Kansas Association of Community College Trustees and Kansas State University to launch dual-advising initiative
Thursday, June 29, 2017
From left: Linda Fund, executive director of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees; Mike Johnson, Barton County Community College trustee and chair of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees; and Duane Dunn, associate dean of K-State Global Campus, at a signing for a memorandum of agreement to support a dual advising initiative at Kansas State University called DirectLink. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — A new initiative between Kansas community colleges and Kansas State University will provide community college students with additional support as they prepare to transition to the university.
The Kansas Association of Community College Trustees and Kansas State University recently signed a memorandum of agreement to support a dual-advising initiative at the university called DirectLink. The initiative is designed to assist community college transfer students as they transition to a bachelor's degree program at Kansas State University through consistent and frequent interaction between the student, the community college advisor and the university academic advisor.
"Kansas State University is pleased to partner with the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees on this important initiative," said Sue Maes, dean of K-State Global Campus. "Students will receive a clear and direct pathway to obtaining a bachelor's degree, as well as customized support along the way to minimize obstacles and improve their rates of success."
DirectLink will launch in fall 2017 with nine pilot bachelor's degree programs at Kansas State University. The programs include options from the colleges of Agriculture, Business Administration, Education, Engineering and Human Ecology. DirectLink will be coordinated through K-State Global Campus.
"The community colleges are excited about DirectLink, which embraces a concept we have been working on for several years: streamlining the process for our transfer students and clearing pathways," said Linda Fund, executive director of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees. "Ultimately, this concept can save money and increase completion while providing dual-advising support. We thank K-State for its vision."
Students who participate in the initiative will receive recognition for achievements made while completing the associate degree and will be provided with curriculum sequence information that will guide them through the most efficient and effective timeline to obtaining a bachelor's degree. Students also will have access to Kansas State University resources, customized campus visits, degree audits and activities designed specifically for DirectLink transfer students.
The consistent and frequent interaction between the student, the community college advisor and the Kansas State University academic advisor will help the student make a smoother transition to the university, and changes in curriculum or degree requirements can be communicated more quickly.
