SUNY has adopted the final recommendations of the Transfer Task Force that provide a system-wide road map to dramatically improve transfer between SUNY campuses, streamlining the experience of students moving from a community college to a bachelor’s degree-granting institution.

The approved recommendations are available here.

“SUNY is committed to supporting student success and ensuring students can achieve their educational aspirations across our 64 campuses,” Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “Today’s approval of the final Transfer Task Force recommendations is essential to continue fulfilling its commitment of providing high-quality opportunities to transfer students both inside and outside of the classroom. The university system leadership looks forward to supporting our SUNY campuses as they implement these recommendations in the new year and beyond.”

The 32 recommendations are organized across four key objectives, focused on both directly supporting students at all stages of their associate and baccalaureate path and providing essential resources, tools and training to the faculty and staff engaged in the transfer enterprise. The four objectives specify how SUNY will:

• Maximize credit acceptances and major applicability.
• Provide clarity, transparency and consistency in transfer process and policy.
• Provide additional system-wide resources.
• Foster system-wide transfer partnerships.

President Satish K. Tripathi, a member of the task force, noted the recommendations “will smooth out the transfer process so students are well positioned to achieve their higher education aspirations.”

“This work,” Tripathi said, “is a testament to the SUNY system’s commitment to student success and to building a robust pipeline from community colleges to four-year institutions, leading to expanded professional opportunities for students after graduation.”

According to the Community College Research Center, 80% of students who entered a community college intend to complete a baccalaureate degree. Roughly 33% transfer to a baccalaureate institution (the transfer-out rate), with only 48% of those students earning a bachelor’s degree. Only 16% of students who begin their studies at a community college earn a baccalaureate degree within a six-year timeframe.