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Over the last several years, there have been many changes in the way the country looks at transfer. At one time, it was difficult to find research on transfer student patterns and trends and publications about transfer were sparse. Legislators and media did not ask about transfer retention and graduation rates. Few people were concerned with whether community college students actually transferred.
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WINTERI S S U E
2 0 11
this issueAbout the Inst i tute P.2
Conference Recap P.3
Promising Pract ices P.4
Award Winners P.5
NISTS Staff Members P.6
NISTS Advisory Board P.7
Unlocking the Transfer Student FormulaOver the last several years, there have been many
changes in the way the country looks at transfer. At
one time, it was difficult to find research on transfer
student patterns and trends and publications about
transfer were sparse. Legislators and media did not
ask about transfer retention and graduation rates.
Few people were concerned with whether commu-
nity college students actually transferred.
In the nine years that the National Institute for the Study
of Transfer Students (NISTS) has been in existence, we
have witnessed many different approaches for the facilitation
of transfer student success. And the interest in transfer
continues to grow. The number of doctoral dissertations
focused on transfer has tripled over the past decade and
multiple articles, books, and monographs have addressed a
myriad of transfer issues that were not considered noteworthy
until recently.
NISTS has had a front-row seat, as well as a few players on
the field, enabling us to observe first-hand both the maturation
of transfer student services and the unfolding of an increasing
body of knowledge surrounding transfer. The progress has
been impressive and somewhat surprising. Along with the
increased scrutiny has come a barrage of questions about
higher education’s commitment to a seamless transfer. These
are fair questions, indeed, and they are directed at both two-
year and four-year institutions. The answers, however, are
not as simple as one would imagine. Articulation agreements,
once thought the panacea for all things transfer, have been
found insufficient. These agreements by themselves will not
solve the problems associated with lost credits or a low rate of
degree completion.
The keys to unlock the transfer student treasure chest are
surrounded by folklore that, when tested, prove to be false
assumptions. Unlike popular beliefs, many transfer students
will choose on-campus, learning communities, and transfer-
year-experience courses if they are made available. While
transfer students as a group are less engaged than their
native counterparts, some become highly connected on many
campuses and demonstrate their loyalty through alumni giving
rates and satisfaction surveys.
Our challenge as transfer professionals is to learn more about
this diverse group of students, both on the national landscape
and on our own campuses, and to use that information toward
increasing the transfer success rate on both two-year and four-
year campuses. NISTS has a number of conference, research,
and funding activities designed to address these challenges.
Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Executive Director
2
About the InstituteNISTS has been increasingly involved in the
recognition, encouragement, and conduct of
research and service related to transfer stu-
dent success. Annual research awards to
promising inquiries have long been a feature
of the Institute and the annual conference.
Beginning in 2009, NISTS began offering the
annual Barbara K. Townsend Award for exem-
plary dissertation research on transfer-related
topics. Jennifer Jovel of Stanford University
was the winner of the inaugural award. The
current award nomination call has been sent
out, and nominations were due by November
1, 2010.
The Institute assisted in the delivery and setting of
context for the February 2008 Texas Transfer Summit, at
which Texas college and university presidents and other
officials gathered to learn more about transfer issues, to
share their expertise, and to make recommendations
to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
on policy and law issues that affect or could enhance
transfer rates and success. NISTS created a binder
of reading materials for participants, and conducted
surveys among leaders at two- and four-year institutions
in the state to gather opinion on transfer services
effectiveness.
Following the Summit, the Institute proposed to the
THECB a follow-up event for those on the “front
lines” of transfer student services and education on
college campuses. Based on a competitive bidding
process, NISTS was awarded the contract to design
and deliver the Texas Transfer Conference in May
2009. Some 1000 people attended the conference,
delivered simultaneously at eight sites across the
state. National experts Trudy Bers, Betsy Barefoot,
and John Gardner presented at the conference, which
also featured focus on state and local transfer data and
issues, and equipped participants with an extensive,
electronic “library” of transfer research and other useful
information.
The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students
is now engaged in a research project sponsored by
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. The
project is based in the finding common to national
studies of state transfer law and policy, namely
that “high” policy states and “low” policy states can
demonstrate very little difference in the ultimate test of
transfer student policy and practice, bachelor degree
completion rates and measures. The NISTS project
is a qualitative examination of the perceived efficacy
of Texas law and policy regarding transfer students.
The hope is that some answers can be provided on
how to both improve state law and policy, and improve
implementation at the institutional level. More than a
dozen colleges and universities across the state have
been sites for the field research. A full report will be
issued before the NISTS annual conference in January.
NISTS intends to continue and expand its roles in both
service and research. Partnership with the Higher
Education Program of the College of Education at UNT
and with national organizations of similar commitments
are a basis upon which these intentions will be founded
and made possible. We look forward to sharing new
developments with you as our initiatives move forward.
