The League for Innovation in the Community College is pleased to announce a series of pioneering articulation agreements with the University of Phoenix, United States Open University, and Western Governors University that not only facilitate the transfer of community college students from League Alliance Member colleges into bachelor degree programs at the partnering four-year institutions, but also strengthen relationships between two- and four-year colleges through exchanges of student and faculty services, tuition discounts, and recruiting opportunities. Discussions are underway to define similar agreements between the League and University of Maryland University College and Florida State University.

These agreements, which include benefits for faculty and staff as well as students, have been designed by the partnering four-year institutions specifically for League Alliance Member colleges. Mark Milliron, President/CEO of the League, notes, "These relationships are not intended as endorsements, but rather as ways to expand students' choices." According to Chip Johnstone, Provost and Academic Vice President of Western Governors University, "Many four-year colleges and universities express interest in enrolling community college graduates in their upper division programs. But too often the reality is quite different-especially in high-demand programs where classrooms fill with students already enrolled in the four-year institution before the community college graduate can even knock on the door. These articulation agreements will help eliminate that problem."

These agreements pave the way for transferring students to enter baccalaureate programs as upper-division students meeting all lower-division competencies. In other cases, AAS transfer students may complete their bachelor's general education requirements by taking lower-division courses at League Alliance Member colleges. Judith Livingston, Assistant to the Senior Vice President at University of Maryland University College, explains the interest in transfer students from League colleges, "We think students from League colleges are likely articulation candidates because of their technological sophistication and interest in online delivery." Dr. Craig Swenson, Provost, University of Phoenix, adds, "We are pleased to partner with League Alliance Member colleges to offer programs that greatly expand access to baccalaureate education. A large population of community college students who previously faced significant barriers will benefit from these partnerships. We're also pleased to be able to provide services to faculty and staff at League Alliance Member colleges."

In addition to facilitating the transfer process for students who complete associate degrees, these comprehensive articulation packages offer a range of benefits for community colleges, such as (1) access to "upside-down" 2+2 baccalaureate degrees; (2) counseling and advising for dual admission students; (3) tuition discounts for students, faculty, and staff; (4) professional development opportunities; (5) access to online library resources; and (6) referrals of students and corporations to participating League Alliance Member colleges.

These articulation packages are available only to League Alliance Member colleges, and each partnership is negotiated individually to allow for college variations in curriculum, accreditation requirements, and institutional policies. Richard S. Jarvis, Chancellor of the United States Open University notes, "the goals of these articulation agreements are to strengthen student advisement and successful transfer, reward transfer student accomplishment through scholarship support, develop professional development opportunities, and share lessons learned and best practices developed in the delivery of distance and distributed learning."

If your college is interested in participating in the new articulation agreements, please visit the League Articulations page.