1. Reverse Transfer Through the National Student Clearinghouse
My involvement with transfer as registrar is to evaluates all incoming college transcripts
Also produce outgoing transcripts – one of the major reasons I’m interested – looking for easy way to get this data back to cc’s
We are committed to helping our cc partners by ensuring that all our transfers students who are eligible for an associates degree have the opportunity to take advantage of getting that diploma.
I also serve on the advisory board of the nsc and I have watched as this initiative was started and developed and I think it has great potential
Beth Acree
Assistant Vice President,
Enrollment Management

2. reverse transfer policies may boost state associate’s degree attainment up to 18% as it has done for Hawiaii
associate degree holders earn more money -- in 2011 were 61 percent for women and 25 percent for men. Female associate degree holders earned $2,136 more per quarter, and male associate degree holders earned $1,115 more. (Britani Kezsler)
75% of the transfer students come to the UA from PCC, our major feeder, without an associate degree
If all get a bachelors, more acceptable, but that doesn’t happen—best if they have the associates degree as well
establishing reverse transfer is a priority for the Joint Council of Presidents (JCP)
There are ongoing efforts happening and having success, but they are pretty clunky and manual
Rather than seeing this single graduation cap….

3. We need processes that can serve greater numbers of students in more automated ways. **click
Ideal if we had a statewide process – been discussed but no smoking gun solutions
Several states have created statewide processes – many were mandated
eleven states CWID
As of June 2015, more than 7000 reverse transfer credentials were conferred by those states.  
This tells us that there are many gains to be made by having a standard system for the state that is highly automated.
Need to develop a process that could have a large impact and be sustainable.

4. Historical Approach to Reverse Transfer
Many steps
Back and forth
And many institutions
What can we do to streamline all of this?

5. Enter the NSC
History
Founded 93 as National Student Loan Clearinghouse
Non profit – designed to address needs of constituents
enrollment reporting process for student borrowers
In 2000 expanded to include enrollment and degree verification and student tracker (research services) and became NSC
2004 transcript ordering service
2010 research center
2013 SPEEDE
2015 reverse transfer
Coming = VA reporting
In all examples of services, response to constituent requests – including reverse transfer
AAU group – brainstorming how to deal with state mandated rev transfer – why not NSC? Leverage existing infrastructure with a trusted partner by taking a national approach to facilitate the reverse transfer processes
Probably everyone in room is currently sending enrollment data and bio demo data to nsc. Why not take advantage of that existing relationship and structure to streamline this reverse transfer process?

6. NSC Reverse Transfer Project Funding Partners so far….
1) University of Texas – Austin 2) University of Wisconsin – Madison 3) University of Arizona 4) Ohio State University 5) Stanford University 6) University of Maryland – College Park 7) University of Minnesota – Twin Cities 8) University of Kansas
NSC decides to pursue this process and asked for support
7 institutions gave up a portion of their revenue to help fund the start up
Grant from Lumina foundation

8. 2015 NSC’s process was up and running in record time
They already had all the infrastructure – just a matter of creating new file formats and a space for reverse transfer

9. Terms University = Host
Two Year College = Degree Granting Institution (DGI)

10. Host to DGI Network Set Up
Host Institution
DGI Institutions
University of Arizona
? Community College
Basic operation
steps
Figure out trading partners
sign service agreement,
setting up an FTP mailbox – just like other nsc processes
Once you start exchanging info, NSC sends notices to the DGI that they have data waiting to be downloaded.

11. Host institution will log on to submit a file after the end of each major term when grades are all posted.
NSC validates
Field errors
File Structure errors
If found, host is notified to correct and resend
DGI will rest assured that all data is correct when they download a file – very important if want to use an automated import process

12. Host can review all of their submissions
Failed/passed
# records
Date sent
Searchable
Click on a file to see details about errors or the success message

15. See files from all host institutions
Can search for specific host or date
Download the file into degree audit system or manual review
Posts student degree in SIS when eligible
Notifies NSC on the degree file by including a reverse transfer flag

16. Reports can be generated – Host example, --student
Can also select “degrees” to see degrees granted during a time frame
Both host and dgi can create these reports

17. Fields
Can send all data each time or just updates
SSN and security
Address
Core
Effective date – much harder with transcript

18. Degree Audit Potential
Working with flat file
Can create a report format
Can key on effective date of grade
Can create automated process to import course data into degree audit systems
The SPEEDE option
Add reverse transfer flag to outgoing EDI/XML files
Obstacles when using a vendor for EDI/XML files
Two ways to send data – file upload and SPEEDE transcript
Vendor issue for UA
Student typically orders
Payment is required
SPEEDE Receipt and processing info goes to the vendor
Everyone can use the file upload/download system, only a few have edi/xml capability

19. Phase 1
Facilitates the submission of files from the Host Institution, notification of Degree Granting Institution(s) and downloading of files by DGI(s) Projected Completion: July Status: Service went live on July 1, 2015

20. Phase 2 Creates a Student Data Mart at NSC which allows for cross checking of all student data held by NSC and provides mobile student access to all their data including who has accessed it and for what purpose
Student Can report any discrepancies

21. Phase 3 Provides the ability to do pre degree audits prior to notifying DGIs of file presence

22. Progress on Current Initiatives
Contacted by UA
Degree Eligible
Degree App Submitted
MCCD
376 37
10 (28%)
AWC 65 12
5 (47%)
We identify students with at least 36 cc credits, and 60 total credits – filtered out associate grads
Criteria can be tweaked
the student to get permission to participate and send transcript to cc.
Send those names and transcripts to cc for review
Those who are degree eligible are contacted
Hope to increase these numbers through streamlined, regular processing
Scalable to as many cc’s as want to participate.

23. Why NSC Reverse Transfer?
Free and unlimited course and grade data exchanges with multiple partners
State-of-the-art file transfer security
Ease of use for host and degree granting institutions
Automatic data validation
Current student contact information to help ensure diplomas are sent to the correct address
Audit trail of all exchanges
Reports of all interactions and all degrees granted

24. Next Steps Looking for a pilot partner
Exploring options with Pima Community College
Added an opt-in question to our application for admission
What about FERPA
Met with PCC, considering
Want to find a partner to pilot a program with
We have added question to application – optin vs optout
Ferpa- compliant when permission obtained. Also lobbying Dept Ed to add clause to FERPA to specifically allow this.
We have the potential to be the first state that is using this method state-wide!!!

25. The Clearinghouse 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)

26. National Student Clearinghouse
Beth Acree
Assistant Vice President, Scholarships and Financial Aid & Registrar
National Student Clearinghouse
Reverse Transfer:
Implementation Guide:
Demo: