National credit-transfer task force forms, includes CUNY chancellor

City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez has been named by the American Council on Education (ACE), which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the U.S., to a national task force focused on improving transfer and award of credit practices to spur student success and reduce the time it takes to graduate.

How the transfer of credits is handled is an important issue, given the number of students who transfer during their academic careers. The National Student Clearinghouse found that more than a million students, 38 percent of the 2.8 million who entered college for the first time in fall 2011, transferred to a different institution at least once within six years. As they transfer, many of these students lose academic credit.

“Improving transfer of credit practices is essential to resolving the completion crisis in American postsecondary education,” said Chancellor Matos Rodríguez. “At CUNY, we are especially attuned to the fact that not every student travels the same path; sometimes priorities shift, and college is put on the backburner. Credit transfer is critical to successfully re-engaging those students whose life circumstances at some point steered them away from their studies. I applaud ACE for taking up this critical issue and thank my fellow members of the Task Force for their commitment to this important initiative.”

A national leader in higher education, Chancellor Matos Rodríguez is a former board chair and current board member of ACE. He is also a member of the board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

The National Task Force on Transfer of Credit will produce a report early next year containing best practices and emerging strategies for improving the transfer and award of credit, with the goal of advancing student success, promoting equity and making college more affordable.

The Task Force is comprised of presidents and chancellors of two- and four-year, public and private nonprofit colleges and universities from across the country. It is supported by a grant from Strada Education Network. Additional support from the Charles Koch Foundation will fund a series of white papers to inform the Task Force’s work on topics such as student support services and pathways, credit transfer technology, and credit for prior learning.

The Task Force members are:

Co-Chairs:

• Anne Holton, interim president, George Mason University (VA)
• Timothy P. White, chancellor, California State University System

Members:

• James P. Clements, president, Clemson University (SC)
• Michael M. Crow, president, Arizona State University
• Waded Cruzado, president, Montana State University
• Douglas J. Fiore, president, Mercy College of Health Sciences (IA)
• Maria Harper-Marinick, chancellor, Maricopa Community College District (AZ)
• Dianne F. Harrison, president, California State University, Northridge
• Tracy L. Hartzler, president, Central New Mexico Community College
• Christopher B. Howard, president, Robert Morris University (PA)
• Bonita Jacobs, president, University of North Georgia
• Vistasp M. Karbhari, president, University of Texas at Arlington
• Anne M. Kress, president, Northern Virginia Community College
• Paul J. LeBlanc, president, Southern New Hampshire University
• Jim Malatras, president, SUNY Empire State College
• Joe May, chancellor, Dallas County Community College District (TX)
• James B. Milliken, chancellor, University of Texas System
• Judy C. Miner, chancellor, Foothill-De Anza Community College District (CA)
• Javier Miyares, president, University of Maryland Global Campus
• Edward Montgomery, president, Western Michigan University
• Scott Pulsipher, president, Western Governors University
• Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, chancellor, CUNY System
• Mark B. Rosenberg, president, Florida International University
• Sanford C. Shugart, president, Valencia College (FL)
• Peggy Valentine, interim chancellor, Fayetteville State University (NC)
• Lori Varlotta, president, Hiram College (OH)

Ex-officio members of the Task Force include:

• Barbara Brittingham, president, New England Commission of Higher Education
• Justin Draeger, president and chief executive officer, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
• Kevin Kruger, president, NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher

Education

• Michael Reilly, executive director, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
• Joyce E. Smith, chief executive officer, National Association for College Admission Counseling

The Task Force will meet throughout 2020 to engage with leading experts in the field, identify challenges and craft solutions to better serve students. A final report will be released in early 2021.