Senate Bill 2585

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES ON INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFER STUDENTS WHO OBTAIN BACCALAUREATE OR SIMILAR DEGREES; TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS AND POLICIES THAT IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF STUDENTS TRANSFERRING BETWEEN PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds and determines that:

(a) There exists the need to increase the level of degree attainment in the state by encouraging more community college students who complete academic programs of study to transfer to universities;

(b) State universities and community colleges have the opportunity to collaborate more in enacting polices that will increase the number of students who transfer from community colleges to universities;

(c) Community college students who enroll in academic programs of study require greater incentives to continue and complete their education at state universities; and

(d) State universities and community colleges require additional funding to improve the levels of collaboration that will improve the percentage of community college students who receive a baccalaureate or similar degrees from state universities;

(e) Over seventy percent (70%) of the community college students who transferred to state universities in the 2011 fall semester enrolled in programs at Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi.

(2) The Legislature's purposes in enacting a law to require greater collaboration between public universities and community colleges are to achieve Mississippi's important and compelling interests of:

(a) Fully utilizing the enrollment capacity of all state universities through encouraging community college students to enroll in programs at Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi University for Women and Mississippi Valley State University;

(b) Increasing the personal earnings of Mississippi citizens;

(d) Increasing the number of citizens who volunteer in Mississippi communities;

(e) Enabling citizens to take advantage of employer-sponsored health and pension plans; and

(f) Lowering unemployment and poverty rates within the state.

SECTION 2. (1) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board shall jointly promulgate articulation agreements and policies that will increase the number of community college students enrolled in academic programs of study who transfer to state universities.

(2) Articulation agreements and polices adopted to accomplish the objectives of subsection (1) of this section shall be applicable to students entering state universities and community colleges in the 2014 fall semester and shall include the following minimum standards:

(a) Common course numbering for freshman and sophomore level courses among all state universities and community colleges;

(b) Common certificate and major curriculum tracts at all state universities and community colleges; and

(c) A uniform procedure for establishing a division at each community college that will advise students enrolled in academic programs on any matter related to transferring to state universities.

(3) Any state university may enter an agreement with any state community college to offer guaranteed admissions for transfer students. The university and community college may determine the terms and conditions of such an agreement.

(4) Any state university may enter an agreement with any state community college to establish the division required under subsection (2)(c) of this section. The university and community college may determine the terms and conditions of such an agreement.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.