Panel approves compromise bill to make college transfers easier
A compromise bill to smooth the transition for students who transfer from community colleges to four-year schools got plenty of criticism but still cleared the Senate Education Committee on Thursday.
The main disagreement came from Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, who said there is already a law requiring universities to accept community college credits, a law that universities "thumbed their noses at for the past 13 years," Shaughnessy said.
"I want a bill to pass that is going to be enforced," he said.
The Senate version of House Bill 160 would still develop a statewide agreement to align arts and science coursework at community colleges with bachelors' degree programs at four-year schools, starting in 2012-13. But it also accommodates concerns of higher education officials about their autonomy....
The bill also leaves universities the autonomy to change program requirements, but it would require them to inform the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Kentucky Community and Technical College of the proposed changes to make sure they don't make transfers more difficult.
The CPE and KCTCS support the bill.
1 comment:
I fully agree with Sen. Tim Shaughnessy when he says, "I want a bill to pass that is going to be enforced." He is correct; there has been a law for the past 13 years regarding transferability that the school system commonly neglects to follow. However, now the need for this bill is much greater than it was 13 years ago. With the recession, an overwhelming number of students exiting high school are going to the local college strictly for financial purposes. For many students, the local college is a community college. I do not agree with everything this bill encompasses, but I do support the direction it is headed in.
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