SB 290

This bill requires each university in the University of Wisconsin System to

submit statements to the Board of Regents of the UW System regarding how

students may complete majors for baccalaureate degrees within three academic

years. The chronology of the statements must begin with the fall semester of a

student's first academic year. By January 1, 2018, the bill requires a university to

submit statements for at least 25 percent of the baccalaureate degree programs

offered by the university. By June 30, 2020, the bill requires a university to submit

statements for at least 50 percent of such programs.

The bill allows the statements to include the following methods for contributing

to earning a baccalaureate degree in three academic years: advanced placement

credit; international baccalaureate program credit; completing course work during

summer sessions; and earning postsecondary credit under the course or youth

options programs under current law. The statements may also include satisfying

degree and credit-hour requirements by completing courses that are widely

available at technical colleges or through online programs offered by the UW System

or private nonprofit institutions of higher education. In addition, the statements

may include waiving foreign language degree requirements based on a proficiency

examination specified by the university. The statements may also include any other

method specified by the university.

Upon submitting a statement to the Board of Regents, the bill requires a

university to post the statement on the university's Internet site. When the Board

of Regents receives a statement, the Board of Regents must provide copies to the

state superintendent of public instruction, who in turn must distribute copies to the

following entities: school boards that operate high school grades; operators of charter

schools that operate high school grades; and governing bodies of private high schools

that participate in the parental choice or special needs scholarship programs under

current law. The bill requires those entities to make the copies available to high

school principals, guidance counselors, or equivalent positions.

Finally, the bill requires the Board of Regents and UW-Madison chancellor to

include information about baccalaureate degrees awarded within three academic

years in annual accountability reports that must be submitted to the governor and

legislature under current law. The information required is the following: 1) the

number of baccalaureate degrees awarded that were completed within three

academic years; and 2) the percentage of baccalaureate degree programs for which

statements were submitted to the Board of Regents under the bill.