona Shared Unique Number (SUN) course numbering system Arizona Reverse Transfer Initiative

14. Arizona Challenges for RT implementation: 1.FERPA - release of and information and exchange of transcripts 2.Technology – selection and implementation  Parchment versus  National Student Clearinghouse versus  homegrown technologies Arizona Reverse Transfer Initiative

15. Maricopa Parameters:  Opt-in for degree conferral – no automatic awarding  Decentralized technological model for AZ… …though a centralized model within Maricopa  Currently only able to make use of course-by-course equivalencies. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative

16. Initial Results (since August 2015):  601 transfer student records audited to date  204 students immediately eligible to be awarded an associate’s degree (34%)  Outreach to eligible students began in August 2015  First degrees awarded in September 2015

17. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative UNIVERSITY: STUDENTS TO DATE: Arizona State University 526 NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERISTY 27* U NIVERSITY OF A RIZONA 37* G RAND C ANYON U NIVERSITY 11 * first student cohorts received mid-March 2016

18. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative Initial Results:  103 students awarded associate degrees to date  64 pending graduation applications (May 2016)  Only 6 students did not want their degree  3 students printed degrees but never graduated

19. Degrees Awarded 2014-2015 Chandler-Gilbert1,191 Estrella Mountain1,093 GateWay520 Glendale1,763 Mesa2,114 Paradise Valley774 Phoenix College1,122 Rio Salado681 Scottsdale1,093 South Mountain434 TOTAL:10,785 Reverse Transfer Initiative Aug 19 th - present103 Pending64 TOTAL:167 1.5% INCREASE in associate degree graduation rate over 2014-2015 8 months work limited student cohorts

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21. Reverse Transfer Initiative with ASU Initiated by building off the Maricopa-ASU Pathway Program (MAPP) implemented in 2009  MAPP utilizes standard transfer degrees as structures for articulation (AA, AS, ABUS)  2014: Embedded FERPA language & release of transcript statements on MAPP Student Acknowledgement Form  Fall 2014 & Spring 2015 – first student cohorts

22. MAPP Student Acknowledgement Form https://www.maricopa.edu/sites/default/files/MA PPStudent_Acknowledgment_Form_0_0.pdf https://www.maricopa.edu/sites/default/files/MA PPStudent_Acknowledgment_Form_0_0.pdf Reverse Transfer Initiative with ASU

23. Initial Maricopa  ASU Results:  First degrees awarded in September 2015  526 Maricopa  ASU student records audited  186 students immediately eligible for an associate’s degree (2 students certificate eligible only) 141 no need for university coursework 141 no need for university coursework 45 use university coursework to complete degree 45 use university coursework to complete degree Reverse Transfer Initiative with ASU

24. Initial Maricopa  ASU Results:  Outreach Campaign: Individualized e-mails (3) to multiple addresses over 3+ weeks Individualized e-mails (3) to multiple addresses over 3+ weeks Personalized phone calls (2) over 2+ weeks Personalized phone calls (2) over 2+ weeks Reverse Transfer Initiative with ASU

25. Initial Maricopa  ASU Results:  Reached 157 of 186 graduation eligible students (84% rate!)  Awarded degrees to 99 students to date 101 associate degrees for 99 students 101 associate degrees for 99 students 1 business certificate for 1 student (not degree eligible) 1 business certificate for 1 student (not degree eligible)  50 pending graduation applications (May) Reverse Transfer Initiative with ASU

26. Reverse Transfer Initiative with GCU Initial Maricopa  GCUResults:  Outreach effort at conducted at Grand Canyon University to prior Maricopa students in summer 2015  10 students opted in for reverse transfer  3 students found degree eligible and 4 graduation applications taken 3 associate degrees 3 associate degrees 1 AGEC certificate to 1 student not degree eligible 1 AGEC certificate to 1 student not degree eligible

27. Grand Canyon University Reverse Transfer Program: Opt-In form Reverse Transfer Initiative with GCU

28. Initial Maricopa  Univ. of Arizona Results:  Outreach effort at University of Arizona conducted to 376 prior Maricopa students in early 2016  37 students opted in for reverse transfer  10 students found degree eligible and 10 graduation applications taken (100% contact rate) 6 no need for university coursework 6 no need for university coursework 4 use university coursework to complete degree 4 use university coursework to complete degree Reverse Transfer Initiative with UofA

29. Initial Maricopa  Univ. of Arizona Results:  Implementation of FERPA language on 2017-2018 University of Arizona general admissions application Reverse Transfer Initiative with UofA

30. Initial Maricopa  NAU Results:  FERPA question implemented on Northern Arizona University admissions application in summer 2015. First cohorts expected later in 2016.  NAU Reverse Transfer website established http://www.nau.edu/Registrar/Student-Resources/Reverse-Transfer/ Reverse Transfer Initiative with NAU

32. Initial Maricopa  NAU Results:  Outreach effort at Northern Arizona University conducted to 640+ prior Maricopa students in late- February 2016 – directed to Opt-In / Opt-Out form  27 initial students opted in for reverse transfer to date  7 students found degree eligible and 6 graduation applications taken to date (86% contact rate) 3 no need for university coursework 3 no need for university coursework 4 use university coursework to complete degree 4 use university coursework to complete degree Reverse Transfer Initiative with NAU

33. Northern Arizona University Reverse Transfer Program: Opt-In / Opt-Out form http://nau.edu/uploadedFiles/Administrative/ Registrar/Forms/Reverse-Transfer-Form.pdf http://nau.edu/uploadedFiles/Administrative/ Registrar/Forms/Reverse-Transfer-Form.pdf Reverse Transfer Initiative with NAU

34. Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative Unanticipated Success: catching students who completed 100% of a degree, but never applied for graduation  Overly confident, not thinking they’ll use/need it  Excited to get to university and forget  Assumption degree will be automatically awarded  Apathy  Can’t navigate graduation application process  Assumption must participate in commencement ceremony  Assumption costs money (graduation free, ceremony not)

35. Moving forward…  Partner with AZTransfer to track students awarded degrees via ASSIST – Arizona State System for Information on Student Transfer http://assist.aztransfer.com http://assist.aztransfer.com See if their success rate at the university is augmented See if their success rate at the university is augmented Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative

36. Moving forward…  Expand cohort sizes with ASU, NAU and UofA  FERPA release of transcripts question across all university admissions applications  Evaluate 1 st year successes, obstacles and areas for improvement  Draft recommendations for: Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative  Maricopa policy changes  Technology improvements  Future business process improvements

37. Moving forward…  Help replicate to other community colleges around AZ  Collaborate with additional university partners  Work with Maricopa faculty to approve use of high- quality transferable coursework to fulfill competencies of missing associate degree coursework Maricopa Reverse Transfer Initiative

38. Review of Best Practices Nation-Wide:  The University of Hawaii system’s reverse transfer initiative discovered that only 30-40% of degree eligibility can be achieved by using course-by-course direct equivalencies.  The remaining 60-70% must be competency-based evaluations. Rodwell, G., Bragg, D., & Taylor, J. (2015, November 19). Reverse transfer webinar: Hawaii’s experience [Webinar]. Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois. Retrieved from http://occrl.illinois.edu/event/reverse-transfer-webinar-hawaiis-experience/ Reverse Transfer Initiative

39. QUESTIONS? Ted Bland – Reverse Transfer Coordinator Maricopa County Community College District theodore.bland@domail.maricopa.edu http://www.maricopa.edu/reverse-transfer