Members:

• Jeff Newcomer - Executive Committee Representative

• Eric Davishahl

• Pat Burnett

• Rebecca Sliger

Amendment to the MRP

1/18/2021 : A vote was taken to amend the Effective Fall 2020 MRP : Vote 2021-01 - Amend MSE/MFG clerical error

Next steps: sharing with JTC

It's Final! The signed MRP 2020 Final 2.10.2020 - Still waiting for it to be updated here: https://wsac.wa.gov/transfers and https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/programs-services/transfer/major-related-programs.aspx

7/20/2020 - Below is the MRP as passed by the Council of Presidents on 7/13/2020 - the email that follows explains the steps -

Hi Patrick

Hope you are well. I wanted to share with you that JTC met on July 13 and recognized the WCERTE Charter and this will be reflected in the minutes.

JTC also made a technical change to the MRP to address a financial aid concern that was shared with me and thus JTC from Rebecca.

Currently the Engineering AS-T Track 2/MRP includes the following language “Select 4 specialization courses in consultation....” However, if you look at baccalaureate graduation requirements for the various university/college majors, it is not uncommon for a student to need to take six specialization courses before they finish their bachelor’s degrees. If they have an extra slot in their schedule at the community or technical college, students not on financial aid can take the courses but students on financial aid may find that they are not covered for those classes, since they have met the requirements for the degree. The suggestion was made that by changing the language to “Select a minimum of 4 specialization courses in consultation…” would establish a minimum/floor but not unintentionally create a cap for these courses that would impact financial aid.

JTC discussed the concern and reflected on the discussions for revisions to the degree. It was agreed that the intent was to establish a minimum. JTC also discussed whether adding the language “a minimum” would be a technical or a substantive change. It was agreed it would be a technical change and not require separate approval by institutions.

JTC also asked ICW and COP to work with their sector financial aid directors to discuss and address this concern. In general, the question for baccalaureate financial aid is if a student changes their major how to exclude earlier courses and focus on the current intended major. In other words, how to count or not count the initial major courses at the baccalaureate level. JTC also discussed the potential that some of the electives are anticipated to be at the upper division level.

I have attached the revised MRP with the new language. I will also share with WSAC for the final posting. Since JTC determined this was a technical issue, new approval/signatures are not required by the institutions. Currently, the degree is out for signatures so hopefully this will be completed soon.

Let me know if you have any questions. Julie

Julie Garver

Director of Policy & Academic Affairs

Council of Presidents

(360) 292-4102

www.councilofpresidents.org

Dear Colleagues:

Hope you are well. Thank you for your participation and work to revise the AS-T Track 2 Engineering MRP. Attached is the final agreed upon draft that will be shared with JTC for approval in April. After that the process will require the following:

• If approved by JTC April 2020

  • Approval by SBCTC ATC

  • Approval by SBCTC IC

  • Approval by ICUS then ICAO for those institutions that are signatories to the agreement

  • WSAC collects signatures

The intended date for implementation is fall 2020.

Julie Garver

Director of Academic Affairs and Policy| Council of Presidents

Tel: 360.292.4102 l jgarver@councilofpresidents.org

| councilofpresidents.org | Twitter: @CouncilofPresWA

MRP edits and voting has been completed by the WCERTE membership. It will now be moving on to the JTC for final approval. 2/7/2020

Below is the finalized draft.

WCERTE will be taking a vote on the addition of classes to the specialization courses.

From Julie Graver:

Dear Colleagues:

Hope you are well. Attached is a reviewed Engineering Track 2 AS-T/MRP degree proposal. The revisions reflect the changes that were received.

Please review and provide any additional change to me no later than Friday, February 7.

Thanks…Julie

Julie Garver

Director of Academic Affairs and Policy| Council of Presidents

Tel: 360.292.4102 l jgarver@councilofpresidents.org

| councilofpresidents.org | Twitter: @CouncilofPresWA

To make comments, click on the document above and it will open.

Working Group tasks:

1. Work on the the MRP approval process

2. Work on clarification with SBCTC on their website: See below.

Engineering Track 2 MRP -Revisions

Following is the draft version of the MRP Agreement with comments from Eric Davishahl, Ed Harri, and Pat Burnett. You should be able to add your own comments. Email pburnett@whatcom.edu if you cannot access document or add your comments.

Email from Julie Garver:

Dear Colleagues:

Hope you are well. Attached is a revised Engineering Track 2 MRP. The revisions reflect the work groups conversation in December as follows:

COP will provide a revised agreement to the work group for edits in mid-January

• • The revised agreement will remove the term “elective” and add “specialization”- Removed the term elective and replaced with specialization.

  • Clarify the advising language within the elective section and add a bullet to the agreement in the summary section – Clarified required and specialization choice in the degree. Require clear language in published documents for the degree in the introductory section.

  • Identify degrees that may not be identified but are within one of the existing pathways- See below.

  • Clarify language with regard to sequence and institutions – Added language to encourage sequence

  • Clarify WCERTE role with changes to the agreement -Aligned process with JTC process documents

  • Add definition to “required courses” – Did not add a definition but clarified where courses are required and where there is choice and coupled it with strong advising language.

Substantive language changes are highlighted in gray.

