Business Educators Articulation Committee and Commerce Articulation Committee
Thompson Rivers University
Minutes of Meeting - May 5, 2005 - 8:30 am to noon
Co Chairs – Fiona McQuarrie (UCFV) Heather Banham (OUC)
Attendance:
Ellen
Pam
Alex
Ivan
Richard
Don
Dan
Bill
Marueen
John
Gregory
Steve
Gordon
Gretchen
Mike
Al
Lisa
Dave
Lori
Carrie
Keith
Daniel
Erwin
Ron
Sharon
Richard
Michael
Dianna
Barb
Bill
Peter
Chuck
Heather
John
Brock
Catherine
Judith
Finola
Patricia
Fiona
Wayne
Bob
Hamer
Lim
Kondra
Desjardins
Olesen
Carter
Relihan
Holmes
Fizzell
Shepherd
Krabes
Courchene
Tarzwell
Whetham
Mann
Fukushima
Phillips
Sale
Becker
Bowan
Murray
Scott
Schwarz
Lakes
Card
Stride
Conyette
Morgan
Lee
Farr
Tsigaris
Konrad
Banham
Bryant
Dykeman
Vertesi
Watson
Finlay
Shanahan
McQuarrie
Tebb
Ellis
Langara
UBC
Athabasca
TRU
Camosun
CA School of Business
CGA of BC
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Northwest Community College
Northwest Community College
Institute of Indigenous Government
TRU
College of the Rockies
Malaspina University College
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
Douglas College
Kwantlen University College
BCIT
Selkirk College
Langara
Langara
Camosun
TRU
North Island College
North Island College
Northern Lights College
Vancouver Community College
College of New Caledonia
College of New Caledonia
TRU
Coquitlam College
Okanagan University College
TRU - Open Learning Division
TRU
Capilano
Capilano
BC Council on Admissions and Transfer
UBC
UCFV
Kwantlen University College
UNBC
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1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Fiona McQuarrie
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion: To approve agenda – moved by Michael Conyette, seconded by David Sale.
Motion carried
3. Approval of Minutes of April 29, 2004
Motion: To approve minutes – moved by Catherine Vertesi, seconded by Judith
Watson. Motion carried
4. Introductions / Institutional Reports – written reports made available, brief
presentations on major changes or new initiatives
5. Report from BCCAT Annual Meeting of Articulation Chairs/Co-Chairs and
System Liaison Persons – The minutes from the February 4, 2005 Meeting of
Articulation Committee Chairs and System Liaison persons to be circulated to the list
serve. Articulation handbook available from the website at
www.bccat.bc.ca/articulation/resources.html The on-line Education Planner was
demonstrated at the annual meeting and it was recommended that Mike Winsemann
from BCCAT demonstrate the new tool to this group next year
(www.educationplanner.bc.ca) It is an excellent new tool available for student and
advising use.
6. Presentations
6.1. Update from the System Liaison Person (SLP) – Catherine Vertesi reported on
a motion from the BC Business Deans on the Principle of Block Transfer – and
quoted below:
‘The BC Business Deans is a recently formed affinity group from the colleges,
university colleges and institutes. We have been meeting over the past year and one
of our concerns surrounds student mobility and credit transfer within the BC system.
As the cost of education increases, the lack of recognition given to previous academic
work has a greater impact on individual students. Although our programs are not
identical out of respect for each of our public institutions and the work students do
there we passed the following motion.
‘In recognizing the need to provide mobility without penalty for students in BC’s
business administration programs the BC Business Deans urge the member
institutions to accept the principle of block transfer of 60 credits from diploma to
degree programs’.
Institutions would be free to set GPA standards for accepting this principle as well as
indicate any particular course work to be included in the further 60 credits adding up
to the120 credits required in most degree programs. For example, Institution Y
requires all of their BBA grads to have English 100 or equivalent in the U/G degrees
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and has their home students take this course in their first year. A student from
Institution Z has completed their 60 credit business diploma without an equivalent
English course. This student would still receive their 60 credits of transfer but would
be required to include English in the 60 credits they are planning to complete in
Institution Y.
The signatories to this motion will work within their institutions to accept up to 60
credits from diploma grads transferring to further degree study. They are: BCIT,
Camosun, Capilano, CNC, Kwantlen, Langara, Selkirk, North Island, Okanagan and
TRU.
Motion: That the combined meeting of the Business and Commerce Articulation
Committee endorse the Block Transfer initiative of the BC Business Deans
(Moved - Heather Banham and seconded by John Shepherd)
Discussion: SFU – new information today and need to consider the implications therefore
need to abstain from voting.
Motion Carried – Abstentions: Maureen Fizzell and Bill Holmes.
6.2. The Alberta Business Deans have established a self study group to develop a
quality assurance program within Alberta. Guidance and advice is being
extended to smaller institutions and collaborative coaching provided.
6.3. The BC Business Deans met with the Deputy Ministry and discussed the need for
some kind of accreditation system in BC and perhaps Alberta. The Applied
Degrees in Alberta and Ontario are 90 academic with 30 credits from applied
learning in work place. BC has 120 credits (40 academic courses)
6.4. BCCAT – Finola Finlay

