EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXIS TING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0540*
SENATE BILL 540
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By: Senators Elfreth, Hester, Hershey, Ready, and Reilly
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Higher Education – Transfer Platform – Established 2
(Transfer With Success Act 2.0) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring each community college and 4–year institution of higher 4
education that receives State funds to participate in a transfer platform that the 5
Maryland Higher Education Commission establishes to facilitate the transfer of 6
students from community colleges to 4–year institutions of higher education; 7
altering a certain report that must be submitted by public institutions of higher 8
education; and generally relating to the transfer of credits from community colleges 9
to 4–year institutions of higher education. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Education 12
Section 11–207 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Education 18
11–207. 19
(a) The Commission shall: 20
(1) Establish procedures for transfer of students between the public 21
segments of postsecondary education; 22
(2) Recommend cooperative programs among segments of postsecondary 23
education to assure appropriate flexibility in the higher education system; and 24 2 SENATE BILL 540
(3) In conjunction with the governing boards, establish standards for 1
articulation agreements. 2
(b) The procedures established under subsection (a) of this section shall require: 3
(1) A receiving institution that denies the transfer of a credit or course to 4
an enrolled student to notify the transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the 5
sending institution and the enrolled student about the denial within a time period that the 6
Commission determines to be the latest possible time for the notification and specify the 7
rationale for the denial; 8
(2) The transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending 9
institution, after receiving notice of a denial of the transfer of a credit or course, in 10
conjunction with the receiving institution’s designee, to conduct a review within a time 11
period the Commission determines to be appropriate; and 12
(3) (I) Each public institution of higher education to submit an annual 13
report to the Commission listing any denials of the transfer of a credit or course and the 14
reasons for the denials. 15
(II) IF A PUBLIC INSTITUTI ON OF HIGHER EDUCATI ON DOES 16
NOT HONOR THE INFORM ATION IN THE TRANSFE R PLATFORM ESTABLISH ED UNDER 17
SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION, THE INSTITUTION SHAL L REPORT THE FAILU RE 18
TO HONOR INFORMATION IN THE PLATFORM AS A DENIAL OF TRANSFER C REDIT ON 19
THE ANNUAL REPORT SU BMITTED UNDER SUBPAR AGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH . 20
(c) The Commission, in collaboration with the public institutions of higher 21
education, shall develop and implement a statewide transfer agreement whereby at least 22
60 credits of general education, elective, and major courses that a student earns at any 23
community college in the State toward an associate of arts or associate of science degree 24
shall be transferable to any public senior higher education institution in the State for credit 25
toward a bachelor’s degree by July 1, 2016. 26
(d) The Commission, in collaboration with the public institutions of higher 27
education, shall develop and implement a statewide reverse transfer agreement whereby 28
at least 30 credits that a student earns at any public senior higher education institution in 29
the State toward a bachelor’s degree are transferable to any community college in the State 30
for credit toward an associate’s degree by July 1, 2016. 31
(e) The Commission and each public institution of higher education shall develop 32
and implement incentives for students to obtain an associate’s degree before enrolling in a 33
public senior institution of higher education. 34
(f) The Commission may recommend procedures and guidelines for consideration 35
by the governing boards of institutions of postsecondary education on: 36 SENATE BILL 540 3
(1) Improvement and coordination of student financial assistance 1
programs; and 2
(2) Other subjects of general interest and concern to the higher education 3
community in the State. 4
(G) (1) EACH COMMUNITY COLLEG E AND 4–YEAR INSTITUTION OF 5
HIGHER EDUCATION THA T RECEIVES STATE FUNDS SHALL PAR TICIPATE IN THE 6
TRANSFER PLATFORM ES TABLISHED IN ACCORDA NCE WITH THIS SUBSEC TION. 7
(2) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTA BLISH A TRANSFER 8
PLATFORM TO FACILITA TE THE TRANSFER OF S TUDENTS FROM COMMUNI TY 9
COLLEGES TO 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE. 10
(II) IF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND HAS A SIMILA R 11
TRANSFER PLATFORM , THE COMMISSION SHALL DELE GATE THE DESIGN OR 12
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLATFORM TO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND. 13
(3) THE TRANSFER PLATFORM SHALL: 14
(I) ALLOW STUDENTS AND AD VISORS TO DETERMINE IF A 15
COURSE WILL TRANSFER FROM ANY COMMUNITY C OLLEGE TO ANY 4–YEAR 16
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION THAT PAR TICIPATES IN THE TRA NSFER 17
PLATFORM; 18
(II) PROVIDE RECOMMENDED C OURSES FOR SPECIFIC 19
PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ; AND 20
(III) INCLUDE A TRANSCRIPT OPTION FOR STUDENTS THAT: 21
1. DETERMINES THE STATUS OF COURSES; 22
2. COMPARES COURSES WITH RECOMMENDED 23
TRANSFER PROGRAMS ; AND 24
3. COMPUTES GRADE POINT AVERAGES. 25
(4) EACH 4–YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHA LL: 26
(I) HONOR ALL INFORMATION IN THE TRANSFER PLAT FORM, 27
INCLUDING TRANSFER I NFORMATION , UNLESS AN ACADEMIC P ROGRAM NO LONGER 28
EXISTS; 29
4 SENATE BILL 540
(II) UPDATE ALL COURSE INF ORMATION IN THE TRAN SFER 1
PLATFORM WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A COURSE EVALUATION RE QUEST; 2
(III) COMPLETE ALL TRANSFER EVALUATIONS SUBMITT ED 3
THROUGH THE TRANSFER PLATFORM BEFORE REGI STERING A STUDENT FO R A 4
COURSE; AND 5
(IV) REMOVE ANY CREDITS , COURSES, OR INACCURATE 6
INFORMATION IN THE T RANSFER PLATFORM BEF ORE EACH ACADEMIC YE AR AND 7
NOT MORE THAN 60 DAYS AFTER THE ADDIT ION OR TERMINATION O F AN ACADEMIC 8
PROGRAM. 9
(5) EACH RECEIVING INSTIT UTION SHALL REVIEW A LL COURSE 10
EVALUATIONS SUBMITTE D IN THE TRANSFER PL ATFORM BY A SENDING 11
INSTITUTION AND PROV IDE DECISIONS TO THE SENDING INSTITUTION IN THE 12
TRANSFER PLATFORM . 13
(6) (I) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR 14
THEREAFTER , THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN 15
APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 TO SUPPORT THE OPERA TION OF THE TRANSFER 16
PLATFORM. 17
(II) THE COMMISSION MAY NOT CH ARGE COMMUNITY 18
COLLEGES OR 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION A F EE TO PARTICIPATE 19
IN THE TRANSFER PLAT FORM. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2022. 22