House File 175HOUSE 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 1177HH 82 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 1. The general assembly finds and declares as follows: 1 7 a. 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 b. 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 c. Iowa's community colleges are an essential partner in 1 14 meeting this demand. 1 15 d. 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 e. 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 2. 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 shall be filled by 2 2 appointment in the same manner as the original appointment. 2 3 b. Members appointed pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph 2 4 "c", shall serve four=year staggered terms which shall begin 2 5 at 12:01 a.m. on May 1 in the year of appointment and expire 2 6 at 12:00 midnight on April 30 in the year of expiration. 2 7 3. The committee shall elect a chairperson and vice 2 8 chairperson. Meetings may be called by the chairperson or a 2 9 majority of the members. 2 10 4. Members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary 2 11 expenses incurred while engaged in their official duties. 2 12 Expense payments shall be made from appropriations to the 2 13 state board of regents. 2 14 5. The department of education and the state board of 2 15 regents shall provide staff assistance and administrative 2 16 support to the committee. 2 17 6. The committee shall do all of the following: 2 18 a. Develop a methodology to review all existing and future 2 19 articulation agreements between the community colleges and the 2 20 state universities governed by the state board of regents. 2 21 b. Establish a uniform system to streamline and make the 2 22 transfer of credits from the community colleges to the state 2 23 universities transparent and verifiable for students 2 24 contemplating or completing coursework. 2 25 c. Develop a uniform course numbering system and uniform 2 26 course descriptions to allow easy comparison of courses 2 27 offered by the community colleges and state universities. 2 28 7. The committee may establish subcommittees to which the 2 29 committee may delegate some or all of its responsibilities 2 30 under subsection 6. 2 31 8. The committee shall submit a progress report to the 2 32 general assembly by January 15, 2008, and by January 15, 2009, 2 33 and thereafter shall report to the general assembly biennially 2 34 regarding its activities. 2 35 Sec. 4. INITIAL TERMS OF MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE 3 1 PRESIDENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. The initial members 3 2 of the transfer and articulation committee appointed by the 3 3 president of the state board of regents shall be appointed to 3 4 the following terms: 3 5 1. One member shall be appointed for a term of four years. 3 6 2. One member shall be appointed for a term of three 3 7 years. 3 8 3. One member shall be appointed for a term of two years. 3 9 EXPLANATION 3 10 This bill establishes an efficiency in higher education Act 3 11 to improve statewide coordination of transfer and articulation 3 12 of students and course or program content between community 3 13 colleges and the institutions of higher education governed by 3 14 the state board of regents. 3 15 The bill states the legislative findings and intent leading 3 16 to the establishment of a 20=member transfer and articulation 3 17 committee consisting of the presidents from all of the 14 3 18 community colleges, or their designees, the presidents of all 3 19 three state universities, or their designees, and three 3 20 members appointed by the president of the state board of 3 21 regents who also represent the state universities. 3 22 Members shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary 3 23 expenses incurred while engaged in their official duties. 3 24 Expense payments shall be made from appropriations to the 3 25 state board of regents. The department of education and the 3 26 state board of regents shall provide staff assistance and 3 27 administrative support to the committee. 3 28 The committee is charged with developing a methodology to 3 29 review all existing and future articulation agreements between 3 30 the community colleges and the state universities, 3 31 establishing a uniform system to streamline and make the 3 32 transfer of credits transparent and verifiable for students 3 33 contemplating or completing coursework, and developing a 3 34 uniform course numbering system and uniform course 3 35 descriptions to allow easy comparison of courses offered by 4 1 the community colleges and state universities. 4 2 The committee must submit a progress report to the general 4 3 assembly by January 15, 2008, and by January 15, 2009, and 4 4 thereafter a biennial report of its activities. 4 5 LSB 1177HH 82 4 6 kh:nh/gg/14