Marc Cutright, Ed.D.
Director of Research, Grants, and Advancement,
Associate Professor
3
Join us in Jacksonville for the 9th Annual
Conference of the National Institute for the
Study of Transfer Students. The conference,
January 24-26, 2011 will provide preconfer-
ence, concurrent and plenary/keynote sessions
focused on the issues surrounding transfer stu-
dents and your professional practice.
Creating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student SuccessCreating Pathways for STEM Transfer Student Success was held at the beau-tiful Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, on September 19-21, organized by the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, along with co-hosts Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. The event addressed the importance of transfer stu-dent success in STEM disciplines while providing essential information regarding STEM and transfer including program-matic and funding strategies, and net-working opportunities for faculty, admin-istrators, transfer student specialists, and representatives from national agencies and foundations.
Plenary speakers included Dr. Alison I. Morrison-Shetlar,
Dean of Elon College and Professor of Biology, and Dr.
Stephen J. Handel, College Board Senior Director of
Community College Initiatives and Higher Education
Relationship Development.
Keynote addresses were provided by Dr. Joan Ferrini-
Mundy, Assistant Director, Directoriate for Education
& Human Resources, National Science Foundation,
and Dr. Christine Keller, VSA Executive Director and
Director of Research & Policy Analysis, Association of
Public & Land-grant Universities.
Additionally, the John N. Gardner Institute for
Excellence in Undergraduate Education held a pre-
conference workshop on evaluation and planning for
transfer student success. Speakers included Dr. John
N. Gardner, President, Dr. Betsy Q. Griffin, Senior
Associate Vice President, and Dr. Drew Koch, Vice
President for New Strategy, Development, and Policy
Initiatives.
The conference was well-attended, and included a
diverse representation of professionals from two-year
and four-year institutions. The conference location at
the Grove Park Inn proved so popular that the National
Institute for the Study of Transfer Students is looking
at holding next year’s conference in Asheville as well
– watch your announcements for information later this
year!
Lynette O’Keefe
Editor
t r a n s f e r i n s t i t u t e . u n t . e d u
4
Promising Practices
Promising Practices for Transfer Student
Services
• Transfer orientation programs at the university level
• Community college programs focusing on transfer
issues
• Learning communities and/or residential interest
groups
• “Transfer year experience” programs
• Transfer student focus groups, surveys, and
assessments
• Phi Theta Kappa and Tau Sigma honorary societies
• Campus retention/graduation committees with a
focus on transfer
• Self-assessment of the campus transfer culture
• Financial management workshops centered on
paying for college
• Transfer student ambassadors
• Faculty/staff mentoring program
• Parent/family programs
• Veterans programs
• Transfer student bill of rights
Promising Practices in Academic Support
• Early alert systems
• At-risk and academic support services such as TRIO,
McNair, etc.
• Learning centers
• Transfer student success seminars on both the two-
year and four-year campus
• Tutoring labs, on-line tutoring, and peer tutoring
• Supplemental instruction Advisors (including faculty
and counselors) on both campuses who are trained
to monitor the transferability of courses prior to
registration
• Holistic and intrusive individual advising
• Professional development opportunities for advisors
Promising Practices at the Statewide Level
• Common course numbering
• Coordinated statewide articulation agreements
• Statewide articulation agreements for majors
• Discipline-specific curricular alignment across two-
year and four-year campuses
• General education common core
• Block credit transfer (may include common core and/or
cluster content courses)
• Transfer associate’s degrees (AA/AS degree transfers
as core complete and junior status)
• Statewide standing committee to focus on transfer and
articulation
• Periodic review to determine policy efficacy and any
unintended consequences
• Professional development opportunities for transfer
services professionals
• Statewide common application for admission
• Higher education web portals
• Increased data sharing and student tracking
• Reverse awarding of associate degrees (Retroactive
degree completion initiatives)
Promising Practices in Enrollment Management
• Flexible scheduling of classes
• Transfer fairs for students and their families designed to
provide information about transfer issues
• Online transfer guides
• Guaranteed admissions policies
• Reenrollment initiatives for non-completers
• Increased scholarship funding for transfer students
One of the more difficult challenges in paving the way for effective transfer is finding the right mixture of programs, activities,
and services for each institution. While campuses differ in the make-up of their transfer student populations, there are
commonalities that seem to be effective across multiple states and multiple institutions. The following is a list drawn from our
eight national conferences, professional experiences of our NISTS principals, and practice-informed research literature.
Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.
Executive Director
5
Award WinnersNISTS RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Congratulations to:
Tola Ewers and Lori Bakken of University of Wisconsin, Madison. “Undergraduate Perceptions of Science
Training and Research (UPSTAR): The Transfer Student Perspective.”
