House Committee approves transfer credit bill

See Related Stories

Intro:	Transferring credits among public universities may become easier for students.
RunTime:	0:42
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The House Higher Education Committee unanimously approved a bill allowing students to easily transfer credits among Missouri public universities.

The plan requires public colleges to create a list of 25 lower division courses that would transfer to all of them.

Maryville Republican Representative Mike Thomson is the sponsor of the bill. He says time is valuable for students.

Actuality:	HB1042.WAV
Run Time:	00:06
Description: "So if the student is held up, for different reasons, it takes more time. They are less likely to graduate."

The bill would also allow students who transfer from public community colleges to put classes from four-year universities toward an associates degree.

The bill will now move to the full House.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Paige Hornor.

Intro:	A House Committee approved a plan that might make it easier for students to transfer credits among Missouri public universities.
RunTime:	0:44
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The House Higher Education Committee approved a bill allowing courses to transfer among Missouri's public universities.

The bill requires the Higher Education Department to create a list of 25 general courses to transfer between all Missouri public colleges.

Higher Education Committee Chair Mike Thomson says the current system of transferring credits isn't always to the student's benefit.

Actuality:	HB1042B.WAV
Run Time:	00:10
Description: "They're not universal. They're not all the way across the state and we often time have students that transfer from school to school that don't really lose a credit, they still have it, but it doesn't really count for what they intended it to."

Democratic Representative Chris Kelly is opposed.

He says legislators should not handle academic courses.

The bill now moves to the full House.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Paige Hornor.

Intro:	Transferring credit among Missouri Public Universities may soon be a streamlined process.
RunTime:	0:43
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The college credit transfer bill was unanimously approved by the House Higher Education Committee.

Under the plan, students transferring from a public community college to a public university in Missouri can use the university courses toward an associates degree.

Republican Representative and sponsor of the bill Mike Thomson says the bill will save students time and money.

Actuality:	HB1042C.WAV
Run Time:	00:07
Description: "So we really feel like the more agreement we have across the board the better off we will be for the students, for the students' sake."

Thomson says the current system of transferring courses does not always allow students to get credits for the classes they want.

No one spoke against the bill. It will now move to the full house.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Paige Hornor.