Bill Text: IL HB5696 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Creates the Bridge Program for Underrepresented Students Act. Defines terms. Provides that each public university in this State may establish a Bridge Program for underrepresented students. Specifies program requirements. Provides that a public university that establishes a Bridge Program shall, on or before September 1, 2019 and on or before September 1 of each subsequent year, publish on its website and make available to the public a report on the Program. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 24-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-08-24 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-1063 [HB5696 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HB5696-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 100-1063
HB5696 Enrolled LRB100 17325 AXK 32486 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 Bridge
Program for Underrepresented Students Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Public university" means Chicago State University,
Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University,
Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University,
Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University,
Western Illinois University, the University of Illinois, or any
other public university established or authorized by the
General Assembly.
"State resident" includes an individual who meets all of
the following conditions:
(1) the individual resided with his or her parent or
guardian while attending a public or private high school in
this State;
(2) the individual graduated from a public or private
high school or received the equivalent of a high school
diploma in this State;
(3) the individual attended school in this State for at
least 3 years as of the date the individual graduated from

high school or received the equivalent of a high school
diploma;
(4) the individual registers as an entering student of
the public university no earlier than the fall 2018
semester; and
(5) in the case of an individual who is not a citizen
or a permanent resident of the United States, the
individual provides to the public university an affidavit
stating that the individual will file an application to
become a permanent resident of the United States at the
earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so.
"State resident" also includes a person on active military
duty and stationed in Illinois and any of his or her
dependents; a person on active military duty and stationed out
of Illinois, but stationed in this State for at least 3 years
immediately prior to being reassigned out of Illinois, and any
of his or her dependents, as long as that person or his or her
dependent (i) applies for admission to the public university
within 18 months of the person on active military duty being
reassigned or (ii) remains continuously enrolled at the public
university; or a person who utilizes benefits under the federal
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or any
subsequent variation of that Act or the federal All-Volunteer
Force Educational Assistance program.
"Underrepresented student" means any student who:
(1) is Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino,

American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander;
(2) is from a county in this State from which a public
university at all of its campuses combined has enrolled on
average 2 or fewer students from the county over the last 3
years; or
(3) is from a family whose household income is at or
below the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the
Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2) and whose
expected family contribution as computed by the public
university equals zero.
Section 10. Purpose and program responsibilities.
(a) Subject to appropriation, a public university may
establish a Bridge Program for underrepresented students.
(b) The Bridge Program shall be open only to State
residents. Priority shall be given to applicants whose life
patterns have been characterized by historical economic or
cultural deprivation.
(c) A public university's Bridge Program shall include, but
is not limited to, the following, which shall be approved by
the public university's Board of Trustees:
(1) a description of the content of the Program,
including, but not limited to, counseling, tutoring, and
skill development in a Program plan format;

(2) procedures for the selection of students from
eligible applicants;
(3) procedures for evaluation of student progress; and
(4) reporting procedures to the public university's
Board of Trustees.
Section 15. Program funding. Appropriations made available
to a public university under this Act shall be utilized only
for the following Bridge Program purposes:
(1) testing, counseling, and guidance services in the
course of screening potential Program applicants;
(2) remedial courses, developmental courses, and
summer courses for potential Program applicants;
(3) tutoring, counseling, and guidance services for
enrolled students;
(4) any necessary supplemental financial assistance,
which may include, but is not limited to, the cost of books
and necessary maintenance, for the students; however,
supplemental financial assistance shall be furnished
pursuant to criteria established by the Board of Trustees
of the public university; or
(5) direct Bridge Program staff costs.
Section 20. Program personnel. Each public university that
establishes a Bridge Program shall designate a full-time
Program director. The Program director shall be responsible for

the following:
(1) development of the Program plan, including, but not
limited to, the academic achievement levels and academic
progress necessary to remain in the Bridge Program;
(2) management of Program enrollment and finances as
approved by the public university's Board of Trustees;
(3) conducting fiscal planning and fund distributions
with appropriate monitors and controls;
(4) developing an application process and marketing
process for the Program;
(5) creating clear guidelines for applicant
eligibility, enrollment, service coordination throughout
the public university, and Program structure;
(6) management of all full-time or part-time staff
members associated with the public university's Program;
(7) promoting collaboration between the Program and
other offices affecting applicants or enrolled students,
including, but not limited to, the admissions office or
financial aid office;
(8) establishing an advisory structure that promotes
consultation with university department heads, faculty,
and professionals on matters of policy, procedure, and
curriculum;
(9) establishing specific procedures for counseling
students who are being dismissed from the Program for
academic reasons or who withdraw from it voluntarily; and

(10) creating Program reports as required by the public
university's Board of Trustees or State law.
Section 25. Reporting. A public university that has
established a Bridge Program shall, on or before September 1,
2019 and on or before September 1 of each subsequent year,
publish on its website and make available to the public a
report for the previous fiscal year containing all of the
following:
(1) A statement of the objectives of the Program at the
public university.
(2) A description of the Program.
(3) The budgetary expenditures for the Program that
separately states instructional costs, tutoring costs,
remedial course costs, tutoring costs, counseling costs,
supplemental financial assistance costs, program staff
costs, and any other costs the Board of Trustees finds
essential to the continuation of the Program. The
expenditures shall separately detail costs from
appropriations and costs from other funds of the public
university.
(4) The number of applicants for the Program.
(5) The number of applicants accepted to the Program.
(6) The number of students enrolled in the Program.
(7) The progress of the students enrolled in the
Program.

(8) First and second year retention rates for students
enrolled in the Program.
(9) Graduation rates for students enrolled in the
Program.
(10) The number of full-time and part-time faculty
dedicated to the Program from the public university.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.