SB 1440 Update

There has been a great deal of progress made since the autumn to develop the statewide processes for implementing SB 1440. Using the C-ID system during 2010-11, we have convened over 19 discipline groups to develop C-ID course descriptors and to draft Transfer Model Curricula (TMC). So far, 18 TMCs have been drafted and made available on the C-ID website (www.c-id.net) for intersegmental vetting. Of these, four have been finalized and are currently being used to develop “TMC-aligned” degrees across the state. In total, there are approximately 200 approved course descriptors now and 92 draft descriptors for C-ID. The ultimate goal is for all courses in each TMC have a C-ID designation, but that process will take more time to complete. Since October, over 650 faculty from the CCCs and the CSU have attended in-person meetings to coordinate the curriculum in the two segments.

Several groups are meeting regularly to implement the new processes: the two Chancellor’s Offices, the Intersegmental Oversight Committee and Intersegmental Curriculum Workgroup, which has been working on the curricular aspects.

TMC Status (Transfer Model Curriculum)

Four TMC (Sociology, Psychology, Communication Studies and Mathematics) are now available at www.c-id.net and community colleges are encouraged to develop their new degrees to align with these TMC. Per requirements in the CCC Chancellor’s Office, colleges must submit all new degrees to the CCC Chancellor’s Office for approval. Detailed submission instructions are available at www.cccco.edu/1440. We understand that new submissions are arriving every day and being reviewed promptly. The use of the TMCs as the basis for these new degrees is part of an effort to simplify transfer by developing degrees that will work for as many as 20 CSU campuses, as opposed to requiring a student to determine where they wish to transfer before determining their educational plan. This statewide approach saves time, costs and represents a concerted response to SB 1440 legislation.

Many more discipline groups have developed draft TMCs and are (or soon will be) vetting the drafts via the C-ID website.

• The following disciplines have completed the TMC vetting process and we are hoping to finalize their TMC in the near future: Administration of Justice/Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, History, Geology, Physics and Theatre.
• Currently in the vetting process are: Art History, Biology, Studio Art, Kinesiology/PE, Business, Chemistry, English, and Political Science.
• Disciplines that are in the process of developing a TMC include Accounting, Teacher Preparation, CIS, Economics, and Music.
• Additional discipline groups will be convened in the fall and those who have not completed their tasks this term will continue in the fall.

We cannot pinpoint a precise date when these TMC will be ready, as there are variables such as the availability of the faculty to meet and the complexity of the feedback received during vetting. The status changes, so please go to www.c-id.net for the most current information.

The vetting process in which CCC and CSU faculty review a draft TMC is an important step, as it is then that CCC and CSU faculty can provide input to the TMC. We recommend that colleges wait for finalized TMC to be announced before completing their application for new degrees. In this way, there will be the greatest level of consensus across the state, benefitting students and the faculty, who will be more confident about program content and student preparation.

Definitions of “similar,” “local” and “priority”

The legislation, SB 1440, had several terms that were not defined. The Oversight Committee has made progress in clarifying how these terms will be used in implementing the new degrees

“Similar” There is a process in place now by which CSU campus faculty determine whether the TMC is acceptable for one or more of their majors. Faculty are asked if a student arrives with this degree, whether (s)he can complete a baccalaureate in 60 more units. Presently 16-20 CSU campuses will accept the AA-T and AS-T degrees developed according to the TMC for those first three disciplines. Note that their acceptance is for TMC-aligned degrees; any associate degrees that are locally developed in the CCCs will need to be evaluated individually, on a case-by-case basis.

“Local” For the purposes of admitting students with an AA-T and AS-T degree, “local” will be determined in the same way as is currently determined at the CSU. The community colleges that are local to a given CSU for admission purposes will continue to be local to that CSU. Discussions are underway that suggest that CSU may be amenable to a system-wide definition of how a given student’s local CSU is determined – potentially ending the varied CSU practices that currently exist but time will tell.

“Priority” The CSU has drafted an Admission Priority Worksheet which, when completed, will be disseminated widely. While the details will be announced later, the draft policy provides AA-T and AS-T students with a clear advantage in the admissions process.

