Presentation for USA
Administrators, Faculty, & Staff
Thursday – April 14, 2005
Making a Difference….
History & Background
State of Alabama
Higher Education Governance
TWO-YEAR COLLEGES
FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES
Make up:
 26 Community/Junior/
Technical Colleges
 Athens State University
Make up:
 16 Universities
Governance:
 Alabama State Board of
Education (K-14)
Governance:
 Individual Board of Trustees or
System Board of Trustees
THIS DIFFERENCE IN GOVERNANCE CAN LEAD TO
TRANSFER PROBLEMS FOR STUDENTS!
History & Background
Complaints
History & Background
Loss of course credit hours for students
Extra cost for students
Not graduating in timely manner
Two-year college costs for duplication of courses
Phone calls/letters to legislators
History & Background
Solution
History & Background
Legislative Act 94-202 (March 17, 1994)
Created the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee
(AGSC) to implement provisions of the Act
Designated the Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting
System (STARS) as the vehicle for dissemination of information and
implementation of AGSC policy
History & Background
Legislative
Charges to AGSC
History & Background
On-Going
Develop a statewide transferable general studies curriculum
by September 1, 1998
Develop a statewide articulation agreement by September 1,
1999
Examine the need for a uniform course numbering system,
course titles and descriptions
Resolve problems in administration or interpretation of
articulation agreement
History & Background
AGSC Areas I-IV
English Composition
6 SH
Literature
Fine Arts
Fine Arts or Humanities
Literature* or
3 SH
3 SH
3 SH
3 SH
*If students take a sequence in
literature, then they only are
required to take one history
course.
(Fine Arts/Humanities)
Mathematics
Two Lab Sciences
3 SH
8 SH
History
Social Science
History** or Social Science
3 SH
6 SH
3 SH
**If students take a sequence
in history, then they only are
required to take one literature
course.
Note: Only in Engineering did the AGSC allow fewer hours in the
General Studies. In some programs, choices may be limited in certain
areas by the AGSC Academic Committees (GSACs and PACs).
History & Background
AGSC Area V
Pre-professional, Major, and/or Electives
Courses appropriate to the degree requirements and the
major of the individual student (or electives)
19-23 SH
Organizational Structure
Organizational
Structure
History & Background
AGSC
STARS
Office
General Studies
Academic Committees
Pre-professional
Academic Committees
(GSACs)
(PACs)
AGSC
Institutional Points of Contact
Colleges/Universities
Organizational Structure
AGSC
Articulation
History & Background& General Studies Committee
3 Two-Year Representatives
2 Regional University Representatives
(chosen from UNA, TSU System, UWA, JSU, and UM)
1 Auburn University Representative
1 University of Alabama System Representative
1 University of South Alabama Representative
1 Alabama State Representative
1 Alabama A&M Representative
TOTAL of 10 MEMBERS
(Each member has an alternate.)
Current USA Representatives:
Dr. Judy Stout
Dr. John Coker - alternate
Organizational Structure
AGSC – Roles/Responsibilities
History & Background
Interpret and take necessary action to develop, implement,
and maintain the Alabama Articulation Program as mandated
through Legislative Act 94-202
Approve courses
Ratify templates
Resolve problems in administration or interpretation of
articulation agreement
Oversee and monitor work of STARS Office in relation to the
state articulation program
Make final rulings on all appeals
Meet periodically to address current articulation issues
Organizational Structure
STARS Office
Statewide Transfer & Articulation Reporting System
The STARS Office is located on the campus of Troy University.
STARS serves all public two-year and four-year institutions.
STARS is a web-based data system that allows students,
advisors, faculty, and administrators of all community and
technical colleges and universities as well as the general public
access to information about the general studies curriculum,
articulation of degree program requirements, and the transfer of
academic credit.
Students using this system can obtain a transfer guide that
includes an agreement that obligates the receiving state
university to honor the equivalent credits identified.
