Des Moines Register 02/21/06 DMACC gets ISU assistance

By KATHY A. BOLTEN REGISTER STAFF WRITER

When Thomas Carter began attending Des Moines Area Community College this year , he said he had little help determining what classes he needed to take to complete a two-year degree and be ready to attend a four-year college.

"I wasn't sure what classes would transfer and what wouldn't," said Carter, 26, who transferred this year to DMACC from an Indiana college. He hopes to attend a four-year college in the fall. "I figured it out mostly by myself."

A partnership announced Monday between Iowa State University and DMACC is designed to ease the transfer of hundreds of students between the schools by providing improved counseling and other services. DMACC students will also be able to live on the ISU campus, use the university's library, and access career services and fairs while they attend community college.

The arrangement could help boost enrollment at the Ames university, which has seen the number of students attending the school drop annually since 2002, and could increase the number of students who live on campus, which is a source of revenue. It could also help increase the percentage of minorities on the ISU campus — a university goal. Twelve percent of DMACC's 16,046 students are minorities; 8 percent of ISU's students are minorities.

Ultimately, the partnership could help Iowa's economy by increasing the number of students obtaining four-year degrees. For years, Iowa economic development officials have said that an educated work force is key to attracting businesses, and leaders see an urgent need for more minority college graduates as the state's population diversifies over the coming generation.

The program is among a handful of partnerships between Iowa's state universities and community colleges. For instance, since 2000, students can be jointly admitted to Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids and the University of Iowa. University of Northern Iowa officials on Wednesday will visit Northeast Iowa Community College to explore expanding a program that allows people to complete a bachelor's degree from UNI at the community college campus. Improving his chance of earning a higher salary is the main reason Carter plans on attending a four-year school. Carter said he had worked at a Des Moines-area financial institution, and while he received fair-sized pay raises, he lost out on promotions because he lacked a bachelor's degree.

Carter said he is considering attending either ISU or Drake University to get his four-year degree. The new program may sway him to attend ISU, he said.

Mary Ryan, 22, also said she'll now consider transferring to ISU.

"It's hard to transfer to a four-year college if you don't know anything about it," said Ryan, 22, who attends DMACC's Urban Campus. "If we have more information about ISU, more people may transfer there."

In 2005, 396 DMACC students transferred to ISU, the university's data show. In addition, many more students who eventually will attend ISU take classes each year at DMACC, DMACC officials said.

Gregory Geoffroy, ISU's president, said the Ames university has more transfer students from DMACC than from any other Iowa community college.

"We want to strengthen our partnership," he said.

As soon as students are admitted into the new program, officials will "immediately begin thinking of these young people as Iowa State University students in waiting," Geoffrey said. "The ultimate goal is to have a smooth transition process and make it as seamless as possible."

Streamlining the transfer process will take pressure off students and eliminates some paperwork, said Robert Denson, DMACC president.

DMACC-ISU plan

Des Moines Area Community College students on June 1 can apply for a new program that gives them:

• Guaranteed admission to ISU, as long as they have a 2.0 grade point average (a "C").

• Improved mentoring and counseling that will help them select classes that will transfer to ISU.

• Early orientation and registration before transferring.

• Access to ISU housing, libraries, and career services and fairs.

• ISU student activity discounts for athletic events, concerts and other activities.

Student reaction

• "The student advisers pretty much tell us which classes you need to take. That's the main thing people want to know anyway - will the classes transfer?" - Demetres Bernard , 30, who lives in Ankeny

• "I think it would make the transition a lot easier. My primary concerns about taking classes here are whether they will transfer and if I can maintain a good GPA." - Z. Bachelani , 20, grew up in Des Moines

• "I went to take a look at ISU, but it just didn't seem right for me." The program "would help me to think about ISU a bit more." - Zachary Smith , 19, grew up in West Des Moines

• "I haven't taken the (ACT or SAT), so it'd be really helpful and less of a hassle." - Megan Stout , 19, of Des Moines