U of G Approves ‘Pathways’ for College Students
May 28, 2013 - News Release
The University of Guelph is among the first schools in Ontario to approve new “pathways” for students transferring from college to university.
U of G ranks No.1 in the province for offering college students options for university entry -- providing pathways into Guelph from 15 different diploma programs.
“The pathways represent the continuing evolution of the University’s commitment to ensuring access to post-secondary education for learners from various backgrounds,” said Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic).
The transfer pathways were approved Monday night by the University Senate. They apply to four U of G degree programs: bachelor of commerce, bachelor of computing, bachelor of science and bachelor of bio-resource management.
They are designed to help community college students province-wide, including streamlining admission processes and clearly recognizing transfer equivalency.
“Transfer students come to university armed with previous knowledge and experiences, and their needs and expectations are often different from those of traditional students,” Mancuso said.
“Our goal is to look at how we can attract and sustain this unique student group by improving services and transparency.”
The pathways will be reviewed at least every five years. The four degree programs involved are offered by four of Guelph’s seven colleges: Ontario Agricultural College, College of Management and Economics, College of Biological Science, and College of Physical and Engineering Science.
Funding and assistance was provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities through the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT). ONCAT was created in 2011 to facilitate and support academic collaboration and the development of transfer pathways among Ontario's 44 publicly funded colleges and universities.
“ONCAT is pleased that the University of Guelph is one of the first universities to approve these multilateral pathways for students transferring from college to university,” said Glenn Craney, ONCAT’s executive director.
“These pathways, a key element in achieving the Ontario government’s vision for credit transfer, will allow students to experience reduced barriers when transferring, helping them to graduate.”
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca; or Kevin Gonsalves, Ext. 56982, or kgonsalves@uoguelph.ca.
