September 21–23, 2005

ITEM 128-101-R0905  An Assessment Plan for the Transfer Audit Policies

THAT: The Montana Board of Regents adopt six (6) assessment models for the recently-enacted transfer audit policies. The assessment models are set out as an attachment to this item.

EXPLANATION: The Legislative Audit of Transfer of Credit practices in the Montana University System recommended an assessment process for the policies that were adopted in response to the audit. The specific recommendation was as follows:

We recommend the Regents:

A. Periodically collect transfer data to assess system-wide policy compliance.

B. Utilize reported data to make informed decisions.

Following the adoption of the last transfer audit policies at the May 2005 Board of Regents' meeting, a work group developed the assessment models for each of the new policies. The work group was made up of representatives from the institutional research operations throughout the Montana University System, and was chaired by Jim Rimpau from Montana State University-Bozeman.

The assessment models should assist the Montana Board of Regents in determining:

1)             whether the campuses of the Montana University System are complying with the policies;

2)             what the underlying reasons might be, if compliance is a problem, and what might be done to fix those problems;

3)             whether the policies are achieving the solutions that were envisioned at the time of their enactment; and

4)             whether the policies should be changed, if they are not achieving the desired results.