Student Bill of Rights
Community College Associate in Arts graduates are guaranteed certain rights under the Statewide Articulation Agreement 6A-10.024. This Articulation Agreement governs the transfer of students from Florida public community colleges into the State University System. The agreement addresses General Admission to the university and Program Admission.
Students without an AA degree who are seeking admission to a state university do not have all the protection provided by the Articulation Agreement and may be denied admission or lose credit when transferring. In most cases, students without an AA degree will have to meet freshman admissions standards.
General Admission
The Articulation Agreement designates the Associate in Arts degree as the transfer degree. In doing so, the Agreement guarantees that:
- Community college AA degree holders will be granted admission to one of the state universities, but not necessarily to the university of choice or to a limited access program.
- Upon transferring to a state university, AA degree graduates will be awarded at least 60 credit hours toward the baccalaureate degree.
- The university catalog in effect the year the AA degree student first enrolled at the community college will remain in effect for the student's program, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment as defined in that catalog.
- Once a student has completed the General Education Core and this is so noted on the transcript, regardless of whether or not an AA degree is awarded, no other state university or community college to which the student may transfer can require additional courses to the general education core.
- When transferring among institutions participating in the Statewide Course Numbering System, a receiving institution must accept all courses taken at the transfer institution, if the same course with the same course number is offered at the receiving institution.
- Credits earned through acceleration mechanisms (CLEP, AP, PEP, Early Admission, International Baccalaureate , and Dual Enrollment courses) within the AA degree at the community college will be transferable to the state university.
Program Admission
General
The universities determine the courses and prerequisites that must be taken in order to receive a baccalaureate degree for a chosen program. Although all credit earned towards an AA degree will transfer to a university, not all credit may satisfy the program prerequisites or the course requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Therefore, it is important to know the program requirements and take as many courses as possible at the community college while completing the AA degree.
Limited Access
Due to limited resources, some programs have additional admission requirements which are more restrictive than the university's general admission requirements. These requirements include one or more of the following: grade point average, test scores, prerequisite courses, auditions, portfolios.
Guarantees
AA graduates are not guaranteed admission into limited access programs but are guaranteed that:
- The community college student will have the same opportunity to enroll in a university limited access program as the native university student.
- Selection and enrollment criteria for a university limited access program will be established and published in catalogs, counseling manuals and appropriate publications. Notification of any changes in a program will include sufficient time for prospective students to have the opportunity to adjust to meet program criteria.
Appeals
Should any of these guarantees be denied, the student has the right to file an appeal. Each state university and community college has established appeal procedures. Students may contact the state university or community college articulation officer for a copy of these procedures. For full details on the appeals process, ask for the printed "Student Bill of Rights" pamphlet at the Student Services office.