Streamlining Student Transfer
Welcome to the March Transfer Hub newsletter. This month's newsletter focuses on Transfer Council committees and subcommittees.
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Established in 2021, Transfer Council has begun its third year of developing recommendations to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) on several transfer and credit policies, and agreements. This builds on decades of work and collaboration by faculty and staff at Oregon's public colleges and universities. For more on this, see the About Oregon’s Statewide Work to Streamline Student Transfer webpage.
Transfer Council Cochairs Teresa Rivenes (Umpqua Community College; Vice President and CAO) and Jose Coll (Western Oregon University; Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs) were asked to share some of the Council’s accomplishments, as the Council prepares for the future.
From Cochairs Rivenes and Coll:
- As a result of the Transfer Council work, the CAOs and Provosts now meet regularly. Prior to the creation of Transfer Council, this had not happened in over 8 years.
- We now have a group looking at the Statewide general education requirements for our entire state, with the hope that recommendations can be implemented and improved at the 100- and 200-course level.
- We have been able to start some difficult discussions. They are not easy, but they can move us forward.
- We have had active participation from 16 of our 17 community colleges and all public universities!
At the December 14, 2023 HECC Commission meeting, eight new courses were approved for implementation at Oregon community colleges and public universities, starting catalog year 2024-25. This represents the second set of courses that have been aligned and approved as part of statewide common course numbering (CCN). The courses approved include BA 101Z Introduction to Business, BA 211Z Principles of Financial Accounting, BA 213Z Principles of Managerial Accounting; ENG 104Z Introduction to Fiction, ENG 105Z Introduction to Drama, ENG 106Z Introduction to Poetry; PSY 201Z Introduction to Psychology I, and PSY 202Z Introduction to Psychology II. Three additional courses were aligned and sent to Transfer Council in November 2023 (Math 251Z, 252Z, and 253Z), but are awaiting a vote pending the Council's request for additional information concerning credit differences.
Only the most-transferred, lower-division courses between community colleges and public universities are considered for alignment. Transfer Council relies on a list of the 80 Most Transferred Courses at Public Institutions in Oregon for course consideration. The list was created by Registrars from Oregon public institutions and reflects the top transfer courses--and the number of times that a course transferred--into a public university from an Oregon community college over a period of three years.
Fourteen new courses have been approved for alignment work during 2024. These include Biology 211/221, 212/222, 213/223; Business 131, 226; Chemistry 221, 222, 223; Economics 201, 202; Psychology Lifespan Development or another lower-division PSY course; and Sociology 204, 205, 206. These courses will be aligned by late fall 2024 and should be ready for institutions to offer in their 2025-2026 course catalogs.
See Educator Resources - Common Course Numbering for more information on approved CCN courses and CCN Reports & Memos, or Transfer Council - Members and Subcommittees, for more on Transfer Council subcommittees and the CCN process.
The following information provides a snapshot of ongoing work in some Transfer Council subcommittees:
CCN Biology Subcommittee, from Cochairs Stacey Kiser (Lane) and Radhika Reddy (PSU): The Biology CCN Subcommittee is in the early stages of developing a workflow, having met three times. We plan to vote on course numbers in our next meeting. This will be followed by the development of a plan to accomplish alignment of course content, learning outcomes, and credit numbers.
CCN Business Subcommittee, from Cochairs Jill Gillett (Lane) and Prem Mathew (OSU): The CCN Business Subcommittee has solicited input from all institutions on common topics for the Business Law course, and we are about to work on drafting common outcomes. After lengthy discussion, the group has put forward a memo to the Transfer Council recommending moving forward on alignment of an Excel-specific course (as opposed to BA 131) that will meet the content needs of students at community colleges and those transferring into business programs at the OPUs.
CCN Chemistry Subcommittee, from Cochairs Kenneth Friedrich (PCC) and Christopher Walsh (EOU): The CCN Chemistry Subcommittee voted on course numbers, names, and subject code, and is working on draft language for learning outcomes for CH/CHE/CHEM 221Z and an associated lab course.
CCN Economics Subcommittee, from Cochairs Derek Lougee (Clackamas) and Camille Soltau Nelson (OSU): The CCN Economics group is making slow, steady progress towards our goal. There seems to be, broadly speaking, a shared understanding of what EC-201, our first course, is, so we're hopeful we can work through the remaining issues before moving on to EC-202.
CCN General Education Subcommittee, from Cochairs Amanda Shelton (MHCC) and John Edwards (OSU): The Gen Ed subcommittee has been working on a few items to help provide context to the general education requirements and transfer. Current work of the subcommittee includes collecting current updates to the AAOT, CTM, and OTM Crosswalk for all Oregon public institutions, reviewing information on the impact of credit changes associated with CCN-related course updates, and discussing the impact of those CCN-related credit changes on the student experience and graduation requirements related to Gen Ed at different institutions and majors.
