Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Program To Provide Greater Cooperation and Coordination between the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System

Sec. 1. Pilot program established. Resolved: That the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine at Augusta shall develop a pilot program with Southern Maine Community College and Kennebec Valley Community College, respectively, to provide a process for attending the Maine Community College System to earn an associate degree and going on to attend the University of Maine System to earn a baccalaureate degree with a seamless transition of college credits towards the goal of graduation. The pilot program must have students participating simultaneously with specific degree programs at both the community college and the university, dependent upon their agreement, to take a prescribed series of courses; and be it further

Sec. 2. Courses. Resolved: That the courses in the pilot program must include prescribed courses in the major discipline, a set of general education courses and acceptable electives, divided between the 2 institutions. Students must pass all courses and maintain an agreed-upon grade average in the students' major to remain in the program. The program must also include an alternative route for associate students with some prior credits to participate; and be it further

Sec. 3. Faculty. Resolved: That the department chairs of the faculty from both universities and the 2 community colleges shall:

1. Design the pilot program curricula and agree to accept all courses of the partner institutions in the major as well as the general education courses. In coming to the agreement to accept the courses, the department chairs shall consult with faculty at each institution and review the current curricula, learning outcomes and assessments, tests and department exams to ensure the equivalence of these courses between the 2 universities and the 2 community colleges; and

2. Develop a fully transferable general education curriculum composed solely of academic courses so that students may transfer from the community college system to the university system with at least 60 credits of the required work toward a baccalaureate degree. Elective credits may be offered to students for additional academic courses at the community college. The chief academic officers of each institution shall oversee this process and report to their presidents; and be it further

Sec. 4. Goals. Resolved: That the pilot program must be developed to be a model for further collaboration between the participating colleges and universities in the service of student success, retention and degree completion and to provide data for future academic policy for all future student success; and be it further

Sec. 5. Report. Resolved: That the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters on the completion and graduation of the first participating class of students involved in the pilot program, with an assessment and recommendations to the committee on the future of the program. The joint standing committee is authorized to submit a bill regarding the report during the legislative session in which the report is submitted.

SUMMARY

This resolve establishes a pilot program between the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System, more specifically between the University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Community College and between the University of Maine at Augusta and Kennebec Valley Community College, to provide a seamless process of going from an associate degree program at the community college onto a baccalaureate degree program at the university. The pilot program will be established after consultation with faculty from all 4 schools, along with a review of the majors at the schools. The program will be composed of students who take prescribed courses along with electives. After the first participating class graduates, the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System will report back to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters on its assessment of the program and any recommendations.