Administrative Procedures

Transfer Articulation Procedure with Receiving Institutions

1. Purpose

This procedure describes the elements for establishing system-level transfer/articulation agreements with other institutions.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all system level transfer/articulation agreements or memorandum of understanding for outgoing transfer of students to another education institution. Individual colleges may have other criteria for individual transfer agreements. 

3. Procedure

1. The following criteria must be met for KCTCS to enter into a system level transfer agreement with a receiving institution:
   1. Receiving institution has earned an institutional accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If the agreement is program specific and the institution does not carry institutional accreditation, the program needs to be appropriately accredited.
      
      
   2. Students are eligible to receive federal financial aid at the receiving institution.
      
      
   3. Agreements need to provide some benefit to KCTCS students such as reduced tuition, scholarships, access to advising, fee waivers etc.
      
      
   4. The receiving institution agrees to share data on KCTCS students who transferred in either through the KCTCS Data Sharing framework MOU or by including language in the transfer agreement that allows KCTCS to receive the following information about KCTCS students who have transferred to them:
      • • full name and date of birth
        • KCTCS college from which students transferred
        • number of hours transferred
        • major program(s) of study - description
        • major program(s) of study - CIP code
        • GPA
        • credit hours earned
        • term of initial transfer with Participant Institution
        • transfer student retention (retention rater one year after initial transfer term)
        • credentials obtained (bachelor's, master's, certification, etc.)
        • credit hours earned at time of graduation
        • graduation term
          
          
   5. Unless the receiving institution requires students to have completed an Associate’s Degree, the transfer agreement must include language that will allows students who transfer before they earn their associate degree to do so through a reverse transfer process, such as "under this agreement, KCTCS students will be encouraged to complete their associate degree before transferring to [institution]. Should a KCTCS student transfer to [institution] prior to completion of an associate degree, KCTCS shall provide the opportunity for the student to earn their associate degree through reverse transfer in accordance with institutional policies for accepting transfer credit."
      
      
   6. The receiving institution will commit to providing KCTCS  with the following information, updated annually, to include on the KCTCS partner transfer website for students:
      1. 1. State licensing examination scores (if applicable)
         2. Job placement rates
         3. Cohort Default Rates/student loan debt
            
            
2. The following criteria is recommended for inclusion in an agreement:
   1. Indicate how credits will transfer, either through block or a course-by-course equivalency. If course-by-course, include information on how the institution will provide students that information, such as the KCTCS transfer guide, to maximize the acceptance and application of transfer credit.
      
      
   2. Admission requirements, including grades students need to have for courses to transfer, relevant deadlines and scholarship information; transfer process and steps; general education details and/or requirements.
      
      
3. KCTCS will not enter into an agreement with an institution that requires exclusivity.
   
   
4. The KCTCS Transfer Peer Team will review systemwide agreements with receiving institutions to verify they meet the criteria outlined in the Transfer Articulation Policy with Receiving Institutions.  The agreement will be uploaded to the Transfer Agreement Workflow in SharePoint, reviewed according to established protocols, and approved by the following entities: KCTCS Transfer Peer Team, System Office Registrars, Academic Council, Office of General Counsel, and KCTCS Chancellor.  Once approved by all parties, the agreement will be signed by the Chancellor and housed in the Transfer Agreement Repository on the Chancellor’s InfoCenter SharePoint site.