College officials hope transfer agreement increases enrollment

From stevenspointjournal.com: “UWSP, MSTC officials hope transfer agreement increases enrollment” — Officials from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Mid-State Technical College say they hope a recent statewide transfer agreement will mean an increase in enrollment as students see more opportunity to move from one campus to another.

Signed by University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross and Wisconsin Technical College System President Morna Foy earlier this month, the Universal Transfer Agreement identifies 48 core general-education courses for which students can transfer credits within the two systems. The agreement goes into effect July 1 for the 2014-15 academic year, can be renewed annually and is open to private and tribal institutions that choose to participate.

“Building on the hundreds of existing articulation agreements between the UW System and the WCTS, along with the innovative Transfer Information System, this agreement is another step in our joint efforts to make post-secondary education accessible for more students, facilitating their progress to becoming successful contributors to the Wisconsin economy,” Cross said in a statement.

Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the agreement as part of the state’s biennial budget adopted last summer, said in a statement that he believes the agreement will allow students more flexibility and speed up the process for those looking to finish their degree.

Greg Summers, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UWSP, said the agreement will provide an even playing field for students looking to attend a university after completing their studies at a technical college.

“Before, you would have some credits that would be accepted at Stevens Point that might not be accepted at UW-Eau Claire or UW-Superior,” Summers said. “This agreement broadens the access students will have if they decide to pursue their degree.”

Mandy Lang, vice president of student affairs for MSTC, said students most often transfer to a university to pursue degrees in areas such as nursing and business. Lang said it’s too early to tell whether the agreement will increase enrollment, but making it easier to transfer general education credits is good step for students wherever they choose to attend school.

Nearly 90 students from MSTC and Northcentral Technical College in Wausau transferred into UWSP in the 2012-13 school year, and Summers said he expects that number to increase because of the agreement.

“That would be the goal. I think as students see there is a predictable pathway to get their degree, there will be more interest,” Summers said.

New UW engineering transfer agreements approved

From nwtc.edu: “New UW engineering transfer agreements get OK” — Future engineers can start three new bachelor’s degrees at NWTC and 12 other sites throughout Northeast Wisconsin starting today.

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents approved a trio of new and collaborative engineering technology degrees July 12 designed to make a high-demand field more easily accessible to students in the New North region while also addressing manufacturers’ demands for new infusions of well-prepared engineering graduates.

Students entering the new Leadership in Engineering Technology program and pursuing any of its three degrees are able to begin their academic studies at any one of 13 Northeastern Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance (NEW ERA) colleges, finishing the program and earning their degrees at either UW-Green Bay or UW Oshkosh. The innovative program breaks new ground in providing easy access for northeastern Wisconsin students to pursue and obtain engineering knowledge and skill regional manufacturers say they are ready to put to work.

At its meeting on July 12, the Board of Regents approved the collaborative, interdisciplinary program, scheduled to launch in the 2013-14 academic year. The program offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Environmental Engineering Technology through collaboration between the NEW ERA institutions, colleges and an array of business partners.

“With these collaborative degree programs, our institutions will be better able to respond to changing educational and workforce needs here in Northeastern Wisconsin,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Tom Harden. “There are some logistical details we have yet to finalize, but the Board of Regents’ approval is a major step in the important process of implementing these engineering degree programs. Together, we look forward to better serving the students of our region, and ultimately boosting economic development in the New North.”

“This program is critical for manufacturers to remain competitive, as it provides a very well rounded engineering degree that can be used in multiple areas of our businesses,” said Mark Kaiser, president and CEO of Lindquist Machine Corporation of Green Bay and chairman of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance. “This allows us to offer maximum flexibility and speed to market, as well as helping keep our costs at competitive levels.”

NEW ERA institutions plan to effectively and efficiently deliver the Engineering Technology program based on the breadth of faculty expertise, both conceptual and hands-on application, combined with the state-of-the art laboratory equipment, technology and facilities at the region’s four technical colleges, the five two-year UW Colleges, UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh and the College of Menominee Nation.

Dr. H. Jeffrey Rafn, president of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, called development of the new degrees “a very creative, innovative way to build much-needed technical expertise in one of the strongest manufacturing regions in the country.”

“We’re sharing resources, improving credit transfer between institutions and providing access to the basic classes all over Northeast Wisconsin,” Rafn said. “That makes this the best solution not only for our business community, but for taxpayers and students as well. Many details, such as standard practices, are still being worked out, but we are able to do that because of our work with NEW ERA and that commitment to building the economy of the New North.”

UW Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells said the program’s development and approval represents the NEW ERA’s most significant accomplishment to date.

“Like never before, NEW ERA institutions and colleges and New North manufacturing and workforce leaders came together,” Wells said. “They identified a regional challenge, developed a nationally-distinctive educational solution and relied on the knowledge and talent of faculty and staff from our regional array of higher education communities to collaboratively design and develop high-quality, high-demand programs,” Wells said.

UW Oshkosh Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Lane Earns said he expects the response by students to the new programs will be tremendous.

