Thanks to a series of historic transfer agreements crafted today, students who opt for community college early in their collegiate career will find far more of their credits transferable to more than two dozen four year colleges and universities across the state.
Word comes to us today from the Michigan Community College Association, that all of Michigan’s 28 community colleges have signed four new historic transfer agreements with 25 four-year colleges and universities in Michigan. The agreements will allow community college students to transfer more credits to 25 universities in Michigan in four academic programs including biology, business, criminal justice, and psychology.
The new agreements specify major-specific courses that students should complete while enrolled in community college that are common across all institutions in Michigan. The identification of those courses makes it easier for community college students to complete essential courses before deciding where to transfer.
University faculty and staff participated in several statewide sessions to identify and communicate the courses. Community college advisors and counselors now have details available for students about which courses they should complete and how those courses apply to degree programs at the participating universities.
A study conducted by the National Student Clearinghouse found that 52-percent of bachelor’s degree earners in Michigan previously enrolled at a community college, which is higher than the national average of 49-percent.
Erica Lee Orians, Executive Director of the Michigan Center for Student Success at the Michigan Community College Association, says, “Transferring from community college to a four-year college or university is more common than ever,” and adds, “Our community colleges want to ensure that students receive credit for the courses they have completed when they take the next step in their education.”
The Michigan Center for Student Success is leading the statewide initiative for the MCCA in partnership with the Michigan Association of State Universities and the Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities. The initiative was funded through the Fiscal Year 2018 state budget which included a one-time appropriation to support the initiative, the redesigned Michigan Transfer Network at www.mitransfer.org, work to build stronger math pathways, and efforts to award credit for military experience.
Jean Goodnow, President of Delta College, and a member of the statewide steering committee on transfers, says, “This is the culmination of years of collaboration between colleges and universities in Michigan,” and adds, “I am delighted that we are able to provide stronger transfer pathways to our students.”
The project continues through fall 2020 and institutions are working on completing additional agreements in other academic program areas.
The Michigan Center for Student Success, founded in 2011, serves as a hub connecting leadership, administrators, faculty, and staff in their emerging and ongoing efforts to improve student outcomes, emphasizing linkages between practice, research, and policy. The Center has led statewide initiatives focused on reengaging adults, developmental education, transfer, veterans, and advising. The Center is part of the 16-state Student Success Center Network working with over half of the community colleges across the nation.
The Michigan Community College Association fosters collaboration, connection, and partnerships among the 28 Michigan public community colleges and their stakeholders. The MCCA provides strong legislative and public advocacy in Lansing and throughout Michigan, works to improve the image and credibility of community colleges, and advances numerous shared initiatives through the Michigan Center for Student Success, Michigan Colleges Online, and the Michigan New Jobs Training Program.
