Program Review Self Study

TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY CENTER

October 15, 2003

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Linda Rosa Corazon

Transfer Opportunity Center Coordinator and Articulation Officer

The Transfer Opportunity Center provides vital and comprehensive resources, services, and activities for Skyline students planning to transfer to universities as well as to the entire campus and surrounding community. Transfer Centers were originally established to strengthen the transfer function, and to increase the numbers of students prepared for transfer to four-year institutions through the coordination of college transfer efforts. Transfer Center minimum standards (SB121) further established that a primary focus of the Transfer Center is the identification, development and implementation of strategies designed to enhance the transfer of students from economically disadvantaged families and students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Because community colleges enroll such a diverse student population, the transfer function is particularly crucial in maintaining access to baccalaureate degrees for students historically underrepresented in higher education. The Transfer Opportunity Center was established in 1992 and since its inception has dramatically increased the number of Skyline students transferring to universities, particularly those from underrepresented groups, especially to the University of California as well as the California State University and Independent colleges.

STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM

(1) The Transfer Opportunity Center develops and provides comprehensive transfer

activities and resources for Skyline students and the campus community including:

h Coordinates and expands University Transfer Admission Guarantee programs with

UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara (new), as well as

UCLA (through our Honors Transfer Program).

h Annual Transfer Day which provides representatives from over 30 colleges

and universities, available to meet with students and the campus community.

· University tours to UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz Preview Days and a no cost Spring tour of southern California UC campuses co-sponsored by UC Santa Cruz, the Transfer Opportunity Center, MESA, EOPS, and other campus support programs.

· On campus university “mini-fairs” with university partners such as San

Francisco State University and Notre Dame de Namur, providing “Instant

Admissions” and major program and student services information.

· Development and continual expansion of a comprehensive “Transfer Center

Website” which enables students, faculty, staff and the community to access

vital transfer resources such as the Transfer Center Calendar of Activities,

Transfer updates, university web pages, and on-line applications.

· Active involvement in activities and programs that strengthen university

partnerships such as the co-sponsorship with UC Davis of the Transfer

Opportunity Program which provides a UC Davis representative in the

Transfer Opportunity Center on a weekly basis to meet with students and also to

assist with application and personal statement workshops.

· Personal motivation and support of Skyline’s students throughout the

transfer process through outreach, new student orientations, “Transfer Power”

courses, individualized transfer counseling, classroom visits, transfer events and

activities, university application workshops, honoring of transfer students upon

acceptance to universities, and utilization of former transfer students as mentors and

inspirational role models.

(2) Collaboration with campus and District programs and committees to promote and strengthen

transfer and articulation:

· Ongoing transfer training of all counselors, including those in special programs, through creation, maintenance, and updating of Counselor Transfer and Articulation Binders; development and expansion of on-line Counselor Home page which gives counselors direct access to on-line transfer and articulation resources as well as specialized transfer and articulation trainings and in-services such as “Pathways to Teaching” and individual consultation with counselors assisting with complex transfer issues.

· Active involvement on campus committees such as the Curriculum Committee, Degree Audit Academic Subcommittee and Transfer Advisory Council.

· Transfer information and articulation support to faculty through presentations to academic divisions, individual consultations, and Flex Day activities.

· Annual “It Takes a College to Transfer a Student” event which provides transfer and articulation information to the entire campus community including students, faculty, administrators, and staff, featuring presentations by university representatives and former Skyline College transfer students.

(3) Ongoing efforts to provide the most current and accurate transfer and articulation

information, which is becoming increasingly important as CSU and UC are facing greater

and greater “impaction” and limits on enrollment.

h Active participation in statewide conferences, trainings, and activities related

to transfer and articulation.

h Continously updating transfer and articulation handouts for students, faculty,

and staff such as “How to Transfer to UC” and “How to Transfer to CSU” in order to

reflect most current changes and updates.

h Providing transfer and articulation updates through email to students, faculty

and staff, and on the “Hot News” section of Transfer Center website.

h Active involvement in, and expansion of, university Partnership Programs such

as the UCSC Transfer Partnerships program, which assists Skyline students

interested in transferring to any UC campus and the upcoming UC Dual

Admissions Program which will enable qualified high school students to attend

a community college with guaranteed transfer admission to a UC campus.

NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM

(1) Ongoing and increased funding for assistance with articulation and transfer

responsibilities.

hTransfer and articulation responsibilities are numerous and ever increasing. It is vital

that the Transfer Center Coordinator is provided with highly skilled assistance and

adequate time provided, to fulfill highly complex articulation responsibilities

such as curriculum submissions to the ASSIST database (articulation repository for

the State of California), CAN (California Articulation Numbering system), and

university articulation requests as well as the coordination of all transfer activities.

(2) Funding to expand on-line resources for students, counselors and faculty including:

hCreation of Transfer Student Hall of Fame on the Transfer Center Website featuring

success stories of former Skyline College Transfer students.

hExpansion of Counselor Home Page to move into creation of an Electronic

Counseling Binder to enable counselors to have increased on-line access to important

resources and updates re: transfer and articulation.

(3) Continued and expanded campus and budgetary support for current and future activities including:

hDevelopment of new “Skybridge Transfer Program” between Skyline and UC

Berkeley which would provide a former Skyline transfer student currently

attending UC Berkeley to visit Skyline College as peer advisor .

hAnnual Spring Transfer Student Reception which would honor transferring Skyline

College students, and include university representatives and former Skyline College

transfer students.

Linda Rosa Corazon, Transfer Opportunity Center Coordinator and Articulation Officer Date

SKYLINE COLLEGE

TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY CENTER

PROGRAM REVIEW SELF STUDY

PART A: Overview of Program

1. State the goals/focus of this program and how the program contributes to the mission and priorities of the College and District.

One of the primary missions of the San Mateo Community College District is to provide "lower division programs to prepare students to transfer and enable them to transfer to baccalaureate institutions" as well as to provide "a program of student services to assist students in attaining their educational and career goals." The Transfer Opportunity Center plays a key role in this mission and is vigorously dedicated to these goals, providing a vital center of transfer and articulation information on the Skyline College campus.

The Transfer Opportunity Center provides a library of transfer information including California and out of state college catalogs; specialized transfer handouts.(see packet); university application, personal statement and other specialized transfer workshops; tours of university campuses; “Transfer Power” and “Career in Teaching” courses; university representative visits (including since Fall 2000, co-sponsorship of the UC Davis Transfer Opportunity Program, which provides a UC Davis representative on Skyline’s campus every week); Transfer Guarantee programs to UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, (new) UC Santa Barbara and UCLA (through our Honors Transfer Program). The Transfer Opportunity Coordinator, Linda Rosa Corazon also created a powerful and well received "Transfer Power" video sponsored by a SMCCD Board of Trustees Grant (1995), which highlights success stories of Skyline College transfer students. The TOC also has a comprehensive Transfer Center Website (part of the Skyline College website), and a Transfer Student Database which enables any Skyline student interested in transferring to receive specialized mailings and transfer updates through a transfer student email distribution list. In 1999 the TOC Coordinator also designed a University Studies degree which enables students to earn an Associates degree while meeting necessary transfer requirements for the University of California, California State University, or Independent colleges.

The TOC Coordinator, Linda Rosa Corazon, also has functioned since 1992 as the college's Articulation Officer and has greatly expanded articulation with UC, CSU, and independent colleges. She maintains and regularly updates articulation and transfer information for each counselor through the creation of Transfer and Articulation binders and a Counselor Home Page which provides counselors instant access to important transfer and articulation resources. She also provides ongoing trainings and in-services to help counselors, as well as faculty, stay informed, and current, as to changes in transfer and articulation requirements. Ms. Corazon is actively involved in statewide transfer and articulation meetings and organizations and has held positions as Vice-President, North, representing all Northern California Community College Transfer Centers and twice has been Region III Transfer Center Directors’ representative to the State Chancellor’s Office. She has also been Vice-Chair of the California Intersegmental Articulation Officers Council (CIAC).

Ms. Corazon, as the TOC Coordinator, also provides individualized transfer appointments for students and functions as the liaison for Transfer Admission Agreements with participating four-year campuses, as well as the Cooperative Admissions Program (CAP) with UC Berkeley. She also coordinates campus-wide events related to transfer including our annual Transfer Day which invites over 30 university representatives to the campus community, University mini-fairs, Instant Admission events and the annual campus-wide “It Takes a College to Transfer a Student” workshop, which provides transfer and articulation information to the entire campus community including students, faculty, administrators, and staff, featuring presentations by university representatives and former Skyline College transfer students.

