Public Act 099-0316
 
SB0806 EnrolledLRB099 07828 NHT 27963 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
Student
Transfer Achievement Reform Act.
 
    Section 5. Definitions.  In this Act:
    "Community college" means a public community college in 
this State.
    "State university" means a public university in this State.
 
    Section 10. Associate degree for transfer.

    (a) Commencing with the fall term of the 2016-2017 academic

year, a community college student who earns an associate degree 
for transfer, an Associate of Arts, or an Associate of Science 
that is consistent with degree requirements of the Illinois 
Community College Board and the  Board of Higher Education and 
aligned with the policies and procedures of the Illinois 
Articulation Initiative,  granted pursuant to subsection (b) of 
this Section is deemed eligible for transfer into the 
baccalaureate program of a State university if the student 
meets the requirements of the transfer degree and 
major-specific prerequisites and
obtains
 a minimum grade point 
average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

    (b)  As a condition of receipt of State funds, a community 
college district shall develop and grant associate degrees for 
transfer that meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this 
Section. A community college district may not impose any 
requirements in addition to the requirements of this Section 
for a student to be eligible for an associate degree for 
transfer and subsequent admission to a State university 
pursuant to Section 15 of this Act without the approval of the

Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher 
Education.
    (c) The General Assembly encourages a community college 
district to consider the articulation agreements and other work 
between the respective faculties from the affected community 
college and State universities in implementing the 
requirements of this Section.
    (d) The General Assembly encourages community colleges to 
facilitate the acceptance of credits earned at other community 
colleges toward an associate degree for transfer pursuant to 
this Section.
    (e) This Section does not preclude students who are 
assessed below collegiate level from acquiring remedial 
noncollegiate level coursework in preparation for obtaining an 
associate degree for transfer. Remedial noncollegiate level 
coursework and all other non-transfer coursework must not be 
counted as part of the transferable units required pursuant to 
subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this Section.
 
    Section 15. Admission to a State university.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a 
State university shall admit and grant junior status in a 
program, subject to available program capacity, to any Illinois 
community college student who:
        (1) meets all of the requirements of Section 10 of this 
    Act;
        (2) has completed all lower-division prerequisites; 
    and
        (3) meets the admission requirements of the State 
    university's program or major.
 
    Section 20. Coursework.
    (a) A State university may not require a student 
transferring pursuant to this Act to take more than 60 
additional semester units beyond the lower-division major 
requirements for majors requiring 120 semester units, provided 
that the student remains enrolled in the same program of study 
and has completed university major transfer requirements. 
Specified high unit majors are exempt from this subsection (a) 
upon agreement by the board of trustees of the State university 
and the Board of Higher Education.
    (b) A State university may not require students 
transferring pursuant to this Act to repeat courses that are 
articulated with those taken at the community college and 
counted toward an associate degree for transfer granted 
pursuant to Section 10 of this Act.
    (c) The General Assembly encourages State universities to 
facilitate the seamless transfer of credits toward a 
baccalaureate degree pursuant to the intent of this Act.
 
    Section 25. Board of Higher Education reviews and reports.
 
    (a) The Board of Higher Education shall review the 
implementation of this Act and file a report on that review 
with the General Assembly on or before May 31, 2017, as 
provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization 
Act.
    (b) The Board of Higher Education shall review both of the 
following and file a report on that review with the General 
Assembly within 4 years after the effective date of this Act, 
as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization 
Act:
        (1) The outcomes of implementation of this Act, 
    including, but not limited to, all of the following:
            (A) The number and percentage of community college 
        students who transferred to a State university and 
        earned an associate degree for transfer pursuant to 
        this Act.
            (B) The average amount of time and units it takes a 
        community college student earning an associate degree 
        for transfer pursuant to this Act to transfer to and 
        graduate from a State university, as compared to the 
        average amount of time and units it took community 
        college transfer students prior to the implementation 
        of this Act and compared to students using other 
        transfer processes available.
            (C) Student progression and completion rates.
            (D) Other relevant indicators of student success.
            (E) The degree to which the requirements for an 
        associate degree for transfer take into account 
        existing articulation agreements and the degree to 
        which community colleges facilitate the acceptance of 
        credits between community college districts, as 
        outlined in subsections (c) and (d) of Section 10 of 
        this Act.
            (F) It is the intent of the General Assembly that 
        student outcome data provided under this subsection 
        (b) include the degree to which State universities were 
        able to accommodate students admitted under this Act in 
        being admitted to the State university of their choice 
        and in a major that is similar to their community 
        college major.
        (2) Recommendations for statutory changes necessary to 
    facilitate the goal of a clear and transparent transfer 
    process.
 
    Section 30. Implementation of Act; intent.  It is the intent 
of the General Assembly that the requirements placed on 
community college districts pursuant to this Act be carried out 
in the normal course of program development and approval, 
course scheduling, and degree issuance and do not represent any 
new activities or a higher level of service on the part of 
community college districts.
  
 
    Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding 
Section 8.39 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 805/8.39 new)
    Sec. 8.39. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 
of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the 
implementation of any mandate created by the Student Transfer 
Achievement Reform Act.