Changes in SFU program – committee should familiarize themselves with the
changes including changes to admission requirements

Acknowledgement of John Shepherd – John Shepherd – and the committee
working with him have continued to update the BC Business Management
Program grid by circulating every institution twice per year and maintaining the
currency – and hence the value – of the program transfer guide. The committee
expressed a formal vote of thanks to John for his continued contribution.

Transfer Friendly Course Outline Form – the form was developed for
voluntary use either as a course outline format or as a checklist when seeking
course articulation (http://bccat.bc.ca/outline) – in response to numerous requests
for a tool that facilitates transfer and includes everything that a good example of a
course outline should contain.
- BCCAT is considering a further development enabling the transfer friendly
course outline to be used to generate automatic transfer credit requests.
- Also important for private institutions looking to enter the transfer system.
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
Handbook – ‘How to Articulate’ for the BC Transfer system – has been prepared
and is currently being published. It is directed to faculty at sending and receiving
institutions to strengthen the articulation process.

BCCAT Position statement on Instructor Qualifications for transferability of
courses – based on 30 years of precedence in BC system. The expectation is a
minimum of Master’s degree in the discipline or a closely related area.
Institutions are encouraged to make their expectations clear – both for hiring and
for transfer credit requirements. Also important for private institutions looking to
enter the transfer system.

