Regional Colleges Sign Transfer Agreement

Dr. Brian Noland, president of ETSU, Dr. Janice Gilliam, president of Northeast State Community College, and Dr. Wade McCamey, president of Walters State Community College, pose for a photo following a press conference announcing a reverse transfer agreement. The agreement will allow a student who has completed a minimum number of hours at one of the community colleges to transfer hours taken at ETSU back to complete an associate’s degree.

East Tennessee State University, Northeast State Community College and Walters State Community College announced the signing of a reverse transfer agreement between the institutions during a news conference on Tuesday. The announcement was made at ETSU.

The ETSU reverse transfer program is available to students who have transferred to ETSU from NSCC or WSCC prior to completing their associate’s degree.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with our community college partners,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. “Hundreds of students transfer to ETSU from Northeast State and Walters State, and through this new partnership, we will be able to recognize the achievements of those who have met the requirements for an associate’s degree.”

The program will enable students to transfer course work from ETSU back to NSCC and WSCC to complete the requirements for an associate’s degree. NSCC and WSCC students who have completed a minimum of 15 semester hours toward the associate’s degree or 25 percent of the requirements for degree programs that are more than 60 credit hours will be eligible for the reverse transfer program.

“Northeast State and ETSU have a long history of cooperation and have always focused on the success of our students,” said Dr. Janice Gilliam, president of Northeast State. “This agreement is yet another opportunity for students to achieve the goal of college completion and add an important credential to their academic records.”

In the fall of 2012, a total of 163 WSCC students transferred to ETSU.

“The goal of the Tennessee Complete College Act and Governor Haslam’s ‘Drive to 55’ initiative is to increase the number of Tennesseans with college degrees,” said Dr. Wade McCamey, president of Walters State. “This agreement will greatly enhance our collective efforts to meet this very important goal by improving the retention and graduation rates of our students.”