SB0806eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0806 Engrossed LRB099 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.