On or before July 1, 2010, the commission shall adopt the necessary policies and procedures to require state-supported institutions of higher education to participate in student loan programs supported by the federal government.
Source: L. 2010: Entire section added, (HB 10-1428), ch. 390, p. 1831, � 9, effective June 9.
23-1-130. Department duty to report on workforce needs and credential production - repeal. (Repealed)
Source: L. 2012: Entire section added, (HB 12-1061), ch. 74, p. 251, � 1, effective August 8. L. 2016: (2)(a) amended, (HB 16-1082), ch. 58, p. 143, � 11, effective August 10.
Editor's note: (1) Subsection (4) provided for the repeal of this section, effective July 1, 2016. (See L. 2012, p. 251.)
(2) Subsection (2)(a) was amended by HB 16-1082, effective August 10, 2016; however, those amendments did not take effect because of the repeal of this section, effective July 1, 2016.
23-1-131. Commission directive - associate degree completion program - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that, due to the demands of a global economy, the state and the nation have an increasing need for individuals with a postsecondary credential or degree. Many students begin their postsecondary education in a two-year institution and transfer to a four-year institution prior to receiving an associate degree. Some students who subsequently accumulate the credit hours necessary for an associate degree while at the four-year institution, or who leave the four-year institution prior to completing a bachelor's degree, would benefit from the award of an associate degree. The award of an associate degree not only rewards the student's efforts in attaining postsecondary education but also recognizes the investment of financial resources in postsecondary education by both the student and the state.
(b) Therefore, the general assembly declares that the state's two-year and four-year institutions should work in collaboration with the commission to develop a process that reduces a potential barrier to degree completion by providing students with information about the student's eligibility for an associate degree.
(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Associate degree means an associate of arts or associate of science degree.
(b) Four-year institution means a state-supported institution of higher education that is authorized to grant baccalaureate degrees.
(c) Two-year institution means a state-supported institution of higher education, or a local district college, that is authorized to grant associate degrees.
(3) (a) The commission shall collaborate with the governing boards of the two-year and four-year institutions to develop and coordinate a process to notify students concerning eligibility for the award of an associate degree. The notification process shall apply to students at a four-year institution who have accumulated seventy credit hours at a four-year institution and who transferred to the institution after completing the residency requirements for an associate degree at a two-year institution. The notification process developed pursuant to this section shall specify the role of the student, the department, and the two-year and four-year institutions in the process, with the role of the four-year institutions limited to providing contact information for eligible students. The notification process shall be implemented no later than the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year.
(b) The two-year and four-year institutions shall agree upon the contents of the notification to eligible students. At a minimum, the notification shall include the requirements for the degree audit by the two-year institution and information concerning the process for a student to be awarded an associate degree in the future if the degree requirements are not met or the student declines the associate degree at the time of the notification.
(c) Nothing in this section limits the ability of the governing boards of two-year and four-year institutions to develop reverse transfer agreements that are consistent with the intent of this section.
(4) Each two-year and four-year institution shall provide students with information concerning the process developed pursuant to this section.
Source: L. 2012: Entire section added, (SB 12-045), ch. 124, p. 419, � 1, effective April 18.
23-1-131.5. Commission directive - Colorado re-engaged (CORE) initiative - four-year institutions - associate degrees - report - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Colorado re-engaged initiative or CORE initiative means the initiative created in this section to authorize institutions to award associate degrees to eligible students.
(b) Eligible student means an undergraduate student who meets the criteria specified in subsection (5) of this section.
(c) Institution of higher education or institution means a local district college operating pursuant to article 71 of this title 23 or a state institution of higher education as defined in section 23-18-102 (10)(a), but not including an institution governed by the state board for community colleges and occupational education.
(2) There is created in the department the Colorado re-engaged, or CORE, initiative to authorize institutions of higher education to award associate degrees, notwithstanding an institution's role and mission, to eligible students who enroll in baccalaureate degree programs and earn at least seventy credit hours in the programs, but withdraw from the institutions before attaining the baccalaureate degree. The goal of awarding an associate degree through the CORE initiative is to increase a student's earning potential by granting the student a degree, making it more likely the student will re-enroll and complete a baccalaureate degree or higher.
(3) The commission shall collaborate with the institutions of higher education to develop and coordinate a process to identify eligible students and award associate degrees through the CORE initiative. To implement the CORE initiative, the role of the department is to:
(a) Publicize the CORE initiative, including the eligibility requirements that a student must meet to obtain an associate degree through the CORE initiative as described in subsection (5) of this section; and
(b) Work with the institutions to identify eligible students and notify those eligible students of their eligibility to obtain an associate degree through the CORE initiative and the process for doing so.
(4) (a) The role of an institution that chooses to participate in the CORE initiative is limited to:
(I) Providing to the department contact information for eligible students, if available;
(II) Determining whether an eligible student qualifies for an associate degree based on earned credits and courses taken;
(III) Issuing an associate degree upon the request of an eligible student and advising the student of opportunities to re-enroll at the institution to complete the baccalaureate degree program; and
(IV) Submitting to the department the information described in subsection (6) of this section.
(b) An institution that chooses to participate in the CORE initiative must obtain approval from the institution's accrediting agency to grant associate degrees through the CORE initiative. An institution may award an associate degree to an eligible student through the CORE initiative for up to ten academic years after the last semester in which the eligible student enrolled at the institution.
(c) An institution that chooses to participate in the CORE initiative shall not allow a student to enroll in the institution to obtain an associate degree and shall not offer programs that are designed to lead to associate degrees; except that this subsection (4)(c) does not apply to a local district college, Adams state university, Fort Lewis college with regard to the authority granted in section 23-52-101 (2)(a), and Colorado Mesa university. The associate degrees issued by institutions through the CORE initiative shall not be considered in determining an institution's funding pursuant to part 3 of article 18 of this title 23.
(5) (a) To receive an associate degree through the CORE initiative, a student must:
(I) Not have transferred to the institution directly after earning fifteen or more credit hours from any single institution governed by the state board of community colleges and occupational education;
(II) Not have been enrolled in the institution for at least two consecutive semesters; and
(III) Have earned at least seventy credit hours, which credits must include completion of the institution's general education core course requirements and completion of all other courses required for an associate degree program approved by the commission.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, a student who is eligible to receive an associate degree through a program authorized in section 23-1-131 is not eligible to receive an associate degree through the CORE initiative.
(6) Each institution that chooses to participate in the CORE initiative shall, by August 1, 2022, and by August 1 each year thereafter, report to the department the number of eligible students to whom the institution awarded an associate degree through the CORE initiative, the types of associate degrees awarded through the CORE initiative, and the number of students who re-enrolled in the institution after receiving an associate degree through the CORE initiative. The department shall review and compile the annual reports and, by January 15, 2025, submit to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, or any successor committees, a report concerning implementation of the CORE initiative, including, to the extent discernable, the degree to which students who receive associate degrees through the CORE initiative re-enroll in an institution to complete a baccalaureate degree. The department may also include in the report recommendations for changes to the CORE initiative, including recommendations for incentives to encourage institutions to participate in the CORE initiative.
Source: L. 2021: Entire section added, (HB 21-1330), ch. 377, p. 2502, � 6, effective June 29. L. 2023: (5)(a)(I) amended, (HB 23-1262), ch. 439, p. 2579, � 1, effective August 7.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1330, see section 1 of chapter 377, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.