SB 342

This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

and the Technical College System Board to implement a universal course numbering

and credit transfer system within five years. The bill also eliminates a restriction

on the respective educational roles of the UWS and TCS.

Under current law, one of the purposes of the TCS is to provide a collegiate

transfer program, but collegiate transfer programs may not comprise more than 25

percent of the approved credit hours offered in any technical college district. A

“collegiate transfer program" is a full-time program, approved by the TCS Board, in

which the credits earned may be transferable to a four-year institution of higher

education. The TCS Board, in agreement with the Board of Regents, may designate

courses as transferable for collegiate credit between the two systems. The Board of

Regents must establish policies for the appropriate transfer of credits between UWS

institutions and may establish policies for the appropriate transfer of credits with

other educational institutions, including technical colleges. In addition, the Board

of Regents and the TCS Board must enter into an agreement identifying at least 30

credits of core general education courses that are transferable between the UWS and

TCS. Private colleges and tribal colleges may also participate in this agreement

related to course credit transfers. The Board of Regents must further establish and

maintain a computer-based credit transfer system.

This bill requires the Board of Regents and the TCS Board to implement a

universal course numbering and credit transfer system under which credits for

courses with the same universal course number are automatically transferable

among UWS institutions and technical colleges. If a UWS institution or technical

college offers a course, the UWS institution or technical college must award academic

credit to a student who successfully completes a course with the same universal

course number at any other UWS institution or technical college and the course

credit awarded must be applied toward degree requirements, as applicable.

This bill also eliminates the following prohibitions relating to the respective

educational roles of the UWS and the TCS: 1) that the Board of Regents not broaden

the UWS's mission to include training for semiprofessional or skilled-trade

occupations beyond that offered during the 1972-73 academic year unless the TCS

Board approves; and 2) that the TCS Board not broaden TCS collegiate transfer

program offerings beyond those in existence during the 1972-73 academic year

unless the Board of Regents approves.