MACRAO Conference 2018 Using Transfer Grades to Improve Operations

1. MACRAO Conference 2018Using Transfer Grades to Improve Operations Steve Linden Registrar Oakland Community College

2. Presentation Points • About OCC and Transfer-In Numbers • Our Previous Transfer Practices • Challenges These Practices Caused • Changes in Curriculum and Prerequisites Created Urgency • Transfer Grades Established • Implementation of Transfer-Grade Usage • Taking Transfer Grades Even Further • Challenges Experienced and Expected

3. Oakland Community College andTransfer-In Numbers • OCC has 5 campuses in Oakland County • Over 100 associate degree and certificate programs available • Almost 30,000 students enrolled in 2016/17 Academic Year* • 75% of them degree-seeking* • Over 5,300 students in 2016/17 transferred in credits to OCC* • Colleague student information system • Prerequisites are confirmed at time of registration and in later verifications • Implemented StudentPlanning this Fall Semester * Source: MI School Data website

4. Previous Transfer Practices • Our previous practices are likely similar to what many schools currently do. • OCC used a TR mark for all transfer courses. • Had a grade value of 2.0 since a minimum grade of “C” was required for a course to transfer. • The same TR mark was used in all transfer instances. • Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, military coursework, articulated credits, etc. • For the most part, this all worked just fine… mostly.

5. Challenges Practices Created • While the TR mark worked fine in most instances, it also created some operational challenges. • Health-related programs at OCC have restricted-entry requirements for admission to the program • Scoring criteria used by the departments awarded different values based on the grade the student received in courses required for program admission. • In instances where the course was transferred to OCC, it was necessary to view the transcript in the students file to find out what grade the student received. • At OCC, students seeking admission into health-related programs make up a considerable percentage of the student population. • But even these instances were manageable.

6. Changes Created Urgency • In 2013, our Sign Language program instituted a minimum-grade requirement of “C+” for degree requirements and Sign Language course prerequisites. • TR marks were no longer a reliable measure. Transcripts had to be reviewed to confirm what grade the student had received. • In 2017, several of our health-related programs (including Nursing, Sonography, Radiologic Tech, and Surgical Tech) instituted minimum-grade criteria of a “B-” or higher for degree requirements and course prerequisites in their discipline. • Even with student records on an imaging system, this was going to create challenges for degree auditing and prerequisite enforcement. • During this time, OCC was already preparing to implement StudentPlanning, which puts degree-audit capability in the hands of students. • Audits performed in StudentPlanning by transfer students would be inaccurate for these programs because the TR mark has a “C” value.

7. Transfer Grades Established • Transfer grades were established to address these concerns. • Rather than awarding a TR mark for transferred-in coursework, a transfer grade would be awarded based on the grade the student received.

8. Transfer Grades Established • In Colleague, the transfer grades were added to the existing grade scheme. • The grade value is used only for degree-audit purposes and prerequisite purposes. • It does not calculate into a student’s GPA. • It also has no repeat grade value, so if a grade is transferred-in for a course a student has already completed at OCC, the OCC course is used for GPA calculation… even if a lower grade was received in the OCC course. • For degree-audit programming, when a program is set up with a minimum grade requirement of B-, the TB- transfer grade works just the same. • For prerequisite syntax, coding that looks for a minimum grade of B- will also recognize the TB- transfer grade just the same.

9. Implementation of Transfer Grades • A few counselors were involved in early implementation discussions to gain their valuable feedback. • The thought of going back and changing all old TR marks to new transfer grades for active students was quickly dismissed as unnecessary (and crazy!). • Instead, as counselors would come across students with TR marks who need them changed to transfer grades, they would notify Registrar’s Office staff. • The staff would then update the TR marks with the appropriate transfer grades. • Prior to implementation, Registrar’s Office staff informed about the new transfer grades and received any necessary training. • College-wide communications went out when implementation occurred.

10. Implementation of Transfer Grades • StudentPlanning and registration processes utilize the transfer grades without the need for a counselor or a staff person to look up the student’s transcript. • Faculty, coordinators and staff in the health departments and counseling staff have been very pleased with the usage of transfer grades. • At first, transcript evaluators spent a fair amount of time changing TR marks to transfer grades, but making the change was a rather smooth process. • In most instances, it was not necessary for the transcript to be reviewed due to transfer-course data that was already in Colleague. • The TR mark still remains for instances when transfer credit is awarded for ungraded work. • Military coursework is one of the most common examples. • Another example would be credit awarded for certified licensures.

11. Taking Transfer Grades Further • Within a few months of implementing transfer grades, we made a decision to begin awarding transfer grades based on AP scores. • Previously, a TR mark was awarded for a score of 3 or higher. • Using the CollegeBoard findings from comparability studies, the following transfer grades were awarded based on AP Exam scores: * Source: https://aphighered.collegeboard.org/courses-exams/scoring

12. Challenges Experienced and Expected • Transfer-grade usage has gone very smoothly, yet we understand that there will be continuing need for TR marks to be changed to transfer grades. • Prior students returning to OCC who have TR marks. • Current students with TR marks switching to a program with grade requirements above a “C”. • Future curriculum and prerequisite changes could result in more TR marks needing to be changed to transfer grades. • The transfer grades being awarded for AP scores continues to be a topic of discussion. • Specifically, for the scores of 3 and 4, why does OCC award the lowest grade value from the selection of grade equivalents?

13. Questions?Comments? Steve Linden Registrar Oakland Community College Email: smlinden@oaklandcc.edu