House File 2313 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY D. OLSON
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing an efficiency in higher education Act.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
3 TLSB 5164HH 81
4 kh/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 261E.1 TITLE.
1 2 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the
1 3 "Efficiency in Higher Education Act".
1 4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 261E.2 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS ==
1 5 INTENT.
1 6 The general assembly finds and declares as follows:
1 7 1. Iowa's current and prospective employers have greater
1 8 expectations for the knowledge and skills base of Iowa's
1 9 workforce.
1 10 2. The demand continues to grow for baccalaureate degrees
1 11 as Iowans realize that the challenge of a global economy will
1 12 only be met by well=educated people.
1 13 3. Iowa's community colleges are an essential partner in
1 14 meeting this demand.
1 15 4. It is essential to establish policies and procedures in
1 16 the public higher education system that provide for efficient
1 17 transfer of courses, credits, and prerequisites for academic
1 18 majors.
1 19 5. The state universities must facilitate the efficient
1 20 and effective progression and transfer of students from
1 21 community colleges to baccalaureate education.
1 22 Therefore, it is the intent of the general assembly to
1 23 improve statewide coordination of transfer and articulation.
1 24 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 261E.3 TRANSFER AND ARTICULATION
1 25 COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED.
1 26 1. A transfer and articulation committee is established.
1 27 The committee shall consist of the following members:
1 28 a. The president, or the president's designee, of each
1 29 community college established pursuant to chapter 260C.
1 30 b. The president, or the president's designee, of each
1 31 institution of higher education governed by the state board of
1 32 regents.
1 33 c. Three members who shall be appointed by the president
1 34 of the state board of regents to represent the institutions of
1 35 higher education governed by the board.
2 1 2. a. A vacancy on the committee exists when any of the
2 2 following occurs:
2 3 (1) A member retires or terminates employment as a
2 4 community college or university president.
2 5 (2) A member dies, resigns, is removed from office, or is
2 6 otherwise physically unable to perform the duties of office.
2 7 (3) A member's term of office expires.
2 8 b. Members appointed pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph
2 9 "c", shall serve four=year staggered terms which shall begin
2 10 at 12:01 a.m. on May 1 in the year of appointment and expire
2 11 at 12:00 midnight on April 30 in the year of expiration.
2 12 3. The committee shall elect a chairperson and vice
2 13 chairperson. Meetings may be called by the chairperson or a
2 14 majority of the members.
2 15 4. Members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary
2 16 expenses incurred while engaged in their official duties.
2 17 Expense payments shall be made from appropriations to the
2 18 state board of regents.
2 19 5. The department of education and the state board of
2 20 regents shall provide staff assistance and administrative
2 21 support to the committee.
2 22 6. The committee shall do all of the following:
2 23 a. Develop a methodology to review all existing and future
2 24 articulation agreements between the community colleges and the
2 25 state universities governed by the state board of regents.
2 26 b. Establish a uniform system to streamline and make the
2 27 transfer of credits from the community colleges to the state
2 28 universities transparent and verifiable for students
2 29 contemplating or completing coursework.
2 30 c. Develop a uniform course numbering system and uniform
2 31 course descriptions to allow easy comparison of courses
2 32 offered by the community colleges and state universities.
2 33 7. The committee may establish subcommittees to which the
2 34 committee may delegate some or all of its responsibilities
2 35 under subsection 6.
3 1 8. The committee shall submit a progress report to the
3 2 general assembly in January 2007 and January 2008, and
3 3 thereafter shall report to the general assembly biennially
3 4 regarding its activities.
3 5 Sec. 4. INITIAL TERMS OF MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE
3 6 PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. The initial members
3 7 of the transfer and articulation committee appointed by the
3 8 president of the state board of regents shall be appointed to
3 9 the following terms:
3 10 1. One member shall be appointed for a term of four years.
3 11 2. One member shall be appointed for a term of three
3 12 years.
3 13 3. One member shall be appointed for a term of two years.
3 14 EXPLANATION
3 15 This bill establishes an efficiency in higher education Act
3 16 to improve statewide coordination of transfer and articulation
3 17 of students and course or program content between community
3 18 colleges and the institutions of higher education governed by
3 19 the state board of regents.
3 20 The bill states the legislative findings and intent leading
3 21 to the establishment of a 20=member transfer and articulation
3 22 committee consisting of the presidents from all of the 14
3 23 community colleges, the presidents of all three state
3 24 universities, or their designees, and three members appointed
3 25 by the president of the state board of regents who also
3 26 represent the state universities.
3 27 Members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary
3 28 expenses incurred while engaged in their official duties.
3 29 Expense payments shall be made from appropriations to the
3 30 state board of regents.
3 31 The department of education and the state board of regents
3 32 shall provide staff assistance and administrative support to
3 33 the committee.
3 34 The committee is charged with developing a methodology to
3 35 review all existing and future articulation agreements between
4 1 the community colleges and the state universities,
4 2 establishing a uniform system to streamline and make the
4 3 transfer of credits transparent and verifiable for students
4 4 contemplating or completing coursework, and developing a
4 5 uniform course numbering system and uniform course
4 6 descriptions to allow easy comparison of courses offered by
4 7 the community colleges and state universities. The committee
4 8 is authorized to establish subcommittees to which the
4 9 committee may delegate some or all of its responsibilities.
4 10 The committee must submit a progress report to the general
4 11 assembly in January 2007 and January 2008, and thereafter a
4 12 biennial report of its activities.
4 13 LSB 5164HH 81
4 14 kh:nh/gg/14