Chapter 465 Oregon Laws 2011

AN ACT

HB 3521

Relating to courses of study at community colleges; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section:

(a) “Associate transfer degree” means an associate degree that is awarded by a community college and that is intended to allow a student to apply the credits earned for the degree towards a baccalaureate degree.

(b) “Community college” means a community college operated under ORS chapter 341.

(c) “State institution of higher education” means a state institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002.

(d) “Transfer program” means a one-year program that is designed to allow a student to apply the credits earned through the program towards a baccalaureate degree.

(2) The Joint Boards of Education shall develop standards related to the ability of students to apply credits earned through courses of study at community colleges to baccalaureate degrees awarded by state institutions of higher education. The standards shall be known as the “Transfer Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.”

(3) The standards developed under this section may include:

(a) Admission standards to state institutions of higher education for students who have earned an associate transfer degree.

(b) The maximum number of credits that students who have earned an associate transfer degree would need to complete prior to receiving various types of baccalaureate degrees at state institutions of higher education.

(c) The maximum number of credits that students who have completed a transfer program would need to complete prior to receiving various types of baccalaureate degrees at state institutions of higher education.

(d) A process by which a community college would award an associate degree to a student upon completion of necessary credits, regardless of whether the student applied to receive the degree or whether the student earned the credits for the degree at a community college or a state institution of higher education.

(e) Any other issues identified by the Joint Boards of Education that relate to courses of study at community colleges and the ability of a student to transfer credits to a community college or a state institution of higher education, to be admitted to a state institution of higher education or to earn a degree at a community college or a state institution of higher education.

(f) Requirements that students must meet in order to benefit from the standards described in paragraphs (a) to (e) of this subsection.

(4) Each community college and state institution of higher education shall submit annual reports to the Joint Boards of Education related to:

(a) The number of students who attend a community college and then a state institution of higher education, or a state institution of higher education and then a community college.

(b) The number of students who attend one community college and then a different community college.

(c) The number of students who transfer from a community college to a state institution of higher education and who have an associate transfer degree or have completed a transfer program.

(d) The average number of credits students have when they transfer from a community college to a state institution of higher education.

(e) The average number of credits students have when they attend one community college and then a different community college.

(f) The average number of credits that a student earning an associate transfer degree completed at a community college.

(g) The average number of credits students who have transferred from a community college to a state institution of higher education must earn prior to receiving a baccalaureate degree compared to the average number of credits students who did not transfer from a community college must earn prior to receiving a baccalaureate degree.

SECTION 2. (1) As used in this section:

(a) “Associate transfer degree” means an associate degree that is awarded by a community college and that is intended to allow a student to apply the credits earned for the degree towards a baccalaureate degree.

(b) “Community college” means a community college operated under ORS chapter 341.

(c) “State institution of higher education” means a state institution of higher education listed in ORS 352.002.

(d) “Transfer program” means a one-year program that is designed to allow a student to apply the credits earned through the program towards a baccalaureate degree.

(2) The Joint Boards of Education shall submit to the interim legislative committees relating to education a report no later than November 1, 2012. The report required by this section shall include:

(a) Information related to the standards developed as provided by section 1 of this 2011 Act, including resources required to implement the standards by no later than the 2014-2015 academic year.

(b) A review of the requirements and standards of the associate transfer degree, and whether those requirements and standards need to be modified as a result of the standards developed as provided by section 1 of this 2011 Act.

(c) The feasibility of and legal issues related to the development of a common data system that allows for the sharing of student information between community colleges and state institutions of higher education.

(d) Any proposals for legislation that are needed to implement the standards described in section 1 of this 2011 Act or that are in response to any of the findings made by the Joint Boards of Education while preparing the report described in this subsection.

(3) In preparation for providing the report described in subsection (2) of this section, the Joint Boards of Education shall provide reports to the interim legislative committees related to education at intervals determined by the committees.

(4) The Oregon University System, the Department of Education and the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development shall provide staff support to the Joint Boards of Education for the purpose of preparing the reports required by this section.

SECTION 3. This 2011 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2011 Act takes effect on its passage.

Approved by the Governor June 21, 2011

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 21, 2011

Effective date June 21, 2011

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