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Articulation & General Studies Committee
About
The AGSC stands for the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee. The AGSC was created in March of 1994 through State Legislation (ACT 94-202).
The AGSC was created to simplify the transfer of course credit between public institutions of higher education. To accomplish this task, the AGSC has developed and has implemented a statewide general studies and articulation program that facilitates the transferability of coursework among all Alabama public colleges and universities. The AGSC continues to serve as a monitoring committee for the articulation program. They oversee and maintain the program on an on-going basis. Finally, the AGSC works to resolve any student appeals related to transfer of coursework as it relates to the articulation program.
History & background
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, students who attended Alabama's Public Two-Year Colleges faced many obstacles when it came to transferring completed coursework from their two-year college to a public four-year institution in our state. Often the transfer of credit decision was left entirely up to the receiving institution.
Many of the institutions would not accept certain courses and thus force the transfer student to re-take similar courses after transfer on their campuses under their faculty. This created much confusion, misunderstanding, and mistrust between students, parents and representatives at the transfer institutions.
As a result of great losses in credit, time, and money, students and their parents begin to complain to their state representatives.
In March of 1994, a group of representatives drafted legislation, that if approved would force the two-year and four-year institutions to work together to resolve this transfer issue. As a result, Legislative Act 94-202 was passed and the AGSC & STARS Program was created. The Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) was established and the Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System (STARS) was implemented throughout the state.
AGSC meeting voting rules
There are ten voting members of the AGSC&STARS Committee based on the categories defined by the legislation, ACT 94-202. In addition, each appointing authority may appoint alternates equal in number to the number of votes that authority has (i.e., two alternates for regional universities, three alternates for ACCS, and one alternate for each of the others). Those entitled to vote at meetings are as follows:
- The voting member when present.
- If a voting member is absent, the alternate member from the absent member's category (e.g., regional universities or ACCS) votes in place of the voting member.
- For regionals and two-year college representatives, when the number of voting members absent is less than the number of alternate voting members present, the alternate member(s) who will cast votes will be identified at the time of roll call such that there will be only three votes cast among the two-year institutions and only two votes cast among the regional universities.
Chairperson
LSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.eduVice Chairperson
UAB · Dr. Eva Lewis
evalewis@uab.eduSecretary
ACHE · Jacinta Whitehurst
jacinta.whitehurst@ache.eduVoting members
Alabama A&M University
1 vote from this group.
AA&MU · Dr. Pamela Arrington
pamela.arrington@aamu.eduAA&MU · Dr. Wubishet Tadesse (Alternate)
wubishet.tadesse@aamu.eduAlabama State University
1 vote from this group.
ASU · Dr. Tanjula Petty
tpetty@alasu.eduASU · Dr. Kathaleen Amende (Alternate)
kamende@alasu.eduAuburn University System
1 vote from this group.
AU · Dr. Norman Godwin
godwinh@auburn.eduAU · Dr. Charles Israel (Alternate)
israeca@auburn.eduUniversity of Alabama System
1 vote from this group.
UAB · Dr. Eva Lewis
evalewis@uab.eduUA System · Dr. Tonjanita Johnson (Alternate)
tjohnson@uasystem.eduUniversity of South Alabama
1 vote from this group.
USA · Dr. Angela Coleman
macoleman@southalabama.eduUSA · Dr. Eric Loomis (Alternate)
ejloomis@southalabama.eduRegional Universities
2 votes from this group.
- Athens State University
- Jacksonville State University
- Troy University
- University of Montevallo
- University of North Alabama
- University of West Alabama
Troy · Dr. Hal Fulmer
hfulmer@troy.eduUWA · Dr. Tim Edwards
tedwards@uwa.eduAlabama Community College System
3 votes from this group.
LSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.eduCoastal · Mary Beth Lancaster
mary.lancaster@coastalalabama.eduNACC · Dr. David Campbell
campbelld@nacc.eduACCS · Dr. Chantae Calhoun (Alternate)
chantae.calhoun@accs.eduWCCD · Leslie Reeder (Alternate)
lreeder@wallace.eduCVCC · Jackie Screws (Alternate)
jackie.screws@cv.eduNon-voting members
Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE)
ACHE · Dr. Robin McGill
robin.mcgill@ache.eduACHE · Jacinta Whitehurst
jacinta.whitehurst@ache.eduStatewide Transfer Articulation Reporting System (STARS)
AL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduAL Transfers · Shannon Nichols
sgnichols@troy.eduAL Transfers · Anita Hermeling
ajbrown@troy.eduCouncil of Chief Academic Officers
UWA · Dr. Tim Edwards
tedwards@uwa.eduAlabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
AAICU · General Paul Hankins
hankinsp@knology.netSub-Committees
ACHIEVE Conference
The ACHIEVE Conference Sub-Committee is formed ad hoc to plan and facilitate the annual ACHIEVE Transfer Student Success Conference.
The conference itself focuses on three things: (1) promoting transfer student success, (2) fostering collaboration between community colleges and universities to increase college completion rates in Alabama, and (3) discovering new ways to achieve seamless transfer.
Chairperson
UA · Brandi Stacey
bmstacey@ua.eduVice Chairperson
Members
AA&MU · Dr. Pamela Arrington
pamela.arrington@aamu.eduAL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduASU · Dr. Tanjula Petty
tpetty@alasu.eduLSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.eduTroy · Korrie Lynn Williamson
klwilliamson@troy.eduUA System · Dr. Tonjanita Johnson
tjohnson@uasystem.eduWCCD · Leslie Reeder
lreeder@wallace.eduAthens · Dr. Catherine Wehlburg
Catherine.Wehlburg@athens.eduAthens · Sarah McAbee
sarah.mcabee@athens.eduAthens · Belinda Krigel
belinda.krigel@athens.eduAthens · Chris Latham
chris.latham@athens.eduAthens · Monteia Moore
monteia.moore@athens.eduAthens · Kerry Warren
kerry.warren@athens.eduCCC · Dr. Donna Estill
donna.estill@calhoun.eduCCC · Wes Torain
we.torain@calhoun.eduCCC · Dr. Patricia Wilson
patricia.wilson@calhoun.eduAP Credit
The work of this committee is on hold until we receive a response back from the Council of Chief Academic Officers.
Background:
The AP Credit Scores Sub-Committee completed its work in July of 2020 with a recommendation to the full AGSC. The recommendations were as follows:
- Disciplinary experts at each institution should assess the appropriate threshold scores for AP exams in the same way that they assess courses for articulation.
- AGSC recommends that all state institutions set AP score expectations at “3” for all courses as a means to smooth transfer between state institutions.
State institutions should clearly report their AP credit awarding thresholds in their institutional materials (web/bulletin/etc.) and AGSC will link to these scores or provide a composite table for easy reference.
The sub‐committee’s report and recommendations were accepted without modification by the AGSC. In January 2021, AGSC chair, Dr. Pamela Arrington, shared the recommendations with the Council of University Chief Academic Officers. This council has not yet responded officially to the recommendation from the AGSC.
Chairperson
AU · Dr. Charles Israel
israeca@auburn.eduMembers
AA&MU · Dr. Pamela Arrington
pamela.arrington@aamu.eduUWA · Dr. Tim Edwards
tedwards@uwa.eduMath Pathways
The purpose of the Math Pathways sub-committee is to explore possible issues related to the current math requirements in the state core, generate improvement ideas, and determine one or two actionable changes related to mathematics to recommend to the AGSC.
