10 Institutions Selected for Grant-funded Technology Partnerships to Improve Transfer Experience for College Students

BOULDER, Colo. – Ten accredited postsecondary institutions in the West have been selected to participate in an innovative partnership project that aims to improve outcomes for transfer students by leveraging campus technology.

The Technology and Partnerships for Transfer Success project, administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), is pairing a four-year university or university system with a two-year college or technical school in unique partnerships. Staff from each school (including but not limited to academic advisors, registrars, and information technology professionals) will work together on piloting technological solutions to improve pathways for students transferring between the two postsecondary institutions.

The partnerships are:

• SOUTH DAKOTA: Dakota State University and Lake Area Technical College are implementing course equivalency software to support transfer in high-demand workforce areas for students with technical degrees.
• MONTANA: Montana University System and Helena College are piloting applications to increase visibility and transparency of degree plan options and requirements to students and advisors with the goal of having them implemented across the system.
• ARIZONA: Northern Arizona University and Maricopa Community College District are developing a technology platform to exchange critical student data to better enable staff from both institutions to identify and support “some college no credential” students in re-enrolling and completing their credential.
• ARIZONA: University of Arizona and Pima Community College are implementing “UnBlockEd,” a boutique portal that seeks to support students with complex academic histories.
• COLORADO/WYOMING: University of Northern Colorado and Laramie County Community College are implementing student-facing technology to increase transparency around transfer outcomes.

This project is an outgrowth of WICHE’s commitment to student access and success by building upon the foundational work from its decade-long Interstate Passport initiative to create seamless transfer pathways for college students.

“The complexities of transfer remain a perennial issue. Students need flexible on-and-off-ramp opportunities for postsecondary education, while institutions need to ensure quality and be able to operate at scale,” said Ray Burgman Gallegos, vice president, Programs and Services, at WICHE. “This project was developed as a response to the need for innovation, improvement, and the removal of impediments to successful and seamless student transfer, particularly technological advancements that address information gaps for students and academic advisors.”

The two-year project is funded by an anonymous grant. Each institutional pairing will receive up to $30,000 for their specified technology development; the 10 selected universities and community colleges will also participate in a community of practice facilitated by WICHE to exchange information about the technology improvement and costs; share prototypes, testing and tracking results; and collect and share insights into successful approaches to student support and curriculum mapping for other postsecondary institutions.