SB279: Bill Text

LRB-3412/1

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2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Senate BILL 279

August 3, 2005 - Introduced by Senators Brown, Stepp, Zien, Darling, Grothman, A. Lasee and Reynolds, cosponsored by Representatives Wood, Kreibich, Bies, Ballweg, Fields, Gronemus, Hahn, Hines, Huebsch, Lothian, McCormick, Moulton, Musser, Nischke, Owens, Pettis, Pridemore, Townsend and Vos. Referred to Committee on Higher Education and Tourism.

SB279,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 36.31 (1); and to create 36.31 (1) (a) and 38.04 (4) (f) of the statutes; relating to: the approval of collegiate transfer programs in certain technical college districts.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law authorizes the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board to designate and approve any collegiate transfer program offered by a technical college district. A collegiate transfer program is a full-time program in which the credits earned may be transferable to a four-year institution of higher education. A collegiate transfer program is currently available only at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Nicolet Area Technical College.

This bill directs the WTCS Board to approve a liberal arts collegiate transfer program in any technical college district in which there is not located a University of Wisconsin two-year collegiate campus. The bill also exempts the approval of these programs from the prohibition on broadening the technical college system's collegiate transfer program offerings beyond those in existence in the 1972-73 academic year.

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:

SB279, s. 1 Section 1. 36.31 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 36.31 (1) (b) and amended to read:

SB279,2,6 36.31 (1) (b) The board shall not, without the approval of the technical college system board, broaden the system's post-high school training mission to include the preparation of persons for semiprofessional or skilled-trade occupations beyond those offered during the 1972-73 academic year.

SB279,2,12 (c) The technical college system board shall not, without the approval of the board of regents, broaden its system's collegiate transfer program offerings beyond those in existence during the 1972-73 academic year. In this section, "collegiate transfer program" has the meaning given in s. 38.01 (3). This paragraph does not apply to collegiate transfer programs approved by the technical college system board under s. 38.04 (4) (f).

SB279, s. 2 Section 2. 36.31 (1) (a) of the statutes is created to read:

SB279,2,15 36.31 (1) (a) In this subsection, "collegiate transfer program" has the meaning given in s. 38.01 (3).

SB279, s. 3 Section 3. 38.04 (4) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

SB279,2,19 38.04 (4) (f) The board shall approve a liberal arts collegiate transfer program in any district in which there is not located a college campus, as defined in s. 36.05 (6m).

SB279,2,20 (End)