AZTransfer Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE
AZTransfer STEERING COMMITTEE

ARTICLE I – NAME/PURPOSE

A. The name of the organization is AZTransfer Articulation Steering Committee, hereafter referred to as the “Steering Committee.”
B. The Steering Committee is a coordinating body of the statewide articulation and transfer system as referenced in the Arizona Revised Statutes §15-1824. The purpose of the Steering Committee is to provide oversight and leadership to curricular alignment and transfer of credits between Arizona’s public and tribal community colleges and state universities, hereafter referred to as “community college” or “community colleges” and “university” or “universities.” The system is referred to as AZTransfer.
C. The mission of this organization is to support successful transfer of credits and degree completion for students in all public institutions in Arizona.
D. The Steering Committee is responsible for maintaining accurate documentation of all course articulations between these institutions and providing tools for students and their parents to easily access this information.
E. The Steering Committee oversees and convenes all Articulation Task Forces (ATFs) described in Article V, documents all ATF decisions, and develops and maintains appropriate articulation tools, web sites and software.
F. The Steering Committee supports and facilitates the work of the Arizona State System for Information on Transfer Students (ASSIST) to collect and compile statewide data regarding student transfer within Arizona.
G. AZTransfer markets and disseminates information about transfer opportunities to Arizona’s current and potential students and their families.

ARTICLE II – ORGANIZATION/MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership in the Steering Committee shall consist of academic representatives (CAOs or designee) from all institutions and the Board of Regents.
a. University representation shall consist of:
i. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) or permanent designee from each of the three universities; and
ii. A representative from the staff of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).
b. Community college representation shall consist of:
i. The CAOs, or permanent designees, from all public community college districts and tribal colleges.
B. Each member of the AZTransfer Steering Committee shall have an equal vote and will make a final recommendation to the Executive Committee.
a. University representation shall consist of:
i. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) or permanent designee from each of the three universities; and
ii. A representative from the staff of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).
b. Community college representation shall consist of:
i. The CAOs, or permanent designees,from all public community college districts and tribal colleges.

C. The leadership of the Steering Committee shall consist of two (2) co-chairs, one (1) from the Arizona public universities and one (1) from the Arizona public and tribal community colleges.
a. Co-chairs shall be selected by their respective Steering Committee representatives by caucus at the final spring meeting.
b. Co-chairs shall serve staggered two-year terms. A co-chair may serve no more than two (2) consecutive two-year terms.

ARTICLE III – MEETINGS
A. Regular meetings shall be held at least quarterly, twice in the fall and twice in the spring. The Steering Committee shall adopt and post a calendar of regular meetings for the upcoming year in a spring meeting.
B. A quorum shall consist of not less than nine (9) Steering Committee members, including at least five (5) representatives from community colleges and three (3) representatives from the universities. A quorum shall be necessary to conduct the official business of the organization.
C. Participation of Steering Committee members via electronic means, i.e. telephone or teleconferencing, shall be considered participation to meet quorum requirements.
D. Substitute representation from the Steering Committee member institution may attend the meetings but may not vote on behalf of the Steering Committee member.
E. A record of all regular meetings, including an agenda and a list of all attendees, shall be maintained in the form of meeting minutes and shall be approved at the next regular meeting of the Steering Committee.
F. All records of meetings referenced herein shall be posted on the AZTransfer Steering Committee website.

ARTICLE IV – POWERS AND DUTIES OF STAFF MEMBERS
A. The Executive Director of the AZTransfer Steering Committee is supervised by the Executive Committee and is responsible for daily management of all AZTransfer related activities including, but not limited to:
a. Coordination and management of Steering Committee and Executive Committee meetings.
b. Communication and interaction with all AZTransfer Steering Committee members;
c. Supervision of AZTransfer staff;
d. Oversight of operational expenditures of the budget;
e. Communication with external constituencies and elected officials; and
f. Convening and documenting all ATF and committee work.
g. In addition, the Executive Director will draft for review and approval an annual report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, as required by Arizona Statute.

