MSCHE Endorses Recommendations in ACE Transfer Report

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has endorsed the recommendations put forth in the Reimagining Transfer for Student Success: The National Task Force on the Transfer and Award of Credit report published by the American Council on Education (ACE).

An ACE Task Force of college and university presidents and chancellors compiled six recommendations for institutions “on how to modify existing transfer and award of credit practices to best support student success.” Among the participants were several representatives from among the MSCHE membership including Chris Howard, President, Robert Morris University (PA); Jim Malatras, Chancellor, The State University of New York (SUNY); Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor, The City University of New York (CUNY); Javier Miyares, President Emeritus, University of Maryland Global Campus; and David Schejbal, President, Excelsior College (NY)

“The pandemic has accelerated the need for institutions to have improved policies, procedures, and resources that facilitate student success across multiple modalities and institutions as students  travel through their higher educational path,” said MSCHE President Dr. Heather F. Perfetti.

MSCHE had previously endorsed two statements, Statement of Principles on Acceptance of Credit and Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit, and already calls for its institutions to possess clear policies and procedures regarding the evaluation and acceptance of transfer credits through its standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, and policies and procedures.

“Consideration of these  recommendations will help address  growing gaps and inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. Assessing transfer credit policies and procedures is also an important aspect of the Commission’s expectations through Standard III, and allows institutions to do a deep dive into examining the ways their policies affect students from across the socioeconomic spectrum, and most specifically those from underrepresented and low-income student populations, who are most likely to be navigating the challenges within the transfer and award of credit landscape,” Dr. Perfetti said.