2. Discuss how this program coordinates, impacts, and/or interacts with other programs in the College.

The Transfer Opportunity Center works closely with campus programs that support students planning to transfer such as the Honors Transfer Program (HTP), MESA (Math/Engineering/Science Achievement), EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs & Services), DSPS (Disabled Students Programs & Services), and STAARS (Student Transfer, Academic Achievement, and Retention Services).

The TOC Coordinator works closely with the Honors Transfer Program Coordinator and HTP counselors, participating in meetings with Honors Transfer Program faculty, presenting at HTP orientations, providing training to honors counselors and attending regional and statewide honors related meetings, including an annual meeting at UCLA. The TOC Coordinator also works closely with the MESA program, co-sponsoring events and university visits, including the first Southern California UC campus tour, she co-sponsored with the UC Santa Cruz Transfer Partnerships program, which enabled 27 Skyline students to travel free of charge to visit UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, and UC Riverside last Spring.

The TOC Coordinator also participates in many campus committees including the Curriculum Committee, where she provides guidance and support to faculty in developing transfer level courses to meet CSU General Education, IGETC, and major preparation requirements. She also has been instrumental in the development of the District degree audit system and the creation of the Degree Audit Academic sub-committee.

The TOC Coordinator also works closely with programs that promote the transfer of underrepresented students such as EOPS, PUENTE, ASTEP, and STAARS. She also works closely with the Admissions office in evaluation of student records from other institutions towards transfer requirements. She also functions as a resource and support to all Instructional Divisions and faculty in matters of transfer and articulation.

3. If the program utilizes advisory boards and/or professional organizations, describe their roles.

The Transfer Opportunity Center utilizes a Transfer Advisory Council (reconstituted in Spring 2003) that consists of representatives from the University of California, California State University, and Independent colleges as well as the Dean of Counseling, Honors Transfer Program Coordinator, PUENTE Program Coordinator, EOPS Counselor, Language Arts faculty, Students Activities Coordinator and Associated Students’ Representative. The Council meets once per semester to discuss transfer goals and objectives and to receive input and recommendations from members.

4. Explain how this program meets the needs of our diverse community.

The original charge for Community College Transfer Centers mandated by the Legislature in 1991 was to specifically increase the numbers of underrepresented students transferring from community colleges to universities.

Research undertaken by the State Community College Chancellor’s Office had shown that one of the key factors related to the low numbers of students, particularly from underrepresented groups, transferring to universities was the lack of a central location on community college campuses coordinating transfer activities. This finding led to legislation mandating Transfer Centers on every community college campus, beginning in 1991.

At Skyline the majority of our students are from underrepresented groups (see chart) and are transferring in ever increasing numbers (see chart). The TOC Coordinator works closely with campus programs that support the academic success of underrepresented students including EOPS, PUENTE, ASTEP, MESA and STAARS in activities which include training of counselors, co-sponsorship of events including university tours and transfer and financial aid workshops as well as individual counseling of students. The Transfer Opportunity Center also provides access to various university programs which promote the transfer of diverse students such as the UC Santa Cruz Transfer Partnerships program and UC Berkeley Transfer Admission Program (TAP) designed to assist educationally and economically disadvantaged low income first generation college students gain admission to the Berkeley campus.

5. If the program has completed a previous self-study, evaluate the progress made toward previous goals.

In Fall 2000, the TOC prepared a Transfer Center Plan (see packet) which outlined previous goals already achieved, and outlined Transfer Center goals for the future. The future goals (since realized) included:

Expanding/Marketing and Publicity: As part of a comprehensive strategy to increase our transfer rate by 6% to the UC system and 5% to the CSU system as called for by Partnership for Excellence goals, a strong emphasis was placed on increasing and expanding Marketing and Publicity. These efforts included:

· Placing transfer bulletin boards to post transfer information in high traffic areas throughout the campus, as well as racks for transfer handouts in campus buildings including areas which house special programs such as STAARS, MESA, and the Honors Transfer Program.

· Updating the "Transfer Power" video to include new information such as the Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP) with UC Davis, University Studies Degree, and Transfer Center webpage.

· Mailing updated "Transfer Power" videos to all local high schools and libraries for viewing by prospective students and the community.

· Developing a Transfer Student database utilizing Transfer Student intake cards, which enables the TOC to provide targeted mailings to students, based on universities, majors, and careers which students indicate an interest in, as well as the development of an email transfer student distribution list.

