Reverse Transfer in Tennessee: Challenges and Solutions

Leigh CherryCoordinator for Statewide Student Success Initiatives

UT System Office of Academic Affairs and Student Success

Presentation Overview

A summary and timeline of Reverse Transfer development and implementation

An overview of the TN Reverse Transfer Program

A description of challenges and solutions at key points

Program suggestions based on Tennessee’s experience

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The University of Tennessee System

Higher Education in Tennessee

THEC

UT

Locally-Governed Institutions

TICUA

LGIs

4 public

universities

6 public

universities

34 member

institutions

13 community

colleges &

27 colleges of

applied

technology

Tennessee Higher Education (2010)

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: COMPLETION WHY???

Financial Barriers

Inefficiency of Transfer

Underdeveloped Partnerships Between 2-and 4-year Institutions

System Graduation

TBR 4-year 46.9%

UT 4-year 60.4%

Total Universities 52.0%

TBR 2-year 31.1%

GrandTotal 43.3%

Tennessee Higher Education (2010)

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: COMPLETION SOLUTION: COMPLETE COLLEGE TENNESSEE ACT

Funds higher education based on success and outcomes

Makes community colleges the centerpiece: expanding common programs and common courses to promote consistency and quality

Stateside transfer policy

Dual-admission and dual-enrollment policies at all public institutions

System Graduation

TBR 4-year 46.9%

UT 4-year 60.4%

Total Universities 52.0%

TBR 2-year 31.1%

GrandTotal 43.3%

Statewide Completion Initiatives

Statewide Completion Initiatives

Timeline

• Transfer Student Success

• Articulation & Transfer Council

2010: Complete College Tennessee Act

• Reverse Transfer Task Force

• Tennessee Transfer Pathways

2012: Reverse Transfer Legislation

• Funding secured

• Reverse Transfer Policy Development

2013: Drive to 55 Campaign

• Reverse Transfer Solution (RTS)

• Software Pilot2014: Vendor Selection

• First Degrees Awarded

• Funding and Policy Revisions

2015: First Reverse Transfer Cycle

• Changes in Governing Structure

• Autonomy and Innovation2016: Focus Act

• Opt-in through Transfer Development

• Statewide Transfer Summit2017: Opt-in Expansion

• Website Revision

• System Enhancements

2018: Ongoing Enhancements

2010-present

Tennessee Reverse Transfer

A semi-automated process that allows early transfer students to combine four-year college credits with community college credits to receive an associate degree.

Minimum requirements to become opt-in eligible:

A transfer student currently enrolled in

a participating 4-year institution;

Minimum of 15 Tennessee

community college credits;

Minimum of 60 combined college

credits;

A 2.0 cumulative GPA at the former community college.

Tennessee Reverse Transfer

Reverse Transfer Opt-in

Email (students who currently

meet minimum requirements)

Transfer Application (students who will meet

the minimum requirements in a future semester)

Reverse Transfer System

Dashboard: Opt-in/Opt-out, Degree Audit Results, Cycle Outcomes

Filtering Options by Cycle and Institution

User Access that Varies by Role

Simulated Degree Audit of Transfer Pathways

Robust Help Library

System- and Institution-Level Reports

Cycle Schedule that Manages Workflow

Challenges and Solutions with Program Development and Implementation

CHALLENGE #1: Program Leadership

Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)

Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR)

University of Tennessee System

Project Director & Team

Boyd Center for Business and

Economic Research

Institutional Research

CHALLENGE #2: Funding

2012 - 2016: LUMINA GRANT 2016 - PRESENT: THEC

CHALLENGE #3: Partnerships

QUESTIONS

How do we get institutions to buy in to this program?

How do we work with the competing priorities of each institution?

How do we involve the right people on each campus?

What is our vision and how do we become a team?

ANSWERS FOR TENNESSEE

Legislative mandate

Established formula funding

Began with senior-level administration

Established Reverse Transfer contacts on each campus

Monthly calls between system-level administrators and vendor

2016• Process-Focused Research

2017• College Completion

2018• Long-Term Value, Perception, and Impact

CHALLENGE #4: Program Evaluation

What benefits do associate degree earners experience? (n= 223)

“I felt more confident going in to job interviews [before graduating with a 4-year degree].”

“So far, it really hasn't benefited me. I suppose it made me feel good to get it, so it has been positive. But I haven't had to 'use' it.”

“It has given me another credential to put on my resume for future employers.”

“Knowing that I had an associate's degree helped push me harder, knowing that I was that much closer to my bachelor's degree.”

“It got me a raise at my job. It gives me credibility and makes me feel like I accomplished something.”

Confidence

Credential

Unknown/ None Yet

MoneyCredibility

Motivation

Third-party vendor vs.

In-house/state team

Sharing data statewide

Negotiating enhancements

CHALLENGE #5: Technology

CHALLENGE #6: Student Outreach

EARLY CAMPAIGN: 2015

Website

Email

Press Release

Postcards

Training Materials

Posters

CHALLENGE #6: Student Outreach

HOW DO WE INCREASE OPT-IN?

Opt-In Eligible:

6118

Opted-In: 1236 (20%)

Degrees Awarded: 338 (30%)

Opted-Out by No

Response: 4853 (80%)

FALL 2018

What changes to the RT Program would help more students earn a degree?” (n=221)

COMMUNICATION

• “Providing information on what it is. I’m still quite unsure.”

• “Make it more widely talked about. I had no idea it was an option until I had already decided to transfer.”

• Advertisement. I’d never heard of it before until AFTER I transferred to a four year college.

• “I have no idea what you are talking about… [I’ve] never heard of reverse transfer”

Institutions

Advisors

Faculty

Staff

CHALLENGE #6: Student Outreach

RECENT CAMPAIGN: 2018

CONCERNS

United Vision

Governance

Policy

Best Practices

Training

Data & Information Sharing

CHALLENGE #7: Process & Practice

Reverse Transfer Advisory Council

Campus Visits

Statewide Transfer Summit

Webinars & Training

Calls

Toolkits & Other

Resources

Partnering with

Existing Programs

Reverse Transfer Degrees (since 2015): over 3,150

AY14-15 to AY16-17: 17% increase in associate degrees statewide

9% attributed to Reverse Transfer

8% attributed to TN Promise and other completion initiatives

Ongoing Research: Perception, value, and long-term impact on students and the labor market

Opt-in during Transfer: How will this impact opt-in numbers?

PROGRAM OUTCOMES:What we know and what we do not know

Reverse Transfer benefits students!

TN AL

Implications

Student Success

Institution Success

Statewide Completion

Statewide Partnerships

Economic Growth

WHAT DO WE SHARE IN COMMON?

Questions?

Leigh Cherry, MAUniversity of Tennessee System

Coordinator for Student Success Initiativeslcherry4@tennessee.edu

865-974-8849