Dear Academic Colleague:

My name is Ursula Meyer. I am a professor in Theatre and Dance at the University of California in San Diego. I am taking over for Margaret Marshall as the IMPAC Theatre Lead Faculty Representative. I would like to cordially invite you to attend the one of the IMPAC events to discuss how we can continue to work to make the process of transferring easier for our students. The more input we receive, the better we can serve you and the students. A lot was accomplished last year (see attached annual report). The meeting dates and locations are listed below. I encourage you to come to help us complete the task. Give us feedback on what is missing, what we need to change, how we can make things smoother and smarter so that students don't get caught in the system. We truly value what you have to say. Come join us.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the project, the Intersegmental Major Preparation Articulated Curriculum (IMPAC) project is an intersegmental, faculty-designed and faculty-run project which focuses on ensuring that students transferring from California community colleges to UC and CSU institutions will be properly prepared for progressing in their chosen major immediately upon transfer, (i.e., that they will not have to repeat any course work at a minimum and will be up to the same level as the “native” four-year college students). The project, funded by a grant, enables faculty from the state’s three higher education systems to meet regionally at intervals throughout the year in order to address potential problems of established curriculum requirements and procedures that may impede the smooth progress of a transferring student. These meetings provide a forum where faculty may review and reconcile the prerequisites of course work both within their particular disciplines and between disciplines.

Some of your colleagues may have attended the meetings held this past year in San Francisco and Los Angeles. At these gatherings in 2004-2005, the IMPAC project brought together faculty from 33 different disciplines, and this term six more are being incorporated into the discussions. Please visit the project’s website at www.cal-impac.org for a listing of all 39 of the specific disciplines, as well as the subject clusters into which they are grouped.

We ask of you the following:

(1) Please urge representatives of your department or program to attend the IMPAC regional and statewide meetings now scheduled for 2005-2006. South and Metro regions attend the regional meeting scheduled on November 19th at LAX Sheraton Gateway, and North, Central, and Bay regions on January 21st at San Francisco Westin.
(2) Ask your representatives to share their IMPAC experiences with those colleagues who are responsible for the baccalaureate education of transfer students in their major.
(3) Encourage your department’s faculty to keep abreast of the IMPAC project by regularly visiting our website at www.cal-impac.org.

Please be aware that your department's participation is critical to IMPAC's work, and ultimately to the ability of California faculty to enhance the successful transfer of community college students. So, we are looking forward to having you and your faculty members attend our meetings this year.

Cordially,

Ursula Meyer
Lead Faculty Lead for Drama