· Continuing the promotion of the University Studies degree, which enables transfer students to earn an Associates degree by completing UC, CSU, or Independent college admission requirements.

· Expanding offerings of the highly popular “Transfer Power” and “Careers in Teaching” courses.

· Expanding the use of former transfer students in presentations and activities.

· Expanding Outreach Activities

· Devoting increased time to conduct outreach to high schools through presentation to classes, assemblies, college nights, and meetings with counselors in activities which feature the "Transfer Power" video and demonstration of the Transfer Center webpage, as well as promotion of special transfer programs such as MESA, the Honors Transfer and Guaranteed Transfer programs.

· Devoting increased staff time to periodically maintaining Transfer Opportunity Center information tables on campus lawn (weather permitting) and in cafeteria.

PART B: Curriculum

1. Describe how the courses offered in the program meet the needs of the discipline(s) and the students. (This may be answered through descriptive narrative evaluation or quantitative research).

Several years ago the Transfer Center Coordinator developed a highly popular one day Saturday class, CRER 665: Transfer Power, (0.5 unit, CSU transferable credit) designed to teach Skyline students “everything they need to know about transfer.” The TOC Coordinator realized that students needed comprehensive transfer information that could not be communicated in a 30 minute counseling appointment. In the “Transfer Power” course, students learn necessary transfer requirements for UC, CSU, and Independent colleges; gain an understanding of articulation/major preparation; understand the factors they must consider in choosing a university, and obtain important financial aid and scholarship information. They tour the Transfer Opportunity Center and engage in hands-on experience with the Transfer Center website, learning the multitude of on-line resources available to transfer students. They also research and develop their transfer and career goals and meet individually with the TOC coordinator to develop an Educational Plan designed to meet their admission requirements to the university of their choice.

The TOC Coordinator also developed and teaches the also highly popular one day Saturday, “Careers in Teaching” course, CRER 665 (0.5 unit CSU transferable credit) designed to provide vital and valuable information for students intending to become pre-school, elementary, middle school, or high school teachers as well as community college instructors and university professors. Students are taught the different paths to teaching, state teacher credentialing requirements (particularly important as requirements are being changed to meet new federal guidelines), special financial aid opportunities for future teachers and information about on-line resources.

The TOC coordinator also provides training and in-services to counselors regarding Pathways to Teaching and Teacher Credentialing requirements.

Transfer Power and Careers in Teaching classes are consistently full and students are enthusiastic about the courses. Student comments include “I found this course very, very helpful. It gave a wider view of all my options and hopes to go to a better college and not feel why I will not succeed.”

2. State how the program has remained current in the discipline(s).

The Transfer Opportunity Coordinator regularly attends statewide conferences, meetings and trainings for both Transfer and Articulation. She regularly visits university campuses learning of new majors and programs to expand opportunities for Skyline students. She regularly updates counselors through counselor meetings, trainings, in-services and on-going transfer and articulation email communication. The Counselor Home Page is also constantly updated and transfer and articulation handouts revised to inform students, counselors, and faculty of changes.

3. If the student population has changed, state how the program is addressing these changes.

The current demographics of students at Skyline College greatly differs from that of Skyline's early years. Currently, the majority of students are underrepresented, often first genereration American and first generation college students, who often face language barriers as many are non-native speakers of English. They are often unsophisticated about colleges and universities and the transfer process and options. The TOC coordinator makes vigorous efforts to provide information and support to student through the “Transfer Power” course, Transfer and Articulation handouts(see packets), visits to local feeder high schools, counseling and outreach to students in special programs at Skyline such as EOPS, PUENTE and STAARS.

The Transfer Opportunity Center Coordinator also makes every effort to connect diverse students with university programs also designed to support their success such as TAP (Transfer Admission Program) with UC Berkeley which assists low income first generation college students gain admission to the campus and the King Hall Outreach Program (KHOP) through the School of Law at UC Davis designed to assist high potential undergraduate students from eductionally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds with their preparation for admission to law school.

The TOC Coordinator also assists students facing academic diffulties through her active involvement in the Student Success Program, providing motivational workshops and individual counseling sessions. Many of these students have had dramatic improvements in their academic performance and have gone to transfer and graduate from prestigious universities such as UC Davis.

