Joint Access Oversight Group (JAOG)

The Joint Access Oversight Group (JAOG) was formed in 2003 to consider statewide transfer issues and recommend policy strategies. It is a standing committee that meets about six times a year with representatives from the public and independent academic degree-granting institutions and the HECB.

JAOG members from each of the public baccalaureate institutions are generally vice provosts of academic affairs; a COP staff member also serves. Independent colleges and universities are represented by registration and academic planning offices; the president of ICW also serves. The community and technical colleges are represented by eight vice presidents of instruction or student services; an SBCTC staff member also serves.

JAOG works on behalf of the institutions represented by the membership. JAOG works in collaboration and has formal communication with the Executive Committee of ICRC. JAOG works in collaboration with HECB staff.

Key JAOG Strategies

• The JAOG convenes the workgroups that develop Major Related Program agreements.
• Developing a statewide communication strategy related to transfer.
• Describe the state's transfer policy for various audiences

Agreements Developed by JAOG

• Process for Changes to the Statewide Associate Degree Agreements - Direct Transfer Agreement and Associate in Science-Transfer Agreement (May 2008).
• Process for Identification of Additional Academic (unrestricted) Electives - Describes the 2005 agreement regarding annual updating of the courses accepted in transfer as academic electives.
• Associate of Science-Transfer (AS-T) Degree Guidelines - Additional clarification related to general education courses.
• A New Transfer Strategy: “Major Ready” – Provides a framework for approaching transfer issues that directs the work of JAOG.
• Major Related Program (MRP) Template – Generic format for statewide Major Related Program (MRP) agreements based on the Associate in Arts/Associate in Arts and Sciences (DTA) or the Associate in Science–Transfer (AS-T). These agreements are the result of negotiations by workgroup members representing the public and private baccalaureate institutions offering the particular major and representatives of the community and technical colleges.
• Process for Updating/Changing Major Related Program (MRP) Statewide Agreements – Describes how institutions can recommend the need for changes and updates to the statewide MRP agreement and process to consider content and date of any possible changes to the agreement.

Links

• Transfer Organizations in Washington State
• Transfer Policy in Washington State - Report of the Joint Access Oversight Group, December 2007.