Please:

Review the degree agreement in its entirety and provide any changes to me by Monday, January 27. Please share any edits to the entire work group for ease of communication

• Please send to me any degrees/institutions you identify as degrees that may not be identified but are within one of the existing pathways (ex: aeronautics, industrial engineering)

Julie Garver

Director of Academic Affairs and Policy| Council of Presidents

Tel: 360.292.4102 l jgarver@councilofpresidents.org

| councilofpresidents.org | Twitter: @CouncilofPresWA

Winter 2019 - Meeting scheduled to discuss and approve the 4th MRP

Engineering AS-Track 2 MRP Work Group Consists of the following organizations

COP - Council of Presidents

SBCTC - State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

ICW - Independent Colleges of Washington

WSAC - Washington Student Achievement Council

WCERTE - Washington Council on Engineering and Related Technical Education

Brief History: Major Related Programs

Year 2003 - ENGR MRPs drafted by WCERTE to improve the Engineering transfer process (originally titled Major Ready Pathways)

Fall 2005 - Approved by Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB)

Summer 2008 - Modified by WCERTE and approved by HECB

Spring 2017 - Fourth MRP presented at WCERTE

Spring 2018 - SBCTC representative attends WCERTE and informs that Joint Transfer Council is attunded to WCERTEs work on MRPs

WCERTE Members:

This was the summary from our Zoom phone call on December 16th. We will be making updates to the revised agreement in mid January.

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you for a good discussion this afternoon. I have summarized the discussion through highlights below and next steps. I will send out a revised agreement for review and edits in mid-January.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Julie

Summary/Highlights

• Discussed the challenges of great specificity within the agreement. The current agreement applies to 51 ABET accredited programs at the public and private, non-profit baccalaureate institutions.

• The degree pathways include multiple majors within a pathway. One course may apply to a particular major but not another within a single pathway

• Identified three categories for which the identified elective courses fall within:

  • Required by some baccalaureates but not all

  • Required to be taken prior to transferring to a baccalaureate institution in order to be junior ready for the major

  • A true elective

• Recognized that required courses are defined as courses required across all agreement participating baccalaureate institutions

• Agreed that the use of the term “elective” suggest choice for student that will not create unintended barriers to transfer. The term “elective” was retained to align with the parent AS-T Track 2 Degree Requirements. Agree that the barriers potentially created by this term outweighed its use. Agreed to move forward with the term “specialization”.

• Include in revised agreement language that captures efficient pathway as appropriate for intended major to the intended transfer institution.

• Clarify if other degree programs fall into an existing pathway (ex: Aeronautics and industrial engineering)

• Clarify language re: sequences in math that will create a recommendation without an unintended barrier for students who may attend more than one institution

• WCERTE examining content for common numbered courses.

Next Steps

• COP will provide a revised agreement to the work group for edits in mid-January

  • The revised agreement will remove the term “elective” and add “specialization”

  • Clarify the advising language within the elective section and add a bullet to the agreement in the summary section

  • Identify degrees that may not be identified but are within one of the existing pathways

  • Clarify language with regard to sequence and institutions

  • Clarify WCERTE role with changes to the agreement

  • Add definition to “required courses”

Julie Garver

Director of Academic Affairs and Policy| Council of Presidents

Tel: 360.292.4102 l jgarver@councilofpresidents.org

| councilofpresidents.org | Twitter: @CouncilofPresWA

SBCTC Website - Concerns for Engineering Transfer Students

Emails sent between Pat Burnett (WCERTE) and Stacey Hagreen (SBCTC) that highlight the concern for potential students to find an engineering transfer program from SBCTC's site

Hello,

As the chair of Washington Council on Engineering and Related Technical Education (WCERTE) for Washington State, I was just informed about the website (https://www.sbctc.edu/becoming-a-student/) and how it directs students to the appropriate programs.

If I click

“Becoming a student”

Then

“I want a four-year degree”

Then

“Explore colleges and programs”

Then

“Search College Programs”

At the very top of the page it states:

“Come learn with us. Search or browse Washington state's 34 community and technical colleges to find the program or major that's right for you.”

Then under search filters ”+Areas of interest (programs)”

If I select:

“Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering

It comes back with 0 results found.

If I select:

“Engineering, Pre-Engineering, Engineering Technology”

It returns:

Bates Technical College

Bellingham Technical College

Big Bend Community College

Clover Park Technical College

Columbia Basin College

Edmonds Community College

Olympic College

Find Yourself Here

Whatever you're interested in doing — whether transferring to a university, training for a career or getting the basics — Washington state community and technical colleges have classes, programs and majors for you.

Clearly this in reference to Prof/Tech programs only ~ but the wording is very misleading to an experienced faculty member, but even more so to a new student who is being asked to explore and find a path, when it is clear that not all paths are actually listed but it is being inferred at multiple places on the website.

WCERTE is meeting this Friday at the University of Washington Seattle for our Fall Meeting and any information that ya’ll can share with us to ponder and respond to would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pat Burnett

RESPONSE FROM STACEY

Dear Prof. Burnett:

I apologize for my delayed response; I wanted to meet with the technology folks who work on the database that feeds the page. The data glitch you brought to our attention is now being resolved, though it exposed an issue that will take some effort to correct. I hope to have it corrected very soon, as 0 results is unacceptable.

Regarding the language choices on the page, I can see your point. We do, however, endeavor to create messaging that reaches all of our stakeholders. As you can imagine, it’s not a perfect process but the language on the page is what we’re comfortable with at the present time. I will definitely share your concerns with my colleagues!

Most sincerely,

Stacey Hagreen