White Paper
Creating a Credit Mobility Culture: Supporting Transfer for Adults Learners with Some College and No Degree
Abstract
A growing number of Americans have prior college credits but no degree. As they consider returning to college, they may experience barriers based on historic policies, procedures, and beliefs that do not take the adult learner into account. Many institutions are looking for ways to support adult students with some college and no degree. Creating a credit mobility culture is needed to ensure higher education is built to support an increasingly diverse student population in completing their educational goals. With more than 45 years of experience meeting the needs of adult learners, University of Phoenix has made significant investments in creating a credit mobility culture. This white paper details the approach including creating flexible policies and programs, embracing prior learning as a viable source of academic credit, providing clarity on transfer outcomes and options, removing barriers that impact student progression, and empowering students through relevant support services.
Authors
Devin Andrews is the Vice President of Admissions and Evaluation at the University of Phoenix, a position she has held since 2015. With a passion for helping adult learners achieve their educational goals, she first entered the University in 1999 as an Academic Counselor and over the course of two decades has served in administrative and executive positions. Devin has experience leading University-wide initiatives related to technology and innovation to improve outcomes for diverse stakeholders, including increasing credit for prior learning through improved awareness and experience, and cost savings measures for students. Devin engages in the broader higher education community through presentations, articles, and participation in committees for the Pacific Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (PACRAO), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Arizona and a Master of Arts in Education from University of Phoenix.
Marc Booker, Ph.D., has over two decades of experience working with online and distance education students at the post-secondary level in admissions, registrar, and academic administration roles. As Vice Provost for Strategy at the University of Phoenix, Marc oversees critical path academic initiatives to improve the student experience such as learning platform implementations, curricular enhancements, developing innovative academic program designs, and creating empathetic solutions to drive improved student outcomes. Since 2009, Marc has been a regular speaker, contributor, and subject matter expert at national and regional conferences like the AACRAO, PACRAO, CAEL, and EDUCAUSE, on topics including leadership, process improvement, change management, prior learning assessment, transfer credit, and articulation. Booker serves as dean of the PACRAO Leadership Development Institute and was President of PACRAO in 2016. Marc holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Nathan Cicchillo is Senior Director of Admissions and Evaluation at University of Phoenix. He has been with University of Phoenix for over 20 years, serving in Admissions and Evaluation since 2011, where he oversees the University’s Articulation department which supports students through pathway creation for community college relationships, International department providing translation and evaluation services for international population, and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) department providing opportunities for assessing learning obtained outside of the traditional classroom for potential college credit. Nathan was an integral part of the department leadership when University of Phoenix received the Showcase in Excellence Award for the University’s PLA Professional Training Portfolio Process through the Southwest Alliance for Excellence (SWAE) in 2014. Nathan currently serves on the AACRAO Transfer and Articulation Committee that focuses on sharing ideas and best practices related to transfer credit with peers at other institutions within the AACRAO environment. He has published articles for PACRAO and co-authored a chapter within the AACRAO International Guide. Nathan also regularly presents at Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), sharing best practices and efficiency gains with peers as it relates to admissions and evaluation innovation at University of Phoenix.
Jennifer Burrell is a Director of Student Services Strategy and Operations for the University of Phoenix with over 20 years of leadership experience in higher education, committed to catalyzing innovative solutions and delivering continuous improvements to drive operational excellence and enhance student outcomes. Jennifer partners with teams across the University to strategize for efficiency and elevate service quality, emphasizing timely communications and connectivity channels. Her commitment to optimizing the student experience is demonstrated by the development of strategic, data-driven growth strategies and work with Alternative Credit providers that have resulted in substantial time and cost savings for thousands of students. She was instrumental in orchestrating a laptop initiative that supported students affected by COVID-19, enabling students to progress with their coursework. She also leads the interdepartmental Campus Online Closure and Interruption Committee (COCI), collaborating with stakeholders across the University to provide crucial support to students during natural disasters. Jennifer holds a Master of Management from the University of Phoenix.
Terri Tommasone is a Senior Director for the Office of Admissions and Evaluation for the University of Phoenix with over 19 years of experience in Admission Processing and Transfer Credit Evaluations. Prior to joining University of Phoenix, she worked in the airbag manufacturing industry which laid the groundwork for her eye to quality processes and continuous improvement. An active member of both AACRAO and PACRAO, Terri identifies with the adult learner segment, as after many years in the work world, she earned her Associate of Applied Science in Computer Technology and then enrolled as a transfer student to earn her Bachelor of Science in Management at University of Phoenix. She also holds a Master of Arts in Innovative Leadership from Western International University.