Handout on BC’s Transfer System – ‘Transferring Credit between Private and
Public Institutions in BC’ (www.bccat.bc.ca/system/pubprivate.htm) .
- Includes a listing of all Institutional Members of BC Transfer System which
lists all public post-secondary institutions
- Private institutions – not institutional members but approved to articulate.
Currently two are listed – Bachelor of Commerce at University Canada West
and Bachelor of Business Administration at Sprott-Shaw Community
College. Having completed the process of the Degree Quality Assessment
Board (DQAB) - the new and rigorous process for degree approval – enables
approved programs to send representatives to the appropriate Articulation
Committees as a full participating member and approves them as receiving
institutions. Therefore expect these private institutions to start requesting
course articulation from public institutions.
- Accreditation process and Degree Quality Assurance are extremely crucial
to student outcomes. In the Applied Business Technology area there is
concern as students from some private institutions are not able to demonstrate
similar levels of skills and knowledge as the graduates from the public
system. However, DQAB and combination of course outlines, course
descriptions, provide more background for course development in degree
programs and provide a system of quality control.
- Private Career Training Institutions Agency – role is to regulate
organizations that offer programs up to two years that lead to employment.
- Language schools are currently not regulated. Financial security for
Registration is in place. Accreditation is important for these schools as
students to be able to receive student funding once the institution has
accreditation – can access federal and provincial student financial assistance.
- BCCAT is advocating for students, not necessarily private institutions – so
that students can complete a degree in the public system. Currently there are
no clear pathways for students having completed private programs. The role
of BCCAT is one of provision of guidance and help to the fully autonomous
academic institutions in the province.
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- Good Communication is emphasized as the essential element in articulation
requests between private and public institutions. Explanation as to why a
particular course is denied transfer credit should be communicated
(Refer to the full policy distributed as a handout and available from the
website and referenced above.)
7.0 Decision on Formal Merger of Business and Commerce Articulation Committees
Motion – To formalize the combination of the Business Educators Articulation
Committee and the Commerce Articulation Committee into one articulation
committee
(Moved by Ellen Hamer and seconded by Michael Conyette.)
Motion Carried.
The merged committee is to be named “Business and Commerce Articulation
Committee” and to continue to have co-chairs and co-system liaison persons.
8.0 Course Transfer Issues – John Shepherd
- Cross Canada Guide for transfer of courses for across Canada – course number, name
and level at which it is taught and a link to course outlines where they are available
online. It is a first attempt at looking across the country on what courses would be
equivalent for transfer credit. C. Vertesi offered to use the list-serve and distribute across
institutions. It will be accessible for academic advising and administration at public
institutions not for student use and is expected to be dealing with core courses only
initially. Initiative was taken from the Business Deans across Canada – for information
only.
- Background to Business Management Program Transfer Table - The transfer table
was out of date so in 2001 courses categorized and the program to program transfer table
updated. Sub-committee set up to deal with the updating. Send out broadcast email to
the list serve asking for new courses and then distribute by email (only John Shepherd
and Abbe Nielson left on the committee and want to add professors in Marketing,
Management and Information Technology to participate in assessment of courses. Also
need now to identify new categories and get a policy decision on changes to the table.
Motion: For 2006 create a committee to bring forward recommendations for new
course categories, and other items needing decisions from the Business and
Commerce Articulation Committee.
(Moved by John Shepherd and seconded Heather Banham)
Discussion followed on clarification of transfer credit process – the program transfer
guide needs content specialists to evaluate courses and the importance of currency for ongoing value of the guide. Names to be submitted to John Shepherd
Motion Carried
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Under-represented areas – Marketing and Management expertise – (one volunteer from
Capilano (C. Vertesi to confirm to J. Shepherd)) and Information Technology (Daniel
Scott (Langara) volunteered).
9.0 Doctoral Programs for Professors – Heather Banham
The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Toowoomba Queensland offers a
doctoral program in business (DBA). A handout was distributed for information
purposes. Website is www.usq.edu.au. Other programs are also available and various
members of the committee are pursuing programs from Heriot Watt University in
Scotland, the Newcastle/Grenoble program, and the SFU program offered at TRU in
Educational Administration.
Information on the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
(CCSBE) was also provided to the committee along with some sample copies of the
Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (University of Regina). Membership in
the CCSBE includes a subscription to the journal and the annual conference is a venue
for academics, practitioners and policy analysts and researchers to present and discuss
their work in the field of small business.
10. Reports from 2004 Subcommittees:
- ‘Block Transfer: What Is It?’ and ‘Opportunities for Students in the BC System’ –
will combine and report to 2006 meeting (Committee members: Catherine Vertesi
(Chair), Pam Lim, Brock Dykeman, Terry Mills, Cathay Sousa, Heather Banham)
- ‘Private (non-BCCAT) and Public Articulation’ will be included in the work of the
committee appointed on the updating of the Transfer Guide (John Shepherd, Abbe
Nielson, Daniel Scott and TBA from Capilano and any others TBA).
- ‘Triangulation Issues’ (for example, A equals 80% of B, C equals 80% of B, but if C
is only 64% of A then no transfer credit granted). Report from Pat Shanahan (Committee:
Pat Shanahan, John Bryant, Judith Watson, Henri Bureaud, Maureen Fizzell, Randy
Robinson and Patricia Browne).

Very few examples came forward.

Best Practices - Look at the work that Math and Music have done to
see how some problems have been resolved. Math solution to this
issue was to list topics that had to be covered in courses plus a
selection of optional topics – then transfer credit is offered.

