TRANSFER CENTER HELPS MOVE STUDENTS ALONG
BY EMILY MCKEEVER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Transfer Center located at Ocean Campus' Science Hall Room 132, is the starting point for any student who wants to continue their education at a four-year college. STEPHEN LAM/ GUARDSMAN

The first step is climbing the ones in front of Science Hall.

For those who can make it up the giant hill and through the door of SCI 132, there lies a room full of options.

Stacks of brochures, course requirement lists and college reference books line the walls while several computer stations await student usage. Staff advisers who assist students with references and make counseling appointments accompany the tall, semi-circular front desk set in the middle of the room. 

Most students who approach the desk of the newly-renovated Transfer Center are looking to obtain a bachelor's degree from a university or state college. Other students are looking for concurrent enrollment options or just some assurance that they are on the right path toward obtaining an associate degree.

Students looking to transfer to a four-year institution normally take their general education requirements at CCSF, which usually takes two years. Students can follow various curricular paths provided by the Transfer Center. The paths are lists of required courses that needs to be satisfied before they can transfer to the four-year institution of their choice. Students are encouraged to apply to more than one institution in case they aren't accepted.

The Transfer Center can help organize the course requirements that often cloud students' heads and get them on the education track toward a bachelor's or associate degree. Transferring to a four-year institution is made easier with the help of the folks of SCI 132.

Since its renovation in August 2002, the Transfer Center has grown in size, staff and student accommodation.

"Student awareness has increased especially after the remodel," said Transfer Center Department Chair Larry Damato. "Students realize we have a different structure."

Structural change includes a quadrupling of staff.

"Four years ago, it was just Carl Jew [the former department chair]," said Damato. Now there are three full time counselors including himself, Grace Hom and Raymond Yu. Julie Harris does drop-in counseling part-time. Damato is currently looking to hire a fifth counselor for next fall.

Publicity has helped the Transfer Center reach more students as well. "There are quite a few students who don't go to counselors," Damato said. That's why they have improved and updated the Web site and brochures.

Erika Lucana, a second year student and peer adviser for the center, feels that the Web site needs to be more self-explanatory so students can access transfer information with ease. Lucana said that word of mouth has motivated students to drop-in.

"Teachers are always broadcasting events like transfer day in class," Lucana said.

Students Nicholas Traux Diem Nguyen and Chanel Williams did not hear about the Transfer Center through its Web site. They heard about it via friends, teachers and fliers.

Regardless of exposure, the largest reflection of the Transfer Center's growth in recent years is the numbers. Since the 1997/1998 school year, the number of CCSF students who transferred to a California State University and University of California systems has more than quadrupled. The 1997/1998 school year had 3,000 CCSF transfers compared to the 2005/2006 school year, which boasted 1,500 CCSF transfers.

Damato says that the numbe rs need to grow.

"For the number of students who come to CCSF [about 100,000 total] and say they want to transfer, only one out of four reach that goal. I think there is room for improvement," Damato said.

One way to increase the number of transfers is to simplify curricular paths for students.

The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum is the path that most students follow who can't decide between UC and CSU because it allows them to transfer to either institution. There is a separate general education path for students who are sure that they want to go to CSU. Since IGETC satisfies both CSU and UC, there is less of a need for the CSU path.

"We want to get rid of the general education path for CSU," Lucana said. "It would be easier for students and would keep their options open."

Options are not something that all CCSF students have.

Many students do not make it to SCI 132 because they think that transferring is not in their future.

"Community college is a nest of affordability," said Michael Xavier of the Transfer Center clerical staff.

Underrepresented students sometimes remain in the nest due to lack of funds. 

"We are encouraging many African American and Hispanic students that want to transfer to get involved in scholarship programs such as Puente or African American Scholars," Xavier said.

The Transfer Center has grown by reaching the underrepresented and the timid.

"I'm here for transfer day and I pass on information to a lot of the young ones and especially the shy. I see many young ones here and I always want to make them return," Lucana said.

Xavier feels that they would not reach as many students if not for the peer advisors such as Lucana.

"Peers are the dynamite of the Transfer Center," said Xavier.

Another force that will build student awareness of the Transfer Center is the decrease in tuition for spring 2007.

"This may increase the numbers of transfers for next semester," Damato said.