Networks for Transfer Success

Networks for Transfer SuccessCharlene A. Stinard, Director

Transfer and Transition ServicesFirst Year Transitions, Academic Development and Retention

Student Development and Enrollment ServicesUniversity of Central Florida

Presented at The Institute for the Study of Transfer StudentsJanuary 2005

Critical Intervention Stages

• Prepare students for successful academic transfer• Ensure a smooth transition to the university• Provide services/advocacy for progress to graduation

Transition Progression

Preparation

TTS

Office of Transfer and Transition Services

• Provide referral, advocacy, and information for students, advisors, faculty, staff, and parents

• Enhance opportunities for academic preparation and success

• Promote smooth transition and progress toward graduation

• Collaborate with internal and external partners

University of Central Florida

• 44,000 expected enrollment• 6,000 transfer students each year• 25% of Florida’s community college

transfers• 6 feeder schools: 77% of transfers

Preparing for Transfer

• Primary information resource for counselors, transfer students, and parents– Publications: Counseling Manual, Knight

Quest– Web site (60,000+ hits in 2003-04)

• Programs: counselor workshop• Key factor: collaboration

Collaboration

• GradTrack • Annual collaboration with Valencia CC• Faculty and staff exchange

information• Transfer and academic advising for

students

• Faculty-to-faculty workshops

Making the Transition

• Pre-admission advising• Mandatory orientation –

collaboration– Student Success program– Assistance to academic colleges– Undeclared advising session

• Peer Mentor program– “Been there, done that”– Connecting new students to UCF– Transfer advising

Progress Toward Graduation

• Providing services and advocacy– Transcript problems– Transfer credit evaluations– Help with degree audits– Transfer Success workshop series– Advising for transitioning students

• Collaboration across the university and with community colleges

Enrollment Growth

• Enrollment increases 5% per year– State Articulation agreement – A.A.

preference– Population growth continues– FTICs denied: attend CC, transfer to UCF

• Services expanded1999 2004Contacts = 2,000 Contacts = 24,000+Web hits = 10,000 Web hits = 60,000+

Retention and Graduation

• First year retention – A.A. transfers 1998-99 76%

2002-03 81%

• First year retention – other transfers 2002-03 86%

• 4-year graduation rate A.A. transfers = 68%

• 6-year graduation rate FTICs = 54%

Articulation

• Articulation agreements– Increase access, improve academic

success– 30 articulation agreements

•Colleges, universities, schools

– 7 statewide A.S. to B.S. programs– Capstone A.S. to B.S.

Recommendations

• All institutions– Assess programs: meeting transfer

needs?– Partner with local and regional

institutions– Promote faculty interactions– Visit campuses with exemplary

programs

Recommendations

• 2-year institutions– Develop strong, personal relationships with

university admissions and advising staff– Create collaborative programs with 4-year

partners– Ask for advising materials annually– Invite university representatives to campus– Institute mandatory orientation programs –

for academic planning

Recommendations

• 4-year institutions– Create and distribute counseling manual– Collaborate with CC partners to advise early– Develop communications tools: access for

faculty and advisors– Establish a Peer Mentor program– Require orientation for all transfer students

Questions and Comments

Charlene A. Stinard, DirectorTransfer and Transition

ServicesUniversity of Central Florida

Web site: http://transfer.sdes.ucf.edu

E-mail: cstinard@mail.ucf.edu