2008 Woodie Awards
De Anza axes 'Transfer Studies' A.A.
Aiselle De Vera
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
Effective this fall, the University Transfer Studies degree will no longer be offered at De Anza College.
The University Transfer Studies degree gave students the option of following the CSU general education guidelines or the IGETC guidelines, along with the De Anza GE requirements to obtain an A.A. degree while taking the steps to transfer.
De Anza Academic Senate Treasurer Paul Setziol was one of many Academic Senate members who voted to nullify the degree.
"Many colleges were changing their degrees to be just a minimum of what it took to transfer," Setziol said. "[It's] like saying we don't really care to be a college, we just want to get students to someplace else."
The resolution went to the statewide Academic Senate, of which Setziol is also a member, and majority agreed that such degrees are no longer acceptable for community college because they do not identify an area of emphasis. The Title V Regulations, which pertain to community colleges, require a major or an area of emphasis for an associate degree.
"That's why we had to redo ours," said Setziol.
De Anza counselor Cheryl Woodward was opposed to nullifying the degree but was not a member of the senate and couldn't vote.
"I wanted [De Anza] to have options for the students," she said.
Woodward proposed a revised version of the current University Transfer degree to the De Anza Curriculum Committee. The new University Studies degree would have an area of emphasis but would not include De Anza GE requirements of speech communication, physical education and intercultural studies.
During the March 11 Curriculum Committee meeting, members recommended that the Academic Senate not approve the revised University Transfer Studies A.A. degree, citing that the degree pattern is not aligned with De Anza College mission and core competency because it doesn't include De Anza GE courses.
"[It] would be very extensive if it were to include De Anza GE courses," the meeting notes stated. "There wouldn't be any incentives for students to complete the extra course work needed to obtain the degree."
During the March 17 De Anza Academic Senate Meeting, the Senate accepted the Curriculum Committee's recommendation to not approve the newly revised University Studies associate's degree with no votes in favor. All votes were either abstentions or against the revision.
"We worked for a year and a half determining what a De Anza degree should have, and those three things were held to be important enough to make them be requirements," said Setziol. "We said if that's a minimum requirement to get a degree at De Anza, then whatever degrees we offer at De Anza College should have those requirements."
"At De Anza, we have a philosophy, and we have a mission," said Curriculum Committee Co-Chair Anu Khanna, "and any degree we offer should be in line with that philosophy and mission."
Students currently taking the University Transfer Studies degree will have rights to the catalog at the time of their enrollment as long as they remain enrolled.
The University Transfer Studies degree gave students the option of following the CSU general education guidelines or the IGETC guidelines, along with the De Anza GE requirements to obtain an A.A. degree while taking the steps to transfer.
De Anza Academic Senate Treasurer Paul Setziol was one of many Academic Senate members who voted to nullify the degree.
"Many colleges were changing their degrees to be just a minimum of what it took to transfer," Setziol said. "[It's] like saying we don't really care to be a college, we just want to get students to someplace else."
The resolution went to the statewide Academic Senate, of which Setziol is also a member, and majority agreed that such degrees are no longer acceptable for community college because they do not identify an area of emphasis. The Title V Regulations, which pertain to community colleges, require a major or an area of emphasis for an associate degree.
"That's why we had to redo ours," said Setziol.
De Anza counselor Cheryl Woodward was opposed to nullifying the degree but was not a member of the senate and couldn't vote.
"I wanted [De Anza] to have options for the students," she said.
Woodward proposed a revised version of the current University Transfer degree to the De Anza Curriculum Committee. The new University Studies degree would have an area of emphasis but would not include De Anza GE requirements of speech communication, physical education and intercultural studies.
During the March 11 Curriculum Committee meeting, members recommended that the Academic Senate not approve the revised University Transfer Studies A.A. degree, citing that the degree pattern is not aligned with De Anza College mission and core competency because it doesn't include De Anza GE courses.
"[It] would be very extensive if it were to include De Anza GE courses," the meeting notes stated. "There wouldn't be any incentives for students to complete the extra course work needed to obtain the degree."
During the March 17 De Anza Academic Senate Meeting, the Senate accepted the Curriculum Committee's recommendation to not approve the newly revised University Studies associate's degree with no votes in favor. All votes were either abstentions or against the revision.
"We worked for a year and a half determining what a De Anza degree should have, and those three things were held to be important enough to make them be requirements," said Setziol. "We said if that's a minimum requirement to get a degree at De Anza, then whatever degrees we offer at De Anza College should have those requirements."
"At De Anza, we have a philosophy, and we have a mission," said Curriculum Committee Co-Chair Anu Khanna, "and any degree we offer should be in line with that philosophy and mission."
Students currently taking the University Transfer Studies degree will have rights to the catalog at the time of their enrollment as long as they remain enrolled.
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