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Connecting Transfers: Student Affairs Services that Bridge the Gap

Connecting Transfers: Student Affairs Services that Bridge the Gap. Brittany Kinard Kimone Holtzman Cory Bailey Dr. April Heiselt Mississippi State University SACSA Conference Memphis, TN. Introductions. Presenters Brittany Kinard Kimone Holtzman Cory Bailey Dr. April Heiselt

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Connecting Transfers: Student Affairs Services that Bridge the Gap

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  1. Connecting Transfers: Student Affairs Services that Bridge the Gap Brittany Kinard KimoneHoltzman Cory Bailey Dr. April Heiselt Mississippi State University SACSA Conference Memphis, TN

  2. Introductions Presenters • Brittany Kinard • KimoneHoltzman • Cory Bailey • Dr. April Heiselt Tell Us A Bit About You…

  3. Our interest in transfer students • We all have individual transfer experiences. • We are advocates for community college students. • We have witnessed transfer student issues at each of our perspective institutions. • We believe it is important to serve and connect transfer students. • We believe transfer students have unique needs.

  4. ? What needs have you seen with the transfer student population?

  5. What the research says • Transfer students bring: • Higher retention rates • Diversity • Higher overall GPA (Alfonso, 2006; College Board, 2011; Fischbach, 2006; Gawley& McGowan, 2006; Handel, 2011; Melguizo & Kienzl,2011; Townsend & Wilson, 2006; Glass & Harrington, 2002) • What transfer students need: • Social interaction • Community • Academic credit guidance • Student development • Campus Resources (Astin, 1985; Hadley, 2011; Rhine, 2000; Tinto, 1993; Tinto, 1997; Townsend & Wilson, 2006)

  6. What, if anything, are SACSA land-grant institutions doing to connect transfer students to campus? Research Question:

  7. The Study • Website review of 32 SACSA land-grant institutions • Started with campus admissions site, then general site search • Inter-rater reliability • Reviewed the following information: • Articulation Agreements • Transfer Admissions Process • Housing • Programs (student groups, transfer student events) • Orientation • Services (a transfer specific professional or office) • Contact Individual • Conducted 16 follow-up phone interviews

  8. Articulation Agreements • Any type of articulation agreement information (State wide, institutionally based, degree or hours based) • Access to the four year institution for community college transfer students. • Bachelor degree may seem more obtainable to community college students (Alfonso, 2006)

  9. Transfer Admissions • Transfer admissions information easily accessible and understandable. • The process is clearly defined with resources and contacts for questions. • If information is clear, this will help transfer students ensure successful transfer.

  10. On-Campus Housing • Housing information easily accessible to transfer students • Transfer specific information regarding housing • Housing can increase student development, involvement, mentoring, social interactions, and academic success. (Astin, 1985)

  11. Transfer Orientation • Separate orientation for transfer students or break-out for transfer students • Accessibility of orientation information (dates, times, registration, requirement) • Allows students to connect to the campus prior to classes beginning. • Allows students to connect to other transfer students • Allows students to connect with campus professionals and seek guidance

  12. Programs are defined as any type of campus related activity that incorporates direct student involvement. (events, welcome week, extended orientation, student groups, etc.) • Offer students opportunities to connect to the campus as well as other transfer students. • Foster student development through involvement (Astin, 1985). • Information regarding student programs on websites was very limited. Transfer Student Programs

  13. Transfer Student Services • Services are defined as any university service to transfer students that does not incorporate direct student involvement. (resource guides, transfer student resource center, transfer student coordinator, classes, etc.) • Services are a way to serve all transfer students ranging in involvement interest. • Fosters a since of mattering for transfer students • Information regarding transfer student services was very limited.

  14. Phone Contacts • Looked for university contact in Admissions Office • Contacted each institution, 16 institutions or 46% responded • With specific focus on: • Transfer Student Programs • Transfer Orientation • Transfer Student Services • Transfer Recruitment Fairs • On-site Community College Recruitment

  15. Articulation Agreements Websites Phone Contacts

  16. On-Campus Housing Website Phone Contacts What are the implications of this data?

  17. Transfer Student Orientation Websites Phone Contacts

  18. Transfer Student Program Information From Phone Contacts Types of Transfer Student Programs • 46% Student Groups • 30% Extended Orientations • 23% Events • 15% Unidentified *Some institutions utilize multiple types

  19. Transfer Student Programs Websites Phone Contacts What are the implications of this data?

  20. Transfer Student Services • Types of Transfer Student Services • 33% Transfer or Resource Guides • 22% First-year seminar/classes for transfer students • 11% Information Sessions

