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MATC, UW reach transfer agreement

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by Dan Powell

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Top officials from the University of Wisconsin and Madison Area Technical College officially signed an agreement Wednesday providing guaranteed transfer-student admission.

UW Chancellor John Wiley and MATC President Bettsey Barhorst joined forces to set standards for MATC students to follow in order to gain access to UW.

"Now, every student in the Liberal Arts Transfer Program at MATC will know exactly what's required for transfer to UW-Madison. The contract spells it all out," Wiley said. "Students can plan for a guaranteed transfer from the first day of enrollment."

Effective this fall, the "Transfer Contract" program is designed to eliminate the anxiety of transferring by guaranteeing transfer from MATC to UW for students who enroll as freshmen in the Liberal Arts Program and meet specified levels of academic achievement.

"It gives [students] a goal. It gives them a guarantee because they have so much uncertainty anyway," Barhorst said. "It's that security for them."

Though the admissions process will remain the same for all students, the contract specifically details every requirement for guaranteed transfer, which includes earning 54 breadth credits and maintaining a 3.0 GPA.

Wiley noted earning a bachelor's degree is one key to earning a higher-paying job and cited one in five undergraduates — and one in four bachelor's degree holders from UW — enter the university as transfer students.

And UW Regent Brent Smith, president of the Wisconsin Technical College Board, said creating greater access for transfer students will increase the overall number of people with bachelor's degrees in Wisconsin.

"I think [the Transfer Contract program] will make applications to technical-college schools that much more attractive," Smith said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It is certainly in line with making … seamless the ability to transfer and also increasing bachelor's degree holders."

Smith added only two other state technical colleges besides MATC-Madison currently have the unique Liberal Arts Program: Nicolet Area Technical College in Rhinelander and Milwaukee Area Technical College.

"It would be consistent to apply [the Transfer Contract] to Nicolet and Milwaukee, as they have the ability under state statute," Smith said. "It is feasible that, with Board of Regents and Technical College Board approval, [the Liberal Arts Program] could be expanded, but right now it is limited."

Wiley noted agreements between UW and both of those technical colleges are nearly completed and will be finalized soon.

Additionally, Wiley said the new program is different than the Connections Program, through which students not admitted to UW due to space limitations are invited to complete certain requirements in a two-year UW College and then enter UW without reapplying for transfer.

The new program also provides for unlimited transfers, another difference from previous transfer programs.

"We can handle more juniors and seniors. We just can't handle any more freshmen and sophomores," Wiley said. "That's the real bottom line."

Barhorst added the transfer program will provide greater access to the Madison population.

"Since our liberal-arts student population includes 12.9 percent minority students and reflects the ethnic diversity of Madison, this agreement will increase the access to bachelor's degrees for many traditionally underserved students," Barhorst said.

Marjorie Cook, a 2000 transfer to UW from the MATC Liberal Arts Program, said she did not finish high school and found many MATC students had a similar background but were still hard working, smart and capable.

Cook noted the Transfer Contract is "invaluable" to students, as she is currently completing her Ph.D. work in educational leadership and policy analysis.

"[The Transfer Contract program] does set that goal that students know, 'If I work hard, there's going to be a payoff, and I can actually go to that dream school of UW-Madison,'" she said.

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Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 5:58am):

so we should make it easier to get in? Downward goes the US News rank!

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 1:46pm):

Why did I need a 3.6 HS GPA to get into Madison, but they just need a 3.0 to get in?

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 2:12pm):

considering most students here could get a 3.0 at MATC in their sleep makes this a horrible idea

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 2:59pm):

This is a complete insult to all of the students that work so hard throughout there high school career to earn admission into one of the top public schools in the nation. Allowing anyone with a 3.0 from the local community college in the door is simply devaluing all of their efforts.

-JH NY, NY

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 3:25pm):

way to lower the standards of the university. if they aren't smart enough or don't work hard to get in out of high school, why should they get a free pass.
also, 3.0 average at matc?! are you kidding me?

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 5:21pm):

MATC has everything to gain from this. Imagine what this will do for their recruitment of students.

Meanwhile, the UW gains absolutly NOTHING from this agreement. Absolutly nothing. This is such a lopsided deal that it makes the MATC administration look incredibly smarter than their UW counterparts.

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 6:48pm):

A 3.0 at MATC? Are you kidding me? You can smoke crack all day like most MATC students and still pull off a 3.0 there.

Anonymous (April 20, 2006 @ 10:13pm):

This is by far the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. Who cares if MATC students go to school in the same city as UW--that should not give them any sort of advantage over anyone else who seeks admission at UW. I cannot even explain how much this upsets me. UW is a great university, but this is definitely the LAST thing they should be focusing on.

Anonymous (April 21, 2006 @ 1:53pm):

I cannot wait to have some of these dumbasses in my classes...

Anonymous (April 21, 2006 @ 5:40pm):

"I cannot wait to have some of these dumbasses in my classes..."

Amen. An instant curve. If they get into UW, there is no excuse why every one of us current UW students can't get a 4.0.