“We expect this program will hit the ground running, benefitting from a surge of strong enrollment from students throughout the New North,” Earns said. “They will be students eager to dive into a high-quality and high-tech program never before offered in our region. These degrees are built upon an education that is accessible and develops career-propelling, quality-of-life-enhancing knowledge and leadership in high demand by regional employers.”

The degrees’ approval is a positive step for the institutions and businesses involved, said Martin Rudd, Campus Executive Officer, Dean, and Professor of Chemistry at UW-Fox Valley.

“These exciting new bachelor of science collaborative degrees in three completion major areas of engineering technology represent a tremendous commitment from the institutions of NEW ERA and regional manufacturers to serve the needs of business in the New North area,” Rudd said. “I am delighted to continue to

 

More students transfer to UWGB

From fourthestatenewspaper.com: “UWGB attracts more transfer students” — The number of students to transfer to UW-Green Bay is increasing, likely due to the capability for credits to transfer from many area colleges to UWGB.

A provision in Gov. Scott Walker’s budget would require a strong partnership between technical colleges and the UW system to make it easier for students to transfer. UWGB has been making sure the transfer process is successful for some time.

In fact, transfer students are a major contributor to enrollment numbers at UWGB. The university has historically seen significant enrollment of transfer students.

“It always surprises people when I tell them that more of the students that cross our stage at graduation come to us as transfer students than came to us as new freshmen,” said Michael Stearney, dean of enrollment services at UWGB, in an interview with Fox 11 News.

Student Services and the Registrar’s office provide prospective transfer students with a quick review of student’s transcripts to give them an approximation of what credits will transfer and how they will transfer. The review is non-binding, pending a full transfer credit review upon application.

“For many transfer students, transferability of credit is a primary consideration. UWGB actively participates in the Transfer Information System and is working to become a full participant in the U-select consortium,” Stearney said. “These two systems allow students to quickly and easily see how their coursework at one institution transfers to another institution.”

The Transfer Information System, which is available via UWGB’s transfer student website, uwgb.edu/admissions/apply/transfer, allows prospective students to see how their credits will transfer from a UW college or Wisconsin technical college.

U-select is an online database that allows students to see how their credits would transfer to universities in Wisconsin and 16 other states.

Josh Martell, junior communication major, transferred to UWGB from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Martell said the transfer student orientation was very helpful in assisting him in the transfer process.

“I transferred here for the communication program as well as it being in Green Bay, which is where I am from and currently live,” Martell said. “I am glad that I did.”

Stearney said transfer-student orientation programs are offered several times each year to welcome new transfer students.

“We are working on connections programs with selected UW Colleges to meet with new freshmen at the two-year schools to help plan their associate degree coursework with eventual transfer of credits,” Stearney said.

Jennifer Prusow, junior communication major, transferred to UWGB from UW-Sheboygan after completing two years there. She said it was important for her to choose a school that offered her major and her sister’s major. Prusow said other contributing factors in her decision to transfer to UWGB were the cost of tuition and the proximity of the campus to her home in Sheboygan, allowing her to go home on the weekends.

“My transfer experience was fairly easy,” Prusow said. “All my credits transferred, and I was able to register for classes. They were accommodating with any concerns that I had with my credits.”

Assisting potential transfer students with any questions they have is a service UWGB advisers offer on campus, but also remotely.

“UWGB advisers and recruiters have a regular presence at our primary transfer-sending institutions,” Stearney said. “We visit the local UW Colleges on a regularly scheduled basis, and we also hold regular office hours at NWTC one day a month to talk to prospective transfer students.”

Senior human development major, Renee Kehl, also transferred to UWGB from NWTC. Not knowing what she would major in right out of high school, Kehl said going to NWTC for two years first allowed her to focus on her general education requirements while saving money.

“My transfer experience went well overall,” Kehl said. “I only lost one class in transferring.”

Stearney said historically business, social work, nursing and education are some of the most commonly chosen majors by a large number of transfer students

 

Local learning institutions ahead of the curve with transfer credit agreements

From fox11online.com: “Local learning institutions ahead of curve with transfer agreements” — GREEN BAY – A provision in Governor Scott Walker’s budget calls for a solidified partnership between tech schools and the UW system to help transfer students. So FOX 11 looked into what partnerships are already in place, and how they might be improved.

Many local colleges say they’ve already had partnerships to help students who may have changed their minds, or are looking for something new in their education.

“Originally I was thinking film and then I switched to finance and neither of those I liked. I thought I would, but I didn’t really like them. And I started taking chemistry here and it really just clicked,” said NWTC Student Jared Christianson.

Christianson says now that he’s found his passion for chemistry, he’s ready to take his education to the next level.

“I’m going to transfer to (UW)GB,” said Christianson.

Christianson’s not alone.

“Our stats have definitely gone up. Over the past four years they’ve gone up 37 percent leaving here and going on to another partnering institution that we have an agreement with. The majority go to our UW system schools but others go to the private institutions as well,” said Anne Kamps, the director of learning solutions at NWTC.

