2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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2023 SENATE BILL 19
January 27, 2023 - Introduced by Senators JACQUE, FELZKOWSKI, NASS, WANGGAARD
and STAFSHOLT, cosponsored by Representatives MURPHY, RETTINGER,
PENTERMAN, BRANDTJEN, BROOKS, MAXEY, MURSAU, ORTIZ-VELEZ, RODRIGUEZ,
TUSLER, WICHGERS and ZIMMERMAN. Referred to Committee on Universities
and Revenue.
1 AN ACT to repeal 36.11 (3) (cm) 1. and 3. and 36.31 (1); to amend 36.11 (3) (b),
2 36.11 (3) (c), 36.11 (3) (cm) 4. and 36.31 (2); and to create 36.11 (3) (bm), 36.31
3 (1m) and 36.31 (2m) (d) of the statutes; relating to: uniform course numbering
4 and the transfer of course credits among technical colleges and University of
5 Wisconsin System schools, and eliminating certain restrictions on the
6 respective educational roles of the University of Wisconsin System and the
7 Technical College System.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
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, which is a full-time program at a technical college in which the
credits earned may be transferable to a four-year institution of higher education.
Collegiate transfer programs may not comprise more than 25 percent of the approved
credit hours offered in any technical college district.
The TCS Board and the Board of Regents may agree to designate courses as
transferable for credit between the TCS and UWS, and must enter into an agreement
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SENATE BILL 19
identifying at least 72 credits of core general education courses that are transferable
between the UWS and TCS. The TCS Board and the Board of Regents must also
enter into an agreement to identify, promote, support, and prioritize
“program-to-program articulation agreements” that articulate how the completion
of requirements for a specified program of study at one institution transfers toward
the completion of requirements for a specified program of study at another
educational institution. Private colleges and tribal colleges may also participate in
agreements related to course credit transfers and the program-to-program
articulation agreements. 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. The Board
of Regents must further establish and maintain a computer-based credit transfer
system.
This bill requires the TCS Board and the Board of Regents 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, other UWS institutions or technical colleges must award
academic credit to a student who has successfully completed a course with the same
universal course number at any other UWS institution or technical college; 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 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.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
1 SECTION 1. 36.11 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
2 36.11 (3) (b) Subject to par. (bm) and s. 36.31 (2m), the board shall establish
3 policies for the appropriate transfer of credits between institutions within the
4 system, including postsecondary credits earned by a high school pupil enrolled in a
5 course at an institution within the system under the program under s. 118.55. If the
6 board determines that postsecondary credits earned by a high school pupil under the
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SENATE BILL 19 SECTION 1
1 program under s. 118.55 are not transferable under this paragraph, the board shall
2 permit the individual to take an examination to determine the individual's
3 competency in the subject area of the course and, if the individual receives a passing
4 score on the examination, shall award equivalent credits to the individual.
5 SECTION 2. 36.11 (3) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
6 36.11 (3) (bm) Upon implementation of the universal course numbering and
7 credit transfer system under s. 36.31 (1m) (a), credits for courses with the same
8 universal course number shall be transferable among institutions and technical
9 colleges without further review. The policies under pars. (b) and (c) may provide for
10 the transfer of credits among institutions and technical colleges for courses in which
11 the receiving institution or technical college does not offer the same universally
12 numbered course taken at a different institution or technical college from which the
13 credit transfer is sought.
14 SECTION 3. 36.11 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
15 36.11 (3) (c) Subject to par. (bm) and s. 36.31 (2m), the board may establish
16 policies for the appropriate transfer of credits with other educational institutions
17 outside the system, including postsecondary credits earned by a high school pupil
18 enrolled in a course at an educational institution outside the system through the
19 program under s. 118.55. If the board determines that postsecondary credits earned
20 by a high school pupil under the program under s. 118.55 are not transferable under
21 this paragraph, the board shall permit the individual to take an examination to
22 determine the individual's competency in the subject area of the course and, if the
23 individual receives a passing score on the examination, shall award equivalent
24 credits to the individual.
25 SECTION 4. 36.11 (3) (cm) 1. and 3. of the statutes are repealed.
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SENATE BILL 19 SECTION 5
1 SECTION 5. 36.11 (3) (cm) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
2 36.11 (3) (cm) 4. Other All courses for which the transfer of credits is accepted
3 under par. pars. (b) or, (bm), and (c).
4 SECTION 6. 36.31 (1) of the statutes is repealed.
5 SECTION 7. 36.31 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
6 36.31 (1m) (a) The Board of Regents and the technical college system board
7 shall implement a universal course numbering and credit transfer system no later
8 than the first day of the 60th month beginning after the effective date of this
9 paragraph .... [LRB inserts date].
10 (b) The universal course numbering and credit transfer system shall include
11 the transfer of postsecondary credits earned by a high school pupil enrolled in a
12 course at an institution within the University of Wisconsin System under the
13 program under s. 118.55 or at a technical college under s. 38.12 (14).
14 (c) As part of the universal course numbering and credit transfer system, each
15 institution and technical college offering a course shall award academic credit for a
16 course with the same universal course number successfully completed at another
17 institution or technical college, including applying the course credits to satisfy
18 general education requirements or requirements for a degree in a specific field of
19 study, as applicable.
20 SECTION 8. 36.31 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
21 36.31 (2) The technical college system board, in agreement with the board, may
22 designate courses other than those covered under sub. (1) as transferable for
23 collegiate credit between the 2 systems. Upon implementation of the universal
24 course numbering and credit transfer system under sub. (1m) (a), this subsection
25 does not apply.
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SENATE BILL 19 SECTION 9
1 SECTION 9. 36.31 (2m) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
2 36.31 (2m) (d) Upon implementation of the universal course numbering and
3 credit transfer system under sub. (1m) (a), credits for courses with the same
4 universal course number may be included in the calculation to determine whether
5 the agreement of the Board of Regents and the technical college system board under
6 par. (b) has identified at least 72 transferable course credits.
7 (END)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 36.11(3)(b), 36.11, 36.11(3)(c), 36.11(3)(cm)4, 36.31(1), 36.31, 36.31(2)