The CUNY Transfer Initiative, set to take effect in Fall 2025, introduces necessary changes to address the national credit loss issue. The initiative aims to streamline the transition process for over 15,000 students, moving from community colleges to four-year degree programs.
The current transfer process is often taxing, forcing many students to retake courses due to an inefficient credit transfer system. This results in wasted time, money, and potential loss of scholarships. The CUNY Transfer Initiative seeks to resolve these issues and streamline the path to degree completion.
“The transfer overhaul will save our students time, money and frustration as they move from our community colleges to senior colleges. I’m grateful to our Board, my team and CUNY faculty for tackling this massive undertaking to benefit our students and the city,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. Matos Rodríguez was a member of a national task force formed in 2020 by the American Council on Education (ACE), which aims to improve the college transfer system.
In 2023, the CUNY Board of Trustees highlighted the challenges with credit transfers across the university system. Previously, each CUNY campus assigned an individual to oversee the process. However, as of Jan. 21st, students can now use CUNYFirst to see how their credits transfer between colleges, eliminating the need for manual oversight.
“The new, uniform system will create a smooth transition, validating all of their prior earned credits and allowing transfers to progress towards a degree just as all other students would,” said Lubie Grujicic-Alatriste, professor of English and Applied Linguistics, University Faculty Senate executive board member, and co-chair of the CUNY Transfer Initiative.
The transfer process reform will significantly reduce the likelihood of students retaking classes. For example, the percentage of psychology credits earned in the first two years that transfer from Borough of Manhattan Community College to Queens College has risen from 68% to 86%.
According to a Jan. 27th CUNY press release, this improvement was achieved through its partnership with the University Faculty Senate, which united “hundreds of stakeholders across departments and campuses to create seamless transfer paths,” supported by “strategic funds from Gov. Kathy Hochul and the legislature.”
This reform is a major step toward bridging the gap between two-year and four-year institutions by prioritizing student success and enhancing accommodations through technological remodeling.
The university initially focused on the most common transfer majors, including accounting, computer science, biology, math, psychology, and sociology. In the future, this effort will expand to all majors, ensuring a smoother transfer experience for students in every field.
