Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors

Community College Student Transfer Report: Identifying opportunities to increase the number of students who successfully transfer from a community college to a university is an important topic in public higher education. To advance this discussion in Texas, the Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors prepared a diverse collection of potential strategies as presented in “Improving Texas Community College Student Transfer Rates to General Academic Institutions: A Report Featuring Recommendations for the Coordinating Board, Higher Education Institutions, and the State.” We envision utilizing this report as an initial reference for expanding this discussion with our community college colleagues and members of the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Recommendations provided in this report are not prioritized; instead they identify potential action items for further consideration by 1) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and institutions of higher education (IHE’s), 2) partnerships with community colleges and general academic institutions, 3) general academic institutions, and 4) the state legislature. Presented as a “menu” of options, the programs recommended here may be acted upon as appropriate. The committee recognizes statewide implementation may not be the best approach for many of the action items and that several institutions have one or more of the recommended programs in place. Exploring the opportunities presented here, for new or expanded program implementation, is encouraged to advance student success throughout the state.

As the Community College Student Transfer Committee completes its charge through the provision of this report, we recognize the momentum in addressing student transfer is only just beginning; we look forward to advancing discussions among university presidents and system representatives with presidents of the State’s community colleges, the Coordinating Board, and the legislature. This second phase will likely unite the various groups presently addressing student transfer and encourage identification of essential policy action items with clear and effective strategies. This report is intended to serve as a helpful resource and springboard to advance the discussion.