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Featured
Repurposing Articulation Agreements for the Modern Transfer Ecosystem
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Emily Decatur
Associate Director, Transfer Initiatives & Regional Student Program
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Stafford Peat
Senior Consultant
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The 1960s ushered in a period of dramatic expansion of American higher education, most notably due to the proliferation of community colleges, with a new institution opening at an average rate of one per week during the decade. Despite the increased availability of vocational and workforce programs in the 1960s at community colleges, first-time students continued to say that transfer was their first choice educational objective, and the trend continues today.
Articulation agreements served as the primary method of transfer in the late 20th century and are still widely used today. Initially implemented as a tool for more effectively and efficiently delivering liberal education, they became more common as the numbers of community colleges and student enrollment grew during the 1960s and 1970s. An articulation agreement is a formal partnership between two or more institutions of higher education that outlines the courses that will map toward a specific degree program. Typically, this type of agreement is formed between a community college and a four-year institution with the goal of creating a seamless transfer process for students. There are also state articulation agreements that encompass community colleges and four-year public institutions.
Efficacy of Articulation Agreements
Research on the efficacy of one-to-one articulation agreements finds that they have had minimal impact on reducing excess credits and on increasing transfer, persistence rates, and bachelor's degree attainment. However, more recent evaluation North Carolina's state-wide articulation agreement policy does show some effects on reducing excess credits among graduates.
While the exact number of articulation agreements in existence is unknown, a conservative estimate is that there are approximately 100,000. Many are out-of-date or expired, and they lack standard formatting, adding to the complexity of use. Moreover, there is little evidence that students are aware of these agreements. Adding to the complexity, not all institutions post their articulation agreements. A 2017 Government Accountability Office study estimated that, while websites for almost all institutions nationwide provide credit transfer policies, about 29% did not include a list of schools with which they had articulation agreements. To navigate these agreements, community college transfer advisors are critical. However, due to historical underfunding, the high ratio of students to advisors makes it difficult to unravel the transfer process effectively.
Moving Beyond One-to-one Articulation Agreements
An important outcome of articulation agreement development is the fostering of long-lasting institutional relationships. Strong partnerships between institutions is a critical component of successful transfer. However, the sheer number of one-to-one agreements and lack of standardization makes a compelling case for systematized transfer through state master agreements.
There are a number of exemplary standardized master transfer agreements between community colleges and public four-year institutions in New England: most notably, Massachusetts’ MassTranfser A2B program and Connecticut’s Transfer Tickets. Key features of both agreements include guaranteed admission for associate degree holders, mapped transfer pathways, guaranteed transfer of credits, and student-friendly websites.
While the New England states provide varying options for seamless transfer, independent institutions operate outside the public system and, therefore, still heavily rely on articulation agreements. According to 2020 IPEDS reporting, independent colleges and universities account for approximately 75% of the region's four-year institutions. Therefore, it is critical that New England states encourage collaboration between independent and public four-year institutions to provide greater opportunity and access to community college students who aim to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree.
To unify state transfer and move beyond one-to-one agreements, the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) has partnered with community colleges, state public higher education systems, and independent institutions to establish an admission transfer guarantee, known as the New England College Transfer Guarantee (the Guarantee) in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Guarantee is currently funded by the Teagle Foundation and Davis Educational Foundation. The initiative is modeled on state transfer policy and offers associate degree holders who have met GPA eligibility criteria guaranteed admission into participating four-year independent institutions, with a focus on the liberal arts. Additional features of the Guarantee include an application fee waiver, financial aid and scholarship incentives, and full transfer of associate degree credits. The Guarantee is fully implemented in both Connecticut and Massachusetts, with Rhode Island slated begin participation fall 2021.
In July 2021, NEBHE was awarded an eight-month planning grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation and the Teagle Foundation, to begin scaling the Guarantee to Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. NEBHE is collaborating with state partners to explore the feasibility of expansion and develop a plan to streamline transfer for both in-state public and independent colleges and universities.
Guarantee Methodology: Enhancement and Integration of Existing Agreements
The Guarantee methodology is grounded in unification and standardization of state-specific transfer. To simplify the transfer process, the initiative aligns independent institutions' transfer policies with guaranteed associate degree transfer policies in each state. Additionally, participating institutions have committed to accepting all general education requirements as a block.
The Guarantee also integrates pathway mapping to ensure credit transfer. In Connecticut, CT Guarantee Transfer Ticket pathways have been developed, in partnership with the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, for participating institutions. These standard pathways ensure transfer credit applicability and 60 credits remaining to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Articulation agreements—which include pathway maps, especially those that are clear and easily understood by students—continue to serve a valuable purpose by guiding students in their selection of two- and four-year courses that lead to a bachelor’s degree under the Guarantee. These maps are integrated under the umbrella of the Guarantee. For example, Bryant University has established a number of agreements with the Community College of Rhode Island, which include a course map, guaranteed admission for community college graduates with a 3.0 GPA or higher, merit-based scholarships, and an application fee waiver—all of which are standard features of the Guarantee.
While master agreements, such as the Guarantee, establish clear, easily understood criteria for transfer into a four-year institution, advisors continue to serve as the critical bridge for students, along with state and institutional transfer sites.
The Path Forward
The modern transfer ecosystem requires institutional flexibility and the revaluation of out-dated transfer policies and practices. Moving from one-to-one articulation agreements to master agreements ultimately better serves community college students who intend to complete a bachelor’s degree. Master agreements that bridge the public-independent divide have many benefits: They provide a path forward by increasing institutional and state collaboration and fostering long-term partnerships, bring greater transparency, and ultimately maximize opportunity and access for all students.
Thoughts or questions about the New England College Transfer Guarantee? Email Emily Decatur at edecatur@nebhe.org.
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