The TOC Coordinator also foresees that the need for extensive transfer counseling for diverse student population will increase as more students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds will begin higher education at community colleges due to increases in fees and increasing impaction at CSU and UC campuses.

4. All courses in this program should be reviewed and, if appropriate, modified every six years. If this has not occurred, please list the courses and explain.

The TOC Coordinator is constantly updating information presented in the “Transfer Power” course based on changes in transfer admission requirements and articulation policies. She is also continually updating information presented in the Careers in Teaching course, particularly in light of recent and highly important changes to State Teacher Credential requirements based on new federal guidelines.

5. If external accreditation or certification is required, please state the certifying agency and status of the program.

The TOC Coordinator with the assistance of the Dean of Counseling submits yearly Transfer and Articulation reports to the Community College Chancellor’s Office. The reports reflect our compliance with minimum standards required by the Chancellor’s Office for Transfer Centers, budget allocations, as well as achievements and future goals. Yearly reports are also submitted to CAN and Project ASSIST reflecting curricular changes.

6. Discuss plans for future review and program modification.

Future plans for the Transfer Opportunity Center include:

hExpansion of the Transfer Center website to include a Transfer Student Hall of Fame

consisting of success stories of former Skyline College transfer students who have also

agreed to serve as contacts and mentors for future Skyline College transfer students

interested in similar majors and universities.

hInclusion of “flash” video technology so that portions of the “Transfer Power” video

can be viewed on-line.

hIn coordination with the counseling faculty, to explore the expansion of the Counselor

Home Page to function more comprehensively as an Electronic Counseling Binder

containing instant on-line access to documents containing important transfer and

articulation updates and information.

hTraining of TOC and Career Center staff, as well as counselors, on on-line application

process to UC and CSU as this will be the only mode of application for Fall 2005.

hConducting of on-line CSU and UC application workshops for students in the TOC

utilizing our computer work stations.

hExpansion of Transfer Admission Agreements to include Santa Clara University and

UC San Diego among others.

hCreation of a brochure/handout outlining all existing Transfer Admission Agreements

including deadlines and necessary requirements.

hFinalization of a brochure entitled “Financing Your University Education” containing

important Financial Aid and Scholarship information for transfer students.

hCreation of a “Transfer Power” newsletter, also made available on-line to highlight

Transfer Center activities and programs and to inform students of transfer updates and

opportunities.

hExpansion of university representative visits to Skyline to include a wider range of

transfer options. Columbia University of New York visited Skyline for the first time

this Fall 2003 and UC San Diego will be attending our Fall Transfer Day for the first

time and will also be seeing students by appointment. Negotiations are currently

underway with Portland State University and Savannah College of Arts and Design.

hImplementation of “Skybridge Transfer Program” with U.C. Berkeley, which will

provide a former Skyline College transfer student now attending UC Berkeley to serve

as a peer counselor and mentor for Skyline students interested in transfer to UC

Berkeley.

PART C: Faculty and Staff

1. List major development activities completed by faculty and staff in this prgram in the last six years and state what development is needed or proposed by faculty in this program.

The Transfer Center Coordinator regularly attends trainings and meetings sponsored by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Fall CSU and UC Counselor conferences and Spring UC/CSU Ensuring Transfer Success Conferences. She also atttends campus specific conferences such as the UC Berkeley Counselor Breakfast and UC Davis/UC Santa Cruz Preview Days. She also attends the annual conference sponsored by the AICCU (Association of California Independent Colleges and Universities) as well as conferences held on Independent college campuses to broaden options for Skyline College transfer students. She then reports from these conferences and meetings to all counselors and special programs as well as transmitting important information to Instructional Divisions.

The Transfer Center Director also functions as the college’s Articulation Officer and also attends statewide and regional articulation meetings and trainings. She also attends annual conferences of Project ASSIST (Calfornia Articulation Database) and CAN (California Articulation Numbering System).

Ms. Corazon is also currently participating in the Institutional Leadership Seminar being offered by Skyline College President, Dr. Frances White.

The TOC coordinator also periodically has the assistance of a part-time counselor, Imelda Ferguson, to provide support for a variety of complex articulation responsibilities such as curriculum submissions to Project Assist and CAN, as well as fulfilling articulation requests with individual universities. Ms. Ferguson previously worked in articulation at Ohlone College and is very knowledgeable and thorough. She also assists Ms. Corazon with producing specialized articulation handouts and comparative grids for Skyline students, counselors and instructional faculty that are widely utilized and regularly updated. Ms. Ferguson works closely with the TOC Coordinator to stay current regarding changes in articulation policies and curriculum.

