The Ohio University Center for Higher Education conducted a survey of
Advisors' awareness and usage of the Course Applicability System (CAS)
for the Ohio Board of Regents and the Articulation and Transfer Advisory
Council.  Preliminary results were shared at the Spring 2005 OAIRP
meeting at Miami University in Oxford.  A report summarizing our
findings is now available on:

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~conleyv/research.htm

In brief, the major findings of the study include:

Many advisors use CAS to access course equivalency guides and to help
facilitate the transfer process.  Advisor use mirrors transfer direction
based on students' needs.

There was substantial consensus among respondents that there needs to be
more marketing of CAS (81% either agreed or strongly agreed) and more
CAS training (85% at least somewhat agreed).  Targeted training and
marketing to advisors in different types of institutions may enhance
their ability to serve students' needs.

A large percentage of advisors did not know their advisees' transfer
intentions (nor were many of them aware of how their advisees were using
CAS). Many students may be using CAS to self-advise.  Further research
is needed to understand student use.    

There is a need for continued investment in the infrastructure required
for institutions to fully participate in CAS so that we may better serve
Ohio's students.      

For more information regarding this study, please contact
[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]  

____________________________________ 
Valerie Martin Conley, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor, Higher Education and
   Associate Director, Center for Higher Education
Department of Counseling and Higher Education
Ohio University             
388 McCracken Hall              
Athens, OH 45701 
tel:740-593-9426/fax:740-593-0477 
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~conleyv/