The STARS office is involved in the day-to-day operations of the
AGSC and in coordinating the activities of the various Academic
Committees (GSACs & PACs).
Organizational Structure
GSACs
General Studies Academic Committees
Anthropology
Area/Ethnic Studies
Art and Art History
Biological Science
Chemistry
English
Economics
Foreign Language
Geography
Geology and Earth Science
History
Interdisciplinary/Honors/Innovative
Mathematics
Music and Music History
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Physics, Physical Science, Astronomy
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Speech
Theatre and Dance
If The University of South Alabama offers at least one major in any
of the following areas, then they are granted one voting member per
committee. These individuals are appointed by the Institutional Point
of Contact for The University of South Alabama.
Organizational Structure
GSACs – Roles/Responsibilities
Annual review of discipline specific guidelines
Review and make recommendations to the AGSC for the approval of new
courses (two-year and four-year)
Periodic review of currently approved courses
Periodic review of discipline templates and development of new templates
Serve as academic resource for AGSC in specific discipline area
Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum
committee(s), departments, and discipline organizations at their respective
institution
Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where
one exists
Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC
Organizational Structure
PACs
Pre-professional Academic Committees
Allied Health
Business
Communication
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Education
Engineering
Human Sciences/Home Economics
Nursing
Social Work
Speech Pathology
Technology
If The University of South Alabama
offers at least one major in any of the
following areas, then they are granted
one voting member per committee.
These individuals are appointed by the
Institutional Point of Contact for The
University of South Alabama.
Organizational Structure
PACs – Roles/Responsibilities
Periodic review of discipline templates and development of new templates
Serve as academic resource for AGSC in specific discipline area
Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum
committee(s), and discipline organizations at their respective
department/institution
Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where
one exists
Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC
Organizational Structure
AGSC/STARS
Institutional Points of Contact
Each two-year and four-year school has appointed one individual (and an
alternate) to serve as the central point of contact for AGSC and STARS
matters.
USA:
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Dr. Judy Stout
Dr. David Johnson
Maintain information flow between AGSC/STARS and their respective campuses
Distribute (on their campus) materials, reports, and information from the AGSC/STARS to
appropriate persons and departments
Verify names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for faculty members serving
on GSACs or PACs (this is initiated in two times a year by the STARS Office)
Oversight of institutional Transfer Assistance Pages and Area V Pages
Coordinate course approval process for your institution
Coordinate annual review of institution specific templates for your institution
Become the central source for AGSC/STARS information on your institution
Other duties as assigned by the AGSC
STARS Usage
STARS System Usage Since 1998
STARS Usage since Fall 1998
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
Over 270,000 Transfer Guides!
STARS Usage
STARS System Usage By Month
2003-2004
Annual STARS System Usage July 2003 - June 2004
Students
Advisors
Totals *
7,000
5,811
TOTAL USAGE
49,794
3,624
3,289
3,099
3,579
3,887
2,587
2,274
3,000
2,881
3,767
2,603
3,233
3,341
4,000
3,233
4,370
4,454
4,989
5,027
4,967
4,432
5,000
4,680
4,680
5,290
5,290
6,000
Mar-04
Apr-04
May-04
335
535
426
Feb-04
480
Sep-03
483
0
Aug-03
294
0
Jul-03
329
0
535
1,000
784
2,000
0
Oct-03
Nov-03
Dec-03
Jan-04
Jun-04
STARS Usage
STARS System Usage By Major
2003-2004
STARS Usage by Major 2003-2004
Business (All Business Majors)
Nursing
16%
Elementary or Early Childhood
Education
Computer Science
43%
11%
Biology
Psychology B.A. or B.S.
Criminal Justice
9%
Social Work
Radiologic Sciences
4%
2%
2%
2%
3%
4%
4%
Engineering - Electrical
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STARS Usage
STARS System Usage by Two-Year Institution
2003-2004
Two-Year Usage Information by Institution for 2003-2004
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does a student obtain a transfer guide?
