Acronyms Used in Washington Higher Education
AAS-T (Associate in Applied Science): Transfer Built upon the technical courses required for job preparation, this degree includes 20 general education credits generally accepted in transfer.
ACC (Advising and Counseling Council): A council of the WSSSC (see below) that consists of directors of advising and counseling at public community and technical colleges. The group meets quarterly and recommends transfer strategies for WSSSC consideration.
ACPL (Academic Credit for Prior Learning): Credit that is awarded for knowledge and skills gained through work and life experience, military training and experience, formal and informal education, and training from in-state, out-of-state, or foreign schools.
AP (Advanced Placement): Advanced Placement Exam administered by The College Board, through which high school students may earn college credit at many Washington 2- and 4-year schools
ARC (Admissions and Registration Council): Registrars and Admissions officers of the community and technical colleges
AS-T (Associate of Science – Transfer): The AS-T-1 and AS-T-2 degrees are designed to prepare students for upper- division study in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and related fields
ATC (Articulation and Transfer Council): A council of the IC focusing on transfer issues, the Articulation and Transfer Council (ATC) consists of the deans of arts and science programs or transfer programs from each of the community and technical colleges within Washington State and three representatives from the Student Services Commission (WSSSC).
BI (Baccalaureate Institutions): Public and private baccalaureate members of the ICRC (Intercollege Relations Commission)
CCN (Common Course Numbering): Common course numbering makes course transfer easy between and among Washington’s 34 community and technical colleges. Common courses are those courses delivered by a number of community and technical colleges that have official college catalog descriptions similar enough to be accepted as equivalent at a receiving college for transfer purposes.
COP (Council of Presidents): An association of Washington’s six public baccalaureate degree granting college and universities. COP strives to be a common voice for the public baccalaureate sector and the most respected and trusted resource for decision makers on issues affecting public higher education.
CTC (Community and Technical Colleges): The 34 public two-year colleges of Washington
DTA (Direct Transfer Agreement): The community and technical college degree designed to transfer to most Bachelors of Arts degrees at Washington’s four-year institutions to fulfill lower division general education requirements. The DTA is used interchangeably for the agreement and for the degree, as in, “She earned her DTA at her local community college.”
IC (Instruction Commission): Chief academics officers of the CTC’s
ICAO (Interinstitutional Committee of Academic Officers): The provosts/chief academic officers of public baccalaureate institutions.
ICORA (Intercollege Organization of Registrars and Admissions): Registrars and Admissions Officers of the public baccalaureates
ICRC (Intercollege Relations Commission): A commission of WCHSCR
ICW (Independent Colleges of Washington): An association of 10 private, nonprofit colleges in the state.
JTC (Joint Transfer Council): The Joint Transfer Council was established in 2003 by the two-year and four-year public institutions to work on transfer issues. It was originally called the Joint Access Oversight Group (JAOG). The group was expanded to include the independent institutions in spring 2004. In 2012, JAOG changed its name to Joint Transfer Council. The JTC considers statewide transfer issues, recommends policy strategies, and convenes the work groups that develop Major Related Program agreements. It also works in collaboration with and has formal communications with the ICRC executive committee.
MRP (Major-Related Program): Degree programs that are specific variations of the DTA Associate degree and the AS-T degrees designated for transfer to specific majors at baccalaureate institutions.
OAR (Ongoing Articulation Review Committee): A standing committee organized by ICRC to review the compliance of community and technical colleges and baccalaureate institutions in the State of Washington to the DTA Guidelines.
PROW (Private Registrars of Washington): A group of registrars and associate registrars from the independent baccalaureate institutions in Washington that meets twice annually.
SBCTC (State Board for Community and Technical Colleges): Established in 1991 by removing the remaining public vocational/technical institutes from the jurisdiction of their local school districts, designating them as technical colleges, and merging them into SBCCE, which was renamed to State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
Transfer and Articulation Group: A committee of ICOA to address access, demographics, major pathways and other transfer related issues .
WCHSCR (Washington Council for High School-College Relations): The Washington Council for High School-College Relations is an association of collegiate institutions, high schools, professional associations, educational organizations and honorary members throughout the state of Washington. The council is organized to enable all Washington students to successfully access and engage post-secondary opportunities.
WSAC (Washington Student Achievement Council): Established as a new cabinet-level state agency on July 1, 2012, the Washington Student Achievement Council provides strategic planning, oversight, and advocacy to support increased student success and higher levels of educational attainment in Washington. http://www.wsac.wa.gov
WSSSC (Washington State Student Services Commission): The Chief Student Affairs officers of the CTC’s