Making a Difference…. - University of South Alabama · Making a Difference…. History & Background State of Alabama Higher Education Governance TWO-YEAR COLLEGES ... y un i y uni

Presentation for USA Administrators, Faculty, & Staff

Thursday – April 14, 2005

Making a Difference….

History & Background

State of Alabama Higher Education Governance

TWO-YEAR COLLEGES Make up:

26 Community/Junior/ Technical Colleges

Athens State University

Governance: Alabama State Board of Education (K-14)

FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES Make up:

16 Universities

Governance: Individual Board of Trustees or System Board of Trustees

THIS DIFFERENCE IN GOVERNANCE CAN LEAD TO TRANSFER PROBLEMS FOR STUDENTS!


History & Background Complaints

Loss of course credit hours for students Extra cost for students Not graduating in timely manner

Two-year college costs for duplication of courses Phone calls/letters to legislators


History & BackgroundSolution

Legislative Act 94-202 (March 17, 1994)

Created the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) to implement provisions of the Act Designated the Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System (STARS) as the vehicle for dissemination of information and implementation of AGSC policy


History & Background Legislative Charges to AGSC

Develop a statewide transferable general studies curriculum by September 1, 1998 Develop a statewide articulation agreement by September 1, 1999 Examine the need for a uniform course numbering system,

On-Going

course titles and descriptions Resolve problems in administration or interpretation of articulation agreement


AGSC Areas I-IV

English Composition 6 SH

Literature Fine Arts Fine Arts or Humanities Literature* or (Fine Arts/Humanities)

3 SH 3 SH 3 SH 3 SH

*If students take a sequence in literature, then they only are required to take one history course.

Mathematics Two Lab Sciences

3 SH 8 SH

History Social Science History** or Social Science

3 SH 6 SH 3 SH

**If students take a sequence in history, then they only are required to take one literature course.

Note: Only in Engineering did the AGSC allow fewer hours in the General Studies. In some programs, choices may be limited in certain areas by the AGSC Academic Committees (GSACs and PACs).


AGSC Area V

Pre-professional, Major, and/or Electives 19-23 SH

Courses appropriate to the degree requirements and the major of the individual student (or electives)

Organizational Structure

History & BackgroundOrganizational Structure

AGSC

STARS Office

General Studies Pre-professional Academic Committees Academic Committees

(GSACs) (PACs)

AGSC Institutional Points of Contact

Colleges/Universities


AGSC History & Background Articulation & General Studies Committee

3 Two-Year Representatives 2 Regional University Representatives

(chosen from UNA, TSU System, UWA, JSU, and UM)

1 Auburn University Representative 1 University of Alabama System Representative 1 University of South Alabama Representative 1 Alabama State Representative 1 Alabama A&M Representative TOTAL of 10 MEMBERS

(Each member has an alternate.)

Current USA Representatives: Dr. Judy Stout Dr. John Coker - alternate


History & Background AGSC – Roles/Responsibilities

Interpret and take necessary action to develop, implement, and maintain the Alabama Articulation Program as mandated through Legislative Act 94-202 Approve courses Ratify templates Resolve problems in administration or interpretation of articulation agreement Oversee and monitor work of STARS Office in relation to the state articulation program Make final rulings on all appeals Meet periodically to address current articulation issues


STARS Office Statewide Transfer & Articulation Reporting System

The STARS Office is located on the campus of Troy University. STARS serves all public two-year and four-year institutions. STARS is a web-based data system that allows students, advisors, faculty, and administrators of all community and technical colleges and universities as well as the general public access to information about the general studies curriculum, articulation of degree program requirements, and the transfer of academic credit. Students using this system can obtain a transfer guide that includes an agreement that obligates the receiving state university to honor the equivalent credits identified. The STARS office is involved in the day-to-day operations of the AGSC and in coordinating the activities of the various Academic Committees (GSACs & PACs).


GSACs General Studies Academic Committees

Anthropology Area/Ethnic Studies Art and Art History Biological Science Chemistry English Economics Foreign Language Geography Geology and Earth Science History

Interdisciplinary/Honors/Innovative Mathematics Music and Music History Philosophy and Religious Studies Physics, Physical Science, Astronomy Political Science Psychology Sociology Speech Theatre and Dance

If The University of South Alabama offers at least one major in any of the following areas, then they are granted one voting member per committee. These individuals are appointed by the Institutional Point of Contact for The University of South Alabama.


GSACs – Roles/Responsibilities

Annual review of discipline specific guidelines Review and make recommendations to the AGSC for the approval of new courses (two-year and four-year) Periodic review of currently approved courses Periodic review of discipline templates and development of new templates Serve as academic resource for AGSC in specific discipline area Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum committee(s), departments, and discipline organizations at their respective institution Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where one exists Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC


PACs Pre-professional Academic Committees

Allied Health Business Communication Computer Science Criminal Justice Education Engineering Human Sciences/Home Economics Nursing Social Work Speech Pathology Technology

If The University of South Alabama offers at least one major in any of the following areas, then they are granted one voting member per committee. These individuals are appointed by the Institutional Point of Contact for The University of South Alabama.


PACs – Roles/Responsibilities

Periodic review of discipline templates and development of new templates Serve as academic resource for AGSC in specific discipline area Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum committee(s), and discipline organizations at their respective department/institution Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where one exists Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC


AGSC/STARSInstitutional Points of Contact

Each two-year and four-year school has appointed one individual (and an alternate) to serve as the central point of contact for AGSC and STARS matters. USA:

Dr. Judy Stout ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Dr. David Johnson

Maintain information flow between AGSC/STARS and their respective campuses Distribute (on their campus) materials, reports, and information from the AGSC/STARS to appropriate persons and departments Verify names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for faculty members serving on GSACs or PACs (this is initiated in two times a year by the STARS Office) Oversight of institutional Transfer Assistance Pages and Area V Pages Coordinate course approval process for your institution Coordinate annual review of institution specific templates for your institution Become the central source for AGSC/STARS information on your institution

Other duties as assigned by the AGSC

STARS Usage

STARS System Usage Since 1998 STARS Usage since Fall 1998

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

Over 270,000 Transfer Guides!

