Legislation signed into law in 2012 called for the development of a reverse transfer policy to increase the number of associate degrees for eligible students in Missouri. Several one-to-one agreements between two- and four- year colleges and universities in Missouri existed; however, common guidelines, policies and technology pathways can significantly streamline the process for higher education institutions and students.

 

Missouri Reverse Transfer Policy

 

Missouri Revised Statutes (House Bill 1042)

173.005.1 (8) The coordinating board shall develop a policy to foster reverse transfer for any student who has accumulated enough hours in combination with at least one public higher education institution in Missouri that offers an associate degree and one public four-year higher education institution in the prescribed courses sufficient to meet the public higher education institution's requirements to be awarded an associate degree. The department of elementary and secondary education shall maintain the alignment of the assessments found in section 160.518 and successor assessments with the competencies previously established under this subdivision for entry-level collegiate courses in English, mathematics, foreign language, sciences, and social sciences associated with an institution's general education core

Building on existing one-to-one agreements, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development and two- and four-year public and independent institutions have launched the Missouri Reverse Transfer Initiative. To assist in this effort, the department received funding from the Lumina Foundation to develop a statewide communication and technology infrastructure to foster reverse transfer.

Key institutional stakeholders provided representatives to serve on the Missouri Reverse Transfer Initiative Steering Committee, which guided the implementation of the reverse transfer policy.

MRT Steering Committee Members

Brenda Selman, Chair University of Missouri System
Terrence Andrews Maryville University
Kristy Bishop Metropolitan Community College
Susan Bracciano Missouri Western State University
Kelli Burns Institutional Research and Planning
Kim Harvey Jefferson College
Tery Donelson Columbia College
Melissa Hattman University of Missouri - St. Louis
Cynthia Heider Missouri Western State University
Rusty Monhollon Missouri Department of Higher Education
Beverly Schenkel Northwest Missouri State University
Vicki Schwinke State Technical College of Missouri
Tyson Schank Metropolitan Community College
Larry Westermeyer University of Missouri - St. Louis
Lori Day Missouri State University
Karla Gable St. Louis Community College

 

Part of the Steering Committee's charge includes the oversight of work groups assigned to five main components of the scale-up effort.

  1. Policy
  2. IT / operations
  3. Implementation
  4. Data / evaluation
  5. Communications