Student transfer opportunities expanded Tuesday after the Kansas Community Colleges and Kansas Independent Colleges announced initiation of a Global Transfer and Course Articulation Agreement that paves the way for students to seamlessly transfer from any Kansas Community College to any Kansas non-profit college or university.
According to a news release from the Kansas Independent College Association and the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees, after the implementation of the agreement, any student awarded an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) from a Kansas Community College shall be deemed as having fulfilled the general education requirements of their choice of any Kansas Independent Institution.
This consistent coordination and ease of transfer will help ensure students graduate on time, with less cost, and with the goal of keeping these students in Kansas, the news release said.
“Across the country, debate rages on about college access and affordability,” Kansas Independent College Association President Matthew Lindsey said. “We believe that KICA and KACCT have developed a forward-thinking and sustainable resource to demonstrate to Kansas families and taxpayers we are leading the way.”
This new transfer agreement was formally adopted during a signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon at Friends University in Wichita, following a joint discussion by presidents from both the Kansas Community Colleges and Kansas Independent Colleges on current and future opportunities to serve students better.
Kansas Association of Community College’s Executive Director Heather Morgan praised the partnership.
“The benefits of the new transfer agreement, the student opportunities it provides, and the potential for additional partnerships to benefit Kansas students reflects the synergy that we need in higher education,” Morgan said. “We’re working to meet the needs of Kansas learners and this transfer agreement is a key link to ongoing student success and advancement.”
McPherson College President Dr. Michael Schneiderand said the agreement strengthens the future for Kansas students.
“The spirit of innovation and the road to success intersect at the passion of a Kansas student,” said Schneiderand, who is also the Chair of the KICA Board of Directors. “The agreement we signed today is the preamble to the new stories of enterprise that our students will write.”
Today, more than half of Kansas college students attend one of the state’s 19 community colleges or one of the 20 Independent Institutions, the news release said.
About KICA and KACCT:
The Kansas Community College Trustees Association serves as the voice of the Kansas Community Colleges. The Kansas Independent College Association develops and enhances the competitive standing of its 20 member colleges by coordinating efforts including professional development and collaboration, governmental advocacy, and public engagement collectively aimed at supporting students and their success.
