Transfer Champions Initiative
Strengthening Math Pathways Through Collaboration
Among Two-Year and Four-Year Institutions
Fall 2015 Updated Edition
The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Association of
Community Colleges (TACC) are delighted to welcome you to the New Mathways Project (NMP)
Transfer Champions Initiative.
The NMP’s goal is to increase student success in developmental mathematics, entry-level college
mathematics, and the completion of a degree, license, or certificate with labor market value. The
NMP Transfer Champions Initiative is designed to support this goal by improving the predictability of
transfer pathways and the applicability of mathematics courses to majors through collaboration
among two-year and four-year institutions in the state.
The Dana Center
The Charles A. Dana Center is an organized research unit in the College of Natural Sciences at The
University of Texas at Austin. Through a collaboration with TACC, all 50 community college districts in
Texas support the Dana Center’s development of the New Mathways Project.
The NMP Model
The NMP is a systemic approach to improving student success and completion through
implementation of processes, strategies, and structures based on four fundamental principles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Multiple pathways with relevant and challenging math content aligned to specific fields of
study
Acceleration that allows students to complete a college-level math course more quickly than
in the traditional developmental math sequence
Intentional use of strategies to help students develop skills as learners
Curriculum design and pedagogy based on proven practice
To support the implementation of the NMP model, the Dana Center and TACC are developing
course materials that will enable students placed in developmental mathematics to complete a
credit-bearing, transferable mathematics course on an accelerated timeline while simultaneously
building skills for long-term success in college and in life. We are developing three course pathways:
the statistics pathway, the quantitative reasoning pathway, and the STEM-Prep pathway. Each
pathway uses standard learning outcomes for entry-level courses approved by the state for transfer.
In addition to working closely with college administrators, faculty, and staff to develop the NMP
materials, we are working with leaders of reform initiatives and state-level decision makers to ensure
that state policies and practices enable more institutions of higher education to enact the four
principles of the NMP model. This work addresses issues related to course transfer, applicability of
courses to majors, and Texas Success Initiative (TSI) policy, and includes outreach to four-year
institutions in Texas.
The Role of Four-Year Institutions in Supporting the NMP
Four-year institutions play an important role in informing community college advising and course
requirements for programs of study. The NMP seeks to support students in non-STEM fields to take the
statistics pathway (which leads to Math 1342 or 1442, Elementary Statistical Methods) or the
quantitative reasoning pathway (which leads to Math 1332, Contemporary Mathematics).
A key challenge in scaling the NMP model is the perception that students who follow one of the
NMP’s non-STEM mathematics pathways—rather than taking college algebra (Math 1314)—will not
satisfy the core curriculum or course requirements of majors at transfer institutions. Our research
confirms that most four-year institutions in Texas offer and accept for transfer Elementary Statistical
Methods and/or Contemporary Mathematics as part of their core curriculum and as requirements
for many majors. In some cases, the challenge is one of communication and common expectations
between two-year and four-year institutions. In other cases, there is variability in math course
requirements for the same major at neighboring transfer institutions.
Transfer Champion Commitments
To address these two concerns, we seek partnership with four-year “transfer champions” that
• Support the NMP model* and encourage the 50 community college districts to implement
multiple mathematics pathways that align general education mathematics courses to programs
of study.
• Certify that NMP college-level courses are transferable for college credit and can be predictably
applied to specified majors.
• Work to improve communication about mathematics requirements for major programs of study
at four-year institutions.
• Work regionally with two-year colleges to modernize mathematics course requirements so they
align with the recommendations of professional associations, particularly in the fields of nursing,
communications, social work, and criminal justice.
* Note: Transfer Champions are not required to implement the NMP curricular materials. The focus of
the Transfer Champions Initiative is on the alignment of entry-level mathematics courses.
Transfer Champions
Since 2013, 20 universities have participated in the Transfer Champions Initiative. Of those, the NMP
identified 10 institutions that are leading the way in creating and implementing modern
mathematics course pathways. Leading Transfer Champion universities meet three criteria:
1. Institutions offer multiple mathematics pathways through statistics, quantitative reasoning,
and the calculus preparation sequence.
2. College-level math courses are easily transferable because they are aligned to the learning
outcomes for standard, entry-level math courses in the state according to the Academic
Course Guide Manual.
3. Requirements for key transfer majors—nursing, criminal justice, social work, and
communications—align with the recommendations of professional associations of these
disciplines and of mathematics.
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Transfer Champions Initiative
Transfer Champions
Two-Year
Alamo Colleges
Austin Community College
Brazosport College
Four-Year
The University of Texas at San Antonio**
Texas A&M University–San Antonio
The University of Texas at Austin**
Texas State University
University of Houston
University of Houston–Clear Lake
Coastal Bend College
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi
El Paso Community College
The University of Texas at El Paso
Howard College
Angelo State University**
Kilgore College
Lone Star College–Kingwood
Midland College
The University of Texas at Tyler**
Stephen F. Austin State University**
Sam Houston State University
University of Houston–Downtown**
Texas Tech University**
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
South Texas College
The University of Texas–Pan American**
Tarrant County College District–Southeast
Campus
The University of Texas at Arlington**
Temple College
Trinity Valley Community College
Texas A&M University–Central Texas
University of North Texas**
Texas A&M University–Commerce
** Institution has already built modern mathematics pathways aligned to different programs of
study and is considered as Transfer Champions leader university.
Benefits of Participation
As an NMP Transfer Champion institution, you will
• Be featured in NMP publicity materials and reports to funders, the state of Texas, and
professional organizations.
• Have the opportunity to include your faculty in statewide NMP advisory work.
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Transfer Champions Initiative
•
•
•
Be recognized as a leader in the state and as a desirable destination for transfer students
from all 50 community college districts in the state.
Receive resources and information about efforts in Texas and beyond to modernize
undergraduate mathematics education.
Foster synergy among university and college leaders in support of the completion agenda in
Texas and nationally.
Activities and Responsibilities of Four-Year Colleges
• Identify academic affairs and transfer contacts for two-year institution
• Develop understanding of NMP model
• Share existing core curriculum mathematics courses and program mathematics
requirements in communications, criminal justice, social work, and nursing
• Review field of study briefs for targeted programs and NMP transfer resources
• Participate in virtual or in-person kick-off meeting with transfer partner(s)
• Maintain and facilitate regular communication with two-year institution for at least one
academic year to align programs of study
• Develop mathematics course Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two-year
institution and support information dissemination to advisors at four-year and regional twoyear institutions
Activities and Responsibilities of Two-Year Colleges
• Identify transfer contacts and NMP administrative lead for four-year institution(s)
• Share information about the NMP model
• Share existing core curriculum mathematics courses and program mathematics
requirements in communications, criminal justice, social work, and nursing
• Review field of study briefs for targeted programs and NMP transfer resources
• Participate in a virtual or in-person kick-off meeting with transfer partner(s)
• Maintain and facilitate regular communication with four-year institution(s) for at least one
academic year to align programs of study
• Develop mathematics course MOU with two-year institution and support information
dissemination to advisors
Activities and Responsibilities of the Dana Center
• Facilitate partnership between colleges
• Provide information about the NMP model, NMP transfer resources, and create field of study
briefs for targeted programs
• Provide tools and templates to support each step in the process, including communication,
agenda, and MOU templates
• Support virtual or in-person regional kick-off meetings
• Facilitate regular communication among two-year and four-year institutions for one
academic year
For more information on the New Mathways Project, please see
www.utdanacenter.org/higher-education/new-mathways-project
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