The Transfer Center Office Assistant, Gunilla Harshman, has taken courses through the Center for Teaching and Learning as well as regularly offered Skyline College courses in Dreamweaver (in order to maintain the Transfer Center Website) and Access (Microsoft Office) to maintain the Transfer Student Database. She has also undergone training in BANNER, particularly re: budget maintenance and the new SARS GRID in order to assist students with scheduling appointments with the Transfer Center Coordinator, University representatives, and University Transfer Application Workshops.

The Transfer Center Coordinator also regularly meets with the Office Assistant to strengthen her understanding of transfer and to inform her of important changes. She plans to expand this training in the future to include the ability to assist students with the on-line application process as both UC and CSU will go to an all on-line application mode for Fall 2005 applicants.

2. Describe the orientation process for new faculty and staff (include student workers such as tutors and aides.

The Transfer Center Coordinator participates in the training of all new counselors (full-time and adjunct) in areas of transfer and articulation. She also trains and orients all student workers, including those who work for the Career Center, as the Center is a shared facility. She also orients university representatives who may be new to visiting the campus, providing them relevant information and materials in order to better serve Skyline students. She has also participated in the training of graduate student counseling interns who had placement in the Center.

3. If recruitment of new and/or diverse faculty is needed, suggest recruitment techniques.

Not applicable.

PART D: Facilities, Equipment, Materials and Maintenance

1. Discuss the effectiveness of the facilities, equipment, equipment maintenance, and materials for the program to meet its goals and focus. Include if they impact success and if they are accessible to all students.

The facilities for the Transfer Opportunity Center greatly improved with the move to our new location in the One Stop Student Services Center in Building 2 several years ago. The new location has greatly increased our space and very importantly, enabled us to offer a bank of fourteen computers for student use. Students regularly use these computers to do on-line research about unviersities through the Transfer Center website, to access the Project ASSIST articulation database and to apply to unviersities on-line.

The new location has also placed us in a more highly traffick area, with other Student Services, and made the TOC a more central and prominent feature of the campus. The new location has also finally enabled us to have room for students to meet with unviersity representatives, which was lacking in our old location. This addition has greatly enhanced our ability to serve students particularly for the TOP program with UC Davis, which provides us with a weekly Davis representative. The Center and its equipment are accessible to all students and are regularly maintained. Visits to the Transfer Center have increased by 40% since the move to our new location.

2. List projected needs.

It would be ideal if the Transfer Opportunity Center was a stand-alone entity apart from the Career Center. This would enable us to have increased space for university catalogs, transfer materials and promotional publications. This would also give us additional office space for counselors to rotate their availability in the Transfer Center in order to assist students more directly, to have closer access to the materials in the Transfer Opportunity Center, and to consult more closely with the Transfer Center Coordinator. However, due to facilities and budgetary restraints, it is doubtful this would be possible in the future. Nevertheless, the move to our new location has been a vast improvement.

3. Describe the use of technology in the program and discuss if technology is current and comparable to other college and business or industry.

As mentioned previously, the Transfer Center Coordinator created and maintains a comprehensive Transfer Center website that is part of the Skyline College website. It is one of the most highly utilized sections of the website receiving an ever increasing number of visits. The Transfer Center Coordinator has demonstrated the website at numerous conferences and trainings and it is considered a “model” for the state.

The TOC Coordinator and her assistant have also created a comprehensive “Transfer Student Database” which indicates universities and majors students are interested in for targetted mailings. To maximize cost effectiveness and instant communication to students, an ever expanding transfer student email distribution list was created lat year which has proved highly successful for promotion of events, university representative visits and other transfer related activities and updates. These messages are also sent to special program coordinators ie: MESA and Honors Transfer Program, who then forward Transfer Center communications to students on the email distribution lists they maintain.Finally, as mentioned in the previous section, the TOC has 14 student computers available for students to access a wide variety of trasnfer information including the TOC Web Page and the Project Assist articulation database, as well as on-line university applications.

4. If appropriate, describe the support the program receives form industry. If the support is not adequate, what is necessary to improve that support?

