Beginning with the A Nation at Risk report in 1983, political, business
and education leaders have become increasingly convinced that the United
States must educate a higher proportion of its students to a higher
level of skills and knowledge. Improving college readiness and college
success are critical elements needed to reach this goal.
Expanding access
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According to Oregon's 2002-03 Report Card, only 12.3% of Oregon's
graduating seniors took the ACT. Nationally, 40% of students were
tested. Fifty-seven percent of Oregon's graduating seniors took
the SAT in 2002-03. The average score for Oregon students who took
the ACT was the highest in the nation - 22.6 compared to a national
average of 20.8; Oregon's average score increased one-tenth of a
point from 2002. Oregon's average scores on the SAT in 2002-03
were a 526 in verbal and a 527 in math compared to a national
average of 507 in verbal and a 519 in math. Oregon's average
math score decreased by one point for math and increased by two
points for verbal as compared to the previous year.
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Many community colleges have signed universal application and dual
enrollment agreements with OUS and other Oregon universities to
provide expanded access to Oregon students. Each of Oregon's 17
community colleges offers an AA/OT degree that meets the general
guidelines. The AS/OT-Bus degree is a newly-adopted degree (Spring
2003), and not all community colleges offer it.
(http://www.ous.edu/campcent_dual.htm
 )
Improving student success rates
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Many community colleges have signed universal application and dual
enrollment agreements with OUS and other Oregon universities to
provide expanded access to Oregon students.
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According to Oregon's 2002-03 Report Card, approximately 60% of
Oregon adults age 25 and over had completed some college. This
appears to be an increase from approximately 50% in 1992 but
represents a decline from approximately 64% in 1998.
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According to Oregon's 2002-03 Report Card, approximately 30% of
Oregon adults age 25 and over had completed a bachelor's degree.
In 2000, Oregon ranked 15th in the nation for percent of adults
with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Developing common transfer procedures
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The Joint Boards Articulation Commission (JBAC) was created by the
State Board of Education and the State Board of Higher Education in
1992. The commission is comprised of representatives from the
community college, university system, K-12, and the independent
college sectors and was established to encourage active cooperation
and collaboration among the education sectors in the state. The
JBAC monitors policies and practices that affect the flow of
students between the postsecondary sectors. Given the recent
reorganization of the Oregon Board of Higher Education, the role
of the JBAC is uncertain
(http://www.ous.edu/aca/jbac.html
).
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The JBAC is charged with implementing the Associate of Arts/Oregon
Transfer Degree and other transfer degrees; it has implemented new
statewide transfer degrees (the first degree of its type was
legislatively mandated in the late 1980s) and as of 2003, four
community colleges have begun implementing the program.
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Associate of Arts/Oregon Transfer (AA/OT) degree - Transfer
applicants from Oregon community colleges may also apply having
successfully completed one of Oregon's "block-transfer" degrees:
either the Associate of Arts/Oregon Transfer (AA/OT) degree, or
the Associate of Science/Oregon Transfer degree in Business
(AS/OT-Bus). Completion of a transfer degree guarantees that
the student has met, in full, all the lower division general
education requirements at the receiving OUS campus and has junior
status for registration purposes. (Class standing and fulfillment
of upper-division graduation requirements, or GPA requirements for
specific majors, departments, or schools are not necessarily
satisfied. Receipt of the AS/OT-Bus does not guarantee admission
into the OUS business school/programs of choice.)
Strengthening teacher preparation
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The JBAC is charged with implementing the Associate of Arts/Oregon
Transfer Degree and other transfer degrees; it has implemented new
statewide transfer degrees (the first degree of its type was
legislatively mandated in the late 1980s) and as of 2003, four
community colleges have begun implementing the program.
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