§3165.2. College credit for military service; spouses of veterans

A.(1) Each articulation and transfer agreement developed and implemented in accordance with this Chapter shall maximize the number of academic or workforce education credits awarded to veterans of the United States Armed Forces for their military education, training, or experience and provide for their seamless transfer from one public postsecondary education institution to another.

(2) The council shall use the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services" and the standards of the American Council on Education to govern the award of academic or workforce credit for military education, training, or experience.

B. Each public postsecondary education institution shall assist veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their spouses in pursuing their educational goals by providing expedited transcript analysis, prior learning assessment, portfolio analysis, advising, and testing. At the request of an entering student who is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, each public postsecondary education institution shall evaluate any transcript of prior earned postsecondary academic credit and accept the transfer of any credit earned from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution, provided that the credit aligns with the course and program requirements of the receiving institution.

C.(1) The Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council shall coordinate and oversee the development of a military articulation and transfer process that shall be adhered to by all public postsecondary education institutions and that shall:

(a) Recognize and align military education, training, or experience with the appropriate postsecondary academic or workforce coursework.

(b) Provide for the transfer of academic credit hours earned by a veteran or the spouse of a veteran from a postsecondary education institution that offers academic coursework to military personnel and their spouses, provided such institution is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting body and the credit to be transferred is aligned with the course and program requirements of the receiving institution.

(2) In developing the military articulation and transfer process, the council shall give proper consideration to the admission standards and role, scope, and mission of each public postsecondary education institution.

D. Each public postsecondary education management board shall ensure that any policy adopted pursuant to R.S. 17:3351(E) conforms to the provisions of this Section.

E.(1) The Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council shall meet not later than September 15, 2015, to begin the process of implementing the provisions of this Section.

(2) The provisions of this Section shall be fully implemented not later than the beginning of the Spring semester of the 2015-2016 academic year.

F. This Section shall not apply to a former member of the United States Armed Forces who received a dishonorable discharge from military service but shall apply to such a person's spouse.

Acts 2015, No. 233, §1, eff. June 26, 2015; Acts 2017, No. 97, §1.