Governor Walker’s proposal would make it mandatory for 30 credits of general education studies courses to transfer between all tech schools and UW system schools in Wisconsin.

Kamps says her school is ahead of the curve.

“In 2006 NWTC went out and did this far before the college board or the state recommended that, and we built our general studies transfer certificate that transfers 32 credits to UW Oshkosh and UWGB,” said Kamps.

Kamps says the majority of transfer students from NWTC go to those two UW schools.

In 2012, 320 students transferred to UW Green Bay.

106 transferred to Oshkosh.

“It always surprises people when I tell them that more of the students that cross our stage at graduation come to us as transfer students than came to us as new freshmen,” said Michael Stearney, Dean of Enrollment Services at UW Green Bay.

He says transfers to his school have increased significantly in the past decade.

28 percent come in as sophomores. 38 percent come in as juniors.

“Most come from technical schools in the area, NWTC or Fox Valley Tech, or one of the two-year UW campuses,” said Stearney.

Stearney says his school has a partnership in place locally, and also partners through an online database called U-Select.

It lets students comparison shop universities in Wisconsin and 16 others states to see which credits transfer.

Stearney says he supports the budget’s statewide plan to streamline transferring in Wisconsin.

“This formalizes it a bit but it’s certainly something that we’ve always been aware of. It’s clearly being developed in response to this need that students have to know ahead of time if this is going to work,” said Stearney.

The second part of the provision brings private colleges in Wisconsin into the fold.

St. Norbert College says about 100 students transfer to the school each year.

Most come from other four year colleges around the state and region.

“I think that the state of Wisconsin is already quite collaborative when it comes to transferring credits from one institution to another. But any time we can sit down and simplify the process or be able to partner even more to help students, that’s a good thing,” said Bridget O’Connor, the VP of Enrollment and Communications at St. Norbert College. “We want to make sure that Wisconsin students receive degrees from Wisconsin institutions.”

The specifics of an agreement between the UW System and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities hasn’t been ironed out yet.

The proposal also includes expanding partnerships with tribal colleges. We reached out to the College of the Menominee Nation. They did not return our calls. However, the institutions we interviewed say they look forward to working with all colleges in the area.

If approved, the new transfer credit agreement between the UW System and tech schools would start in the fall of 2014.

The budget bill still must be approved by the assembly and senate before being signed by the governor.

Nicolet’s University Transfer Program sets new enrollment record

From rhinelanderdailynews.com: “Nicolet’s University Transfer Program sets new enrollment record” — Enrollment in Nicolet College’s University Transfer Liberal Arts program hit a new record high in 2011-12, with 448 Northwoods students enrolled. The program provides students with the first two years of a bachelor’s degree. They then transfer their Nicolet credits to four-year colleges and universities.

“Students increasingly are seeing the great value and great education they can get in Nicolet’s University Transfer Program,” said Rose Prunty, Dean of the University Transfer Program, during a report she gave to the Nicolet College Board of Trustees during the board’s October meeting. “They recognize that it is a very good way to begin working on a bachelor’s degree.”

Since 2009, enrollment in the University Transfer Program is up 22 percent, she added.

Along with being the largest academic program on campus, accounting for about one out of every three program students at Nicolet, it is also one of the oldest, as it was founded with the opening of college in 1968.

“Over the years thousands of Northwoods students have used the Transfer program as a stepping stone to higher levels of academic achievement,” Prunty said. “It’s encouraging to note that many have also returned to this area to apply their skills in a wide variety of fields, from education, to health, to natural resources and many others.”

Today, Nicolet has in place more than 70 credit transfer agreements with numerous four-year colleges and universities. These include many private college and all institutions in the University of Wisconsin System, including UW-Madison, the system’s flagship campus.

The sweeping partnership that includes a guaranteed admission agreement with UW-Madison creates a smooth pathway for Northwoods students to study at a world-class university famous for its high admissions standards, she added.

Furthermore, under the Connections Program, students are enrolled at both Nicolet and UW-Madison and enjoy all of the benefits each institution has to offer. This includes receiving a UW-Madison ID that grants access to UW-Madison libraries, recreational facilities, ability to purchase tickets to UW-Madison athletic events at student rates, and access to cultural and social events on the UW-Madison campus.

When students graduate from Nicolet’s University Transfer Liberal Arts Program in good academic standing, they transition to UW-Madison where they are granted full junior status.

In the past five months alone Nicolet has received 230 requests from students to have their transcripts sent to a variety of post-secondary institutions, a necessary step in the transfer process.

“This is a solid indication that many students are continuing their path to a bachelor’s degree,” Prunty said.

According to the data collected, the most popular destination campuses for Nicolet Transfer students are UW-Stevens Point, UW-Green Bay, and UW-Madison.

Prunty also pointed out that the trend Nicolet’s University Transfer Program is experiencing is being mirrored across the country. Nearly half, or 45 percent, of all students who finished a four-year degree in 2010-11 had previously attended a two-year college, said Prunty, citing information from the National Student Clearinghouse.