PA Community Colleges, State System Universities Sign Statewide Reverse Transfer Agreements

Students who began their studies at a community college in Pennsylvania before transferring to a university within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education might already have earned enough credits to receive their first degree. And now there’s an easy way for them to get it, through the newly launched “reverse transfer” initiative.

The 14 community colleges in the state and the 14 State System universities today signed a statewide reverse transfer agreement that will allow students who have earned at least 60 total credits to apply for an associate degree from the community college where they started. Receiving the degree could immediately enhance the student’s earning potential, even as he or she continues working toward a bachelor’s degree or other certification or credential at a State System university.

The signing of this agreement is a great addition to the work already being done at East Stroudsburg University (ESU) where more than 73% of its 901 transfer students transferred from a community college. ESU’s eight reverse transfer agreements and 67 articulation agreements with 13 community college partners in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey reflect the university’s longstanding and growing commitment to serving transfer students.

Additionally, on March 28, ESU was named among the top 40 colleges and universities nationwide being recognized by Phi Theta Kappa as an inaugural member of the Excellence in Community College Transfer Honor Roll, which identifies the four-year colleges and universities for creating dynamic pathways to support community college transfers.

“The State System universities and the community colleges are natural partners,” said State System Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. “This agreement is another example of how we can work together on behalf of students all across the Commonwealth. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

“Collaborating with the State System on this agreement is the next step in the commitment of Pennsylvania’s community colleges to increase student completion rates to benefit both students individually and the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Luzerne County Community College President Thomas P. Leary, who also serves as chair of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.

A student who earns an associate degree is more likely to complete the work necessary to receive a bachelor’s degree. “If their studies toward a bachelor’s degree are interrupted for any reason, with this program, they will still have their associate degree, which will benefit them as they prepare to enter the workforce or will help enable them to move up the career ladder,” said Elizabeth Bolden, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.

Many students who initially enroll at a community college do so with the intent of eventually earning a bachelor’s degree, staying long enough to earn an associate degree before transferring to a four-year college or university. Some leave before earning a degree, either to transfer or to go directly into the workforce.

The Reverse Transfer Program gives those who transferred without a credential a pathway to their first college degree.

“We’ve been in the business of reverse transfer agreements since September 2014 when we signed our first agreement with Raritan Valley Community College,” said ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D.  “We’ve seen the number of reverse transfer agreements continue to grow, which is a clear indication that these partnerships with community colleges are what students want and need.”

Students who began their postsecondary education at any community college in Pennsylvania and earned a minimum of 45 credits before transferring to any State System university can participate in the new program. Eligible credits may include those earned through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Credit by Exam and the military.

A student must have enrolled at a State System university within five years of leaving the community college and have earned at least 15 additional credits at a State System university to be considered for the program. Their State System credits will be transferred back to the community college and applied to the requirements for the associate degree.

The State System universities will identify eligible students once they complete the 60 total credits and invite them to participate in the reverse transfer program. If interested, the eligible students will fill out a release form and their State System university transcript will be sent to the community college for review and evaluation.

If approved, the community college will award the degree. Students will not be charged either a graduation or transcript fee by either institution involved.

Illustrative of this initiative, a new partnership was developed between ESU and Northampton Community College (NCC) last month. It enables NCC students graduating from its registered nursing program to transfer seamlessly into ESU’s B.S. in nursing program and complete it within 18 months.

Student Diane Jones of Bethlehem, who completed her R.N. in December at NCC in Bethlehem Township recently made the commitment to transfer to the B.S. in nursing program at ESU.  For her, the beauty of the program was that she is able to take all her ESU classes at NCC. “ESU made it so convenient. It’s easy for everything to transfer over,” said Jones.  “It’s also very affordable,” she added. “That was key.”

The first degrees could be awarded through the program as early as this summer. Many students likely already are eligible. Others could be once the current semester ends in May.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of undergraduate and graduate education in the Commonwealth, with about 107,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges is a voluntary membership association for Pennsylvania’s community colleges, which collectively are the largest providers of undergraduate education in the state, serving more than 313,000 students in 2014-15.

Pennsylvania’s community colleges are Bucks County Community College, Butler County Community College, Community College of Allegheny County, Community College of Beaver County, Community College of Philadelphia, Delaware County Community College, HACC – Central Pennsylvania’s Community College,  Lehigh Carbon Community College, Luzerne County Community College, Montgomery County Community College, Northampton Community College, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, Reading Area Community College and Westmoreland County Community College. The colleges operate 26 campuses and 84 instructional sites and centers, serving students from every county in the Commonwealth.

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