The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) received a seven month planning grant from The Teagle Foundation to formulate plans for a new transfer initiative between community colleges and independent colleges. The grant project is the first phase of building the foundation for a systematic transfer pathway from community colleges to four-year independent colleges in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, focused on the liberal arts.
NEBHE is partnering with the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts and Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island to begin establishing an admission transfer guarantee program.
The “New England Independent College Transfer Guarantee (Guarantee)” will assure acceptance at an independent nonprofit four-year institution for students graduating from a community college with an associate degree. Students who meet eligibility criteria under the Guarantee will be able to transfer as juniors and be fully prepared to successfully complete a bachelor’s degree.
“NEBHE is very pleased to work with this distinguished group of partners to explore opportunities for creating expanded transfer pathways for students in New England,” said Michael K. Thomas, president and CEO of NEBHE, “Stronger links between our two-year institutions and our outstanding independent colleges and universities simply makes sense. It will expand the range of high-quality, affordable bachelor’s degree programs available – benefiting our students, our institutions and our workforce. We are appreciative to The Teagle Foundation for its leadership, vision and support in helping us undertake the important planning steps related to this endeavor.”
This planning grant will lay the foundation for the exploration of the Guarantee’s key goals: Build stronger partnerships between community colleges and independent institutions in three states, develop a seamless and more affordable option for community college students to attend an independent institution, develop and promote liberal arts transfer opportunities at independent colleges for community college graduates, as well as increase the number of community college transfer students who earn a bachelor’s degree at an independent institution.
The Guarantee will be modeled after the agreement between the Independent California Colleges and Universities and the California Community College System. The California Associate Degree for Transfer agreement covers students who graduate from a California community college and seek admission into a participating independent non-profit four-year college or university.
Following successful completion of the planning grant NEBHE has been invited to develop a three-year implementation grant.
More information about NEBHE’s Transfer Initiatives and the Guarantee is available on NEBHE’s website.
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