The Transfer Opportunity Center currently does not receive funding from industry. However, one of the TOC Coordinator’s goals for the future is to strengthen industry links with the Transfer Center. She has currently begun discussions with Genentech, located in South San Francisco, as to ways the two could collaborate in the future.

PART E: Budget Request

1. What resources (staff, facilities, equipment and/or supplies) will be needed in the next six years?

The TOC Coordinator feels that additional staff will be needed in the TOC to assist students with on-line applications, as both the CSU and UC systems will go to an “all”

‘on-line application format effective for Fall 2005 applicants. Current experience with on-line applications has shown that many students need extensive assistance with this process. In addition, future CSU and UC application workshops will be conducted in the TOC utilizing our computer work stations. Additional staff will be needed to assist students during these workshops.

In addition, it is foreseen that additional counselors will be needed at Skyline College with extensive knowledge of transfer requirements, as CSU and UC will become increasingly impacted due to budget cuts and increasing numbers of eligible students. More students will be attending community colleges intending to transfer and transfer requirements will become even more complex than they already are. Thus, students will need a wider range of options and many more will be preparing for multiple universities. The UC Dual Admissions Program will also create an increased need for highly trained transfer counselors as these students will be attending Skyline in preparation for transfer to UC campuses which will require extensive educational planning.

The Transfer Opportunity Center Coordinator also needs ongoing and increased funding for highly skilled assistance, and adequate time provided, to fulfill highly complex articulation responsibilities as the workload is more than the Transfer Opportunity Center Coordinator/Articulation Officer can handle individually. (NOTE: On most community college campuses, the Transfer Center Coordinator and Articulation Officer are two full-time positions, yet with adequate assistance and time provided, the TOC Coordinator has very successfully fulfilled these two responsibilities.)

Expanded funding and technical support are also needed for the expansion of on-line resources for counselors, students and faculty, and to create a “Transfer Student Hall of Fame” providing inspiration and mentors for Skyline students. This highlighting of Skyline student success stories will assist the college in promoting its achievements , which should prove very useful in efforts to create Partnerships and seek funding from private industry. (NOTE: Excerpts of the Transfer Power video and tours of the Transfer Center were especially effective in presentations to members of the Skyline College President’s Council, which consists of key figures in private industry and government in the surrounding community.)

In summary the Transfer Opportunity Center has been instrumental in creating a growing and ever-strengthening, culture and climate of university transfer on the Skyline College campus. Recent research indicates that since the inception of the Transfer Opportunity Center transfer numbers have been steadily increasing every year and the college is now transferring the highest number of students in its history to UC, CSU, and Independent Colleges(!) The Transfer Opportunity Center is also constantly working to expand the range of transfer opportunities for our students, for example Columbia University, New York visited Skyline for the first time this Fall and we are constantly working to improve and expand our transfer services for students and the campus community.

2. If appropriate, discuss methods the program could share resources with other programs in the College and District.

The Transfer Center Coordinators in the District often meet to share ideas and resources at Regional Transfer Center Directors’ meetings. The Skyline TOC Coordinator also directly assisted the new Transfer Center Coordinators at both Cañada and CSM, linking them to the regional group and providing support when questions and issues arose in their new postiions. The TOC Coordinator also shared her website with them, and learned they utilize it extensively as they have not yet created their own. The TOC Coordinator also consults and collaborates on articulation issues with the District’s other two Articulation Officers. This consultation and collaboration will become increasingly important as the District moves into its Degree Audit System and issues re: the granting of credit for work done at other institutions and Advanced Placement Exams, towards transfer requirements, will need to be standardized and consistent. The TOC Coordinator/Articulation Officer will also play a key role in the training of staff doing transfer credit evaluations for the Degree Audit System at all three colleges in the District.

Data Report

Both "Transfer Power" and "Careers in Teaching" courses have consistently been filled since first offered several years ago.Students' evaluations of the courses are positive and enthusiastic. Students are also offered an individual counseling appointment with the Transfer Center Coordinator in the weeks following the course where their individual transfer and career goals are discussed in depth and a comprehensive Student Educational Plan created. Students are also referred to relevant student Support Services and Special Programs and instructional faculty/courses to maximize their success.

Please note that because the "Transfer Power" and "Careers in Teaching" courses are one day Saturday classes, students who do not show up receive a "No credit - NC" grade. Success rate of those who attend is 100%.