Maintenance
Considerable concerns were expressed about the maintenance burden that would result from a fully enabled BC Transfer System. According to the survey, 32% felt that their institution currently does not dedicate appropriate enough resources to support articulation activity, while an additional 51% were unsure. One respondent indicated: “As a sending and receiving institution we find it very difficult to have the resources to maintain in a timely manner”. Feedback from JAM also offered the following suggestions:
- Establish system-wide timelines for new member orientation, reviewing agreements, and communicating decisions
- Administrators must prioritize transfer and articulation and assign appropriate resources to related activities
- Regularly review and assess agreements, policies, and procedures to ensure they are in the best interests of students, the market, and post-secondary system
The Enabling Committee recognized that clarity on how articulations are currently maintained, and how they will be maintained in the enabled environment, would be an asset. In addition, it was also expressed that guidelines around what constitutes an appropriate rationale or business case for articulation would be a benefit to BC Transfer System members. The following recommendations speak to the issues identified by stakeholders.
Recommendation 9: BCCAT should explore how articulations are currently being maintained at institutions to determine best practices, and clarify expectations around maintenance of articulation agreements.
- Information on best practices with regard to articulation maintenance should be made available on the BCCAT website.
- This work should be completed as part of BCCAT’s 2012/13 work plan.
Recommendation 10: BCCAT should explore with institutions what constitutes a sound rationale for a business case for articulation.
- Guidelines should be published on the BCCAT website.
- This work should be completed as part of BCCAT’s 2012/13 work plan.
