3357:12-13-15-Reverse Transfer Policy

A.POLICY:

Zane State College supports the completion of associate degrees through the reverse transfer of credits in alignment with the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Credit When It’s Due initiative. This policy allows students who have transferred to a four-year institution without completing their associate degree to transfer credits back to Zane State College and earn the degree. The program aims to increase degree completion rates by awarding associate degrees to eligible students based on coursework completed at both Zane State College and the four-year institution.

 

B.POLICY GUIDELINES:

Eligibility:

• Students must have transferred to an accredited four-year institution from Zane State College without earning their associate degree.
• To qualify for reverse transfer, students must have:
• Completed at least 30 credit hours at Zane State College.
• Accumulated additional credits at the four-year institution sufficient to meet Zane State College’s associate degree requirements.
• Cannot have already earned a degree at Zane State College and/or the College/University currently enrolled. 0

Process for Reverse Transfer:

• Students interested in reverse transfer must submit a Reverse Transfer Request Form, which authorizes the release of their academic records from the four-year institution to Zane State College for evaluation.
• Zane State College’s Registrar’s Office will evaluate the coursework completed at the four-year institution and determine if the student has satisfied the remaining degree requirements.
• If the transferred credits fulfill the associate degree requirements, Zane State College will award the associate degree, and the student will be notified of their graduation status.

Collaboration with Four-Year Institutions:

• Zane State College will work in collaboration with participating four-year institutions in Ohio to facilitate the reverse transfer process. This includes sharing information about the Credit When It’s Due initiative and informing eligible students of their opportunity to apply for an associate degree.
• Regular communication between the Registrar’s Office at Zane State College and the four-year institutions will ensure a smooth and timely exchange of transcripts and academic records.

Degree Requirements:

• The associate degree will be awarded based on the curriculum requirements in place at the time the student was last enrolled at Zane State College or the requirements in effect at the time of degree completion, depending on which is more favorable to the student.
• All general education and major-specific requirements must be met through a combination of coursework completed at Zane State College and the four-year institution.

Notification of Eligible Students:

• Zane State College will actively notify students who have transferred to four-year institutions but have not completed their associate degree about their eligibility for reverse transfer.
• Students identified as eligible through transcript audits will be contacted and provided with guidance on the reverse transfer process.

Application Deadlines:

• While reverse transfer requests can be submitted at any time, students wishing to participate in the graduation ceremony must adhere to the College’s established graduation application deadlines.

Transcript Submission and Evaluation:

• Students must submit official transcripts from the four-year institution to Zane State College’s Registrar’s Office for evaluation. These transcripts will become part of the student’s academic record.
• The Registrar’s Office will verify the credits and confirm if they meet the criteria for degree completion based on the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s guidelines.

 

C.POLICY HISTORY:

This policy was implemented to align with the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Credit When It’s Due initiative, which promotes the awarding of associate degrees to students who have transferred before completing their degree. The initiative is part of a statewide effort to increase the number of degree holders and improve workforce readiness in Ohio.

 

D.INITIATING DIVISION:

• Academic Services

 

E.POLICY REVIEWERS:

• Academic Services
• Registrar’s Office
• Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE)

F.POLICY REFERENCES:

• Ohio Department of Higher Education Credit When It’s Due Initiative: https://www.ohiohighered.org/credit_when_due
• Ohio Articulation and Transfer Network (OATN)
• No other codified rules