Latest research shows persistent challenges to Oregon’s student transfer system—especially for rural
Community colleges play an essential role for rural students, offering a path to higher education that is accessible in many ways — geographically, financially and socially. For those students who want to pursue a four-year university, a two-year degree can be a helpful first step. But taking the step from a two- to a four-year institution isn’t easy, and for too many of these hopeful students, it is proving impossible.
Navigating the transfer process is confusing, as students struggle with limited supports and information on which classes will transfer to which schools. Stark numbers illustrate the challenge — 80% of students who attend community college hope to transfer, and less than 20% actually do.
The Ford Family Foundation has partnered with Education Northwest to study the challenging transfer landscape since 2019, when it undertook a study of promising policies and practices and took a close look at six higher education institutions. In 2025, researchers returned to the schools to determine how things had changed. Their conclusion? While some progress has been made, Oregon students still don’t have the transfer system they need.
“Oregon has enacted several laws designed to streamline transfer, but these efforts have not yet yielded the hoped-for results for students,” says Denise Callahan, the Foundation’s director of Postsecondary Success. “We must do better as a state for our students.”
The current situation
The 2025 report identified several areas of concern:
- Legislation enacted since 2019 focused on improving student transfer systems has not had its intended impact and has proven ineffective both for students and institutions.
- Since the pandemic, some colleges are experiencing drops in student enrollment and budget cuts, which then reduce essential transfer programming and positions.
- Transfer advisers lack time and resources, coupled with high caseloads and multiple responsibilities.
- Community college advisers find it challenging to stay up to date on university degree requirements.
- Institutions vary in how they centralize and distribute transfer supports across campus.
These challenges disproportionately affect rural students, who already enroll in college at lower rates than their urban counterparts. Students who spend money to take courses that don’t transfer are less likely to be able to continue their schooling. They leave with debt and without a degree, resulting in less opportunity to contribute to the workforce.
The report also recognizes promising transfer practices that have been strengthened in recent years, such as:
- Colleges have bolstered supports centered on holistic student needs and well-being.
- Transfer advising continues to be characterized by backwards planning, relationship-building, and helping students navigate credit transfer.
- Community colleges and universities continue to expand partnerships through personal relationships, dedicated transfer positions, and long-standing partnerships.
- Community colleges and universities are combining their resources in new ways to provide infrastructure and facilitate a seamless transition for students.
Â
The way forward
The Foundation recently hosted a Transfer Pathways convening at Linn-Benton Community College, one of the campuses studied in the report. Participants strongly agreed that, while two- and four-year schools are clearly committed to student success, current policies and structures are hindering the creation of stronger pathways for transfer students.
Several school officials pointed out that the current system caters to students who know exactly what they want to do. Many students do not have this kind of clarity, making it essential that a flexible system allows learners to change course with limited penalty.
Participants also agreed that the state’s development of Major Transfer Maps (major-specific transfer degrees), do not meet student needs, and urged a change in course. As Callahan shared, “We need to identify cross-sector champions with power and influence willing to lean in on addressing the legislation and redirecting the energy.”
The report concludes with several clear recommendations:
- Invest in credit transfer and degree audit technology tools
- Invest in supports and resources for transfer students
- Develop and maintain transfer agreements and partnerships
- Leverage data for continuous improvement.
Creating easy-to-navigate transfer pathways is not an impossible task. Many states have developed tools and technology that help their students be successful. In Oregon, we need to listen to the voices and heed the experience of people in the field. We need to take bold action to create the transfer system our students deserve.
