Reverse Transfer: Where We
Are, Where We’re Going
Tennessee ACT Summit
January 29, 2013
Gloria Gammell, Ed.D.
University of Tennessee
Project Collaborators
University of Tennessee
Tennessee Board of Regents
Tennessee Independent Colleges &
University Association
Tennessee Higher Education
Commission
What Is Reverse Transfer?
A credit review of students who transfer
from a community college to a four year
institution prior to receipt of the
associate’s degree to determine if and
when the students complete the
associate’s degree requirements and, if
so, to award them an associate’s degree.
--Reverse Transfer Taskforce, July 17, 2012
In a traditional college transfer model,
credits are transferred from a 2-year
school to a 4-year school; but
In a Reverse Transfer model, credits
are transferred back from the 4-year
school to the two-year school so that
student may earn the associate degree.
Background
Spring 2012 Tennessee PC 662
Summer 2012 Grant submitted to
Lumina/Kresge Foundations and a
Taskforce was established
Fall 2012 Grant not awarded—but
we are moving forward!
Why Is Reverse Transfer
Important?
FACT:
One third of all students change
institutions (transfer) before earning a
degree; the highest rate of transfer was
during the 2nd year, no matter the
direction of transfer.
--Transfer & Mobility: A National View of Pre-Degree Student Movement in
Postsecondary Institutions, National Student Clearinghouse, February 2012.
FACT:
Since 2000-01academic year,
39,954 TN transfer students entered a
four-year school absent the associate
degree; 27,744 of those transfer students
did not complete the bachelor’s degree
and left college without any degree in
hand.
--THEC, 2012
FACT:
Current Tennessee data suggest that
receiving the associate’s degree has a
positive impact on earning a bachelor’s
degree.
--THEC, 2012
FACT:
Retention rates improved by 10% for
those students who received an
associate’s degree through Reverse
Transfer once enrolled at a 4-year
institution.
--University of Texas, El Paso & El Paso Community College
http://chronicle.com/article/Reverse-TransferPrograms/127942/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en accessed 0/15/2012
Benefits of Reverse Transfer for
Students
• Associate degree is a quality credential
signifying completion of one level of
educational goals;
• Provides student with recognized
credential to enter the workforce while
completing a bachelor’s degree;
• Provides a sense of accomplishment
which is a motivator to persist to
graduation; and
• Decreases time to degree completion
• Clear articulation agreements via TN
Transfer Pathway (49 major areas of
study)
• Increased 4-year degree
completion rate.
Benefits of Reverse Transfer for
Institutions
• Community colleges will be credited with the
success of the student earning the degree
retroactively;
• Community college degree completions will
more accurately reflect investment of time,
support and resources devoted to students
who transfer prior to degree attainment;
• Closer transfer collaborations between
4-year and 2-year institutions via
articulations;
• Alumni who feel greater connection to
the 2-year and 4-year institutions;
• A more accurate reflection of graduation rates
and achievements of community colleges;
• Four-year institutions contribute to the State’s
efforts to increase the number of degree
completions (Complete College TN Act); and
• Increased 2-year and 4-year graduation rates
will positively impact funding at the public
institutions.
Benefits of Reverse Transfer
for Tennessee
• Attainment of both the associate’s and
bachelor’s degrees reflects a broader,
more accurate portrayal of a person’s skills
and training; and
• Advances educational level of
Tennesseans, which is necessary for
continued economic and workforce
development.
Community Colleges Will…
• Build and maintain accuracy of
equivalency tables;
• Identify potential reverse
degree recipients;
• Verify successful completion of
associate degree requirements; and
• Notify student and award degree.
Four-Year Institutions Will…
• Provide electronic transcripts for potential
reverse degree recipients;
• Collaborate with community colleges in
development of equivalency tables as new
reverse transfer options become available;
• Assist potential reverse transfer recipients
through academic advising.
THEC Will…
1. House and maintain the Reverse Transfer
Server (3rd party);
2. Maintain the security of the stored data;
3. Monitor the progress of the Reverse
Transfer processes and;
4. Collect and analyze student
performance data (e.g., graduation
rates, time to completion, demographics, etc.)
Basically, How Will It Work?
Automated process involving course
equivalency tables, degree requirement
verification, degree awarding, etc.;
Community college and 4-year
institution each obtain permission from
student to allow data exchange;
 Community colleges and 4-year institutions
create electronic transcripts that can be
shared;
Community colleges identify potential
reverse transfer degree recipients;
At specified intervals, community
colleges and the 4-year institutions
transmit their Electronic
Transcripts to the
Reverse Transfer
Server;
Server automatically runs an
evaluation for all student-matched
transcripts against degree
programs in the server’s database;
Community college receives results
of evaluations;
Community college confirms degree
requirements have been satisfied;
Student notified by community college
And…..
Associate’s Degree is
awarded!
Anticipated First RT Degree
Class
December 2013
QUESTIONS?
ggammell@tennessee.edu