By LUCIE BURNS
News Editor
The College of Saint Rose hosted a Transfer Fair for students on Feb. 15, at the Massry Gallery, leaving many students with a lot of unanswered questions.
Students were encouraged to attend so that they could speak to colleges and receive more information about their individual transfer processes and other aspects of their institutions.
Out of 28 total schools attending the Transfer Fair, eight of them were officially Teach-Out partners. Some schools that were in attendance, including but not limited to Nazareth University and SUNY Purchase, are currently working on finalizing Teach-Out agreements with Saint Rose. Once they are finalized as a partner, they will be added to the official Teach-Out master grid which is available to students as a course on their Canvas dashboard.
For students looking to transfer to another college, the overall process still remains the same. The general consensus among schools is that Saint Rose students will still have to follow the specific transfer instructions for that institution, however the schools are being understanding of this difficult process and offering assistance. Many schools there are offering to waive any fees for Saint Rose students who want to send in transfer applications.
The transfer fair was advertised on its flyers as an opportunity to ask questions about the transfer process, as well as residence life, financial aid, and more. However, at the time of the fair, some institutions could not provide specific information in these categories and requested students’ contact information instead, so they could provide more at a later time.
“There were a few admissions advisors at the tables from each school, and they could only give me the bare minimum information,” said Abby Carroll, a freshman nursing major. “If I had specific questions about my major, they couldn’t answer them. It seemed more like a high school college fair and they didn’t have the information I needed.”
Along with Carroll, other freshmen in attendance at the event appeared to have mixed feelings about the fair, and the whole situation in general. Freshman students already went through the college search process last year, and now they have to start over, although it doesn’t seem to make the task at hand any easier.
“I feel like it’s our best option right now, because they do have more Teach-Out schools now,” said freshman, Jaqueline Rock-Perez. “But I feel like we aren’t being told enough, nor are the schools here telling us. This feels like high school all over again.”
Some schools that were in attendance have been having similar problems with their enrollment, as they have been making budget and program cuts within the last year. Financial instability in higher education has been especially prevalent recently, particularly in taking a look at New York State, with Cazenovia College announcing their closure in December of 2022.
Students should have received an email in their Saint Rose inbox the day after the Transfer Fair from Jen Richardson. This email included an attached survey regarding the transfer fair. If students were in attendance, it is encouraged that they fill out this survey to share their feedback of their experience.
As of right now, four undergraduate programs without a Teach-Out Partner remain: forensic psychology, forensic science, human resource management, and inclusive early childhood education.
Students should be continuing to check their Canvas course Teach-Out Plan Hub for any updates or additions of Teach-Out partners.
