Toward a Critical Perspective of Transfer: An Exploration of the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Community College Partnerships Summer Intensive Transfer Experience Plus (SITE+) Program

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Race Theory and a Transfer-Receptive Culture: Examining the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Community College Partnerships

Abstract

Although community colleges serve nearly half of all students of color in higher education, a high percentage of them do not transfer to four-year institutions (Wassmer, Moore, & Shulock, 2004). For those who do transfer, they often experience “transfer shock” and struggle to persist (Laanan, 2001; Reyes, 2011). Traditional approaches of transferring places the responsibility of transfer preparation on the student and not the institution (Ornelas & Solórzano, 2004; Rendón, 1993). A more critical approach focuses on the strength of students of color, and examines the role of both the sending and receiving institution (Jain, Herrera, Bernal, & Solórzano, 2011). Therefore, the research question guiding this study is: How does the UCLA Summer Intensive Transfer Experience plus (SITE+) exemplify the five elements of a transfer receptive culture (TRC)? SITE+ is a program offered by UCLA’s Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP), where students enroll in an upper division six-week summer course, free of charge and attend supplemental workshops that center transfer resources.

A transfer receptive culture, framed by critical race theory, is an institutional commitment by a four-year college or university to provide the support needed for students to transfer successfully (Jain, et al, 2011). It consists of five elements. The first two pre-transfer elements are: 1) establishing transfer of nontraditional students as a high institutional priority; and 2) providing outreach and resources that focus on the specific and unique needs of transfer students. The last three elements, which are post-transfer, include: 3) offering of financial and academic support; 4) acknowledging the lived experiences that students bring and the intersectionality between community and family; and 5) creating an appropriate framework of assessment and evaluation that can lead to further scholarship on transfer students (Jain et al, 2011).

A quantitative and qualitative study was conducted focusing on five years of SITE+, from 2007-2011 and consisted of 87 participants (70% female, 30%male), with 90% identifying as students of color (the majority Latina/o). Fifty-six students completed an informational survey, and 22 participated in focus group interviews. Preliminary findings demonstrate that the SITE + exemplifies four out of the five TRC elements.

The first element is demonstrated through the presence of the SITE+ program and the longevity of CCCP. Students felt that the second element was fulfilled as SITE+ addressed fears and misconceptions about transferring to a university. The third element was the most mentioned amongst students regarding the financial support they received and the academic resources that were offered. Element four validated students lived experiences both through the coursework and the supplemental programming. Students did not speak directly to element five, however by conducting this study our goal is to further contribute to the body of literature pertaining to transfer receptivity (Bahr, Toth, Thirolf, & Massé, 2013). Viewing transfer from a four-year perspective is a significant contribution to the research and policies surrounding the transfer function, as this study, along with others in this symposium, are the first to provide empirical data related to the concept of a transfer receptive culture.

Authors

• Dimpal Jain, California State University - Northridge

• Iris Lucero, University of California - Los Angeles

• Alfred Herrera, University of California - Los Angeles

• Santiago Bernal, University of California - Los Angeles

• Daniel Gilbert Solorzano, University of California - Los Angeles