BILL NUMBER:S3403

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to grant-
ing  academic credit at state operated institutions of the state univer-
sity of New York and the senior colleges of the city university  of  New
York to veterans

PURPOSE:    Allows  the  granting  of  academic credit at state operated
institutions to veterans.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Adds new section 669-e to the education law which states that
State operated institutions must recognize courses and award educational
credits for courses that were part of a veteran's military  training  or
service  if  the  courses  beet the standards of the American Council on
Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credits.

Section 2: Specifies effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:  Military service members receive an education each  day,
whether  it  is  on the battlefield, through training, or through on the
job experience.  Based  on  their  military  experiences  and  training,
service  members may have college credit recommendations to apply toward
a degree requirement or program of study.

              

Earning college credit can be accomplished in  a  number  of  ways.  The
military  transcript  of  a service member is recognized by the American
Council  on  Education  (ACE),  the  national  accrediting  agency,  who
convenes  teams of teaching faculty who travel to military installations
to evaluate military training courses and occupation-based skills, know-
ledge, and abilities. These evaluations are conducted to  determine  the
learning  acquired through these experiences. Team members review train-
ing materials for  programs  of  instruction,  including  lesson  plans,
instructor  materials,  and  examination  materials. The evaluators also
interview  service  members,  their  supervisors,   and   subject-matter
specialists.

Review  teams  then  determine if the demonstrated learning outcomes are
equivalent, in part or in whole, to the learning outcomes  derived  from
college  level  coursework.  Equivalencies  are then expressed as credit
recommendations that are quantified in terms of semester hours and qual-
ified in terms of course titles or academic areas.    ACE  is  the  only
higher education organization that represents presidents and chancellors
of all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: community
colleges  and  four-year  institutions, private and public universities,
and nonprofit and for  profit  colleges.  This  cross-sector  membership
enables ACE to serve as higher education's unifying voice.

For more than 60 years, ACE has reviewed and made credit recommendations
for thousands of college level courses offered by the military services.

In 1974, ACE started the evaluation of military occupational specialties
as well.

Institutions of higher learning operating in New York state often accept
the  military transcript as a source of transfer credit. They law should
be clarified to state that they shall always accept those courses  which
are certified by ACE as credit-worthy.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2012: S. 3950 - Referred to Higher Education

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE  DATE:  Shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall become a law.