ASSIST Transfer Information System

ASSIST Transfer Information System

• Articulation/Transfer
• Assessment
• Core Curriculum
• Distance Education

23-campus state university system. The ASSIST Coordination Site (off campus) responsible software development, technical support, database coordination, training, and administrative coordination. Here is some new text.

• Institutions

PURPOSE

The ASSIST.org database shows California Community College (CCC) courses that the California State University (CSU) accepts for transfer and for GE credit. The ASSIST acronym stands for Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer.

• Create a tool that is easy for students, counselors, and faculty to use.

• Show articulation agreements, by major, between institutions.

• Identify the CSU GE Area for which CCC courses qualify.

• Identify the CCC courses that qualify for baccalaureate transfer credit at the California State University and University of California.

• Show the CCC courses that qualify for CSU American Institutions credit.

DESCRIPTION

ASSIST is an online student-transfer information system that shows how course credits earned at one public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation for California’s public colleges and universities and provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California.

History of ASSIST In 1985, the University of California began to explore using computers to store, maintain, and display transfer-related data. With funding from the California State Legislature, ASSIST was created under the guidance and counsel of the three California postsecondary educational segments: the University of California, the California State Universities, and the California Community Colleges. The goal was to use the computer to provide students and counselors with an easy way to access accurate and complete information about transferring from one California college or university to another. The initial project, with a small number of colleges and universities participating, was evaluated and approved. Since that time, ASSIST has grown to include information about all of the public postsecondary educational institutions in California. In addition, it is the official repository of articulation information for California’s public colleges and universities. Funding and Management ASSIST is funded by the California state legislature. The ASSIST Board of Directors, made up of representatives from each of the public postsecondary educational segments, oversees development and establishes policy for ASSIST. The daily implementation and project operations are managed by the ASSIST Coordination Site. The Board of Directors and the ASSIST Coordination Site work together with participating campuses to ensure that ASSIST continues to meet the needs of students transferring among California’s institutions of higher education. There are two ways to use ASSIST. Both ways use the same data but one leads you through the selection process a little differently from the other. You can use ASSIST to find community college courses that are transferable to a UC or CSU campus and how those courses might be used to satisfy specific subject matter requirements for admissions, General Education, or lower division major preparation. You can use ASSIST to explore the majors available at University of California and California State University campuses.

ASSIST.org demo: http://www.assist.org/web-assist/help/help-using_assist.html

RESULTS

• Provides accessibility of articulation data in ASSIST to students

• Streamlined data-entry by provides robust yet intuitive interfaces for campus personnel

• Improving data flows between ASSIST and campus systems

• Systems reviews mitigate or eliminate areas of known risk

Students, counselors, advisors, and faculty can locate (1) ariculation agreements by major, (2) CCC transfer-approved courses, (3) CCC GE Courses approved for transfer, and (4) CCC courses approved for CSU American Institutions credit.

RESOURCES AND LESSONS LEARNED

California's three postsecondary education segments share responsibility for ASSIST. The database is run from an off-campus center. The ASSIST Coordination Site (ACS) is the central office for ASSIST. The ACS is responsible for coordinating all ASSIST-related activities and services, such as software development, technical support, database coordination, training, and administrative coordination to support the implementation of ASSIST at colleges and universities.

• The original cost is unkown, but recent estimates to overhaul the hardware and software total nearly $3 million.

• Resources need to be allocated for on-going maintenance and improvement.

• An intersegmental board is required for successful relations among the segments.

• Data flow from ASSIST needs to be compatible with senments' systems.

• Information needs to be accessible.

• Design needs to be intuitive and friendly.

Plans for analysis and re-design are under consideration.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.assist.org/ http://www.calstate.edu/app

kodonnell@calstate.edu

cmallon@calstate.edu