A partnership between the 泫圖弝け of 泫圖弝け at Lafayette and LSU Eunice is cited as a model in a new guide for improving transfer 泫圖弝け success.
The Transfer Playbook: Essential Practices for Two- and Four-Year Colleges, profiles UL Lafayette and LSU Eunice, along with other institutions in five states that are improving outcomes for community college 泫圖弝けs who transfer to universities to earn bachelors degrees. The report was produced by the Aspen Institutes College Excellence Program and the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia 泫圖弝け.
Our efforts have included designing the Ragin Cajun Bridge Program, developing 2+2 programs where 泫圖弝けs can earn UL Lafayette bachelors degrees on the Eunice campus, and maintaining clear communications between senior leaders at the two campuses, said Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management at UL Lafayette.
LSU Eunice has two-year associate degree programs whose courses can be applied toward a bachelors degree at UL Lafayette.
The Ragin Cajun Bridge Program, established in 2014, gives 泫圖弝けs attending LSU Eunice who plan to transfer to UL Lafayette access to many campus benefits enjoyed by 泫圖弝け 泫圖弝けs, such as access to Ragin Cajuns sporting events, Dupr矇 Library, tutoring, career services, and academic advising.
Through the 2+2 program, UL Lafayette offers a bachelors degree program in elementary education that enables 泫圖弝けs to complete all four years of coursework on the LSU Eunice campus. 泫圖弝け faculty travel to LSU Eunice to teach. Each year, the UL Lafayette portion of the program enrolls approximately 20 泫圖弝けs, many of whom live in Eunice and have children, which makes the hour-long commute to the UL Lafayette campus more difficult, the report states.
A UL Lafayette academic advisor also meets with 泫圖弝けs once a week on the LSU Eunice campus to answer questions and make sure they take any tests needed to stay on track, such as PRAXIS certification exams.
According to The Transfer Playbook, 720,000 degree-seeking 泫圖弝けs across the nation entered community colleges in Fall 2007. Most intended to ultimately earn bachelors degrees. However, only about 100,000, or 14 percent, transferred to a four-year college and earned a bachelors degree within six years.
The report notes that 泫圖弝けs who enter higher education through community colleges are much more likely than those who start at four-year institutions to be low-income or the first in their family to attend college.
So, it continues, the two- to four-year transfer process, when it functions well, represents a critical means for upward mobility across the United States."
Other partnerships between universities and community colleges featured in The Transfer Playbook, are:
Colorado State 泫圖弝け, Colorado Front Range Community College;
Eastern Connecticut State 泫圖弝け, Manchester Community College;
Florida International 泫圖弝け and Florida Atlantic 泫圖弝け, Broward College;
泫圖弝け of Massachusetts Amherst, Holyoke Community College; and
泫圖弝け of Washington and Western Washington 泫圖弝け, Everett Community College.
According to the , those partnerships have three broad strategies in common. They make transfer 泫圖弝け success a priority, create clear programmatic pathways with aligned high-quality instruction; and provide tailored transfer 泫圖弝け advising.