Math, General Education, and Transfer to a University: Michigan Transfer Agreement

The classic dichotomy of student goals is “occupational versus transfer”. We have seen this dichotomy evolve into a continuum and then into a 2-dimensional conceptualization reflecting whether a given student is combining them or primarily working on one.

Mathematics has an odd position in this 2-dimensional zone of students in academia. For many colleges, an occupational program tends to minimize mathematics; perhaps an applied math course is required, but seldom anything in general education. Overall, there has been a trend towards using non-occupational math courses for occupational programs as more students combine goals. For transfer goals, we usually reflect the policies of our transfer institutions — which might involve a state coordinating or governance board. This transfer world is dominated by an odd conceptualization which places pre-calculus at the starting position and calculus as the preferred position.

You may know that the ‘math paths’ movements involve an effort to deal with this transfer problem. The Carnegie Foundation and the Dana Center have done work with systems so that courses such as introductory statistics and quantitative reasoning are accepted as general education math courses for transferring students. The AMATYC New Life Project shares similar goals, which is why we have a position statement in the process on the appropriate role of intermediate algebra as a prerequisite.

In Michigan, a good thing is happening: We are developing a new Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) which will specifically list multiple types of math courses as meeting general education requirements for our colleges and universities. Currently, pre-calculus or college algebra dominate the requirements at our larger universities. With the MTA, all institutions in Michigan will be using statistics, quantitative reasoning, and college algebra as valid general education math courses for transfer students. The state legislature is using performance funding to encourage universities to accept the MTA; this applies to community colleges as well, but that will not be as much of a change for us.

In the current draft of our work, the minimal prerequisite for math courses that count will be ‘algebra I’ or equivalent rigor. This is a deliberate statement that we can provide meaningful and sound mathematics courses in statistics and quantitative reasoning without requiring anything more than that type of algebraic reasoning.

The MTA reflects some of the thinking within the New Life Project; I believe that our work had a strong influence, but that the result is due to the good work of reasonable people looking for a good solution. The MTA effort is being led by our two organizations for higher education (both voluntary — University Presidents group and Community College Association).

These changes, like the MTA, relate to the occupational math situation. With a more student friendly MTA, occupational students are encouraged to take math classes that will transfer and will help them with courses in their program (especially in science and technology).

In some other states, the math paths are being enabled by pilot programs or temporary agreements. Michigan does not have a central governing or coordinating board for higher education, so those approaches do not work as well here. However, the MTA is looking like a better solution — one that other states might benefit from.

Developmental Mathematics Revival!

Bringing a new vitality to college mathematics 2011 to 2019