Exploring Canadian-American Cross Border Articulation in South Western Ontario

In 2011, the College University Consortium Council (CUCC) provided funding to the University of Windsor to explore the competition between United States (US) and Canadian post-secondary degree-granting institutions located in border cities that wished to attract college transfer students. The cities chosen for the exploration included Sault Ste. Marie, Niagara Falls & St. Catherines, Sarnia, and Windsor. During the 2011/2012 Ontario college to university recruitment travel season, the first author encountered some Ontario colleges that referenced “2+2” agreements with US universities (two years at college plus two years at university for an honours degree) as a more favourable route to articulation into a degree program than transfer pathways currently available at Ontario universities. There were also a considerable number of US universities at both the St. Clair College and Niagara College fairs, suggesting a heightened US institutional interest in Canadian students. The visits to Lambton College and Sault College where the Student Recruitment Officer met with administrative staff also suggested that there is increasing student interest in US transfer opportunities. Ontario post-secondary institutions in border regions must constantly benchmark the goods and services offered in their cities to be competitive with what is offered in the US. The neighbouring US competition mixed with fluctuating currency creates unique and complex economic systems that can create challenges and/or opportunities for border city institutions