 See back of one page handout
Frequently Asked Questions
What time limits exist on transfer guides?
The guides are valid for four years from the date printed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if student is unsure about a major?
Students usually print a guide for each major.
They then take the common courses on each.
Student may have to make a decision sometime in the
sophomore year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if student changes majors?
If student receives a guide in one major (let’s say business)
and follows the transfer guide for two years – then – upon
transfer, the student decides they want to change to another
major (let’s say Math), then the receiving institution can
evaluate their transcript course by course.
At that point the Transfer Guide in business is no longer in
effect.
If student changes major --- “ALL BETS ARE OFF!”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is required of receiving institution upon
transfer if student has a transfer guide?
If a student transfers to a 4-year
institution with a transfer guide in
their chosen major, the four-year
institution MUST accept the
course work taken from the guide
and apply it toward the student’s
total degree hours.
As long as the student received
DEGREE CREDIT for all
coursework taken from the guide,
the receiving institution can
determine how the hours are
applied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does obtaining an Associates Degree
guarantee the transfer of all credits taken?
NO – The STARS transfer guide is the ONLY way to
guarantee that all of a student’s credits will transfer.
Completion of the associates degree DOES NOT guarantee
that everything taken toward the associates degree will
transfer.
If a student completes the work as prescribed by the STARS
Transfer Guide, he/she will have completed between 60 - 63
semester hours of transfer credit. At that point, they would
most likely be very close to meeting the associates degree
requirements at their two-year institution. However, it is up to
the individual two-year institution to make the final degree
determination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a student takes only part of a
sequence from the guide?
Students are encouraged to take
complete sequences at one institution
when possible.
However, if they only take World
History I, then the four-year institution
must give them 3 SH of degree credit
in history and then determine the
second course that would complete
the sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a student loses his or her guide?
If the student loses his/her guide, they can
contact the STARS Office and request a
replacement.
If the STARS Office can verify that the
student did in fact receive the guide,
STARS will reproduce the guide as it
appeared the year it was printed.
While this is a service the STARS Office
provides, you can help prevent this by
encouraging your students to keep
a copy of their transfer guide for
verification purposes.
WE RECOMMEND that students print two
copies…one to use as a checksheet and
another to use for verification upon transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a receiving institution requires a
certain grade for a course?
 If a four-year institution requires a certain grade for a course
for their native students, then the same can be required of
the incoming transfer students.
 However, four-year institutions cannot require a transfer
student to make a certain grade in a course that is higher
than the grade required of the native student.

For example, let’s say a four-year institution required all native students to
make a “C or higher” in English Comp II. They then can require the transfer
student to retake their Comp II course if the student made a “D or F”.
However, the four-year institution cannot require them to make higher than a
“C”.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can a student do if he/she feels their
transfer guide has not been honored?
There is an APPEALS PROCESS that
students can use if they feel their
transfer guide was not honored by a
receiving institution.
Officially, as of today, we have had
ZERO Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about transfers from out-of-state or
private schools?
Students can only receive transfer guides from public twoyear institutions in Alabama.
Private schools are not included. (Currently there are no plans
to include these institutions.) Therefore, each receiving
institution should evaluate their transcripts on a course-bycourse basis.
Same holds true for out-of-state transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if an outside accrediting body
mandates a change?
 If an outside accrediting body mandates a change in
curriculum then the four-year institution can require transfer
students, like native students, to pick up the extra course or
courses.
AGSC/STARS Website
http://stars.troyst.edu
IN MAY OF 2005,
the web address will change to
http://stars.troy.edu
Question and Comments
Questions?
Comments?
Contact Information
Mr. Keith Sessions
Executive Director – AGSC/STARS
LL Adams Administration Bldg.
Troy State University
Troy, AL 36082
Office
Toll-Free
Fax
E-Mail
334-670-3797
1-800-551-9716 ext. 3690
334-670-3695
ksessions@stars.troy.edu