Transitioning Transfer Evaluation: - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Transitioning Transfer Evaluation:

Paperless, Automated, Powerful

Session 2A

Ted Cain

Reporting & Data Integrity Analyst

Ted.Cain@unco.edu

RMACRAO 2014Slide2

Profile of UNC

History of Transfer Evaluation ProcessGoals of TransitionProcedural ChangesWhat Did We Learn?Next StepsQ & A

Schedule of DiscussionSlide3

Located in Greeley, Colorado

Founded in 188912,000+ students9700+ undergraduate2300+ graduate100+ undergraduate academic programs among nearly 50 majors1700+ employees, including 500 full-time and 250 part-time faculty

Large population of First Generation students

Profile of UNCSlide4

Previously Housed in the Office of Admissions

All transcripts data was evaluated and entered prior to admission.During Banner implementation, the report created to communicate information to students and faculty was modeled off the legacy system.Report was created outside the standard University reporting structure in order to accommodate established process.Process followed legacy system, as well, which included printing three copies: one for the student, one for the department, and one to keep on file.Copies to students and faculty were physically mailed.

History of Transfer Evaluation ProcessSlide5

The “Salmon” SheetSlide6

Faculty could return physical copy with equivalencies noted, but equivalencies

(including approvals to our Liberal Arts Core requirements) were handled via any method available, including undocumented phone calls.Equivalencies were made by faculty in the department of the student’s major rather than faculty in the department of the course discipline.Equivalencies were often applied individually, with no consistency from student to student.Equivalencies were frequently used in place of substitutions/waivers.History of Transfer Evaluation (Cont.)Slide7

Establish a more efficient method of communication.

Establish consistency at as many levels as possible.Establish clear definitions of “transfer equivalency”, “substitution”, and “waiver”.Establish the course discipline’s department as the authority to approve equivalencies.Goals of TransitionSlide8

New report built within the University reporting structure (using

WebFocus).Duplicated the relevant info on the “Salmon” sheet, but included several upgrades:Eliminated page breaks for different institutions.Included transfer GPA elements.If the student had multiple majors/minors, they were listed.Used term descriptions instead of codes.The Transfer Equivalency ReportSlide9

The Transfer Equivalency ReportSlide10

Two versions of the report were created:

Students – When the link is selected, the student ID feeds through from the web portal login and gives the student their own information.Faculty/Advisors – When the link is selected, a window pops up prompting entry of the student ID.Transfer Equivalency Report (Cont.)Slide11

Deletion of the transfer course libraries (SHATATR)

We created backup data for each library, coordinating with IT to ensure that if something went wrong, they could repopulate the data by script rather than manually re-entering all 81,106 records.We scanned local job postings.We pushed the button.Second Step – It Was A Biggie!Slide12

Deletion of the transfer course libraries (SHATATR)

Necessary to ensure that all incoming transfer work was treated with transparent consistency.We headhunted our biggest feeder institutions (especially the Colorado Community College system) and rebuilt our libraries to encompass their current course offerings.Second Step – It Was A Biggie!Slide13

Transcript evaluation occurs ONLY after student is admitted.

Upon receipt, transcripts are imaged and the raw course data is entered into the system.“Perform Articulation” in SHATAEQ is used to award any equivalents built in the libraries.Transferrable courses without established equivalents are manually given a general equivalent (i.e. – ENG 1X, BIO 3X, etc).New Procedure – AdministrativeSlide14

Information Sent to Academic Department

Notification is sent to department of courses without equivalencies (divested of student data).InstitutionInst Code

TR PrefixTR Number

TR Title

TR Term

Course Hours

UNC Prefix

CAL State U-Long Beach

000302

ANTH

120

Intro to Cultural Anthro

200730

3.000

ANT

Cabrillo College

000173

ANTHR

2

Intro Anthro:Cultrl

201150

3.000

ANT

Colorado College

000498

ANTH

208

Topics in Anthropology

201050

3.500

ANT

Danville Area Community Colleg

001010

ANTH

107

Cultural Anthropology

200630

3.000

ANT

Mills College

000332

ANTH

057

Human Evolution

201350

3.500

ANT

Mills College

000332

ANTH

058

Cultural Anthropology

201430

3.500

ANT

Pima Community College

000101

ANT

101

Human Origins and Prehistory

201050

3.000

ANT

Regis University

000526

AN

204

Intro to Cultural Anthropology

201230

3.000

ANT

St Mary's College Of Maryland

001736

ANTH

101

Intro to Anthropology

201250

4.000

ANT

St Mary's College Of Maryland

001736

ANTH

201

Anthropology Toolkit

201330

4.000

ANT

St Mary's College Of Maryland

001736

ANTH

202

Archaeology Practicum

201350

4.000

ANT

St Mary's College Of Maryland

001736

ANTH

281

Archaeology and Pre-History

201350

4.000

ANT

St Mary's College Of Maryland

001736

ARTH

224

Ancient Amer Art/Architecture

201350

4.000

ANTSlide15

Direct

Departmental Equivalency – Can the course be given a direct UNC course equivalency within your discipline?General Departmental Credit – If not a direct equivalent, would you accept the course as a general elective within your discipline?

Transfer

Credit Equivalency Update Form (requested equivalents that fall within the Liberal Arts Core require additional review by the Liberal Arts Core Council)

Other

Departmental Equivalency – Is there an equivalency outside your discipline that you feel is appropriate (i.e. – a Psychology Statistics course (PSY) that should be given a STAT equivalent

)?

Transfer

Credit Equivalency Update

Forms

from

both disciplines are necessary (in

the above example, notification from both Psychology and Mathematics).

Academic Review GuidelinesSlide16

Department must specify the time frame that an equivalency applies to

.If none of those three options, the department can identify the course as “reviewed, not equivalent”.New Procedures – AcademicSlide17

Transfer Credit Equivalency Update FormSlide18

Once forms are submitted to the Office of the Registrar, equivalencies and departmental elective credit are built into the library.

Existing transfer coursework is searched and updated if appropriate.Non-equivalent courses are given a course attribute in the library to prevent them from going out for review again.New Procedures – AcademicSlide19

Once a week, notification is sent to students whose coursework was updated within the last week.

Includes transfer policy information and instructions on accessing the Transfer Equivalency Report.If students want to contest a decision, they can contact the department of the discipline of the course and provide course descriptions/syllabi.Procedural Changes – StudentSlide20

Email Notification to StudentSlide21

Don’t be

afraid to rip the bandaid off!Transfer coursework had been entered using a single attendance period method.What Did We Learn?

Now in the process of manually fixing thousands of records for current students.Slide22

Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?

Degree Works implementation obsoleted an equivalent title solution.What Did We Learn?Slide23

Don’t be afraid to speak up!

New data entry process created attendance periods with null values…which was a problem!What Did We Learn?

Bringing it to Ellucian’s attention resulted in a suggested workaround and a patch is in the works!Slide24

Upgrades to the Transfer Equivalency Report

Liberal Arts Core indicators“Reviewed” indicatorsReport Automation via ReportCasterNew Coursework for Review to Academic DepartmentsStudent NotificationsNext StepsSlide25

Questions?

Ted CainSession 2A