  21. Transfer Student Services Websites Phone Contacts What are the implications of this data?

  22. Transfer Student Recruitment Why is transfer student recruitment important? • Personal Connection on campus • Opportunity to ask questions in person • Increase enrollment of transfer students • Establishes relationships and fosters mattering (Rhine, 2000)

  23. Results • Not all websites are understandable • There’s not enough specification for transfer students (admissions, financial aid, etc.) • Minimal ratio of transfer students to Student Affairs practitioners • More transfer student programming information

  24. Implications • Each Student Affairs Office needs to consider transfer students • Admissions • Are there transfer packets available? • Is articulation agreement information well-known and easily accessible? • Is there a transfer orientation specifically for transfer students? • Housing • Is housing available to transfer students? • Are there communities available to connect transfer students? • Are transfer students being engaged in living-learning communities?

  25. Implications • Each Student Affairs Office needs to consider transfer students (cont’d.) • Student Programs/Activities • Are there specific transfer student programs that are designed to engage and connect transfer students? • Are there student groups, events, or programs that foster transfer student development? • Student Services • Are there services designed to serve transfer students? • Are the students aware that these services are available?

  26. Implications • Clarity on campus websites • Types of programming • Transfer specific • Mission/Purpose Statement • Information about how to get involved • Housing • Information regarding transfer students • Advocate for transfer student housing • Application requirements • Clear application process • Transfer student check-list • Resources • Personal contact • Transfer credit guide

  27. Limitations • Prior research data pertained mainly to community college transfer students • Focus on public land-grant institutions • Community colleges have “different” transfer students • Follow-up was not as effective as hoped • Electronic message scavenger hunt • Phone calls were not returned • Research highlighted additional transfer student needs • Financial Aid, Dining, Recreation, etc.

  28. Discussion What are you doing on your campus to benefit transfer students? What are other ways to meet the needs of transfer students that were not mentioned today?

  29. Questions?

  30. Contact Information Brittany Kinard bk146@msstate.edu KimoneHoltzman kah507@msstate.edu Cory Bailey ceb179@msstate.edu April Heiselt aheiselt@colled.msstate.edu

  31. References Alfonso, M. (2006). The impact of community college attendance on baccalaureate attainment. research in higher education, 47(8), 873-903. Atin, A. W. (1985). Achieving educational excellence. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Brazzell, J.C., & Reisser, L. (1999). Creating inclusive communities. In G.S. Blimling, & E.J. Whitt, Good practice in student affairs: principles to foster student learning (pp. 157-177). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Carlan, P.E., & Byxbe, F.R. (2000). Community colleges under the microscope: An analysis of performance predictors for native and transfer students. Community College Review, 28(2), 27-42. College Board. (2011). Improving student transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions: the perspective of leaders from baccalaureate-granting institutions. College Board. Retrieved from http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/11b3193transpartweb110712.pdf Elkins, D.J., Forrester, S.A., & Noel-Elkins, A.V. (2011). Students’ perceived sense of campus community: the influence of out-of-class experiences. College Student Journal, 45(1), 105-121. Fischbach, R. (2006). Assessing the impact of university open house activities.College Student Journal, 40(1), 227-234. Flaga, C.T. (2006). The process of transition for community college transfer students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30(1), 3-19. Gawley, T., & McGowan, R.A. (2006). Learning the ropes: a case study of the academic and social experiences of college transfer students within a developing university-college articulation framework: College Quarterly. Glass Jr., J.C., & Harrington, A.R. (2002). Academic performance of community college transfer students and “native” students at a large state university. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 26(5), 415-430.

  32. References, Cont’d. Handel, S. J., & College, B. (2011). Improving student transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions: The perspectives of leaders from baccalaureate-granting institutions. College Board, Hadley, W. M. (2011). College students with disabilities: a student development perspective. New directions for higher education, 77-81. Kinzie, J., & Schuh, J.H. (2008). DEEP (Documenting Effective Educational Practice) Colleges and Universities. NASPA Journal, 45(3), 406-424. Melguizo, T., Kienzl, G.S., & Alfonso, M. (2011). Comparing the educational attainment of community college transfer students and four-year college rising juniors using propensity score matching methods. The Journal of Higher Education, 265-291. Pascarella, E.T., & Terenzini, P.T. (2005). How college affects students (Vol. 2). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Rhine, T. J., Milligan, D. M., & Nelson, L. R. (2000). Alleviating transfer shock: Creating an environment for more successful transfer students. Community College Journal Of Research And Practice, 24(6), 443-453. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). University of College Press. Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 68, 599-623. Townsend, B.K., & Wilson, K.B. (2006). A hand hold for a little bit: Factors facilitating the success of community college transfer students to a large research university: Journal of College Student Development, 47(4). The Johns Hopkins University Press. DOI: 10.1353/csd.2006.0052

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