SOC Degree Network SystemTransformation

Council of College and Military Educators (CCME)January 26, 2015

SOC is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) through a contract with theAmerican Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The contract is managed for DoD by

the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).

The DNS as of January 2015

The DNS is a participatory college course articulation system, started in 1979 and includes:

155 institutions— 508 associate degrees— 466 bachelor’s degrees

9,995 participating courses, with more than 200,000 course to course articulations, across 472 standardized Course Category Codes— Two-way guaranteed course transferability among member schools where

Course Categories exist

More than one million SOC DNS Student Agreements issued — Student Agreements are “contracts for degrees” — Issued to active-duty servicemembers and eligible family members— Remains in effect through separation

Earning a Degree From a DNS SchoolStudent selects

home college

Home College

Home college issues Student Agreement based on full evaluation of prior learning:

--courses from other colleges --nationally-recognized exam results --ACE Guide credit recommendations for military training and experience --certification examinations

The student completes 25% academic residence (30% for fully online degree) while completing degree

Other Colleges

Remaining degree requirements on the Student Agreement may be completed at other colleges

Courses with SOC DNS Course Category Codes shared by Core Member institutions transfer back to the home college

Student seeks prior, official approval from home college to transfer other courses to meet degree requirements

Non-traditional Credit

Student Agreement is updated with additional, applicable military-related credit and nationally-recognized examination results

Home college awards degree

Meeting servicemembers

needs

The Value of a DNS Membership

Demonstrates/Documents identity as a military-centric institution

Provides program visibility to potential military student markets

Engages leadership in VolEd forums/exchanges

Supplies key data input into DoD/Military Services on educational programs and priorities

DNS Building Blocks

Key features valued by Military Services:

— Guaranteed-Transferability

— Evaluated credit for military training/experience

— Accelerated Degree completion

Student Agreements

Graduate Report

Career-related degree options

SOC DNS Changes

Consolidates SOC Degree Network System by removing Service distinctions by program (SOCAD/NAV/MAR/COAST)

Maintains guaranteed course transferability as central focus of the SOC DNS

Provides increased degree options for servicemembers across participating Services—Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard

Long-Term Initiatives

Enhanced search functionality and Web site

Revised Student Agreement (SA) and improved SA submission process

Communication/Training plan

Improved process for submitting Annual Handbook Update and Graduate Survey

Short-Term Tasks

Membership criteria modified

Proposed membership criteria awaiting Inter-service Voluntary Education Board (IVEB) approval

Two-tiered process

— institutional review for quality and compliance

— degree level based on VOLED needs assessment and enrollment patterns

Articulation agreements—2+2s, state articulations

Broader approach to career-related degree inclusion

Proposed Institution-Level Criteria for DNS Membership

Membership Criteria Definition

MOU Signatory Must have signed the current DoD MOU version

Current Enrollment TrendDoD/Services Quantifiable enrollments of students using TA funding

Current Enrollment Trend DNS

Quantifiable enrollments using SOC DNS Student Agreement data (average per year)

Tuition/Cost Tuition rate as identified in the DoD MOU application

Loan Default Rate The loan default rate, as identified by the U.S. Department of Education, for the Institution (3-yr average)

Median Borrowing Rate The Median Borrowing Rate, as defined by the College ScoreCard

Composite Financial Health The Financial Composite Score, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education

Membership Criteria Definition

90/10 Rule Violation Status Compliance with the 90/10 rule, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education

Retention Rates, calculated separately for institutions

with 2- and 4-year programs.

For DNS-2 Institutions: Retention Rate as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, for the Institution

For DNS-4 Institutions: Retention Rate, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, for the Institution

Course Completion Rate For undergraduate students using military Tuition Assistance data

Flexible Policies Must clearly state, in its catalog, policies applying to Servicemembers ensuring flexibility towards completing a degree program with that Institution

Readmission Policy Clearly state the U.S. Department of Education Readmission Policy in its catalog

Prior Learning Assessment Policies Clearly state policies on awarding credit for Prior Learning in its catalog

Complaint History Identify complaints filed against the institution in PECS

Past Performance in DNS For current DNS members only: satisfactorily meeting the membership requirements during the last year

Proposed Institution-Level Criteria for DNS Membership

Membership Criteria Definition

Current Enrollment Trend-DoD/Services Quantifiable military enrollments in the degree using TA funding

Delivery Methods Flexible and multiple Delivery Methods, as identified by the U.S. Department of Education

Emerging Career Fields Degree program is listed as an emerging high demand career field with positive job placement opportunities, per U.S. Department of Labor

Guaranteed Transferability (GT) Participate in two-way guarantee of coursework with a minimum of 40% in the Major/Major Related degree requirements

Specialized Accreditation Degree has specialized programmatic accreditation, as identified by the U.S. Department of Education

Career-Related Degree A direct relationship to MOS/Ratings. If yes, does the Institution agree to award credit for military training and experience?

Academic Residency Metric from SOC Principles and Criteria

Agree to SOC Principles and Criteria regarding no final year/final semesterand the reduced academic residency of 25%/30%

Program Articulations Identification of existing articulation agreements (in-state, 2+2, degree completion) for the degree

Proposed Degree-Level Criteria for DNS Membership

Thoughts and Feedbackon the Proposed Criteria

TA Course completion rate-important to determine how to handle non-completion (W/M)

PECS Compliance-insure consider only valid complaints Increasing the requirements for DNS membership may make it

too difficult for colleges; creates barriers to military student access and success

Concern that current DNS members who are currently good stewards, are being penalized or adding more requirements

Retention of first time, full time students not a good indicator of how serving military students. Need to be cautious

Employability, Emerging Careers? Too much emphasis How about career paths of current TA users?

What advantage is there to stay in the DNS?

Proposed Criteria-What other criteria to add or consider?

Cost to Degree Completion Time to Degree Completion (av erage) Needs Assessment across the Services should be

standardized, consistent Might consider career services being offered by

institution, for military student populations Most of criteria are quantitative metrics, might want to

consider qualitative assessment metrics

Contact Us

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges1307 New York Avenue, NW Fifth FloorWashington, DC 20005-4701

Phone: (800) 368-5622(202) 667-0079

Fax: (202) 667-0622E-mail: socmail@aascu.org

Web site: http://www.soc.aascu.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ServicemembersOpportunityColleges