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MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
Weatherford College
and
Tarleton State University
This Memorandum of Agreement (hereinafter "MOA") is by and between Weatherford
College (hereinafter "WC") and Tarleton State University (hereinafter "TSU"). WC is a
community college organized under the laws of Texas, and TSU is a public university
organized under the Constitution and laws of Texas, is a member of The Texas A&M
University System, and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
WC and TSU are pleased to acknowledge the excellent working relationship that has
existed between the two institutions for many years. WC ranks among the top four
community colleges for transfer students to TSU and thus will be considered a "Top
Academic Partner" for TSU in "Closing the Gaps" in the state of Texas. The educational
needs of the students in the common geographical service region of WC and TSU are
changing. In order to be responsive to the needs of a growing student constituency, WC
and TSU seek to expand upon their historical collaborative relationship.
This MOA outlines seven areas in which to expand WC's and TSU's existing partnership
by building cooperative programs designed to promote the success of students attending
both academic institutions and facilitate access to higher education in the common
geographical service region. These seven areas include:
1) Dual Admission
2) Program Specific Agreements
3) West Central Texas Two Step Agreements
4) Laboratory Medicine Consortium Agreements
5) Reverse Transfer
6) Alternative Delivery of Upper Division Courses and Graduate Programs
7) Non-Academic Consortium Agreements
In order to continuously improve the educational opportunities in WC's and TSU's
service region, these seven areas may be expanded through the written mutual agreement
of the WC CEO, or designee, and the TSU CEO, or designee, as new needs are identified.
Dual Admission Program
The Dual Admission Program enables WC and TSU students to identify themselves as a
student of both institutions prior to a change in physical campus location. In addition, it
provides access to additional facilities and programs offered by WC and TSU that may
enhance the chance of student success and provide a more seamless transition between
the two institutions. Students taking classes solely at WC will pay its associated tuition
and fees, but as a dual admission student may also be awarded certain services at TSU.
Those services may incur fees at TSU depending upon the nature of those services.
Students who are concurrently enrolled, i.e., taking courses at both institutions, will pay
the course tuition and fees associated with the respective institutions. In either regard, the
student will be identified as both a WC and TSU student. Components of the dual
admission program might include, but are not limited to:
I) Concurrent enrollment
2) A Texan Card
3) Student access to Texan/Texann sporting events
4) A TSU email account
5) Access to the TSU libraries and to computer facilitates operated by TSU
6) Academic Advising
After acceptance into the dual admission program, students must continually meet the
admission requirements and academic performance standards of both institutions in order
to remain in the program. Students accepted under dual admission may transfer from one
institution to another, alternate enrollment between the institutions, or concurrently enroll
at both institutions.
Program Specific Agreements (PSAs)
The purpose of PSAs is to facilitate both the articulation and transfer of students and add
value to their educational experience. WC and TSU will work toward a goal of PSAs for
all Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees at WC in which TSU
has a baccalaureate counterpart. The PSAs will be designed to maximize the amount of
academic course work completed at WC that can be applied to a TSU baccalaureate
degree, providing students with economic incentives that encourage access and success in
their higher education endeavors. These PSAs will be available on a web page hosted on
TSU's website and maintained by a designated academic representative of both
institutions. This page will be accessible from the Internet home pages of both
institutions, ensuring availability to the students, counselors and advisors of both
academic institutions.
West Central Texas Two-Step Agreements
The purpose of the Two-Step Agreements is to facilitate the articulation and transfer of a
block of technical courses from WC into the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences
(BAAS) degree and the Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (BSAS) degree at TSU
in such occupational areas as business, industrial technology, and medical technology.
These articulation agreements will be designed to maximize the amount of academic and
technical course work completed at WC for the applied associate degrees and technical
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certification programs that can be utilized for the applied baccalaureate degrees at TSU.
WC and TSU will work to identify new occupational areas shared between the
institutions that may be appropriate to the applied degrees. These Two-Step Agreements
will be available on a web page hosted on TSU's website and maintained by a designated
academic representative of both institutions. This page will be accessible from the
Internet home pages of both institutions, ensuring availability to the students, counselors
and advisors of both academic institutions ..
Laboratory Medicine Consortium Agreements
The purpose of the Laboratory Medicine Consortium agreement is to define terms for
transfer of course credits from WC to TSU for students intending to pursue an AAS
degree and professional certification in either Medical Laboratory Technology or
Histotechnology. This consortium agreement was formed in an effort to create viable and
cost effective professional programs in these two specific allied health disciplines
identified as high need occupations in the state of Texas' "Closing the Gaps" plan. This
agreement will be annually reviewed for continuous improvement. The elements of this
agreement will be available on a web page hosted on TSU's website and maintained by a
designated academic representative of both institutions. This page will be accessible
from the Internet home pages of both institutions, ensuring availability to the students,
counselors and advisors of both academic institutions.
