HB0556 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 03532 NHT 13557 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0556

Introduced 2/4/2009, by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 205/9.07

from Ch. 144, par. 189.07

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year, the minimum admission standards established by the Board of Higher Education for public community colleges and universities must provide for a preference for persons who were engaged in the active military or naval service of the United States for a period of at least one year and who were honorably discharged and for persons who were engaged in such military or naval service who are currently or may thereafter be on inactive or reserve duty in such military or naval service, not including, however, persons who were convicted by court-martial of disobedience of orders.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

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 Board of Higher Education Act is amended by changing Section 9.07 as follows:

(110 ILCS 205/9.07) (from Ch. 144, par. 189.07)

Sec. 9.07. Admission standards.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), to establish minimum admission standards for public community colleges, colleges and state universities. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or any other law of this State, the minimum admission standards established by the Board shall not directly or indirectly authorize or require a State college or university to discriminate in the admissions process against an applicant for admission because of the applicant's enrollment in a charter school established under Article 27A of the School Code. Admission standards for out-of-state students may be higher than for Illinois residents. Beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year, the minimum admission standards must provide for a preference for persons who were engaged in the active military or naval service of the United States for a period of at least one year and who were honorably discharged and for persons who were engaged in such military or naval service who are currently or may thereafter be on inactive or reserve duty in such military or naval service, not including, however, persons who were convicted by court-martial of disobedience of orders.

(b) Implementation of the new statewide minimum admission requirements and standards for public colleges and universities in Illinois established and announced by the Board in December, 1985 shall be deferred as provided in this subsection. The Board shall not attempt to implement or otherwise effect adoption and establishment of those minimum admission requirements and standards in any public community college, college or State university prior to the fall of 1993, and no public community college, college or State university shall be under any duty or obligation to implement, establish or otherwise apply those minimum admission requirements and standards to any entering freshmen prior to the fall of 1993. The Board of Higher Education shall provide the State Superintendent of Education, on or before January 1, 1990, descriptions of course content, and such other criteria as are necessary to determine and certify whether all school districts maintaining grades 9-12 are offering courses which satisfy the minimum admission requirements and standards established and announced by the Board. In addition, there shall be established a 9 member committee composed of 3 members selected by the Board of Higher Education, 3 members selected by the State Superintendent of Education and 3 members selected by the President of the Illinois Vocational Association. The committee shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the committee to identify and develop courses and curricula in the vocational education area which meet the minimum admission requirements and standards to be established and implemented under this Section. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education within 10 days after the committee is appointed. At its first meeting the committee shall organize and elect a chairperson. The committee's report shall be prepared and submitted by the committee to the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois State Board of Education and the General Assembly by April 1, 1989.

(c) By March 1, 1980, the Boards shall develop guidelines which: (1) place the emphasis on postsecondary remedial programs at Public Community Colleges and (2) reduces the role of the state universities in offering remedial programs. By June 30, 1981, the Board shall report to the General Assembly the progress made toward this transition in the emphasis on remedial programs at the postsecondary level and any legislative action that it deems appropriate. Under the guidelines, if a State university determines that a student needs remedial coursework, then the university must require that the student complete the remedial coursework before pursuing his or her major course of study.

(Source: P.A. 95-272, eff. 8-17-07.)