University News
WIU, SRC Sign Reverse Transfer Agreement
October 5, 2012
MACOMB, IL – For many years, Western Illinois University and Spoon River College have worked together as partners as part of a traditional transfer agreement. On Oct. 2, Western and SRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which allows students to transfer coursework from WIU to meet their remaining graduation requirements for an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree at Spoon River College.
"We are pleased to enter into this new agreement with Spoon River College to create additional educational opportunities for individuals in this region," said WIU President Jack Thomas. "This Memorandum of Understanding further strengthens our partnership with Spoon River College, and provides a seamless educational pipeline for all learners."
According to Ken Hawkinson, provost and academic vice president at Western, coursework transferred from the four-year university to the two-year college is commonly referred to as "reverse transfer." This particular agreement is intended to respond to President Barack Obama's and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's charges to increase degree completion among college students, he added.
"As we anticipate the future of higher education, it becomes imperative for colleges and universities to work together to meet our charge of degree completion and to best prepare students for their futures. This agreement with WIU reflects a new and innovative partnership between two student-centered institutions," said Spoon River College President Curt Oldfield.
Hawkinson noted that while a student's aspiration may be to complete a baccalaureate degree from Western, transfer students who complete an associate's degree have a four-year graduation rate of 79.0 percent compared to 52.7 percent for students without an associate. Students who have completed an associate's degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program at an accredited Illinois two-year institution, such as Spoon River College, will be considered to have completed the University's General Education Curriculum at Western.
For more information on the reverse transfer Memorandum of Understanding between WIU and SRC, contact the WIU Office of the Registrar at (309) 298-1891 or the SRC Vice President for Instruction and Student Services at (309) 649-6270.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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