Communication - Establish the dialogue with the right people and it
solves most of the problems. Some of the issues can be resolved if
the right people are talking.

Triangulation is an excellent tool for articulation but has limitations.
The communication ahead of time is really important.
Other issues relating to articulation – note that these are not always triangulation issues –
were raised:
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
Residential requirements – rules indicate which courses have to be
completed (eg. B.Comm. (Accounting) requires that accounting
courses have to be taken at SFU – but note this is not a triangulation
issue.

300 and 400 level courses being articulated as 100 or 200 level
unassigned credits – Cause for consideration by BC Business Deans
to take all 300 and 400 level courses from the transfer guide.
Example of course previously granted upper level credit being
reduced to lower level when offered by a College as part of an
approved degree program.

Courses not given assigned credit on articulation - the example of
OU Business Policy and Strategy Credit – ‘to be individually
assessed’.

Core to the articulation issue is that institutions from different
backgrounds trying to work together - need to think of the students.
Passage from diploma to degree is possible in BC but could still be
done better.

Probably means that numbering issues have to be grappled with - 100
200 300 mean degree of difficulty or sequencing of courses

Degree completion requirements - Institutions have their specific
requirements for degree completion and therefore cannot give the
transfer credit as part of that credential.

Finding creative ways to deal with issues – Solutions should not
involve making students repeat courses, which, in fact, allows them to
repeat material with which they are already familiar. This is also not
fair to students in the same course who see the material for the first
time. Colleges and University Colleges also have a brand – focus on
not penalizing a student, and not making students retake work.
Institutions granting the credential all reserve a group of courses for
‘branding’.

Need to make the requirements more visible – perhaps with the
preparation of a list of residency requirements – as long as necessary
– but no longer than necessary.

What do you do with the diploma? How do universities articulate
diplomas? What do receiving institutions do with the diploma is core
to the issue? How does equivalency (mastery of content) butt against
residency? There are so many diploma and degree programs (and
more new ones coming) - practical issues have to be considered. All
institutions will be butting up against this as really more of them are
both ‘sending’ and ‘receiving’. Example given of students
transferring to Royal Roads University – they come in with a block
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transfer of 60 credits, but students have to repeat content to complete
the degree.

A grid showing course requirements, program requirements, and
residency requirements for each institution may communicate to
students and faculty what is required – denial of a course transfer is
not always the issue. This would serve to make what is required more
visible. Potential to apply for Transfer Innovation Grant for this work

Expertise is different – SFU business courses are at the end of their
program – that’s their expertise, and for the colleges, expertise is at
the beginning.

Three Committees – work is going to continue:

Block Transfer Committee (Pat Shanahan, John Bryant, Judith
Watson, Maureen Fizzell. Wayne Tebb, Bob Ellis, Richard Olesen,
Gretchen Whetham and Jeff ?)
7. Host for 2009 Meeting
College of the Rockies (Gretchen Whetham) offered to host 2009 meeting. Table
upgraded below.
YEAR
HOST
UBC
2002
Okanagan University College
2003
University College of the Fraser
2004
Valley
University College of the
2005
Cariboo
Douglas College
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Royal Roads
Kwantlen University College
College of the Rockies
CHAIR
UBC
Northern Lights
Okanagan University College
University College of the Fraser
Valley
University College of the Cariboo
Douglas College
Royal Roads
Kwantlen University College
College of the Rockies
CO-CHAIR
UBC
Northern Lights
Okanagan University College
University College of the
Fraser Valley
Thompson Rivers University
Douglas College
Royal Roads
Kwantlen University College
For 2006 - Brock Dykeman to be Chair / Fiona McQuarrie Co-Chair
8. Other Business Encouraged to attend Joint Meeting with Communications Coordinators – they wanted
to meet in regard to changes to Business Communications courses.
8.1. Motion to Adjourn – Moved by Maureen Fizzell and seconded by John
Shepherd.
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