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2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 132
BY SENATOR NEVERS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
POSTSECONDARY ED. Provides for the reverse transfer of academic credits and the
award of certain credits to veterans and their spouses. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:3161.1, 3165.2 and 3168(6), relative to the articulation and transfer of
3 postsecondary academic credit; to provide relative to reverse transfer agreements;
4 to provide relative to awarding academic and workforce education credit to veterans
5 for military education, training, or experience; to provide relative to the transfer of
6 certain academic credits earned by veterans and their spouses; to provide for the
7 responsibilities of the Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council; to provide for
8 reports; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:3161.1, 3165.2 and 3168(6) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §3161.1. Reverse Transfer Agreements
12 A. Four-year colleges and universities and community colleges are
13 authorized and encouraged to enter into reverse articulation or reverse transfer
14 agreements to facilitate the transfer of academic credits earned by a student
15 while enrolled in a four-year postsecondary institution back to a community
16 college for the purpose of enabling a student to complete the requirements for
17 an associate degree from the community college.
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1 B. The Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council shall establish
2 guidelines to govern the reverse transfer of academic credits between four-year
3 colleges and universities and community colleges.
4 * * *
5 §3165.2. College credit for military service; spouses of veterans
6 A.(1) Every articulation and transfer agreement developed and
7 implemented in accordance with this Chapter shall maximize the number of
8 academic or workforce education credits awarded to veterans of the United
9 States Armed Forces for their military education, training, or experience and
10 provide for their seamless transfer from one public postsecondary institution
11 to another.
12 (2) The council shall utilize the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational
13 Experiences in the Armed Services" and the standards of the American Council
14 on Education to govern the award of academic or workforce credit for military
15 education, training, or experience.
16 B. Each Louisiana public postsecondary educational institution shall
17 assist veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their spouses in pursuing
18 their educational goals by providing expedited transcript analysis, prior
19 learning assessment, portfolio analysis, advising, and testing. At the request of
20 an entering student who is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, each public
21 postsecondary educational institution shall evaluate any transcript of prior
22 earned postsecondary academic credit and accept the transfer of any credit
23 earned from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution, provided that the
24 credit aligns with the course and program requirements of the receiving
25 institution.
26 C.(1) The Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council shall coordinate
27 and oversee the development of a military articulation and transfer process that
28 shall be adhered to by all public postsecondary education institutions that will:
29 (a) Recognize and align military education, training, or experience with
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1 the appropriate postsecondary academic or workforce coursework.
2 (b) Provide for the transfer of academic credit hours earned by a veteran
3 or the spouse of a veteran from a postsecondary educational institution that
4 offers academic coursework to military personnel and their spouses, provided
5 such institution is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting body and
6 the credit to be transferred is aligned with the course and program
7 requirements of the receiving institution.
8 (2) In developing the military articulation and transfer process, the
9 council shall give proper consideration to the admission standards and role,
10 scope, and mission of each Louisiana public postsecondary institution.
11 D. Each public postsecondary education management board shall ensure
12 that any policy adopted pursuant to R.S. 17:3351(E) conforms to the provisions
13 of this Section.
14 E.(1) The Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council shall meet not
15 later than September 15, 2015, to begin the process of implementing the
16 provisions of this Section.
17 (2) The provisions of this Section shall be fully implemented not later
18 than the beginning of the Spring semester of the 2015-2016 academic year.
19 * * *
20 §3168. Reporting
21 The Board of Regents shall submit a written report to the Senate and House
22 committees on education, not later than September thirtieth of each year, on the
23 status of statewide articulation and transfer of credit across all educational
24 institutions in Louisiana as provided in this Chapter. Such report shall, at a
25 minimum, include the following:
26 * * *
27 (6)(a) The number of academic or workforce education credits awarded
28 to veterans of the United States Armed Forces for their military education,
29 training, or experience.
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1 (b) The number of academic credits earned by veterans and spouses of
2 veterans from a postsecondary educational institution that are transferred to
3 a Louisiana public postsecondary educational institution.
4 (c) The information required by this Paragraph shall be reported in
5 aggregate and by public postsecondary educational institution.
