SB2482 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 12260 LNS 22372 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2482

Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Michael W. Halpin

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 805/3-29.28 new

Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if the board of trustees and the program meet specified conditions. Provides for an application for approval from the Illinois Community College Board. Sets forth community college requirements and prohibitions for establishing a baccalaureate degree program. Provides that a community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program shall submit an annual report to the Illinois Community College Board. Sets forth what that report shall include. Provides for a statewide evaluation of a baccalaureate degree program.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) Four-year degrees in applied fields of study are of increasing importance in enabling individuals to qualify for and obtain jobs.

(2) It is a priority in this State to promote equitable access and afford the citizens in this State, particularly underserved student populations and those in rural areas of this State, greater access to higher education.

(3) Research has shown the following:

(A) Most students attend college within 50 miles of their home, and many Illinois residents live outside of commuting distance to a public institution of higher education.

(B) In states where a community college baccalaureate program has been implemented, typical graduates are older, are working, or have family responsibilities that preclude them from attending traditional baccalaureate programs.

(C) Community college baccalaureate graduates are often more racially diverse than counterparts in similar programs of study.

(4) Community colleges can help fill the gaps in this State's higher education system by granting baccalaureate degrees to meet the growing demand for a skilled workforce by increasing access and reducing costs for students.

(5) It is in this State's interest to enable community colleges to seek authorization to offer baccalaureate degrees.

(6) Baccalaureate degree programs offered pursuant to this Act do not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public community college. Nothing in this Act is intended to reduce the State's commitment to improving associate to baccalaureate program transfer pathways for Illinois students.

Section 5. The Public Community College Act is amended by adding Section 3-29.28 as follows:

(110 ILCS 805/3-29.28 new)

Sec. 3-29.28. Baccalaureate degree program.

(a) A board of trustees may establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if all the following conditions are met:

(1) The board of trustees meets all of the requirements as set forth in subsection (b) of this Section and has been approved by the State Board to offer a bachelor's degree.

(2) After the program has been approved by the State Board, the Board of Higher Education shall consider the program for approval in a manner consistent with new bachelor's degree programs at public and private universities in this State.

(3) The board of trustees has identified and documented, in writing, unmet workforce needs in the region served by the community college in the subject area of the baccalaureate degree program to be offered. The board of trustees shall publish the documentation on the community college district's website, make the documentation publicly available, and shall present the documentation to the State Board.

(4) The community college shall hold an applicable accreditation for the baccalaureate degree program or have applied for the accreditation.

(5) The board of trustees must demonstrate how the baccalaureate degree program will demonstrate improved racial and socioeconomic equity in student access, enrollment, and completion by focusing outreach efforts on and giving preference to those students to meet workforce needs.

(6) Tuition per credit hour for the third and fourth years of a 4-year baccalaureate program may not exceed 150% of the tuition per credit hour of related lower-division course tuition.

(b) The board of trustees shall demonstrate the district has the expertise, resources, and student interest to offer a baccalaureate degree. An application for approval from the State Board shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) The board of trustees shall describe the labor market need as specified in paragraph (3) of subsection (a).

(2) The board of trustees must demonstrate that the baccalaureate degree program will not unnecessarily duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education in the community college's district.

(3) The board of trustees shall describe the program's purpose and its target population, related occupations, and career paths.

(4) The board of trustees may demonstrate that the baccalaureate degree program is built on existing associate degree programs and that the baccalaureate degree program prepares graduates for professional and technical employment and opportunity to matriculate to graduate degree programs, when applicable.

(5) The board of trustees shall demonstrate that the community college has developed quality curricula that align with federal, State, and local requirements and will prepare students with the appropriate level of skill to meet students' educational goals.

(6) The board of trustees shall demonstrate student demand for the baccalaureate program.

(7) The board of trustees shall verify the community college has the fiscal resources in place or has budgeted for financial support for the program in a cost-effective manner.

(8) The board of trustees shall identify and document the faculty available for teaching the program, including the number of full-time faculty anticipated to teach in the program, a description of the faculty's qualifications, including the highest degree earned, teaching experience, professional experience, and licenses held by the faculty. The board of trustees must also indicate how faculty are to be evaluated.

(c) A community college district is prohibited from using semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree program for grants received pursuant to Section 2-16.02 of this Act.

(d) The board of trustees of a community college developing a baccalaureate degree program located in the same community college district as the main campus of any public institution of higher education shall notify that public institution of higher education at least 60 days before submitting the application under subsection (b) to the State Board. Within 30 days after the date the board of trustees submits the notice, the public institution of higher education may provide a written response to the State Board for its review. A public institution of higher education may not prevent a community college from offering a baccalaureate degree program.

(e) A community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program shall submit an annual report to the State Board, which shall include all of the following:

(1) The total number of students pursuing a bachelor's degree at the community college district pursuant to this Section.

(2) The total number of bachelor's degrees completed at the community college district.

(3) Workforce data showing demand for the baccalaureate degree programs offered at the community college district.

(4) The average cost of tuition per credit hour for the bachelor's degrees offered at the community college district.

(f) The State Board shall conduct a statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs established under this Section. The results of the evaluation shall be reported, in writing, on or before 5 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly to all of the following:

(1) The Board of Higher Education.

(2) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(4) The President of the Senate.

(5) The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(6) The Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

The evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) All baccalaureate degree programs implemented.

(B) Information identifying applicants, admissions, enrollments, demographic characteristics of students, and degree recipients.

(C) The extent to which each baccalaureate degree program established under this Section fulfills identified workforce demands that require 4-year baccalaureate degrees.

(D) Information on the pace of employment of students and the subsequent job placement of graduates.

(E) The cost of each baccalaureate degree program and the funding sources used to finance each program.

(F) For each baccalaureate degree program, the costs to students, the amount of financial aid offered, and the student debt levels of graduates.

(G) Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for each new baccalaureate degree program established under this Section.

(H) The extent to which a baccalaureate degree program established under this Section is in compliance with the requirements of this Section.

A board of trustees shall submit the information necessary to conduct the evaluation required under this subsection (f), as determined by the evaluators, to the State Board.