The University of Oregon and Lane Community College have forged an official partnership to make transfers between schools more accessible. The program is anticipated to be fully released by fall.
The program aims to “identify and reduce barriers” LCC students face when working to transfer to UO for degree pursuance, according toAround the O. Both schools will work to identify Titans looking to become Ducks early on and place them in the “DuckLane,” a program that will give them information and assistance regarding the transfer process.
LCC Provost Paul Jarrell said UO receives more transfer students from LCC than any other school. As the university’s largest feeder, LCC wants to clarify and smooth out the transition between schools for transfer students, he said.
“That was kind of the motivation for us, really trying to formalize this in writing to basically hold each other accountable to do this work and not just have it be just by luck that a student gets to UO from Lane,” Jarrell said. “It really is to make it more equitable for our students and open up that pipeline a bit better.”
LCC student Dawson Campbell said he’s transferred schools three times already — from Menlo College in California, to Linn-Benton Community College, to LCC — and plans to transfer to UO in fall 2022 to study marketing.
“Going to community college felt easier because it was going to be cheaper,” Campbell said. “That did make it quite a bit more difficult but it definitely made it cheaper.”
Campbell said his challenges with transferring revolve around informational barriers with required classes and next steps for degree planning. Because of his multiple school transfers, Campbell said transcripts are getting expensive to send out and navigate through.
“It’s just been difficult, just outright difficult,” Campbell said. “It definitely could be a lack of clarification on my part. I can always admit that, but it takes two to tango, and it’s been difficult to get clear answers at times.”
LCC offers direct transfer programs to 10 different state schools with Oregon Associates Transfer degree plans. The programs awarding transfer students junior standing at transferred schools are the Oregon Associates of Arts, Transfer, and Oregon Associates of Science, Business Transfer.
Brian Stanley, senior assistant director of transfer recruitment at UO, said the program is meant to streamline the process of admissions, advising and orientation for transfer students at both institutions. He said most of the barriers transfer students face revolve around information availability. The DuckLane program aims to demystify the information and processes that go into transferring schools.
“I think the best way to think of it is a bridge between the two schools,” Stanley said. “We’re really trying as diligently as we can to encourage students to know that we want to be a destination for those transfer students, and especially at Lane because we do feel such an affinity for those students.”
Stanley said UO and LCC have yet to settle details regarding when and how the program will be implemented.
“I’m very hopeful that we can really start rolling out this process later on this spring, especially for the next academic year for fall 2022,” Stanley said. “We would hope that students who are interested in UO for the next academic year can certainly be DuckLane students. It’s figuring out how to make that happen that will be the next big challenge.”
Stanley said the program will also work to educate advisors and counselors at both schools about transfer protocols so students will have access to accurate information about what requirements are needed for successful transfers to or from UO and LCC. DuckLane will also provide information about dual enrollment, reverse transfers and other opportunities available to students.
Although Campbell plans to be a UO student before the anticipated roll-out of the DuckLane program, he’s optimistic about the program.
“I think that’ll be great for future students,” Campbell said. “That communication barrier is definitely a kick in the pants.”
