*AMENDED*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Karen Hopper, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, Special Projects, and Distance Learning, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home

870-508-6110/870-421-7560 (cell)

April 28, 2010

Two and Four-Year Higher Education Institutions Unite

to Offer and Recognize New Business Transfer Degree

            A press conference and photo event is set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at the

Clinton School in Little Rock regarding a new proposed Associate of Science in Business

transfer degree.  The A.S. in Business transfer degree is among the agenda items the

Arkansas Department of Higher Education's (ADHE) Coordinating Board is scheduled to

act on at its meeting Friday, April 30.

            The effort to develop an A.S. in Business transfer degree was led by Dr. Pat

Bailey, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Arkansas State

University-Mountain Home (ASUMH), Dr. Larry Davis, Vice Chancellor for Academic

Affairs, Arkansas State University-Newport, and Karen Hopper, Associate Vice

Chancellor for Research, Special Projects, and Distance Learning, ASUMH. 

            Dr. Bailey said, "With the passage by the Arkansas legislature of the state transfer

agreement known as Act 182 or the Roger Phillips Transfer Policy Act of 2009, work

began to develop the A.S. in Business transfer degree."

            The Roger Phillips Transfer Act of 2009 guarantees that Arkansas two-year

college students who complete Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of

Science in Teaching degrees have the right to transfer freshman and sophomore-level

courses to any public four-year institution in Arkansas.  In addition, four-year public

institutions of higher education in Arkansas are required to accept all hours completed

and credits earned upon a student's transfer to a baccalaureate degree program and admit

the transfer student with junior status.

            Bailey reached out to her colleague at the state’s two-year colleges and four-year

universities for assistance to develop the agreements and led a series of meetings that has

culminated with nine of the state's 10 eligible four-year institutions and 20 of the state's

22 two-year institutions pledging their support for the new transfer degree.

            Bailey added, "The Roger Phillips Transfer Act demonstrated for all of us in

Arkansas higher education that we need to take every possible opportunity to streamline

the transfer process for our students.  The proposed A.S. in Business is the next step in

what we hope will lead to further efforts for smooth transfers for Arkansas students."

            Davis said, "We also want to send a strong message to Governor Beebe that we

stand behind his vision of creating more bachelor degree trained Arkansans."

            Governor Beebe has said, "Our state's future depends on increasing the number

of citizens with degrees. The better educated our workforce is, the better equipped we

will be to recruit high-tech, knowledge-based jobs. This means that the effort to increase

college-graduation rates doesn't just help these students, it helps the prosperity of our

state and our communities."

             Bailey noted that while the A.S. in Business initiative is a win-win for the

 colleges and universities, it is the students at the participating institutions who will be the

 winners in the long run, as well as the state of Arkansas.

             Institutions supporting the A.S. in Business initiative have asked the members of

 the Arkansas legislature to join them for the event, along with Dr. Ed Franklin,

 Executive Director of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, and Dr. Jim

 Purcell, Director of ADHE.