NIU compares favorably to other state public universities when implementing policies on undergraduate education.

NIU is nearing completion of stage two of the three-stage process set by the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 1986, establishing the improvement of undergraduate education as a state priority.

Stage one of the process includes defining student learning and development objectives and implementing strategies to help students achieve these goals.

Gathering information and evidence from multiple sources on these objectives is the primary focus of stage two.

Out of ten state public universities, only NIU, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and SIU-Edwardsville are near completion of stage two.

As for the other two Regency schools, Illinois State University in Normal was not listed on the report and Sangamon State University in Springfield is just beginning stage two.

The other six universities have just completed stage one and are involved in stage two.

The IBHE report stated NIU has gathered information but needs to compile information from additional sources.

Associate Provost Lou Jean Moyer said NIU does not have a set date to complete stage two. NIU will continue to gather information during the summer and fall semesters and hopes to move through the second stage sometime in the spring of 1992, she added.

Stage three of the program will see the universities implementing the policies by modifying existing programs and creating new ones.

The IBHE report also listed the actions taken by the various universities from the fall of 1989 to the summer of 1990. NIU conducted a survey among 600 alumni of the class of 1985, 1,000 graduating seniors and 1,200 undergraduate students and submitted the results to departments.

Eleven academic departments received grants from the Faculty Assessment Grant Program to develop and test assessment methods in helping students meet objectives in their major, the report stated.

NIU also hired a research associate to coordinate research for the study of the quality of undergraduate education.

Moyer said NIU submitted their findings in October 1990, so the report does not include NIU’s efforts this year.