CSCU Partners with Ithaka S+R to Improve Credit Transfer

The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system has partnered with Ithaka S+R to help students successfully transfer credits when moving between colleges and universities or attempting to transfer college credits they earned in high school or elsewhere.

Ithaka S+R is launching the “universal credit transfer explorer,” a new, public, non-profit, national credit mobility website to address the challenges students face when transferring credits between higher education institutions. More than one-third of first-time students transfer at least once during their academic journey, but often lose earned college credit when entering a new institution, resulting in additional costs and longer times to degree completion. 

“The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system is committed to student success and providing an affordable and accessible path to earning a degree,” said CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng. “Our participation in the universal credit transfer explorer will provide students with better information about how credits transfer, help prevent credit loss, lessen the time it takes to earn a degree, and boost graduation rates.” 

Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and Connecticut State Community College are part of the first group of institutions featured on the new website. 

Other institutions include Aiken Technical College (SC), Coastal Carolina University (SC), College of Charleston (SC), Denmark Technical College (SC), Lander University (SC), Shoreline Community College (WA), and Washington State University Everett (WA.)

The website will launch this summer with three states using data from the CSCU system, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, and the Washington Student Achievement Council. Expansion to additional institutions within each state and beyond will continue throughout 2024 and 2025.

The new universal credit transfer explorer website will connect students and institutions with easily accessible, up-to-date, and accurate information on how credits transfer, and how courses will count toward degree and certificate program requirements. Each participating institution will establish an automated data feed that will provide regularly updated evaluated course and prior learning equivalencies, course catalog information, and program requirements from student information systems, degree audit software and/or other relevant source systems.

“Loss of transferred credit is a huge challenge for students everywhere, including Connecticut. Without information about which credits will be accepted and how they will apply to degree programs, students are unable to make informed decisions about their education, resulting in potentially longer times to degree completion and additional costs,” said Martin Kurzweil, Vice President for Educational Transformation at Ithaka S+R. “Ithaka S+R is thrilled to collaborate with the CSCU system and its institutions in developing this innovative solution to bring much-needed transparency for students and those who support them.”

“As a system of six institutions that includes four universities, one community college with 12 campuses, and an online college, it is our priority to guide students toward academic success regardless of where they start their journey,” said Steve Marcelynas, CSCU Director of the Office of Transfer and Articulation. “Our partnership with Ithaka S+R aligns with our goal to enhance academic planning by providing students the resources they need to make an informed decision on transfer.”

This website builds upon the CUNY Transfer Explorer (T-Rex) created by the City University of New York (CUNY) and Ithaka S+R, part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the academic community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly record and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways.