Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB0806

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 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.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the introduced bill with the following changes: Provides that 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 (rather than an associate degree for transfer), is deemed eligible for transfer. Removes provisions providing that a community college student is deemed eligible for transferring into the baccalaureate program of a State university upon completion of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter units and a minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis. Provides that without the approval of the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education, a community college district may not impose any requirements for a student to be eligible for an associate degree for transfer and subsequent admission to a State university. Provides that non-transfer coursework must not be counted as part of the transferrable units required. Provides that a State university shall admit and grant junior status in a program, subject to available program capacity, to any Illinois community college student who meets Act requirements, who has completed all lower-division prerequisites, and who meets the admission requirements of the State university's program or major (rather than a State university shall guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets Act requirements). Removes provisions providing 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 State university may not require a transferring student 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. Removes provisions providing that a State university may require a transferring student to take additional courses at the State university so long as the student is not required to take any more than 60 additional semester units or 90 quarter units at the State university. Provides that a State university may not require transferring students to repeat courses that are articulated with (instead of similar to) those taken at the community college and counted toward an associate degree for transfer. Provides that the General Assembly encourages State universities and community colleges to facilitate the seamless transfer of credits toward a baccalaureate degree.

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