Above: WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo presents the "Western 2Step" initiative to state legislators May 9.

Officials from Western Carolina University and the N.C. Community College System announced Wednesday, May 9, a new cooperative agreement aligning course requirements at the university and all 58 community colleges across the state so that students know exactly what to expect when they transfer to WCU.

Called the “Western 2Step,” the initiative is designed to give community college transfer students a unique set of guidelines for graduation from the university within two years. The agreement was announced by WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo and Martin Lancaster, president of the N.C. Community College System, during a presentation to state legislators in the Legislative Building.

The 2Step program shows students exactly what community college courses fit into every one of Western’s undergraduate majors and what courses they must take at the university to earn a bachelor’s degree with just two more years of study, university officials said. The new initiative covers students who have earned their associate’s degrees from any North Carolina community college and are transferring to Western’s campus in Cullowhee for entry in fall semesters.

 The agreement comes as the number of transfers from the N.C. community colleges to campuses of the University of North Carolina system increased by more than 34 percent from 2000 to 2005, according to recent admissions statistics.

“This is the first time any university has matched all of its degree requirements with the community college system’s master course catalog. In the past, there’s been too much guess work for students who want to transfer to the university,” Bardo said. “With this new arrangement, transfer credits will still count under existing articulation agreements, of course, but now students also have discipline-specific guidelines that identify courses that will meet the requirements of their chosen undergraduate majors. We are making it clear that Western welcomes students who have earned their associate degrees and want to pursue a four-year degree without wasted time and money.”

Lancaster called the agreement “a spectacular model for universities that want to attract and serve community college graduates,” and a “creative and far-sighted initiative” that will increase the number of four-year graduates across the state.

“Western’s willingness to match every freshman and sophomore requirement for every discipline with existing community college courses is an incredible statement of just how much Western wants the chance to enroll community college graduates,” he said. “It makes sense for the students, who will have, in advance, all the information they need to finish on time. It makes sense for WCU, which will have mature, motivated students ready to succeed. And it absolutely makes sense for our state, which must have more people with undergraduate and graduate degrees to stay ahead in today’s knowledge-based global economy.”

The Western 2Step program is the latest example of WCU’s longtime efforts to help community college students make a “seamless transfer” to Western, said Fred Hinson, WCU’s senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “If they follow the guidelines and stay on track, we guarantee transfer students who enter as juniors will have access to the classes they need for graduation from Western in two years,” Hinson said. “Of course, this is not mandatory. We’re not telling them what to do. Just like everyone else, if they want to choose other courses or change majors, they can do that, but it may take more than two years to graduate, if they do.”

In addition to helping transfer students, the guidelines will assist high school students to plan their course of study if they want to start out in the community college system and finish with a degree from Western in a total of four years, Hinson said. 

For more information about the Western 2Step initiative and requirements for community college transfer to Western, contact Alan Kines, WCU director of admissions, at (828) 227-7317 or visit the admissions Web site.