The Blended Baccalaureate Solution

1. The Blended Baccalaureate Solution Deborah L. Floyd Florida Atlantic University Albert L. Lorenzo Macomb Community College Community College Baccalaureate Association International Conference, New York, New York March 5, 2005

2. Introduction & Overview • The role of community colleges in serving students with baccalaureate interests is often defined as an “either/or” solution • In reality, various options run along a continuum of institutional responses • This session will – • Describe the continuum of institutional responses • Discuss the associated benefits and limitations • Encourage participant ideas and insights

3. Educational Attainment The increase in adult educational attainment levels in the United States during the last half of the Twentieth Century is nothing short of spectacular.

4. Educational Attainment2000 Census Data – Highest Credential of Age 25+

5. “Aspirations for baccalaureate education will continue to grow, and, true to their heritage, community colleges will search for ways to respond.”

6. Baccalaureate Continuum • Articulation Agreements • Degree Connections • Dual Degrees • Integrated Baccalaureates • University Centers • Community Development Partnerships • University Extension Centers • Baccalaureate Authority

7. Articulation Agreements • Formal agreements between the partner institutions • Focused on traditional 2+2 curriculum culminating in a 4-year degree • Serves as a basic transfer guide for students and advisors • Information is made available through print and electronic sources • The concept evidences the curriculum relationship between the institutions

8. Degree Connections • Focuses on the students’ “preferred paths” to four-year degree completion • Selected number of articulation agreements are aggressively managed and jointly promoted • Partner and program selection is based on popularity, viability, and labor market needs • Provides students enhanced ability to “self advise” • The practice evidences the special value of selected transfer program

9. Dual Degrees • Builds upon Degree Connection concept • Partners commit to the completion of both associate and baccalaureate degrees • Dual acceptance and orientation to both institutions during the first year • CC students are required to develop a four year educational plan • Reverse transfer is used if needed to complete the requirements of the associate degree

10. Dual Degrees • Joint efforts to support recruitment, admissions, advising, and financial aid • Access to a common student data base; information is shared and flows easily • Intended to increase the probability of completing a baccalaureate degree • The concept evidences a joint commitment to degree completion

11. Integrated Baccalaureates • Four-year program is housed along side the two-year program in a campus or community facility. • Achievement of a four-year degree is part of a student’s initial academic plan. • Curriculum is integrated and coherent, and is typically in the applied domain. • The partner is committed to the Dual Degree concept, and accepts 60 or more credit hours upon transfer.

12. Integrated Baccalaureates • The partner usually assigns site-based faculty and/or support staff • Evidences a joint commitment to enhancing access, and deriving mutual institutional and student benefits from co-locating coursework and staff

13. University Centers • 4-year programs housed on 2-year campuses (or in neutral area of the community) • Often include multiple partners and programs • Selection based on popularity and viability • Partners are restricted to upper division courses • All programs are supported by articulation agreements; many are offered through Degree Connections or as Dual Degrees • Evidences a joint commitment to enhancing access to baccalaureate degrees

14. University Center Models • Co-Location Model • Enterprise Model • Virtual Model • Integrated Model • Sponsorship Model • Hybrid Model University Center

15. University Center Models • Co-LocationModel – Partners share physical space, but few other connections • Enterprise Model – Consortium develops and operates an independent and typically freestanding higher education center (UC at Dallas, UC at Greenville) • Virtual Model – Partners offer all upper division course work online, but provide for on campus support services (Franklin University)

16. University Center Models • Integrated Model – Shared physical space and integrated curriculum, student affairs, library, etc. (Brevard CC/U of Central Florida) • Sponsorship Model – CC takes leadership role in determining programs and partners; typically in a freestanding facility (University Center at Macomb CC) • Hybrid Model – CC operates a UC and also confers bachelor’s degrees (St. Petersburg (FL); Georgian Colleges (Ontario)

17. Community Development Partnerships • Builds upon a University Center or Integrated Baccalaureate Degree partnership • Commitment to provide site-based access or linkages to the “intellectual capacity” of the partner university • The partner’s programs and services contribute to the economic, social and/or cultural vitality of the community

18. Community Development Partnerships • The university establishes a highly visible local presence, usually with the CC • Evidences a joint commitment to enhance community access to the educational, research, and public service components of the university partner’s mission

19. University Extension Models (diverse forms of state governance blur distinctions) • Two-year campus transforms into an extension center or branch of a university • University of West Virginia – Parkersburg (formerly Parkersburg CC until 1989) • University of Arkansas at Fort Smith – (formerly Westark Community College until 2002) • Oklahoma State University – Okmulgee (land grant university campus, highest degree associate, now approved for technical baccalaureate degrees in certain fields)

20. Baccalaureate Authority • Community College is given the full authority to grant four-year degrees • Often limited to applied or workforce baccalaureate degrees • Community college is responsible to meet accreditation, licensure, and certification requirements • May be offered in addition to other forms of baccalaureate partnerships

21. Blended Baccalaureate Solution (One size does not fit all.) • Articulation Agreements • Degree Connections • Dual Degrees • Integrated Baccalaureates • University Centers • Community Development Partnerships • University Extension Centers • Baccalaureate Authority

22. Issues & Questions to Ponder … just a few • Is one model of delivery more effective than another? Outcomes? Measures? • Articulation Models • Certification and post baccalaureate partnership Models, especially teacher ed. • University Extension Center Models • University Center Models • Community College Baccalaureate Models

23. ….More issues • Curriculum - What are the curricular areas of focus? Workforce and applied? Are these programs meeting unmet needs in the workforce? • Reasons and motivation - Why are community colleges moving in this direction? • Is this congruent with our mission?

24. Fiscal Ramifications - questions • What are the real costs of community college baccalaureate programs? • How do these costs compare with university programs? • Is one model more cost effective than the other? • Should community college faculty teaching upper division courses be paid more money?

25. Looking to the future… • What happens to community college students who graduate from a program (based on these models) Success? Retention in profession? Variations by model? • Who will assume the research agenda for this movement so decision makers have good information for policy making? • Will these changes in community colleges alter the fabric of these colleges as we know them? If so, in what ways?

26. Hamlet on the Future of Community Colleges … “Two years, or not two years, that is the question.”