Presentation with Beverly Schenkel (NW Missouri State Univ) & Amy Werner (MO Dept. of Higher Ed) at the 2017 Missouri Association of College Admissions Counselors (MOACAC) Conference.

1. APRIL 5TH, 2017
MOACAC ANNUAL CONFERENCE
PROMOTING MRT
SUCCESS
BEV SCHENKEL
AMY WERNER
BENJAMIN HOWARD-WILLIAMS
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2. Introducing Missouri Reverse Transfer
https://youtu.be/fZn4mKzs-LY
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3. Presenters
Bev Schenkel
Associate Provost for Enrollment & retention Management
Northwest Missouri State University
Amy Werner
Research Associate & Missouri Reverse Transfer Coordinator
Missouri Department of Higher Education
Benjamin Howard-Williams
Undergraduate Curriculum & Articulation Specialist
University of Missouri-Kansas City
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4. Agenda
What is Reverse Transfer & Why is it Valuable?
Reverse Transfer as it impacts students and institutions
Where Are We Now & How Did We Get Here?
A brief history of Reverse Transfer in Missouri
What Has Been the Impact MRT?
Successes & Challenges so far
Where Are We Going?
National Reverse Transfer & Promoting MRT
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5. What is Reverse Transfer?
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It is the transfer of credits from a four-year
institution to any two-year institution from
which a student transferred.
Image from reversetransfer.org

6. Why is Reverse Transfer Valuable?
The purpose of Reverse Transfer Initiatives is to:
1. Increase the number of individuals with an associates degree.
2. Improve Completion rates among 2-year institutions.
3. “Credit When It’s Due” – Honor the time, effort, and dollars our
students have spent by awarding them the credential they have
earned.
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7. Why is Reverse Transfer Valuable?
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8. Where Are We Now & How Did We Get Here?
HB 1042 of 2012 required Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education to
develop a policy and procedures to implement reverse transfer
Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) secured $500,000 Lumina
and Kresge Foundation grant to implement Missouri Reverse Transfer
MRT Steering Committee formed by MDHE based upon campus nominations
and set MRT charge
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9. Policy Basis
Per Higher Learning Commission (HLC) guidance, a minimum of 15 credit hours
is required at an institution for the awarding of an associate’s degree for
Residency Requirement.
No requirement for the credit hours to occur at any particular point within the
accumulation of the credit hours.
Statewide policy was vetted with all Chief Academic Officers, and approved by
Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education.
Supersedes any previous RT agreements within the State.
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10. Definitions
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Missouri Reverse Transfer (MRT) eligible student
◦ Student who has earned 15 or more college-level, transferable credits from a two-year
institution
◦ Upon entry into MRT, the student is degree-seeking for the appropriate associate’s degree.
Missouri Reverse Transfer Coordinator
◦ Point person at each participating institution to provide information and support for MRT.
Does not (necessarily) personally complete all MRT-related tasks.
Degree Granting Institution (DGI) – The two-year institution that awards
associate degree to reverse transfer students. The DGI will count reverse
transfer students in its yearly graduation report.
Host Institution (HI)– The institution transferring credits back to the degree
granting institution.

11. Process
National Student Clearinghouse selected as technology platform to support MRT.
Potential students will be identified by HI based upon minimum qualification and
guidelines.
15 hours completed
No previous degrees (associate or bachelors)
Transcripts submitted from 4 yr. to 2 yr. to conduct a degree audit to determine
student eligibility for associate degree.
Acceptance of transfer credit will be determined by the DGI.
Release of transcripts will be in a accordance with the HI’s policies (e.g. respective
holds, etc.).
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12. Implementation
Phase I – (Fall 2014) new transfers enrolled at HI
Phase II – (Spring 2015) Continuing enrolled students
Phase III – (Fall 2015) Non-enrolled students, but who meet eligibility criteria.
Reached back 5 years
◦ Continued promotion with advisors and recruiters.
Phase IV (pending) – national RT program to serve out-of-state transfers
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13. Oversight & Support
Standing MRT subcommittee on Committee on Transfer & Articulation (COTA)
◦ Coordinates annual training workshop at COTA Conference
Additional Training & Support Resources
◦ MRT Website - http://dhe.mo.gov/MOReverseTransfer.php
◦ Specific sections for Faculty/Staff, Students, & Legislation / Policy Information
Selected Resources
◦ Reverse Transfer Training videos
◦ Coordinator Implementation Manual
◦ Communications Tool Kit – social media posts, videos, sample press releases, etc.
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14. Oversight & Support
Point of Contact for MRT Assistance
◦ MDHE Coordinator – Amy Werner, amy.werner@dhe.mo.gov
◦ Each participating institution has an MRT Coordinator, contact Amy for assistance.
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15. Impact of MRT So Far?
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May, 2015:
◦ 189 Associate Degrees awarded via Reverse Transfer.
(Education Commission of the States, 2015)
December, 2016:
◦ Nearly 600 Associate Degrees awarded via Reverse Transfer.
(MDHE Press Release, 2016)
MDHE Goal by 2025:
◦ 60% of Adult Working-age population in Missouri to have a two-year,
four-year or professional credential.

16. MRT Challenges
Different Student Information Systems
◦ PeopleSoft vs. Banner vs. Jenzabar EX, etc.
◦ How to communicate across various systems?
Levels of IT support
◦ Is there IT capacity to automate parts of the MRT process?
◦ Relative importance of MRT systems compared to other institution priorities?
Labor intensive
◦ Monitoring opt-in, communications, transcript evaluation, etc. often manual.
Keeping student interested in MRT
◦ May be inconsistent messaging between 2-yr and 4-year institutions.
◦ 4-year advisors may not be as aware of MRT or the value to students.
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17. Where Are We Going?
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“A broad consensus between states,
philanthropic interests and the business
and labor communities is that higher
attainment rates are required to meet
the workforce demands of the 21st
century. This goal cannot be reached
without innovative ways of increasing
degree completion.
One such innovation is expansion of
reverse transfer policy.”
Lexi Anderson
“Reverse Transfer: The path less traveled”
ECS Education Trends May, 2015
Image from OCCRL: Credit When it’s Due (CWID)

18. National Reverse Transfer
NSC National Reverse Transfer Pilot
◦ Missouri, Texas, & Wisconsin including the University of Missouri-Columbia
Project Goals / Objectives
◦ Serve out-of-state students
◦ Tracks reverse transfer degrees
◦ Course grade data exchange
◦ Designation on courses as core courses
◦ Student portal
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19. Promoting MRT
Engage academic advisors & admissions staff 4-year schools
◦ Consistent messaging about MRT as a tool for the success of our students.
New student orientation at the 4-year schools
◦ Include an MRT element in transfer orientation.
Transfer Brochures
◦ Reference MRT in any transfer-related promotional items.
Degree Maps
◦ Assume MRT and include related info in transfer degree-maps.
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20. THANK YOU!
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QUESTIONS?