Chairperson
AL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduMembers
AA&MU · Dr. Wubishet Tadesse
wubishet.tadesse@aamu.eduACCS · Dr. Chantae Calhoun
chantae.calhoun@accs.eduACHE · Dr. Robin McGill
robin.mcgill@ache.eduAU · Dr. Gary Martin
martiwg@auburn.eduTroy · Dr. Hal Fulmer
hfulmer@troy.eduLSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.eduUA · Dr. Jim Gleason
jgleason@ua.eduSUSCC · Dr. Eddie Pigg
epigg@suscc.eduAL Transfers · Shannon Nichols
sgnichols@troy.eduMeta Major - General Education - Area I-V
The Meta-Major - General Education - AREA I-V Recommendation Sub-Committee is a committee established to take a "long-term / wholistic view" of the current transfer guide requirements. They are looking to answer the following questions: Can we make a move to a Meta-Major system? What can we do to change how we establish areas and general studies requirements? What can we do to make the entire transfer system better?
Chairperson
UAB · Dr. Eva Lewis
evalewis@uab.eduMembers
USA · Dr. Angela Coleman
macoleman@southalabama.eduAL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduAA&MU · Dr. Pamela Arrington
pamela.arrington@aamu.eduUA System · Dr. Tonjanita Johnson
tjohnson@uasystem.eduACHE · Dr. Robin McGill
robin.mcgill@ache.eduAU · Dr. Charles Israel
israeca@auburn.eduCoastal · Mary Beth Lancaster
mary.lancaster@coastalalabama.eduASU · Dr. Kathaleen Amende
kamende@alasu.eduAU · Dr. Cary Curtiss
ces0067@auburn.eduACCS · Dr. Chantae Calhoun
chantae.calhoun@accs.eduProposed UA Core Curriculum Impact
This sub-committee of the AGSC was created on March 23, 2023. The purpose of this committee is to look into the forthcoming general education core changes proposed by The University of Alabama and how it impacts transfer students and also how it conflicts or matches up with the 1994 legislation that created the AGSC and expanded STARS (now Alabama Transfers). It is the sub-committee's desire to work with UA, its provost office staff, and other institutional committees to make sure that transfer students who obtain official AGSC approved transfer guides are not adversely impacted upon transfer to the University of Alabama.
Chair
LSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.eduVice Chair
AL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduMembers
UAB · Dr. Eva Lewis
evalewis@uab.eduUA System · Dr. Tonjanita Johnson
tjohnson@uasystem.eduUA · Brandi Stacey
bmstacey@ua.eduNACC · Dr. David Campbell
campbelld@nacc.eduAthens · Dr. Catherine Wehlburg
Catherine.Wehlburg@athens.eduAA&MU · Dr. Wubishet Tadesse
wubishet.tadesse@aamu.eduWCCD · Leslie Reeder
lreeder@wallace.eduCoastal · Mary Beth Lancaster
mary.lancaster@coastalalabama.eduCVCC · Jackie Screws
jackie.screws@cv.eduSupport Courses
Support Courses (email from Dr. Coleman - USA) --- Many colleges have developed co-requisite course delivery models to existing, approved gen ed courses as we have moved away from developmental education. Often, these courses have a special designation (E.g., EH 101-S). I have maintained that we treat this course the same a undesignated courses because, in fact, it is the same course (EH 101 = EH101-S). The course may have different instructional delivery, but the course is the same. I'd be interested to hear if others have had to engage in similar discussions about the transferability of these courses. I'd also like the committee to consider whether the AGSC should development a statement about the transferability of these courses.
Chairperson
ACCS · Dr. Chantae Calhoun
chantae.calhoun@accs.eduMembers
AA&MU · Dr. Pamela Arrington
pamela.arrington@aamu.eduUSA · Dr. Angela Coleman
macoleman@southalabama.eduASU · Dr. Kathaleen Amende
kamende@alasu.eduCoastal · Mary Beth Lancaster
mary.lancaster@coastalalabama.eduAL Transfers · Dr. Keith Sessions
ksessions1@troy.eduLSCC · Dr. Bruce Crawford
bcrawford@lawsonstate.edu