COTA Meeting Minutes, November 2006

Committee on Transfer and Articulation (COTA)
Missouri Department of Higher Education
November 22, 2006

Approved December 20, 2006

Participants: Evelyn Jorgenson, Jeanie Crain, Don Doucette, Marsha Drennon, Arlen Dykstra, Karen Finkenkeller, Steve Lehmkuhle, Kandis Smith

MDHE Staff: Jeremy Kintzel, Laura Vedenhaupt, B.J. White

Chair Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by Dr. Arlen Dykstra and seconded by Dr. Marsha Drennon to approve the minutes of the October 25, 2006, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) Degree

Dr. Steve Lehmkuhle updated COTA on the progress of the proposed AAT degree. The AAT was submitted to the MDHE and posted to the MDHE’s website with an understanding that the Council on Public Higher Education (COPHE) would be providing comments on the proposal.

Dr. Lehmkuhle reported that during the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) meeting on November 20, 2006, which he, Dr. Don Doucette, and Dr. Robert Stein attended, the MCCA agreed to the following changes suggested by COPHE:

• Remove the course “Education of Exceptional Learners” from the core requirements.
• Add an additional credit hour to the core course “Teaching Profession with Field Experience,” resulting in a three-hour course and a total core of 12 hours.
• Add two hours of elective credit for a total of eight elective credits. “Education of Exceptional Learners” would be accepted in transfer as an elective course.

Dr. Stein had stated previously that the MDHE would not recommend the AAT for approval by the CBHE with the current language concerning additional required funds. Dr. Doucette stated that any mention of money was not intended as a request for additional funds but rather that institutions may need to reallocate existing funds.

Dr. Lehmkuhle reminded COTA that COPHE institutions had agreed to be signatories and that COPHE would conform to best practices and the Credit Transfer Policy.

Dr. Jorgenson explained that the next step will be for Dr. Doucette to send the MDHE a formal notice of changes made to the AAT and to send out a signatory letter explaining the agreement to the four-year institutions. The MDHE would like at least one four-year signatory, if not all, by the December 2006 CBHE meeting. Dr. Lehmkuhle stated that the University of Missouri’s Columbia, St. Louis, and Kansas City campuses would be signatories to the AAT.

Dr. Doucette expressed concern that some faculty may encourage students to not finish the AAT and to transfer early to a four-year institution to complete degree coursework. Dr. Lehmkuhle stated that it had always been COTA’s policy that it was in the best interest of the student to complete a two-year degree. Dr. Doucette asked if COTA should form a group to monitor the implementation of the AAT. Dr. Jorgenson agreed that there should be a monitoring effort.

Ms. Laura Vedenhaupt asked if a press release should go out after the CBHE meeting if the AAT is approved. A press release was agreed to, and joint advertising of the degree was discussed.

Transfer Conference

Ms. Vedenhaupt updated COTA on the logistics of the 2007 transfer conference. In coordination with the UM System office, the Courtyard Marriott in Columbia, MO has been reserved. Registration forms and an invitation letter are being prepared.

Mr. Kintzel reminded COTA that the conference would be structured in three phases: the issuance of a data sourcebook in early January, the one-day work session for practitioners on January 24, 2007, and a half-day policy discussion with CBHE and Presidents and Chancellors on February 6, 2007, at the CBHE work session in Jefferson City.

Ms. Vedenhaupt reported that the invitation letter and registration form would go out as soon as arrangements with the meeting site had been finalized. Mr. Kintzel reported that the letter could go to Presidents and Chancellors, institutional research personnel, the Missouri Assessment Consortium (MAC), the Missouri Developmental Education Consortium (MODEC), transfer/articulation officers, and chief academic officers. Mr. Kintzel also stated that each institution would be asked to coordinate their attendees to the conference so that as many Missouri institutions could be represented at the conference as possible.

Dr. Doucette requested that a discussion of the AAT be on the agenda for the conference. Dr. Jeanie Crain suggested that the topics set by the conference coordinating committee could be used to set the agenda. Dr. Jorgenson stated that the commitment to transfer should also be renewed at the Transfer Conference.

Missouri Developmental Education Consortium (MODEC)

Dr. Jorgenson updated COTA on the work of MODEC. Dr. Jorgenson reported that MODEC institutions are distributing a brochure that outlines college readiness for community colleges. MODEC has also produced a template brochure for colleges that were not comfortable with the original brochure and that could be adapted to meet their needs. MODEC representatives would like to meet with representatives from the MDHE, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Governor’s office in spring 2007 to further discuss developmental education issues in Missouri.

Dr. Crain asked how widely institutions distributed the brochures and what implications the brochures might have for open enrollment four-year institutions. Dr. Doucette stated that MODEC standards might necessitate a discussion of college readiness at all higher education institutions. Dr. Crain concurred and added that college readiness should be the same across sectors.

Dr. Crain requested that MODEC and college readiness be placed on the Transfer Conference agenda.

Adjournment

Dr. Jorgenson adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Next Meeting

The next COTA meeting will be a conference call held on December 20, 2006, beginning at 2:00 p.m.