1. AGSC/STARS AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
INITIAL TRAINING SESSION | WEBEX | APRIL 2019
THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND PARTICIPATING!

2. WELCOME
Thank you for giving up an hour of your time to learn more about this committee and why it is important.
Thank you for serving on this committee.
I plan to end this training by 3:00 pm.
I will share this PowerPoint with all of you by .
I am also going to record the presentation to share with all the committee members.

3. OVERVIEW FOR THIS TRAINING SESSION
WELCOME
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
WHAT IS THE AGSC? WHAT IS STARS?
STARS TRANSFER GUIDES
WHAT ARE ACADEMIC COMMITTEES?
WHY ARE YOU ON THIS COMMITTEE?
APPOINTMENTS & TERMS
ELECTING CHAIR & VICE-CHAIR
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
IMPORTANCE OF YOUR WORK
QUESTIONS / COMMENTS
JUST THE TIP…

4. HISTORY & BACKGROUND LATE 1980s & EARLY 1990s
Transfer at your own risk in Alabama
Loss of credit upon transfer
Wasted time and money
Complaints from students and parents
1994 LEGISTIATION PASSED – Act
THESE ICONS LINK YOU TO CORRESPONDING WEBPAGES.

5. HISTORY & BACKGROUND – CONTINUED…
AGSC - Created through Legislation
STARS - Expanded through Legislation

6. HISTORY & BACKGROUND – CONTINUED…
What is the AGSC?
What is STARS?
10 Member State Committee
Address the transfer issue (loss of credit)
Develop a transfer agreement (2-4 year public)
Develop an articulation agreement (contract)
Implement by 1998
Continue to monitor and improve program
Resolves issues and problems that arise
Office located on campus of Troy University
Handles day-to-day operations
Implements policy set by AGSC
Maintains website through which students obtain transfer guides
Works with both 2-year and 4-year institutions to improve transfer process

7. OVER 1.3 MILLION OBTIANED SINCE 1998!!
STARS TRANSFER GUIDES
The STARS System allows public two-year students in Alabama to obtain a Transfer Guide/Agreement for the major of their choice.
This guide/agreement, if used correctly, guides the student through their first two years of coursework (approx hours) and prevents loss of credit hours upon transfer to the appropriate public four-year university in Alabama.
Although transfer guides/agreements can only be printed for two-year to four-year transfers, the STARS system can still provide guidance and direction to transfer students who have a different transfer situation.
OVER 1.3 MILLION OBTIANED SINCE 1998!!

8. EACH TRANSFER GUIDE HAS 5 MAIN AREAS OR SECTIONS…
THE AREAS…
EACH TRANSFER GUIDE HAS 5 MAIN AREAS OR SECTIONS… I II
III IV V
WRITTEN COMPOSITION (6 SH)
FINE ARTS & HUMANITIES (12 SH)
MATHEMATICS & NATURAL SCIENCES (11-12 SH)
HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES (12 SH)
PRE-PROFESSIONAL, MAJOR, & ELECTIVE COURSES (19-23 SH)
41-42 HOURS*
19-23 HOURS*
* ENGINEERING GUIDES HAVE HOURS IN AREAS I-IV AND HOURS IN AREA V.

9. ACADEMIC COMMITTEES – FOUNDATION & PILARS OF AGSC
WHAT ARE THEY?
In the early years of the AGSC/STARS Program, the members of the AGSC agreed that the foundation of the statewide articulation program had to rest with the academic faculty across the state who serve as the experts in their chosen academic fields. As a result, the AGSC set out to establish different academic committees that would take on the role of reviewing possible transfer courses and making recommendations to the AGSC regarding course approvals and template ratifications.
THE CORNERSTONE AND FOUNDATION OF THE AGSC/STARS PROGRAM.

10. ACADEMIC COMMITTEES - from 1994 TO 2018
GSACs General Studies Academic Committees
PACs Professional Academic Committees
COMMITTEES
OVER
21 DIFFERENT GENERAL STUDIES ACADEMIC COMMITTEES (GSACs)
Over 367 Faculty Members
17 DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC COMMITTEES (PACs)
Over 175 Faculty Members
FACULTY

11. ACADEMIC COMMITTEES - from 1994 TO 2018
IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE EFFECTIVELY!!!
COMMITTEES
OVER
FACULTY

12. ACADEMIC COMMITTEES – MOVING FORWARD…
PACs -- KEEP PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC COMMITTEES (PACs) AS THEY ARE…
17 DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC COMMITTEES (PACs)
Over 175 Faculty Members

13. ACADEMIC COMMITTEES – MOVING FORWARD…
GSACs – BIG CHANGES…???

14. AREA ACADEMIC COMMITTEES – CREATED TO REPLACE GSACs

17. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
WHY ARE YOU ON THIS COMMITTEE?
You were selected by your institution if (4-year member) or selected by Alabama Community College System Office.
You are considered to be an expert in this discipline area for your institution.

18. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
COMPOSITION & TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
The Council of Chief Academic Officers appoints the 14 four-year members.
The Community College System Office appoints 14 two-year members.
Each member serves a 3-year term with the first group’s membership with staggered terms (1-year, 2-year, and 3-year) so that a new 3rd rotates on each year.
Each committee elects a Chair and a Vice-Chair (one would be from the 4-year reps and one would be from the 2-year reps).  The chair and vice-chair will serve 3-year terms.
The members must have experience teaching in at least one of the fields of history and social science.
The members should also have some broad knowledge of all two discipline areas (history and social sciences). 
The member could be a college dean or department head, but it is not a requirement.
Recommendations of course approvals and template ratifications from the committee to the AGSC require 15 YES votes to move the item forward to the AGSC for final approval or ratification. Members may vote by written proxy or by representative.  

19. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE – 4 YEAR MEMBERS
4-YEAR MEMBERS - APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL OF CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS
Institution
Name
Term Ends**
Alabama A&M University
Craig Patton
Dec 31, 2020
Alabama State University
Tyson Platt
Dec 31, 2021
Athens State University
Vanessa Miller
Dec 31, 2022
Auburn University
David Lucsko
Auburn University at Montgomery
Mariano Runco
Jacksonville State University
Tina Deshotels
Troy University
Christopher Bradley
University of Alabama
Steve Borelli
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Christopher Biga
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Jodi Price
University of Montevallo
John Bawden
University of North Alabama
Jeffrey Bibbee
University of South Alabama
David Messenger
University of West Alabama
Rich Schellhammer
** NOTE: MEMBER TERMS WERE RANDOMLY SET – PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR YOU.

20. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE – 2 YEAR MEMBERS
2-YEAR MEMBERS - APPOINTED BY THE ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OFFICE
Institution
Name
Term Ends**
Northeast Alabama CC
Keri Hamrick
Dec 31, 2020
Northwest-Shoals CC
Lauren Wright
Dec 31, 2021
Gadsden State CC
Russ Williams
Dec 31, 2022
Coastal Alabama CC
Scarlet Dorman
Shelton State CC
Ashley McLeod
Wallace CC (Dothan)
Delmar Smith
Bevill State CC
Janina Nobles
Enterprise State CC
Melissa Turner
Angela Gibson
Trenholm State CC
James Perry
Southern Union State CC
Mindy Reynolds
Jefferson State CC
Lucy Lewis
Chattahoochee Valley CC
Brion McClanahan
Marion Military Institute
David Ivey
** NOTE: MEMBER TERMS WERE RANDOMLY SET – PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR YOU.

21. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
COMING SOON! – ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR
Within the next few weeks I will try to initiate a nomination / election process for the AREA IV COMMITTEE to select a chair and vice-chair to serve for the next 3 years.
Think about those on the committee that you might like to nominate for one of these positions.
If you are interesting in serving in one of these roles, let me know by after this presentation – you can nominate yourself.

22. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES…
The AREA IV History & Social Sciences Academic Committee shall:
Review/make recommendations for courses and review/establish templates in the following discipline areas:
Anthropology
Area & Ethnic Studies
Communication Studies (Interpersonal Communication)
Economics
Geography (Human)
History
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Other discipline areas considered to be in History or Social Sciences

23. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES… (Continued)
The AREA IV History & Social Sciences Academic Committee shall:
Meet a minimum of once per academic year.
On-going review and recommendation for approval or disapproval of new courses from two-year and four-year institutions. NOTE: (In evaluating a course, a Committee is not to mandate a specific model, but to determine that the course is within the general parameters that the Committee has established and that it is broad enough in scope to meet the general studies designation.)
On-going review of revised courses proposed by institutions as general studies courses in the discipline.

24. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES… (Continued)
The AREA IV History & Social Sciences Academic Committee shall:
Review previously approved courses under the following conditions...
When there is a significant change in the content of a course.
When the institution wishes a course to be considered for approval for a different AREA.
(or) When AGSC deems it appropriate to review a course.
Annual review of the established discipline specific guidelines for their discipline.
Review discipline templates and development of new discipline templates, as necessary. 

25. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE WEBPAGE
General Information
Committee Members Information
Composition & Terms
Roles & Responsibilities
Course Guidelines
Action Items
Training Information
And much more…
CLICK HERE…

26. LINKS TO INFORMATION ABOUT APPROVED COURSES & RATIFIED TEMPLATES – MORE TRAINING TO FOLLOW…
AGSC APPROVED COURSES
COURSE APPROVAL PROCEDURE
COURSE APPROVAL FORM
AGSC RATIFIED TEMPLATES
TEMPLATE RATIFICATION PROCEDURE
TEMPLATE RATIFICATION FORM

27. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Nominate / Elect Chair & Vice-Chair (before summer)
More Training Regarding Roles & Responsibilities (videos)
Approval of Courses
Review Discipline Specific Course Guidelines
Review of Previously Approved Courses
Review Existing Templates & Transfer Guides
Set up face-to-face meeting (fall semester)???
Discuss / address other topics related to transfer and your discipline areas

28. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
WORK OF THIS COMMITTEE IS IMPORTANT!
Attempts to keeps everyone on same page
Provides thousands of transfer students with accurate transfer information
Brings together faculty and staff from both 2-year and 4-year institutions
Provides free recruiting information for our institutions
Makes it easy for students to transition from one institution to another
Encourages completion of both AS and BS/BA degrees in our state
Important part of a larger process
Gives faculty who teach a say in the process
Prevents loss of credit, time, and money for students & parent (taxpayers)

29. AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR SUGGESTIONS!
ME YOUR QUESTIONS CLICK HERE
AREA IV ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND PARTICIPATING!

30. www.gettheguide.net or stars.troy.edu
CONTACT US
MAILING ADDRESS AGSC & STARS Office 1101 South Brundidge Street - Suite 107 Troy University ELC Building Troy, AL PHONE NUMBERS (Main Office)
(Keith Sessions) ext (Toll Free) (Fax)
or stars.troy.edu
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS