Grambling State and SUSLA sign MOU to create seamless transfer pipeline for engineering technology majors

Written by Grambling State University

Grambling State University (GSU) President Rick Gallot signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between GSU’s Department of Engineering Technology and Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA) Tuesday morning inside the Grambling Hall Auditorium.

This MOU will serve as an agreement between both institutions to facilitate the articulation of coursework and provide a seamless transfer of SUSLA’s Associate of Applied Science students into GSU’s Department of Engineering Technology to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.

Essentially, the agreement will allow SUSLA students to use course credit from their two-year degree at SUSLA program toward a four-year degree program at GSU.

“The MOU is a way to foster an academic collaboration to join both institution’s electronics and electrical programs in providing a quality education to enrich the educational experience of those students who decide to continue to a four-year college,” said Dr. Edwin Thomas, interim head of GSU’s Department of Engineering Technology.

Grambling State President Rick Gallot said he believes this is only the next step in building a strong partnership with not only SUSLA but with Southern University in Baton Rouge and other institutes of higher learning.

“This is indeed a great occasion to show our partnership in this program, and as we continue to develop not only partnerships with Southern-Shreveport. We’re also, thanks to the work of Dean Warren, working to develop partnerships with (Southern University’s) Baton Rouge campus and the (Southern University) Law Center, and other places as well,” Gallot said.

“Look, we do compete, and don’t forget the Battle of the Bands, we do that every year, too. But the other 363 days that we’re not competing in the Battle of the Bands and the Bayou Classic we have the same role, scope, and mission, and that is to provide education for our students that is important both to Grambling State University and Southern University — in this case, Southern University at Shreveport. We look forward to additional partnerships as we move forward.”

As Dr. Thomas had previously stated during the signing ceremony, Southern University at Shreveport Chancellor Dr. Aubra Gantt in her remarks remembered and thanked the late Warner Brown, who was born in Columbia, Louisiana, but became a Grambling native in his early childhood, graduating from Grambling Laboratory High School.

Warner obtained a degree in physics from Grambling State University in 1981 and after doing graduate studies at State University of New York in Buffalo, he returned to Grambling to earn his master’s in teaching Natural Sciences from GSU in 2000. Warner taught at SUSLA for 28 years, including serving as head of the Southern-Shreveport Department of Engineering Technology, before his death in 2011 at the age of 51.

“I too want to echo (the remembrance) of Warner Brown,” Gantt said. “I remember his hard work in the Southern University (at Shreveport) engineering program and the partnerships he worked toward. He wanted to see this happen, so I, too, know that he is smiling down watching this today.”

Specifics of the MOU between GSU and SUSLA are as follows:
In order to articulate approved coursework to GSU, SUSLA students must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course.

Those SUSLA students who earn their Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree following the prescribed coursework shown in the agreement and declare their intent to pursue the Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Engineering Technology) at GSU, will be: Admitted to GSU as a junior upon successful completion of the SUSLA AAS degree with an overall GPA of 2.0 on all work attempted; Admitted to GSU using catalog of record upon entry and assigned a faculty advisor at GSU for assistance in accordance with policies of GSU’s College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Engineering Technology).

In accordance with this MOU, GSU agrees to:

1. Deliver curriculum information to SUSLA for the BS degree programs.
2. Allow SUSLA students to complete GSU courses and transfer those course credits to SUSLA, prior to earning the SUSLA AGS degree.
3. Encourage and support students to complete the ASGS prior to progressing to the BS program at GSU.
4. Provide advisors to students participating in the AS and ASGS programs at SUSLA. Advisors will be available by telephone and email, as well as for on-site appointments at both SUSLA and GSU campuses.
5. Communicate any and all degree program changes to the appropriate SUSLA Business, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (B-STEM) Division Dean in a timely manner.
6. Recognize the MOU in the GSU catalog under the respective program description(s) in the College of Sciences and Engineering.
7. Encourage SUSLA students to become engaged in activities and/ or events held by professional student organizations at GSU.

In accordance with this MOU, SUSLA agrees to:

1. Maintain files related to the progression of students in this program.2. Encourage students to pursue the transfer pathway and advise students to progress in a timely manner.
2. Utilize the SUSLA “Intent to Transfer” agreement for the purposes of documenting student transfer plans and facilitating record transferability and data sharing with GSU in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
3. Provide GSU with the consent of the participating students, the transcripts of the participating students, to facilitate the recording student data at GSU and to allow for timely advising.
4. Convene annually with GSU representatives to assess student progress in the BS degree programs.
5. Communicate program changes to GSU.
6. Promote and market the program in the SUSLA service area.
7. Recognize the transfer pathway in the SUSLA catalog under the program description for AS, AAS, and AGS programs.
8. Coordinate student participation in GSU activities and/ or events held by student organizations.
9. Provide GSU with evaluation of STEM course and program outcomes on an ongoing basis and as needed for adherence to accreditation

Present also at the signing ceremony from Grambling State was Dr. Connie Walton, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Stacey Duhon, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Mr. John Frazier, faculty in the Engineering Technology Department. Representatives from SUSLA included Dr. Brandon Lacey, B-STEM Academic Advisor and Project Manager of PEAT, and Dr. Kenie Moses, Department Head for Engineering & Technology.

Both universities will share assessment data and will meet annually to evaluate the program. requirements.