6 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
7 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
8 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
9 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
10 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 132 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Nevers
Present law provides for the seamless transfer of credits between and among public
secondary and postsecondary educational institutions and charges the Statewide Articulation
and Transfer Council (SATC) with the responsibility to coordinate, oversee, and monitor
transfer and articulation activities.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law authorizes and encourages four-year colleges and universities and community
colleges to enter into reverse articulation or reverse transfer agreements to facilitate the
transfer of academic credits earned by a student while enrolled in a four-year postsecondary
institution back to a community college for the purpose of enabling a student to complete
the requirements for an associate degree from the community college. Requires the SATC
to establish guidelines to govern the reverse transfer of academic credits between four-year
colleges and universities and community colleges.
Proposed law requires every articulation and transfer agreement developed and implemented
in accordance with present law to maximize the number of academic or workforce education
credits awarded to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces for their military education, training,
or experience and provide for their seamless transfer from one public postsecondary
institution to another.
Proposed law requires the SATC to utilize the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational
Experiences in the Armed Services" and the standards of the American Council on
Education to govern the award or transfer of academic or workforce credit to veterans for
military education, training, or experience.
Proposed law requires each Louisiana public postsecondary educational institution to assist
veterans and their spouses in pursuing their educational goals by providing expedited
transcript analysis, prior learning assessment, portfolio analysis, advising, and testing.
Proposed law requires each postsecondary institution, at the request of an entering student
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who is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, to evaluate any transcript of prior earned
postsecondary academic credit and accept the transfer of any credit earned from a regionally
accredited postsecondary institution, provided that the credit aligns with the course and
program requirements of the receiving institution.
Proposed law requires the SATC to coordinate and oversee the development of a military
articulation and transfer process that shall be adhered to by all public postsecondary
education institutions that will:
(1)Recognize and align military education, training, or experience with the appropriate
academic or workforce coursework.
(2)Provide for the transfer of academic credit hours earned by a veteran or the spouse
of a veteran from a postsecondary educational institution that offers academic
coursework to military personnel and their spouses, provided such institution is
accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting body and the credit to be
transferred is aligned with the course and program requirements of the receiving
institution.
Proposed law requires the SATC to give proper consideration to the admissions standards
and role, scope, and mission of each public postsecondary institution in developing the
military articulation and transfer process.
Present law (R.S. 17:3351(E)) requires the public postsecondary education management
boards to adopt a policy requiring each postsecondary institution under their management
to award educational credits to veterans for courses that are part of the student's military
training or service that meets the standards of the American Council on Education or
equivalent standards for awarding academic credit if the award of such credit is based upon
the institution's admission standards and role, scope, and mission.
Proposed law retains present law but requires that any policy adopted by a postsecondary
education management board pursuant to present law must conform to the provisions of
proposed law.
Proposed law requires the SATC to meet not later than September 15, 2015, to begin the
process of implementing the provisions of proposed law. Further provides that the provisions
of proposed law shall be implemented not later than the beginning of the Spring semester
of the 2015-2016 academic year.
Present law requires the Board of Regents to annually report to the Senate and House
committees on education regarding the status of statewide articulation and transfer of credit
across all educational institutions in the state and specifies the data to be included in the
report.
Proposed law retains present law and additionally provides that such report include:
(1)The number of academic or workforce education credits awarded to veterans for their
military education, training, and experience.
(2)The number of academic credit hours earned by veterans and spouses of veterans
from a postsecondary educational institution that are transferred to a La. public
postsecondary institution.
Proposed law specifies that this information be reported in aggregate and by public
postsecondary educational institution.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
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(Adds R.S. 17:3161.1, 3165.2 and 3168(6))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Deletes requirement that postsecondary institutions enter into articulation
agreements with every institution that offers coursework to military
personnel and their spouses pursuant to a contract with the U.S. Dept. of
Defense and to accept all credits earned. Deletes related reporting
requirement.
2. Requires postsecondary institutions to assist veterans and their spouses by
providing specified services to help them pursue their educational goals.
3. Requires postsecondary institutions to accept credits earned by veterans and
their spouses if the courses meet specified criteria.
4. Requires SATC to oversee development of a military articulation and transfer
process instead of a matrix and provide for the transfer of academic credit
hours earned by veterans and their spouses that meet specified criteria.
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.