CCN Outcomes Assessment Subcommittee, from Cochairs Kristin Nagy Catz (OSU) and Rand Ware (Lane): The Outcomes and Assessment subcommittee recently had their Guiding Questions/Best Practices and handbook information approved by Transfer Council. We continue to support each subject area subcommittee by attending their meetings and offering outcome writing advice. In addition, we are working on a recommendation around MTM outcomes.
CCN Psychology Subcommittee, from Cochairs Ethan McMahon (WOU) and Zip Krummel (Columbia Gorge): The CCN Psychology Subcommittee has had some hurdles and is preparing a memo for Transfer Council concerning the alignment of a third, lower-division PSY course.
CCN Sociology Subcommittee, from Cochairs Amanda Cortez (Clatsop) and Matthew Norton (U of O): The Sociology Subcommittee is currently working on SOC 204. We have agreed on the course [subject] code and title, and we are revising the course description and learning outcomes. We will vote on the course code, title, description, and learning outcomes as a package in April.
Systems & Operations Subcommittee, from Cochairs Julia Pomerenk (U of O) and Chris Sweet (Clackamas): The Systems and Operations Subcommittee, which developed the original [CCN] framework, is now fine tuning the framework to make it better and easier to understand. Also, we continue to receive other questions and opportunities for input related to CCN from the other subcommittees and the Transfer Council.
For more on Common Course Numbering (CCN) in the State of Oregon, visit the HECC's new Educator Resources - Common Course Numbering webpage.
Work slowed down as HECC went through a staff transition from Dan Anderson to interim lead Erin Weeks-Earp at the end of January. A new HECC staff member is coming on board this spring to take the lead role on MTMs.
New MTMs:
Sociology: The subcommittee met in November, January, and February, and plans to meet again in April. The finalized MTM is set to go before Transfer Council in May.
Psychology: The subcommittee met three times early in the fall. HECC staff will meet with co-chairs to continue to plan MTM work.
Criminal Justice: The subcommittee has not met yet.
Human Development and Family Studies: This subcommittee is completing the HDFS BA MTM documentation with plans to start the HDFS in April or May. Their goal is to finish documentation for BA/BS prior to June 2024. Meets monthly; met 3/20/2024.
MTMs Under Review:
Biology: The subcommittee met January and March and is updating MTM documents. Expected to make a recommendation in April or May for Transfer Council.
Business: The subcommittee met in October. HECC staff will engage with co-chairs to plan future MTM work.
Computer Science: The subcommittee plans to come before Transfer Council on April 18. Subcommittee work is finished. HECC is wrapping up consultation with colleges to confirm who is participating in the MTM.
Elementary Education: The subcommittee met in October and will meet again in April or May to update MTM documents. Expected to make a recommendation to Transfer Council in May or June.
English Literature: This subcommittee will meet in April and May to update MTM documents and will make a recommendation to Transfer Council in May or June.
For more on Major Transfer Maps in the State of Oregon, visit the HECC's new Educator Resources - Transfer Maps webpage.
This month’s featured research will focus on common course numbering in the United States, with links to statewide programs.
Arizona’s Shared Unique Number System (SUN) has a unique three-letter prefix and a four-digit course number that represents direct course equivalency at all Arizona pubic community colleges and universities.
The Arkansas Course Transfer Systems (ACTS) assigns a course index number and course index name that guarantees students who earn an “A,” “B,” or “C” in a comparable course will be able to transfer that course for full credit.
California’s Course Identification Numbering System (C-ID) ties aligned courses to a specific course “descriptor.” C-ID approved courses use a supranumber to demonstrate that the course meets the published course content, rigor, and course objectives.
Courses in the Colorado Common Course Numbering System (CCCS) have the same learning outcomes, prefix, course number, course title, course description, credit (or credit range), and where appropriate, GT Pathways' course competencies and content criteria.
The Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) is based on course content. A course in the system is identified by a prefix, level number, course number, and lab code.
The Idaho State Board of Education Common Course Listing system includes four common components: course prefix, course number, course title, and General Education Matriculation (GEM) discipline area designation.
Indiana’s TransferIN system relies on a Core Transfer Library (CTL) to help students find equivalent courses at institutions listed in the system.
The Kansas Public Postsecondary Systemwide Transfer Courses (SWT) system relies on a matrix to help students see how a course with the same learning outcomes will transfer to any Kansas public institution offering an equivalent course.
Under the Louisiana Common Course Numbers System (LCCNs), common course designations begin with “C.” Aligned course information include a Common Statewide descriptor, number, and course title that can be cross-referenced to the Statewide Articulation Matrix.
For more on common course numbering, see state-specific websites for Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Spring 2024 Transfer Council Public Meeting Schedule
Transfer Council welcomes public comment on meetings relating to transfer. Sign up for public meeting notices here to receive final meeting dates and links to agendas and supporting documents. Upcoming meeting dates are listed below:
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Transfer Council: April 18, May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15, September 19, October 17, November 21, and December 19 (10 am to 12:30 pm, for all meetings)
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Transfer Council Subcommittees: CCN Faculty, Outcomes Assessment, Gen Ed, Systems and Operations, and MTM Subcommittees are meeting now. See the Transfer Council meeting webpage for all meeting dates/times.
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