September 29, 1994: Vol26n4: UB, Monroe sign co-op degree program

By ARTHUR PAGE
News Bureau Staff
Officials of the University at Buffalo and Monroe Community College in
Rochester have signed a cooperative-degree program designed to
increase the number of students transferring from the community
college to the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and UB
School of Management.
	Under the agreement, Monroe Community College (MCC) will
recruit for the UB programs. High school students will complete one
application for MCC and UB, be accepted by both simultaneously and be
guaranteed transfer to the UB programs as juniors following graduation
from MCC. The document also calls for regular communication between
MCC and UB faculty, and participation of UB in training MCC faculty.
	Signing the agreement for UB, the largest and most
comprehensive campus in the 64-campus State University of New York
system, were President William R. Greiner; Provost Aaron Bloch; Mark
H. Karwan, acting dean of the UB School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences, and Frederick W. Winter, dean of the UB School of
Management.
	President Peter A. Spina; Frank Milligan, vice president for
academic affairs, and R. Thomas Flynn, vice president for student
affairs, signed on behalf of Monroe Community College, one of 30
community colleges in the SUNY system.
	Greiner noted at a press conference that "UB is committed to
developing mutually productive working relationships with community
colleges throughout our region.
	"This new affiliation," he added, "will allow both our
institutions to enrich the academic opportunities and services that we
can offer Western New York students. We're delighted to enter into
this partnership with MCCQit will open a lot of great possibilities
for the people we serve."
	Spina said the agreement is the first between Monroe Community
College and one of SUNY's four university centers. "We are especially
pleased to enter into this cooperative-degree agreement," he said.
"Many hundreds of MCC graduates have gone on to study at the
University at Buffalo. Formally easing their transfer to such a
respected university helps us realize our community-college mission to
place student success above all else."
	Greiner noted that the agreement addresses the access goals
outlined in "SUNY 2000: A Vision for the New Century," which call for
facilitating transfer of students among campuses, particularly from
SUNY two-year colleges to other SUNY campuses. MCC students
participating in the cooperative-degree program will receive
information about UB's programs and be contacted by UB while at
Monroe. Special programs will be developedQat UB and MCCQto involve
them while they are enrolled at the community college.
	The philosophy behind the agreement is that students
participating in the program will be more likely to transfer to UB
after completing the program at MCC, although they can transfer to
other schools. Students will be aware of UB's grading policies, and
support systems will be developed to assure retention of students
transferring.
	UB has had a transfer agreement with Erie Community College
for several years for students transferring into UB's liberal-arts
programs.
	The university has developed a scholarship program in
recognition of the outstanding caliber of transfer students now
applying to UB, and this fall awarded 20 honors scholarships to
transfer students from community colleges.
	To facilitate the expanded emphases on transfer students, UB
will appoint a transfer and articulation coordinator to work with
community colleges and UB faculty to improve the articulation of
degree programs and the transfer process for undergraduates.