ARTICLE V – COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES
A. The AZTransfer Steering Committee Executive Committee shall consist of the two (2) Steering Committee co-chairs, the ABOR staff representative, and an additional community college representative. The Arizona Community College Coordinating Council Chief Academic Officer (AC4 CAO) group chair will serve as the additional community college representative on the Executive Committee. At least one of the community college members must be from a rural community college. The Maricopa Community College and Pima Community College Districts are the urban representatives and all other community colleges represent rural districts. This committee will meet at least twice in the fall and twice in the spring. Alternate or substitute representation is not permitted on the Executive Committee. Responsibilities of this committee shall include, but are not limited to:
a. Developing the agenda for the Steering Committee;
b. Oversight of Steering Committee ad hoc committees;
c. Resolution of ATF issues as referred by the Executive Director;
d. Developing and monitoring the Steering Committee budget and expenditures;
e. Development of the annual calendar of meetings; and
f. Supervision of the Executive Director.
B. AZTransfer Facilitators shall be designated by each community college and university. Facilitator responsibilities and duties include:
a. Serving as the institutional contact for AZTransfer staff;
b. Ensuring local understanding and participation in appropriate statewide articulation efforts;
c. Facilitating three (3) to four (4) discipline specific Articulation Task Force (ATF) meetings per year, and assisting in documenting all conversation and decision making conducted by discipline groups; and
d. Participation in fall and spring Facilitator statewide meetings to ensure consistent implementation of articulation activities statewide.
C. Articulation Task Forces
a. An ATF may be established, disestablished, or merged as required to best serve the needs of the community colleges and universities and their students. Recommendation to this end may be made by ATF membership but must be approved by a majority vote of the Steering Committee. Any vote conducted by an ATF must consist of one vote per institution, with multi-college/multi-campus institutions having only one vote.
D. Discipline Specific Articulation Task Forces
a. Shall consist of community college and university faculty members representing specific academic disciplines, e.g. English, mathematics, biology, etc. Each institution is expected to participate in all appropriate ATFs. Each ATF meets at least once a year in the fall and has the option of meeting a second time in the spring. ATF meeting business includes:
b. Discussion of curricular issues within the discipline to ensure alignment; and
c. Development and maintenance of course equivalency agreements between colleges and universities.
d. Discuss and maintenance of exam equivalency agreements between colleges and universities.
E. Non-Discipline Specific Articulation Task Forces
a. Shall consist of community college and university representatives to ensure the provision of appropriate support for Arizona transfer students. Non-discipline specific ATFs may be established, disestablished, or merged as required to best serve the needs of AZTransfer. Recommendation to this end may be made by ATF membership but must be approved by a majority vote of the Steering Committee.
b. The Academic Advising ATF (AAATF) is composed of representatives of community college and university advising staff. It is co-chaired by one representative from a community college and one from a university. The AAATF will ensure students have access to appropriate advising to facilitate the transfer process between institutions.
c. The Admissions and Records ATF (ARATF) is composed of representatives of community college and university admissions and records staff. It is co-chaired by one representative from a community college and one from a university. The ARATF shall discuss and implement policies, processes, and procedures that support the transfer and articulation systems in the state.
d. The General Education ATF (GEATF) coordinates content of the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC), reviews and makes recommendations for AGEC policies, and recommends general education and student learning outcomes within the Arizona transfer system.
ARTICLE VI – FUNDING STRUCTURE
A. The annual budget of AZTransfer shall be developed and monitored by the AZTransfer Executive Committee. It shall be approved by the Steering Committee and then by the universities and community colleges based on their internal processes.
B. The activities of AZTransfer shall be funded through dollars appropriated annually by the Arizona Legislature and matching funds provided by the state’s public and tribal community colleges and universities.
C. Institutional contributions to the budget shall be determined as follows:
a. The difference between the approved Executive Committee budget and the annual appropriation from the Legislature shall be split equally between the universities and the community colleges (matching funds).
b. Each university shall pay one-third of the universities’ portion (50% of the matching funds).
c. Community colleges shall each pay a share of the remaining 50% of the matching funds based upon the previous fiscal year’s full time student equivalent (FTE as reported in the “Full-Time Equivalent Student Enrollment Report,” by the State of Arizona Office of the Auditor General.)
D. Institutions shall receive notice of payment of their portion of the matching funds no later than the 15th of November each year. Assessment notices will be calculated by the Executive Director and reviewed by the AZTransfer Executive Committee.
E. Institutional contributions shall be deemed delinquent if not remitted within 90 days of the due date. Institutions with delinquent payments shall lose access to all AZTransfer applications and services.
F. ABOR will serve as the fiscal agent for AZTransfer and all funds will be disbursed, recorded, and audited as a function of ABOR policy and process.

ARTICLE VII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall guide the Steering Committee in all cases, except where they are inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order that the Steering Committee may adopt.

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
Any changes to the Bylaws will be proposed by the Executive Committee and must be presented at a Steering Committee meeting with action to be taken at a subsequent Steering Committee meeting. The Steering Committee will be notified at least 10 calendar days in advance of proposed amendments. These Bylaws may be amended or repealed by 2/3 of the Steering Committee membership and will be effective after all voting is complete.

Revised and approved by the Steering Committee on September 8, 2016
Revised and approved by the Steering Committee on February 6, 2020
Revised and approved by the Steering Committee on June 24, 2021