ACE today announced the members of a national task force focused on improving transfer and award of credit practices to spur student success and reduce the time it takes to graduate.
How transfer of credit is handled is important to students, especially given how many transfer during their academic careers. A 2018 snapshot from National Student Clearinghouse data found that more than a million students, 38 percent of the 2.8 million entering college for the first time in fall 2011, transferred to a different institution at least once within six years. Unfortunately, as these students transfer, many of them lose academic credit.
The National Task Force on Transfer of Credit will produce a report containing best practices and emerging strategies for improving the transfer and award of credit, with the goal of advancing student success, promoting equity, and making college more affordable. The report's recommendations will also reflect the diverse missions of U.S. colleges and universities.
The Task Force is comprised of presidents and chancellors of two- and four-year, public and private nonprofit colleges and universities from across the country. It is supported by a generous grant from
Strada Education Network. Additional support from the
Charles Koch Foundation will fund a series of white papers to inform the Task Force's work on topics such as student support services and pathways, credit transfer technology, and credit for prior learning.
“While there has been much discussion and work on the topic of transfer of credit in recent years, there is more to do," said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “We want colleges and universities to evaluate previous academic work and nonacademic experiences more effectively to facilitate transfer of credit and completion. Given the increasing mobility of students between institutions and other learning opportunities, we know that improving transfer of credit practices is critical to our efforts to better support students and increase their success. I would like to thank all of the members of the Task Force for committing their time and expertise to this important initiative."
The Task Force will meet several times throughout 2020 to engage with leading experts in the field, identify challenges and craft solutions to better serve students. A final report will be released in early 2021. The work of the Task Force will also support ACE's new
Learner Success Lab.
Task Force members are:
Co-chairs
- Anne Holton, professor, Schar School of Public Policy and College of Education and Human Development; interim president (2019-20), George Mason University (VA)
- Timothy P. White, chancellor, California State University System
Members
- David W. Andrews, president, National University (CA)
- David Schejbal, president, Excelsior College (NY)
- James P. Clements, president, Clemson University (SC)
- Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University
- Waded Cruzado, president, Montana State University
- Douglas J. Fiore, president, Mercy College of Health Sciences (IA)
- Dianne F. Harrison, president, California State University, Northridge
- Tracy L. Hartzler, president, Central New Mexico Community College
- Chris Howard, president, Robert Morris University (PA)
- Bonita Jacobs, president, University of North Georgia
- Anne M. Kress, president, Northern Virginia Community College
- Paul J. LeBlanc, president, Southern New Hampshire University
- Jim Malatras, president, SUNY Empire State College
- Joe May, chancellor, Dallas County Community College District (TX)
- James B. Milliken, chancellor, University of Texas System
- Judy C. Miner, chancellor, Foothill-De Anza Community College District (CA)
- Javier Miyares, president emeritus, University of Maryland Global Campus
- Edward Montgomery, president, Western Michigan University
- Scott Pulsipher, president, Western Governors University
- Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, chancellor, CUNY System
- Mark B. Rosenberg, president, Florida International University
- Richard Senese, president, Capella University (MN)
- Sanford C. Shugart, president, Valencia College (FL)
- Peggy Valentine, interim chancellor, Fayetteville State University (NC)
- Lori Varlotta, president, California Lutheran University
- Michelle Marks, chancellor, University of Colorado Denver
Ex-officio Members
- Barbara Brittingham, president emerita, New England Commission of Higher Education
- Justin Draeger, president and chief executive officer, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- Kevin Kruger, president, NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
- Rebecca Martin, executive director, National Association of System Heads
- Michael Reilly, executive director, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
- Lori Williams, president and chief executive officer, NC-SARA
Advisory Board Members
- Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, assistant vice president for university academic policy, Indiana University
- Elaine P. Maimon, president emerita, Governors State University (IL)
- Lenore Rodicio, executive vice president and provost, Miami Dade College (FL)
- Troy Johnson, vice president of enrollment management, University of Texas at Arlington
“Data from the Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey reveal that half of adults who start college but do not finish have attended multiple institutions, and 40 percent of currently enrolled adults over the age of 34 who have not yet completed a degree have attended three or more schools in pursuit of their education," said Strada Education Network President and CEO William D. Hansen. “As more learners of all ages transfer between institutions and gain relevant work experience that can be evaluated for academic credit, we believe the time is ripe to redesign the transfer credit process to make it easier for students to chart a meaningful education-to-career path. We are excited to partner with ACE and learn from the important work of this task force."
“It's encouraging to see ACE taking the lead to convene leaders, identify best practices, and offer solutions toward diverse educational pathways," said Ryan Stowers, executive director at the Charles Koch Foundation. “This will require re-thinking how credit transfer works, and we suspect the research produced by this Task Force will illustrate how to accelerate change in the ways colleges and universities effectively support students."