SB3722 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 38807 RJT 68944 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3722

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 118/1
110 ILCS 118/10
110 ILCS 118/17 new

Amends the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Public University Direct Admission Program Act. Repeals the provisions concerning the uniform admission system pilot program on December 31, 2025. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a direct admission program to automatically offer admission to a public university to qualified high school seniors in this State and public community college students in this State who qualify to transfer to a public university. Provides that under the direct admission program, a public university is required to offer admission to any high school senior who meets the public university's coursework standards for admission and to any public community college transfer student who meets specified criteria. Sets forth program and reporting requirements. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act is amended by changing Sections 1 and 10 and by adding Section 17 as follows:

(110 ILCS 118/1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2027)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Public University Direct Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act.

(Source: P.A. 101-448, eff. 1-1-20.)

(110 ILCS 118/10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2027)

Sec. 10. Uniform admission system pilot program.

(a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, each institution, except for the University of Illinois, shall create a 4-year uniform admission system pilot program under this Act to admit first-time freshman students for each semester of the pilot program.

(b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, the University of Illinois shall create a 4-year uniform admission system pilot program under this Act to admit community college transfer students for each semester of the pilot program.

The University of Illinois provides multiple pathways to transfer and shall guarantee admission to all applicants who:

(1) have enrolled only at an Illinois community college after graduating from an Illinois high school;

(2) have earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application to the University. Students are encouraged to consult the Illinois Articulation Initiative general education core curriculum course list and other resources at the State and University level to determine course transferability;

(3) have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all transferable coursework completed at the time of application to the University; and

(4) have satisfied the University's English language proficiency requirement.

(c) Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, each institution shall create a 4-year uniform admission system pilot program under this Act to admit community college transfer students for each semester of the pilot program. This subsection does not apply to a university that already has a uniform admission policy for transfer students equal to or less restrictive than that prescribed in this Section and maintains that policy for the duration of the effective period of this subsection.

At a minimum, the universities shall guarantee admission to all applicants who:

(1) have enrolled at a State community college after graduating from a State high school;

(2) have earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application to the university; students are encouraged to consult the Illinois Articulation Initiative general education core curriculum course list and other resources at the State and university level to determine course transferability;

(3) have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all transferable coursework completed at the time of application to the university; and

(4) have satisfied the university's English language proficiency requirement.

Nothing in this Section prohibits institutions from establishing or implementing less restrictive uniform admission transfer policies.

(d) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2025.

(Source: P.A. 102-187, eff. 1-1-22; 103-205, eff. 1-1-24.)

(110 ILCS 118/17 new)

Sec. 17. Direct admission program.

(a) In this Section, "Public university" means the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, or any other public university now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.

(b) Beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a direct admission program to automatically offer admission into a public university to qualified high school seniors in this State and to public community college students in this State who qualify to transfer to a public university.

(c) Under the direct admission program, a public university shall be required to offer admission to any high school senior who meets the public university's coursework standards for admission and to any public community college transfer student who meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Is enrolled at a public community college in this State

(2) Has earned a minimum of 37 hours in the Illinois Articulation Initiative General Education Core Curriculum.

(3) Has attained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent in all transferable coursework completed at the time of application to the public university.

(4) Has satisfied the public university's English language proficiency requirement.

(d) In establishing the direct admission program, the Board of Higher Education shall specifically evaluate the impact on low-income students, students of color, first generation college students, students from populations underserved in higher education, and students from rural areas of this State.

(e) The direct admission program shall utilize data and technology from the State Board of Education, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the Illinois Community College Board or shall gather data and develop the technology to automatically inform high school seniors and community college transfer students of direct admission into the public universities for which the students qualify or may utilize the services of a statewide student application aggregation vendor.

(f) The direct admission program shall provide admitted high school seniors and community college transfer students with the web address for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to find information regarding State grant programs, support for financial aid application completion, and scholarship searches and other financial aid-related information and shall encourage students to determine their eligibility for financial aid based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or, if applicable, an application for State financial aid.

(g) The Board of Higher Education shall submit a report on the direct admission program to the Governor and General Assembly by February 1, 2026 and each February 1 thereafter. The report shall include, but is not limited to, information related to implementation of the direct admission program, the demographic and geographic data of students offered direct admission and the public university to which direct admission was offered, the demographic and geographic data of high school seniors who accepted direct admission and enrolled in the public university that offered that direct admission, annual comparable enrollment data of high school seniors and community college transfer students, and recommendations to improve the direct admission program.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision or law to the contrary, all public institutions of higher education, the State Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and any other State agency that collects pertinent data shall furnish such data and information to the Board of Higher Education as the Board of Higher Education deems necessary to fulfill the requirements of this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.