March 4, 2002

 

Joyce A. Scott, Deputy Commissioner and Chair

John Amend, Professor, Montana State University-Bozeman

Douglas Coe, Dean, College of Mathematics & Sciences, Montana Tech

Karen Everett, Registrar and Director of Admissions, Montana State University-Billings

Brenda Hanson, Transfer Advisor, Flathead Valley Community College

Jonathon Hopkins, Student, Montana State University-Bozeman

Cheri Jimeno, Dean of Education, Business and Technology, University of Montana-Western

Greg Kegel, Dean of Technical Sciences, Montana State University-Northern

Diane Lund, Department of Allied Health, MSU-Great Falls College of Technology

Lois Muir, Provost and Vice President, University of Montana-Missoula

The Honorable Alan Olson, House District 8, Roundup, MT

Janie Park, Provost & Academic Vice Chancellor, Montana State University-Billings

Ted Plaggemeyer, Associate Dean-Academic Affairs, UM Helena College of Technology

Jerry Slater, Academic Vice President, Salish Kootenai College

 

Dear Colleagues:

 

����������� In 1993-94 the Office of the Commissioner (OCHE) published a Statewide Core Curriculum and Community College Transfer Guide for the Montana University System to facilitate academic transfer across Montana higher education. In 2000 OCHE began updating the Guide and put information on-line for easy access.� So far, courses used to meet the MUS Transferable Core Curriculum have been updated with each campus and work has begun on updating articulation of lower-division courses across the state.

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����������� OCHE is launching a comprehensive effort to extend into baccalaureate programs the benefits of closer transfer articulation.� The Board of Regents has accepted OCHE�s proposal for a Montana University System 2002 Transfer Project.� The Project�s goal is: To make transfer as efficient and effective as possible for students with prior education comparable to that offered by the receiving institution.� The desired outcome is smooth and rapid student progress toward a high quality baccalaureate degree in a program of study that is comprehensive, coherent and academically rigorous.

 

To direct the Project, I am forming a Higher Education Transfer Steering Committee, which

will conduct its business under the auspices of OCHE and report regularly to the Board of Regents� Academic and Student Affairs Committee.� You have been recommended as someone who could make an important contribution to this work, and I would like to invite you to serve on this Steering Committee.

 

����������� The purpose of the Steering Committee will be to guide the project in its various components, to assist in identifying sequentially the project�s areas of investigation, and to provide regular progress reports to the Regents� Academic and Student Affairs Committee. The duties of the Steering Committee will be to:

• Select, following appropriate consultation and fact-finding, the disciplines to be reviewed and brought into the statewide articulation process after the initial round of reviews.
• Suggest fact-finding strategies and necessary studies to be conducted.

• Form and charge statewide disciplinary articulation teams and provide them documentation.
• Receive, critique/amend and forward to the appropriate bodies recommendations from statewide articulation teams about course and program alignment.
• Review issues and policy questions surrounding transfer and make recommendations to OCHE about desirable changes in policy and practice including, but not limited to:
• Method for updating regularly course and major program articulation?
• Method for publicizing articulations annually?
• Feedback processes for 4-year programs to inform 2-year institutions about transfer students' progress/preparedness for transfer?
• Feedback to sending institutions about the disposition of transfer credits.
• Desirability of accepting courses in transfer with a grade of �C� or better.

 

Deputy Commissioner Joyce Scott will chair the Steering Committee and will call the first

meeting.� Materials to assist in scheduling that meeting are enclosed for your use. Also enclosed are a project prospectus, detailing the levels and the extent of the anticipated activity and a Board of Regents policy on transfer.� The prospectus is subject to amendment on advice of the campuses or the Steering Committee, and we expect the Steering Committee to recommend new or revised policies.� It is our goal to have a practical and productive initiative that will improve Montana students� progress towards the bachelor�s degree or other undergraduate educational objective.

 

I hope that you will consider favorably this invitation to work on this important issue for our students.� If, for any reason, you cannot serve, please contact me (444-0310) or Dr. Joyce Scott (444-0312) at your earliest convenience.�

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Richard A. Crofts

Commissioner

 

Enclosures

 

Pc:������ Board of Regents

����������� Presidents, Chancellors and Deans