Background
The BC Transfer System is a network of autonomous institutions who regularly articulate course arrangements to facilitate student mobility. In order to remain in alignment with the original mandate of institutions, colleges were enabled to perform sending functions while universities were enabled to perform receiving functions. The results of this articulation process were published in the BC Transfer Guide. Significant shifts in institutional mandates and system complexity have occurred since the inception of the BC Transfer Guide over 20 years ago. There are now 11 public and four private university members of the BC Transfer System, and the majority of institutions are offering one or more degree programs. Further, student mobility data indicate students are moving across sectors and between institutions within sectors, regardless of whether an institution performs sending or receiving functions. In keeping with these shifts, several institutions have expressed interest in expanding the scope of their listings in the BC Transfer Guide website beyond their current roles.
In June, 2011, the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) embarked upon a consultation titled “Enabling the BC Transfer System” (found at http://bccat.ca/enabling/consultation). The discussion paper presented BCCAT’s vision for enabling all institutions to perform sending and receiving functions within the BC Transfer System. The discussion paper outlined several flexible options that would enable institutions to determine the size and scope of the role they could choose to assume within the BC Transfer System. Feedback was obtained through an electronic survey that accompanied the discussion paper, system meetings throughout the fall of 2011, and from attendees at the Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) on Nov 4, 2011.
BCCAT’s Transfer and Articulation Committee (TAC) charged BCCAT with convening a sub-committee to review the feedback obtained through the consultation for the “Enabling of the BC Transfer System” discussion paper. The committee reviewed the findings and put forward the following draft recommendations for feedback and review from the TAC. The following recommendations have been reviewed and endorsed by the TAC and have been approved by BCCAT's Council.
The Recommendations have been divided into the following four sections:
Enabling Committee Members:
- Anna-Lee Boulton, Senior Admissions & Academic Advising Officer, Enrolment Services, Capilano University
- Neil Coburn, VP, Education and Students, Selkirk College
- Robert Hensley, Registrar, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Sharon Josephson, Professor, Okanagan College
- Grant McMillan, Registrar, Trinity Western University
- Kate Sutherland, Senior Advisor to the Provost, Thompson Rivers University
BCCAT Staff:
- Mike Winsemann, Transfer and Technology Manager
- John FitzGibbon, Associate Director, Transfer and Articulation
- Christi Garneau, Articulation Coordinator
TAC Membership:
Chair: Martin Gerson, Vice-President Academic & Provost, Langara College
- Robert Campbell, Dean of Arts & Sciences, Capilano University
- Ian Cavers, Associate Dean of Science, Curriculum & Learning, University of British Columbia
- Sarah Dench, Director, University Curriculum, Simon Fraser University
- Tim Haskett, Assistant Professor, University of Victoria
- Robert Hensley, Registrar, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Sharon Josephson, Professor, Okanagan College
- Nikki Lee, Student, Simon Fraser University
- Ron McRae, Dean of Instruction, College of the Rockies
- Patricia Sackville, Associate Dean - Academic Studies, BCIT
- Katherine Sutherland, Senior Advisor to the Provost, Thompson Rivers University
- Trevor Toone, Principal, Columbia College
