Bill Text: IL SB0059 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Creates the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act. Provides that a public community college student who earns an associate degree for transfer granted pursuant to the Act is deemed eligible for transfer into the baccalaureate program of a State university if the student (1) completes 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to a State university and (2) obtains of a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Requires a community college district to develop and grant associate degrees for transfer that meet the requirements of the Act. Requires a State university to guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets all of the requirements of the Act. Provides that a State university shall grant a local community college student priority admission and admission to a program or major that is similar to his or her community college major or area of emphasis. Provides that a student admitted under the Act shall receive priority over all other community college transfer students. Sets forth provisions concerning coursework, reviews and reports by the Board of Higher Education, and implementation of the Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [SB0059 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SB0059-Amended.html

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Sen. Ira I. Silverstein

Filed: 5/3/2011

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AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 59
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 59, AS AMENDED, by
replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act.
Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
"Associate degree for transfer" means an associate of arts
or associate of science degree, as defined in rules of the
Illinois Community College Board.
"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 2013-2014 academic

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year, a community college student who enrolls in and
subsequently earns an associate degree for transfer granted
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section is deemed eligible
for transfer into the baccalaureate program of a State
university and must be considered to have fulfilled all lower
division coursework in the major field of study. While a
student may apply for admission in the semester during which
coursework for the associate degree will be completed, timely
completion of the degree is a condition of transfer under the
provisions of this Act.
(b) Each community college district shall ensure that
associate degrees for transfer adhere to the degree models
under rules of the Illinois Community College Board, which
shall include specific lower division courses in the major
field of study that are comparable to the lower division
courses in the major field of study at State universities, as
agreed to by the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois
Community College Board.
(c) The General Assembly encourages the Illinois Community
College Board and the Board of Higher Education to make use of
the Illinois Articulation Initiative major directives process
to inform the development of the models referenced in
subsection (b) of this Section.
(d) The General Assembly encourages community college
districts to consider the articulation agreements and other
work between the respective faculties from the affected

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community college and State universities in implementing the
requirements of this Section.
(e) The General Assembly encourages community colleges to
facilitate the acceptance of credits earned at other community
colleges and from lower division courses completed at 4-year
colleges and universities toward an associate degree for
transfer pursuant to this Section.
(f) This Section does not preclude students who are
assessed below collegiate level from acquiring developmental
coursework in preparation for obtaining an associate degree for
transfer. Developmental coursework must not be counted as part
of the transferable units required pursuant to subsection (b)
of this Section.
Section 15. Admission to a State university.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, a
State university shall guarantee junior status to any community
college student who is admitted under the provisions of this
Act. Admission to a State university, as provided under this
Act, does not guarantee admission to specific programs or
specific majors.
Section 20. Coursework. A State university may require a
student transferring pursuant to this Act to take additional
courses at the State university so long as the student is not
required to take more semester hours or the equivalent number

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of quarter hours, in combination with the associate degree for
transfer and the baccalaureate degree, than would otherwise be
required of a student native to that university in completing
the baccalaureate degree. A minimum of 60 semester credit
hours, or the equivalent number of quarter hours, taken at the
community college must be counted toward the total minimum
number of hours required for the baccalaureate degree. A State
university may not require students transferring pursuant to
this Act to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at
the community college that counted toward an associate degree
for transfer granted pursuant to Section 10 of this Act,
regardless of whether the credits earned and the courses
required were offered at a different level. Pursuant to
subsection (b) of Section 10 of this Act, a State university
may not require individual review of lower division course
equivalencies in the major by respective institutions.
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, 2015, 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,

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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 earned an associate degree for transfer.
(B) The number and percentage of community college
students who earned an associate degree for transfer
and subsequently transferred to a State university.
(C) The number and percentage of community college
students who earned an associate degree for transfer
and earned a baccalaureate degree from a State
university pursuant to this Act.
(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

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Section 8.35 as follows:
(30 ILCS 805/8.35 new)
Sec. 8.35. 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.".