Shayla Gasca
@ShaylaMaritza
Transfer agreement promises California Community College (CCC) students to transfer to nine of the historical black colleges and universities.
On March 17, the CCC Board of Governors and the institutions’ leaders approved the agreement to transfer students to one of nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in America.
Students who plan to transfer and meet the specified academic criteria will be assured acceptance into the colleges beginning of fall 2015.
Eight out of the nine HBCUs are private colleges and universities, with Lincoln University of Missouri being the only public university. CCC transfer students will have in-state tuition benefits.
Most of the HBCUs are located either in the South or East coast, and there are 105 HBCUs in the country.
HBCU was founded after the Civil War, to satisfy African-American students’ needs for higher education. Now any ethnicity can join HBCU.
In the press release from the CCC Chancellor’s Office and the CCCs Board of Governors, President Geoffrey L. Baum said, “this agreement opens a new and streamlined transfer pathway for our students to some of the finest and culturally diverse institutions of higher learning in the United States.”
The agreement declares students obtain a transfer-level associate degree, GPA of 2.5 or higher and complete either the University of California Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum or California State University General Education Breadth pattern.
A different way for acceptance requires students to earn 30 or more CSU or UC transferrable units with a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Transfer students with a 3.2 GPA or higher have advantages for a transfer scholarship. However, other benefits that were discussed were the consideration for housing and pre-admission counseling.
Transfer students with certain majors may need to meet additional requirements and prerequisites.
Dr. George Cooper led a White House initiative that supports the agreement to expand the size of HBCUs to produce higher education to students. The HBCUs are normally smaller, student wise, than other schools.
In the press release Cooper said, “the schools will have an even larger pool of gifted students knocking on their doors,” Cooper said, “will be guaranteed transfer to four-year institutions with rich histories, traditions and track records of success.”
HBCUs have many opportunities for student leadership development.
Actual professors, not teacher assistants, teach at the colleges and universities.
Fisk University student Jovon Duke, 22, who transferred from El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., said in the press release, “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to take on leadership positions (in Fisk) and have made many friends and close relationships with my professors.”
Chancellor Brice W. Harris and the CCC worked to safeguard the community college students for a guaranteed path for their academic goals.
