Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 17:24:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Molly Shor (shor@ece.orst.edu)
To: gilkey@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Subject: Transfer Module - Feedback

Peter,

I attended the open meeting you held today about the transfer module.

I agree that there is a problem that general education requirements are not obviously or easily transferable between four-year institutions in Oregon. I laud your efforts to resolve this problem.

I do want to raise some issues that I saw in the discussion:

First, the transfer module should not trump major-specific requirements. If a student completes College Algebra, an engineering major should not be required to accept it in lieu of Vector Calculus, for instance. Similarly, a general chemistry for nurses should not replace a major requirement of a serious chemistry course for chemistry majors.

Second, completion of the transfer module at a particular university should not trump completion of all the general education requirements at that same university. If an OSU student completes the transfer module at OSU, then it should help her to transfer to PSU, but it should not get her out of the OSU BacCore requirements at OSU.

Third, it was raised that many students take a long time to graduate. From my experience as an engineering advisor, this is not due to the non-transferability of the general education requirements between universities. - It is due to students exploring different fields before settling down in a particular professional field that has few electives and is the professional degree for that occupation - whether at another university or at the university from which the professional degree is sought. - It is due to students receiving two years of vocational training before starting on the education for the professional program. - It is due to students not taking their coursework seriously and not doing well at it their first time through. It is not caused by the problem you are fixing. That mainly causes repeat of a small number of requirements.

It would be helpful if good advising were available to students at each university on which majors the different general education courses in each category might fulfill requirements in, to help students as they select their general education requirements. That might help direct and inform some students, but it is unlikely to completely eliminate extra time spent "shopping" for interests and fields of study.

Regards,
Dr. Molly Shor
Head Advisor, EE/CpE
Oregon State University