Katie Granholm, Laura Coffin, Beth Lingren Clark, and Lisa Gruszka of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
“Recipe for success: Indentifying the impact of incoming characteristics on transfer student transition, retention,
and graduation.”
The 2010 recipient was Angela Kaysen Luzbetak, Transfer Articulation Coordinator at Joliet Junior College, for
her research proposal, “Supplementing Transfer Student Advising with Online Transfer Articulation Resources
for Satellite Campuses.”
BARBARA K. TOWNSEND DISSERTATION AWARD
NISTS awards the ‘Barbara K. Townsend Dissertation Award’ for the outstanding dissertation on transfer student
Issues.
The 2011 Townsend Award is awarded to Dr. Elizabeth LaClair for her dissertation, ‘Perceptions of Rural
Community College Students of the Transfer Process to a Four-year Institution: An Exploratory Study.’ Her
dissertation director at the University of Alabama was Dr. David E. Hardy.
The 2010 award recipient was Dr. Jennifer E. Jovel for her dissertation, “”Community College Transfer: The Role
of Social Capital in the Transfer Process of Chicana/o Students.” Her dissertation director at Stanford University
was Dr. Anthony Using Antonio.
THE COUNCIL FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF STANDARDS (CAS)
On October 18th, 2010, The CAS voted unanimously to accept the application from ASTS for associate
membership status. Jan Hillman, our representative to CAS, will serve on a committee to develop CAS
Standards for Transfer Student Services.
The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is the pre-eminent force for promoting
standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs since its inception in 1979. For
the ultimate purpose of fostering and enhancing student learning, development, and achievement and in general
to promote good citizenship, CAS continues to create and deliver a dynamic and credible Book of Professional
Standards and Guidelines and Self-Assessment Guides that are designed to lead to a host of quality-controlled
programs and services. These standards respond to real-time student needs, the requirements of sound
pedagogy, and the effective management of more than 30 functional areas, consistent with institutional missions.
6
NISTS Staff Members
BONITA C. JACOBS, PH.D.E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r , A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r
MARC CUTRIGHT, ED.D.D i r e c t o r o f R e s e a r c h , G r a n t s , a n d A d v a n c e m e n t , A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r
JANET MARLING, PH.D.D i r e c t o r o f P r o j e c t D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S t r a t e g i c I n i t i a t i v e s
GEORGE NIEBLING, M.A.A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r
CINDy CAMMACK, M.A.J o u r n a l E d i t o rU n i v e r s i t y o f N e b r a s k a , L i n c o l n
JAN HILLMAN, ED.D.L i a i s o n t o t h e C o u n c i l f o r t h e A d v a n c e m e n t o f S t a n d a r d s i n H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n
LyNETTE O’KEEFE, M.S.E d i t o r o f t h e A S T S N e w s l e t t e r
JASON SIMON, M.ED.C o n s u l t a n t f o r P r o g r a m A s s e s s m e n t
SINEM AKAyG r a d u a t e R e s e a r c h A s s i s t a n t
LINDSAy PENNS t u d e n t A s s i s t a n t f o r W e b a n d S o c i a l M e d i a
JACQUELINE GARRISONS t u d e n t A s s i s t a n t
7
NISTS Advisory Board
BETSy BAREFOOT, ED.D.V i c e P r e s i d e n t & S e n i o r S c h o l a r , T h e J o h n N . G a r d n e r I n s t i t u t e f o r E x c e l l e n c e i n U n d e r g r a d u a t e E d u c a t i o n
TRUDy BERS, PH.D.E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o f I n s t i t u t i o n a l R e s e a r c h , C u r r i c u l u m a n d S t r a t e g i c P l a n n i n g , O a k t o n C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
LARRy DARLAGE, PH.D.P r e s i d e n t , Ta r r a n t C o u n t y C o l l e g e , N o r t h e a s t C a m p u s
STEPHEN J. HANDEL, PH.D.S e n i o r D i r e c t o r o f H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n R e l a t i o n s h i p D e v e l o p m e n t a n d C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e I n i t i a t i v e s , T h e C o l l e g e B o a r d
MARK ALLEN POISEL, ED.D.A s s o c i a t e P r o v o s t f o r S t u d e n t S u c c e s s , P a c e U n i v e r s i t y
BARBARA TOBOLOWSKy, PH.D.A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r , E d u c a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p , U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s a t A r l i n g t o n
JEANNINE WARD-ROOF, PH.D.D e a n o f S t u d e n t s , F l o r i d a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y a n d F o r m e r P r e s i d e n t , N a t i o n a l O r i e n t a t i o n D i r e c t o r s A s s o c i a t i o n
TOyIA yOUNGER, PH.DA s s i s t a n t P r o v o s t , To w s o n U n i v e r s i t y