Reverse Transfer
Reverse Transfer permits students that have matriculated to TSU prior to completion of
an associate degree at WC, to transfer course work from TSU back to WC in order to
complete the associate degree. This feature may be extremely advantageous to students
whose higher education plans are interrupted by life circumstance and the completion of
the associate degree becomes a valuable indicator of their success.
Alternative Delivery of Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs
WC and TSU will explore alternative delivery options for upper division and graduate
course work, including but not limited to on-line courses, ITV courses, blended delivery
courses, and face to face courses delivered at WC or other locations in Parker County by
TSU. The purpose of this feature is to provide access to upper division and graduate
course work for place-bound students in the WC service region.
Non-Academic Consortium Agreements
Non-Academic Departments or Offices of WC and TSU including but not limited to
Financial Aid, Admissions, Distance Education, and Career Services will explore
opportunities to develop consortium agreements that facilitate the transfer, reverse
transfer, dual enrollment and other future partnership areas that contribute to access to
higher education and success of students at both institutions.
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In pursuit of these programs, WC and TSU agree:
Dual Admission:
1. Students entering WC who meet the entrance requirements of TSU are
eligible for the Dual Admission Program.
2. Students currently enrolled in WC that desire admission to the Dual
Admission Program must meet the transfer requirements ofTSU.
3. WC and TSU will cooperate in promoting the Dual Admission Program.
4. Students admitted in the Dual Admission Program are not necessarily
guaranteed admission into programs at TSU that require a secondary
application of native campus students (Teacher Education, Nursing, Clinical
Laboratory Science, Engineering).
5. Students in the Dual Admission Program will be permitted to register during
registration periods for native students.
6. Advising Services at both institutions will be provided to students in the Dual
Admission Program.
7. Access to facilities, computer laboratories, and libraries at both institutions
will be provided to students in the Dual Admission Program.
8. Students in the Dual Admission Program must remain in good academic
standing at both institutions in order to continue in the program.
9. Students in the Dual Admission Program must adhere to the rules and
regulations and deadlines of the institution they are currently attending.
10. WC and TSU will exchange student information within legal limitations in
order to facilitate the flexible nature of the Dual Admission Program.
11. Students accepted under dual admission may transfer from one institution to
another, alternate enrollment between the institutions, or concurrently enroll at
both institutions.
12. Academic and non-academic appeals or grievances must be managed through
the appropriate channels in the institution in which an event occurs.
Reverse Transfer Program:
1. WC and TSU will exchange student information within legal limitations in
order to promote the Reverse Transfer Program.
2. TSU will encourage transfer WC students to utilize the Reverse Transfer
Program in order to complete the associate degree.
Alternative Deliverv:
I. WC and TSU will strive to develop a distance education infrastructure that
supports the success of its students.
2. WC and TSU may make classroom, laboratories and other facilities available
to support alternative delivery.
3. WC and TSU will explore options for developing exceptional electronic
connectivity.
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Non-Academic Program Consortium Agreements:
1. WC and TSU will exchange student information within legal limitations in
order to facilitate these consortium agreements.
2. Development of a Financial Aid Consortium Agreement will be a priority for
both WC and TSU.
3. Joint scholarship programs between WC and TSU will be discussed and
mutually considered.
Provisions for Agreement Implementation. Maintenance and Revision:
The Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs at TSU and the Vice
President of Instruction at WC will:
1. Designate a point person on each campus to oversee implementation of this
agreement.
2. Annually review the agreement and make recommendations to the two
presidents for its termination or expansion.
Provisions for Agreement Initiation. Renewal and Termination:
This MOA shall have a term of five (5) years, beginning on September 1, 2006.
WC and TSU will discuss whether to to renew this MOA at least one year in advance of
the termination date. The MOA will terminate on September 1, 2011 unless the parties
agree in writing to renew the MOA. Such a written renewal agreement must be signed by
the parties not later than April 1, 2011. In the event this agreement is terminated, both
institutions agree to make completion provisions for those individual students actively
engaged under the provisions of this agreement at the time of termination.
This Memorandum of Agreement is agreed to this ih day of April 2006, by:
Dr. Denni
President
Tarleton State University
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