Government Relations
UW System Position on Bills Introduced in the Legislature During the 2005-2006 Session
Pending Legislation
Health occupation credit transfer between UW System schools
Full Description
(Wieckert) Current law authorizes the Board of Regents of the University
of Wisconsin (UW) System to establish policies for the appropriate transfer
of credits: 1) between four-year UW System colleges; 2) between four-year
and two-year UW System colleges; and 3) between the UW System colleges
and colleges outside of the UW System.
This bill requires the Board of Regents of the UW System to work with
technical college district boards to ensure that credits earned in UW System
nursing courses are accepted for transfer by technical colleges. The bill also
requires each technical college district board to work with the UW System to
ensure that credits earned in technical college nursing courses are accepted
for transfer by the UW System. The bill first applies in the academic year
that begins at least 60 months following enactment.
Referred to: Assembly Committee on Colleges & Universities
UW System Position
OPPOSE: The nursing programs in the UW system already permit transfer of "prenursing" or prerequisite courses. There is very little call for transfer of nursing credits as students almost never relocate once in a nursing program, and if it must happen, schools collaborate to facilitate that - so they transfer from one program to another. Additionally, transfer of credits from two-year UW and four-year UW system colleges in regard to nursing program already happens, plus there is already an arrangement between WTCS and UW nursing programs allowing such transfer, via the Collaborative Statewide Nursing Program.
A more helpful item to increase the number of nurses who graduate from the UW System would be to increase the funding for nursing programs at UW institutions.