COTA Meeting Minutes, May 2006

Committee on Transfer and Articulation (COTA)
Missouri Department of Higher Education
May 16, 2006

Approved September 27, 2006

Participants: Evelyn Jorgenson, Kandis Smith, Stephen Lehmkuhle, Don Doucette, Clark Triplett, Julio Leon, Jeanie Crain, Arlen Dykstra

MDHE Staff: Robert Stein, Jeremy Kintzel, Laura Vedenhaupt

Chair Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m.

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by Dr. Stephen Lehmkuhle and seconded by Dr. Julio Leon to approve the minutes of the April 18, 2006 conference call. The motion passed unanimously.

Advanced Credit Opportunities

Dr. Robert Stein said that the draft survey of advanced credit opportunities in Missouri high schools distributed to COTA members would likely be revised further before being distributed in fall 2006. Stein commended Dr. Jim King and the Missouri Association of High School Principals as important resources in the development of the survey. Dr. Stein said a companion survey would be developed for postsecondary providers of advanced credit.

Dr. Stein said the survey spreadsheet, to be collected electronically, would be accompanied by a glossary of terms and instructions, and it would address Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit, International Baccalaureate (IB), simultaneous enrollment, and other advanced credit programs.

Dr. Don Doucette questioned the glossary definitions of dual credit and simultaneous enrollment in comparison to definitions applied by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Dr. Doucette also requested revisions regarding the definition of AP, as well as additional information on responses received in all sections where a poll of teachers was requested. Dr. Jorgenson asked how widespread IB programs were believed to be in Missouri . Dr. Stein said national policymakers were spotlighting IB as a model, and that there was interest in measuring its implementation in Missouri .

Subcommittee for Review of Admissions Standards

COTA members discussed the revised draft CBHE-Recommended High School Core Curriculum developed by the Subcommittee for Review of Admissions Standards. Dr. Stein emphasized the importance of the project in the context of other P-20 discussions, e.g. remediation. Dr. Leon questioned whether the draft should incorporate greater specificity regarding course titles and/or sequence. Dr. Jorgenson said that given statewide variation in course titles, sequence, and outcomes in high schools, greater specificity would be problematic. Dr. Lehmkuhle stated his support for a foreign language requirement as predictive of postsecondary success. Participants discussed the possibility of approving the draft for referral to the CBHE with the understanding that companion documents, e.g. competencies, could be developed in the future. Participants reached consensus that following other suggested editorial revisions, the draft would be presented to COTA via email for final approval/referral.

Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) Degree

Dr. Doucette said that representatives of two-year institutions working on the AAT had met twice recently, and were actively discussing the structure of a prospective program. Dr. Doucette said a MACTE workgroup of two-year and four-year representatives, independent of the primary MACTE task force, was also discussing the AAT. Dr. Stein said discussions seemed to be coming to consensus around a program incorporating the 42-hour articulated block of general education and a 13-hour core, including a foundations course, field experience, a technology course, educational psychology, and education of the exceptional child. Dr. Stein said the AAT would include minimal thresholds for GPA and C-BASE scores, though higher thresholds might be maintained by some receiving institutions. Dr. Doucette said two-year participants had proposed minimums of 2.5 (GPA) and 235 (C-BASE). Dr. Lehmkuhle emphasized that completion of the AAT would not guarantee admission to a particular four-year education program given differences in capacity.

Dr. Stein questioned whether four-year institutions from eastern Missouri were actively engaged in discussions. Dr. Lehmkuhle said the University of Missouri ? St. Louis and Southeast Missouri State University had been supportive in the past. Dr. Kandis Smith said UMSL had undergone reorganization relevant to transfer/articulation.

Dr. Lehmkuhle commended the cooperative spirit of institutional representatives working on the proposed AAT. Dr. Stein said the AAT would be discussed in the COTA agenda item for the June 14, 2006 CBHE meeting.

2006-07 Scheduling

Dr. Stein proposed a summer retreat at which COTA members would engage in reflection and strategic planning. Dr. Jorgenson said her office would survey members and coordinate scheduling for a prospective one-day summer retreat, as well as for 2006 ? 2007 meetings and conference calls beginning in September.

Other/Adjournment

Dr. Lehmkuhle suggested that COTA explore the formation of a standing advisory subcommittee of student advisors and high school counselors. Dr. Lehmkuhle requested that the discussion be included on the next agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m. Dr. Jorgenson commended COTA members for their work and valuable perspective in 2005 ? 2006.