STARS Usage

Annual STARS System Usage July 2003 - June 2004

5,290

4,680

3,233

4,432

5,027

3,341

4,454

2,274 2,587

3,887

3,099

3,289

0 0 0

535 784

426 535

329

294 483

480

335

5,290

4,680

3,233

4,967

5,811

3,767

4,989

2,603 2,881

4,370

3,579

3,624

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

Jul-03 Aug-03 Sep-03 Oct-03 Nov-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Feb-04 Mar-04 Apr-04 May-04 Jun-04

Students Advisors Totals *

TOTAL USAGE 49,794

STARS System Usage By Month 2003-2004

STARS Usage

STARS System Usage By Major 2003-2004 STARS Usage by Major 2003-2004

16%

43% 11%

9%

4%

2% 4% 4%3%

2%

2%

Business (All Business Majors)

Nursing

Elementary or Early Childhood Education Computer Science

Biology

Psychology B.A. or B.S.

Criminal Justice

Social Work

Radiologic Sciences

Engineering - Electrical

Other

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STARS System Usage by Two-Year Institution2003-2004

Two-Year Usage Information by Institution for 2003-2004

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a student obtain a transfer guide?

See back of one page handout


What time limits exist on transfer guides?

The guides are valid for four years from the date printed.


What if student is unsure about a major?

Students usually print a guide for each major. They then take the common courses on each. Student may have to make a decision sometime in the sophomore year.


What if student changes majors?

If student receives a guide in one major (let’s say business) and follows the transfer guide for two years – then – upon transfer, the student decides they want to change to another major (let’s say Math), then the receiving institution can evaluate their transcript course by course. At that point the Transfer Guide in business is no longer in effect. If student changes major --- “ALL BETS ARE OFF!”


What is required of receiving institution upontransfer if student has a transfer guide?

If a student transfers to a 4-year institution with a transfer guide in their chosen major, the four-year institution MUST accept the course work taken from the guide and apply it toward the student’s total degree hours. As long as the student received DEGREE CREDIT for all coursework taken from the guide, the receiving institution can determine how the hours are applied.


Does obtaining an Associates Degree guarantee the transfer of all credits taken?

NO – The STARS transfer guide is the ONLY way to guarantee that all of a student’s credits will transfer. Completion of the associates degree DOES NOT guarantee that everything taken toward the associates degree willtransfer. If a student completes the work as prescribed by the STARSTransfer Guide, he/she will have completed between 60 - 63 semester hours of transfer credit. At that point, they would most likely be very close to meeting the associates degree requirements at their two-year institution. However, it is up to the individual two-year institution to make the final degree determination.


What if a student takes only part of asequence from the guide?

Students are encouraged to take complete sequences at one institution when possible. However, if they only take World History I, then the four-year institution must give them 3 SH of degree credit in history and then determine the second course that would complete the sequence.


What if a student loses his or her guide?

If the student loses his/her guide, they can contact the STARS Office and request a replacement. If the STARS Office can verify that the student did in fact receive the guide, STARS will reproduce the guide as it appeared the year it was printed. While this is a service the STARS Office provides, you can help prevent this by encouraging your students to keep a copy of their transfer guide for verification purposes. WE RECOMMEND that students print two copies…one to use as a checksheet and another to use for verification upon transfer.


What if a receiving institution requires acertain grade for a course?

If a four-year institution requires a certain grade for a course for their native students, then the same can be required of the incoming transfer students.

However, four-year institutions cannot require a transfer student to make a certain grade in a course that is higher than the grade required of the native student.

For example, let’s say a four-year institution required all native students to make a “C or higher” in English Comp II. They then can require the transfer student to retake their Comp II course if the student made a “D or F”. However, the four-year institution cannot require them to make higher than a “C”.


What can a student do if he/she feels theirtransfer guide has not been honored?

There is an APPEALS PROCESS that students can use if they feel their transfer guide was not honored by a receiving institution. Officially, as of today, we have had ZERO Appeals.

http://www.snead.edu/


What about transfers from out-of-state or private schools?

Students can only receive transfer guides from public two-year institutions in Alabama. Private schools are not included. (Currently there are no plans to include these institutions.) Therefore, each receiving institution should evaluate their transcripts on a course-by-course basis. Same holds true for out-of-state transfers.


What if an outside accrediting body mandates a change?

If an outside accrediting body mandates a change in curriculum then the four-year institution can require transfer students, like native students, to pick up the extra course or courses.

http://ced.ncsu.edu/ncate/ncate_home/index.html

AGSC/STARS Website

http://stars.troyst.edu

IN MAY OF 2005, the web address will change to http://stars.troy.edu

http://stars.troyst.edu/


http://stars.troy.edu/


Question and Comments

Questions? Comments?

Contact Information

Mr. Keith Sessions Executive Director – AGSC/STARS LL Adams Administration Bldg. Troy State University Troy, AL 36082

Office 334-670-3797 Toll-Free 1-800-551-9716 ext. 3690 Fax 334-670-3695 E-Mail [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Making a Difference…. - University of South Alabama · Making a Difference…. History & Background State of Alabama Higher Education Governance TWO-YEAR COLLEGES ... y un i y uni