State Senate Bill 540- AP credits, Transfer Platform, and Denial of Transfer Credit

 Hi Counseling Team,

I wanted to share some pertinent information from State Senate Bill 540, which was approved last July.  I have included the link to the entire bill, but I have copied some of the most pressing matters.  

Below are outlined some of the new regulations for transfer, conditions for a new USM platform for facilitating transfer, and what happens when transfer credit is denied. 

Also of note is the matter of AP credit.  If community colleges accept a score of 3 on AP exams, state 4 year universities must do the same.

There will likely be more information coming from Dr. Rai’s office about this, but I wanted to make you aware of what is in progress.

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2022RS/fnotes/bil_0000/sb0540.pdf

Take good care.

Best,

Erin

SB540- approved July 1

This bill requires each community college and public four-year institution of higher education to participate in a transfer platform to facilitate the transfer of students from community colleges to four-year institutions of higher education

• The transfer platform must:
• allow students and advisors to determine if a course will transfer from any community college to any four-year institution of higher education that participates in the transfer platform;
• provide recommended courses to students for specific programs of study at four-year institutions of higher education; and include other options, as specified.
• allow students and advisors to determine if a course will transfer from any
  community college to any four-year institution of higher education that participates
  in the transfer platform;
• provide recommended courses to students for specific programs of study at
  four-year institutions of higher education; and
• include other options, as specified.

Denial of Transfer Credit

• The procedures established must require a receiving institution that denies the transfer of a credit or course to an enrolled student to notify the transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending institution and the enrolled student about the denial within a time period that MHEC determines to be the latest possible time for the notification and specify the rationale for the denial.
• The transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending institution must conduct a review, in conjunction with the receiving institution’s designee, within a time period MHEC determines to be appropriate.

AP Credits

The assignment of credit through a nationally recognized standardized exam such as the Advanced Placement (known as AP) exam must be determined according to the same standards that apply to native students in the receiving institution and consistent with the State minimum requirements.