News from Chancellors Reed and Scott.

The two Chancellors met recently and agreed on the following points:

• The Chancellors agreed that all CSU and CCC campuses will participate.
• The CSU Chancellor’s Office will soon announce their process for giving priority to a student out-of-area to a campus under impaction. It will give AA-T and AS-T students a GPA “bump” of .2, provided the students have met any supplemental GPA admission requirement. The only supplemental admission requirement will be GPA (not additional coursework).
• The CSU Chancellor’s Office will soon announce a process for priority registration to admitted students holding an AA-T or S-T degree. Details will be forthcoming.

Advising Students

Now that there is an infrastructure in place and several degrees/majors are developed, it will be important to develop counseling/advising materials for college personnel. We will convene a group before the end of this term to start to develop advising materials, and their work can be completed in the fall. Because there was a nearly impossible timeline imposed by the Legislature (to have some of the degrees in place by Fall 2011) it is recommended that students be advised to begin their studies in the fall by taking either the courses listed in any newly approved degrees or simply the GE courses. While there are undoubtedly many students in the pipeline already and colleges may want them to be able to take advantage of the new degrees, we need to be realistic about what we can and cannot provide to continuing students, given that we have only had a matter of months to develop a statewide infrastructure. It seems realistic to expect that advising and admissions details will be worked out next fall, as more TMCs and degrees are developed. We appreciate everyone’s patience, given that this new statewide system is complex. Those working on implementation are trying to ensure a quality system is in place as quickly as humanly possible.

News from the Recent Academic Senate Plenary Session

Several relevant resolutions were adopted by the Academic Senate in April. The Senate will provide more information at the Curriculum Institute and various other events.

• Resolution 9. 07 S11 “urge local senates to use the Transfer Model Curricula (TMC) as they develop their local degrees.”
• Resolution 9.13 S11 “encourage local senates to review their course substitution processes to ensure that those processes are appropriately rigorous; and encourage local senates to take measures to ensure that any substitutions made for courses within TMC-aligned degrees are appropriate.”
• Resolution 15.01 S11 “urge local senates and curriculum committees to adopt a reciprocity policy for courses contained in the TMC for the associate degrees for transfer.” This means we encourage colleges give students degree credit for any course taken at another college within their TMC-aligned degree.

We continue to recommend that as colleges develop their degrees, they should double count courses in general education whenever possible and encourage students to complete the CSU American Institutions courses.

C-ID Status

The C-ID system is our state’s response to demands for “common course numbering.” Course descriptors are developed intersegmentally and CCC course outlines are then compared with C-ID descriptors; if they conform, the course is given a C-ID number. Articulation officers are regularly informed when new descriptors become available, at which time they submit their college’s course outlines to C-ID.

C-ID is also the foundation for implementing the new AA-T and AS-T degrees. Discipline faculty from CSU and CCC are asked to go to www.c-id.net immediately and sign up for their discipline list, so they are informed when draft course descriptors or TMC are under review. Their input is needed!

New Report about Associate Degrees Designed for Transfer

A new report was released by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges at UCLA called Implementing Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reform: An Analysis of Transfer Associate Degrees in Four States. In it, the authors identify the elements common to effective degrees aimed at transfer and make recommendations for states that are implementing such degrees. It is surprising how many of the effective practices they identified are present in the California response to SB 1440. At the heart of the effective systems are the intersegmental faculty. In our case, the collaboration of the Academic Senates of the CCC and CSU as well as C-ID has made the progress possible.

What’s Next?

Considering the very short timeline imposed upon the colleges and universities, we have made considerable progress. We are seeking outside funding to support this initiative to permit us to get more done in a shorter time. Regardless of that outcome, the summer break will provide us an opportunity to take stock of the systems in place and plan for continuing work in September. Thank you to the hundreds of faculty members, administrators and staff who have added their wisdom and energy to the development to this new system.

Resources: www.c-id.net www.asccc.org www.cccco.edu/1440