Community College Days: Encouraging Collaboration Between 2

1
Community College Days Encouraging
Collaboration Between 2- 4-year Institutions

• Presented by
• Peggy Delmas, Ph.D.
• Jayne Kennedy, M.Ed.
• University of South Alabama, College of Education

NACADA Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD October
18-21, 2007 CODE 112
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The Need for Collaboration

• No organized meetings between USA and 2-year
  institutions in over 5 years
• Advisors sense of need for increased
  communication with the 2-year advisors/faculty
• Deans directive To strengthen the College of
  Educations relationship with 2-year institutions

3
Statistics Related to Community College Transfer
Students

• Over one half of students participating in
  postsecondary education in the U.S. are enrolled
  in community colleges (Education Commission of
  the States, 2001).
• 75-80 of students who enter community colleges
  express a desire to attain a 4-year degree, but
  only 15-25 actually transfer (Borglum and
  Kubala, 2000).

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Potential Barriers to Successful Transfer

• Student passivity
• Students belief if they complete a 2-year
  program, they are automatically eligible for
  transfer (British Columbia Council on Admissions
  and Transfer, 1999).
• Insufficient advising/lack of information
• Lack of support or encouragement
• Insufficient financial aid (Laanan, 2001)

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Potential Barriers to Successful Transfer

• Transfer shock (Diaz, 1992).
• Transfer dip GPA 0.5 lower during first semester
  at 4-year college than at 2-year college (Cuseo,
  1998 Cejda, 1994 Diaz, 1992).

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Addressing Potential Barriers to Successful
Transfer

• There is simply no substitute for face-to-face
  discussions between proximate 2- and 4-year
  college personnel, such as transfer and
  admissions counselors, instructional faculty
  members, academic advisors, and deans or
  department chairs.
• Grites

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USAs College of Education Profile

• 1,487 undergraduates
• 2/3 are transfer students
• Top feeder community colleges are located in
  three states AL, FL, MS
• Advising services delivered by faculty
  professional advisors

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How to Create a Community College Day

• Timeline
• Planning
• Necessary Elements
• Materials
• Presentation

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Timeline

• Try to pick a down time for your event.
• Give yourself plenty of lead time to arrange the
  event. We suggest approximately 2 months.
• Get the date on the potential participants
  calendar by sending a save the date e-mail to
  invitees. Then follow up with a formal letter
  that includes more details. Be sure to include an
  RSVP deadline in the letter.

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Planning

• Determine for what level the event is planned
  (departmental, college, university).
• Create a list of college representatives and
  community college invitees (advisors, admissions
  staff, administrators, etc.).
• Provide participants with an idea of what you
  want to accomplish. This can be done early on as
  broadly stated goals, and later in agenda format.
• Provide participants with parking information,
  maps, and clear directions.
• Create appropriate signage for the event.
• Assemble information packets (materials),
  including name tags, for participants.

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Necessary Elements

• Introductions (w/contact info)
• Presentation
• QA (have someone taking notes)
• Lunch (make sure you have ordered enough!)
• Goody bags! (potential donors STARS,
  department/college, bookstore, public relations
  department)
• Assessment (survey at conclusion of event, or
  follow-up survey via e-mail)

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Materials

• Prior to the event, assemble folders with the
  following included
• copy of presentation
• admissions/financial aid print material
• admissions application
• advising program forms
• unit propaganda
• business cards
• assessment tool

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Presentation

• Introduction of your unit (college, university,
  etc.). Give a profile, include demographics and
  statistics.
• Examples of unit outcomes (ex. 85 of
  professional employees in Mobile and Baldwin
  County Schools have at least one degree or
  certificate from USAs COE.)
• Technology (web sites, advising forms, etc.)
• Important student events (i.e., campus visit
  days, transfer orientations provide dates and
  registration information)

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Presentation

• Academic program details (including transfer
  courses not required)
• GPA requirements
• Placement tests required for each program
• Articulation/transfer agreements
• Admissions information (requirements deadlines)
• Financial aid/scholarships
• Contact information

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Outcomes for Advisors/Participants

• Advisors now have points of contact for 2-year
  4-year institutions.
• Participants are given opportunities to ask
  questions about and discuss issues they may not
  have felt comfortable handling via phone or
  e-mail.
• The face-to-face meeting fosters a sense of
  collaboration between 2-year and 4-year advisors
  in striving for successful student transfers.

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Outcome for Students

• More prospective students have the opportunity to
  contact advisors at 4-year institutions prior to
  transfer.
• As a result of this contact, these students have
  a greater comfort level and feel more positive
  about transferring to a 4-year institution.
• Prospective students are taking charge of their
  transfer process!

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Lessons Learned

• Articulation is important!
  Make sure all materials (print,
  web, etc.) reflect accurate articulation
  information.
• Pad your meeting days time allotment to allow
  for unexpected/extended QA, technology issues,
  etc.
• Be prepared for an increase in contacts (phone,
  e-mail, appointments) by prospective transfer
  students.

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References

• Bingham-Newman, A. Hopkins, R. (2004). Transfer
  students An overview. In T. Kerr, M. King, T.
  Grites (Eds.), Advising Transfer Students Issues
  and Strategies (pp. 7-12). Monographs of the
  National Academic Advising Association (Serial
  No. 12).
• Borglum, T. Kubala, T. (2000). Academic and
  social integration of community college students
  A case study. Community College Journal of
  Research and Practice, 24 (7), 567-75.

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References

• British Columbia Council on Admissions and
  Transfer (1999). Transfer Whats the problem? (A
  Special Report from the Transfer Innovations
  Committee). Retrieved February 19, 2007 from
  http//bccat.bc.ca/pubs/sr_apr99.pdf
• Cejda, B. (1994). Reducing transfer shock through
  faculty collaboration A case study. Community
  College Journal of Research and Practice, 18(2),
  189-99.
• Cuseo, J. (1998). The transfer transition A
  summary of key issues, target areas and tactics
  for reform. (Report No. JC-990-017). Palos
  Verdes, CA Marymount College. (ERIC Document
  Reproduction Service No. ED425771).

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References

• Diaz, P. E. (1992). Effects of transfer on
  academic performances of community college
  students at the four-year institution.
  Community/Junior College Quarterly of Research
  and Practice, 16(3), 276-91.
• Education Commission of the States. (2001,
  February). StateNotes Transfer and articulation
  policies. Retrieved February 19, 2007 from
  www.ecs.org.
• Grites, T. (2004). Redefining the role
  Reflections and directions. In T. Kerr, M. King,
  T. Grites (Eds.), Advising Transfer Students
  Issues and Strategies (pp. 123-132). Monographs
  of the National Academic Advising Association
  (Serial No. 12).

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References

• Laanan, F. S. (1996, November). Building bridges
  between the segments A study of community
  college transfers. Paper presented at the annual
  conference of the California Association for
  Institutional Research, Costa Mesa, CA. (ERIC
  Document Reproduction Service No. ED400889)
• Pierceall Herman, J., Lewis, E. (2004).
  Transfer transitions and orientation programs. In
  T. Kerr, M. King, T. Grites (Eds.), Advising
  Transfer Students Issues and Strategies (pp.
  57-64). Monographs of the National Academic
  Advising Association (Serial No. 12).

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Contact Information

• Peggy Delmas
• pdelmas_at_usouthal.edu
• [phone]
• Jayne Kennedy
• jkennedy_at_usouthal.edu
• [phone]