The Impact of Institutional Resources on Articulation Agreements in Higher Education

• In Event: AI and Transfer Student Success: Learning From the Field

Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of articulation agreements within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, focusing on how institutional and county-level resources impact these agreements. Grounded in educational equity and resource allocation theories, the research applies methodologies from anonymous et al. (2019) to explore disparities between under-resourced and resource-rich institutions. We developed two metrics: the Articulation Coverage Score (ACS), a straightforward measure based on catalog size, and the AI-enhanced ACS (AI-ACS), which employs an advanced algorithmic model to generate new articulation pairs. These metrics assess how well institutions cover potential courses students might have taken and whether these pathways are utilized effectively for credit granting. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using data from the SUNY system, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The findings indicate significant disparities in articulation coverage, with under-resourced receiving institutions, particularly those classified under NASFAA and SIP definitions, generally exhibiting lower ACS. Additionally, county-level economic factors and financial aid percentages show complex relationships with ACS and AI-ACS. Specifically, institutions in higher-income counties or with greater financial resources tend to have more inefficient equivalencies, while higher rates of Pell grant recipients correlate with increased extra equivalencies. These results underscore the nuanced effects of institutional and county-level resources on course articulation within the SUNY system. This study provides a comprehensive metric for evaluating articulation effectiveness and offers valuable insights for policymakers and educational administrators. The findings can inform strategies to enhance articulation practices, ultimately improving educational access and equity for students, especially those from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Authors

• Sarah Goulart, University of California - Berkeley

• Zachary A. Pardos, University of California - Berkeley