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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".14" citation="COMAR 13B.06.02.14" title_num="13B" subtitle_num="06" chapter_num="02" heading="Evaluation and Review Process for Transfer of Courses and Credits.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Purpose. The purpose of the evaluation and review process is to maximize the courses and credits accepted for transfer by a receiving institution.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Transfer Evaluation Request by Student.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A current or prospective transfer student who desires to transfer courses or credits from a prior institution of higher education to a receiving institution shall submit to the receiving institution a request to conduct an evaluation of official transcripts and other relevant materials.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The request shall be in the form and manner required by the receiving institution and shall identify each completed course and each credit awarded for prior learning that the student desires to transfer to the receiving institution.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Timing of Evaluation by Receiving Institution.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Except as set forth in §C(2) of this regulation, in response to a complete request submitted under §B of this regulation, a receiving institution shall conduct and complete an evaluation of the student’s official transcripts and other relevant materials no later than 20 business days after receipt of the official transcripts.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If the official transcripts are received more than 30 business days before the start of the student’s first semester at the receiving institution, the evaluation shall be conducted and completed no later than 10 business days prior to the start of the student’s first semester.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Evaluation of Course and Credit Transfer by Receiving Institution.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>In accordance with §D(2) and (3) of this regulation, a receiving institution shall evaluate each completed course or credit in a transfer evaluation request to determine:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>First, if the course or credit is transferable; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Second, the academic program requirement(s) to which a transferable course or credit will be applied.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Transferability.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The transferability of the course or credit shall be evaluated by determining:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>If the transferability of the course or credit has been established in a Program Transfer Agreement, other transfer agreement, course equivalency list, or other institutional publication;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>If the course fulfilled a general education course at the sending institution;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>If, under the standard in Regulation .10 of this chapter, as determined by an appropriate academic staff member, the course is equivalent to a course at the receiving institution; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>If, under the standard in Regulation .11 of this chapter, as determined by an appropriate academic staff member, the credit is equivalent to credit for prior learning at the receiving institution.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A course that is not transferable under §D(2)(a) shall be denied.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Application of Credit.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>In accordance with Regulation .08C of this chapter, and consistent with the standards set forth in this chapter and the institutional policies and procedures established under Regulation .03 of this chapter, each course or credit accepted for transfer shall be evaluated to determine if it fulfills:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>A general education requirement;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A requirement of the student’s academic program;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>An elective requirement;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Any other institutional or program requirement; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Two or more of the requirements in §D(3)(a)(i)—(iv) of this regulation.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If the number of credits assigned to all transferable courses and credits exceeds the limits set forth in Regulation .08 of this chapter, the courses that are not accepted for transfer shall be:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Determined after evaluating the application of credit under §D(3)(a) of this regulation; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Selected to minimize the number of courses a student will need to take at the receiving institution to complete a degree.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Transfer Evaluation Report.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>No later than the applicable deadline set forth in §C of this regulation, a receiving institution shall issue a Transfer Evaluation Report to inform a student in writing of the outcome of the evaluation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The Transfer Evaluation Report shall include, for each course and credit requested for transfer:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>If the course or credit has been accepted for transfer or denied;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>For each course and credit accepted for transfer:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The basis for transferability; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The program requirement(s) it fulfills under §D(3) of this regulation;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>For each course or credit denied because it is not transferable, a clear and detailed explanation of the reason for the denial;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>For each course or credit denied because the total number of transferable credits exceeded the limits set forth in Regulation .08 of this chapter, a clear and detailed explanation of the basis for the determination of which transferable course(s) or credit(s) were denied;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>If any course or credit is denied, a statement explaining that all course and credit transfer denials will be reviewed by the sending institution, in conjunction with the receiving institution, without further action on the part of the student; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>The name, title, email address, and phone number of the individual at the receiving institution whom the student can contact with questions.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A copy of the Transfer Evaluation Report shall be provided to all sending institutions simultaneously with the issuance of the report to the student.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Receiving Institution Transcript. As soon as possible after acceptance of a course or credit for transfer, the receiving institution shall ensure that the student’s transcript reflects the credits awarded.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Review of Denials by Sending Institution.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>If any course or credit is denied, the sending institution, in conjunction with the receiving institution, shall conduct an evaluation to review each denial of a course or credit.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending institution shall conduct the evaluation in accordance with §D of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The evaluation shall be completed, and a copy of the sending institution’s analysis shall be provided to the receiving institution, no later than 20 business days after receipt of the Transfer Evaluation Report.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The sending institution’s analysis shall indicate, for each course or credit denied by the receiving institution, whether the sending institution agrees or disagrees with the receiving institution’s evaluation and rationale.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Meeting Between Sending and Receiving Institutions.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The sending and receiving institutions shall meet to discuss the analyses no later than 20 business days after the sending institution’s analysis is provided to the receiving institution.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>During the meeting, the institutions shall review and discuss each course or credit denial determination with which the sending institution disagrees.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The meeting may be held via phone or video conference.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Waiver.</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>For good cause, a sending institution may request that the Secretary waive the meeting requirement for any individual review.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A request for a waiver shall be made, in writing, with a copy to the receiving institution, no later than 5 business days of providing the analysis to the receiving institution.</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The Secretary shall approve or deny a request for a waiver of the meeting within 10 business days of receipt.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>No later than 10 business days after the meeting, a sending institution shall provide to the receiving institution:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A revised version of the sending institution’s analysis; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Written notification that no revisions to the sending institution’s analysis are necessary.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="H.">
    <text>Final Determination by Receiving Institution.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>No later than 10 business days after receipt of a revised analysis from the sending institution or a notification under §G(6) of this regulation, the receiving institution shall provide to the student:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A Revised Transfer Evaluation Report; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Written notification that the review process has not resulted in any changes to the Transfer Evaluation Report.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The decision arising out of the review process regarding the transferability of courses and credits under §D(2) constitutes the final decision of the receiving institution and is not subject to appeal.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="I.">
    <text>Records.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A receiving institution shall keep records of all denied courses and credits, including but not limited to, the Transfer Evaluation Report, the sending institution analysis, any revisions to the sending institution analysis, and any Revised Transfer Evaluation Report, for at least 5 years after the student ceases enrollment at the institution or 2 years after the student completes a bachelor’s degree, whichever is earlier.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>An institution shall annually report to the Commission, in a form prescribed by the Commission, each denial of a course or credit transfer, including the reason for each denial.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>