I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1871
To encourage partnerships between community colleges and four-year colleges 
and universities. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29, 2003
Mr. WU introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To encourage partnerships between community colleges and 
four-year colleges and universities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community College 
Partnership Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY; COLLEGE 
PREPARATION PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED. 
Subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 is amended—
(1) by redesignating section 407E as section 
406E; and 
(2) by inserting after chapter 3 (20 U.S.C. 
1070a–31 et seq.) the following new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 4—COMMUNITY COLLEGE 
OPPORTUNITY 
‘‘SEC. 407A. PURPOSE. 
‘‘It is the purpose of this chapter to enhance opportu-
nities of students at community or technical colleges to 
transfer to 4-year institutions and complete bachelor’s de-
grees. 
‘‘SEC. 407B. ACTIVITIES. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts ap-
propriated under section 407D, the Secretary shall award 
grants to an eligible partnership that includes—
‘‘(1) 1 or more community or technical colleges 
that award associate’s degrees; and 
‘‘(2) 1 or more institutions of higher education 
that offer a baccalaureate or postbaccalaureate de-
gree not awarded by the institutions described in 
paragraph (1) with which it is partnered. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Grants awarded under this 
part shall be used for—
‘‘(1) the development of policies to expand op-
portunities for community or technical college stu-
dents to earn bachelor’s degrees, including pro-
moting the transfer of academic credits between in-
stitutions and expanding articulation and guaran-
teed transfer agreements; 
‘‘(2) support services to students participating 
in the program, such as tutoring, mentoring, and 
academic and personal counseling, as well as any 
service that facilitates the transition of students 
from the community or technical college to the part-
ner institution; 
‘‘(3) need-based scholarships to transfer stu-
dents for their 3d and 4th years of undergraduate 
education; 
‘‘(4) academic program enhancements at the 
community or technical college that result in increas-
ing the quality of the program offered and the num-
ber of student participants in the dual degree pro-
gram offered in conjunction with a baccalaureate de-
gree granting institution; and 
‘‘(5) programs to identify barriers that inhibit 
student transfers. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.—Any institution, or a consortia 
or system of higher education, that desires to obtain a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information or assurances as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe 
such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this 
section. 
‘‘SEC. 407C. SCHOLARSHIPS. 
‘‘(a) AMOUNTS.—Scholarships awarded under this 
chapter shall, to the extent possible from the funds avail-
able, provide the additional amount of tuition and fees 
charged the participating student by the partner institu-
tion in excess of the amount of tuition and fees charged 
the student by the community or technical college. 
‘‘(b) EFFECT ON OTHER AID.—Scholarships award-
ed under this chapter shall not be considered for the pur-
poses of awarding Federal Pell Grants under subpart 1 
of part A of title IV, except that in no case shall the total 
amount of student financial assistance awarded to a stu-
dent under this chapter and title IV exceed the student’s 
cost of attendance, as defined in section 472. 
‘‘SEC. 407D. DEFINITION. 
‘‘For the purpose of this part, the term ‘community 
or technical college’ means an institution of higher edu-
cation—
‘‘(1) that admits as regular students persons 
who are beyond the age of compulsory school attend-
ance in the State in which the institution is located 
and who have the ability to benefit from the training 
offered by the institution; 
‘‘(2) that predominately does not provide an 
educational program for which it awards a bach-
elor’s degree (or an equivalent degree); 
‘‘(3) that—
‘‘(A) provides an educational program of 
not less than 2 years that is acceptable for full 
credit toward such a degree; or 
‘‘(B) offers a 2-year program in engineer-
ing, mathematics, or the physical or biological 
sciences, designed to prepare a student to work 
as a technician or at the semiprofessional level 
in engineering, scientific, or other technological 
fields requiring the understanding and applica-
tion of basic engineering, scientific, or mathe-
matical principles of knowledge; and 
‘‘(4) that is accredited by a regional accrediting 
agency or association recognized by the Secretary 
under section 496. 
‘‘SEC. 407E. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$70,000,000 to carry out this chapter for fiscal year 2004
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 suc-
ceeding fiscal years.’’.
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