Community college students transfering to NIU in 1993 should get ready for tougher general education requirements.

NIU Associate Provost Lou Jean Moyer said some transfer students do not have as many math, science, or humanity requirements as NIU requires.

The Illinois Community College Board recommended changing two-year associate degree course requirements to include a set of widely-accepted courses, said Jim Russell, NIU’s community college relations coordinator.

Under a 1972 compact with the community college board, NIU has accepted Illinois transfer students with Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees as juniors who met NIU’s general education requirements, Moyer said.

Russell said the community college board recommended the new model, but cannot force community colleges to accept it.

However, Moyer said community college students applying to NIU in fall of 1993 will have to adopt the model degree programs developed by the community college board before being accepted.

Moyer said transfer students without general education requirements similiar to NIU’s do not have the academic background all students should have.

The NIU Undergraduate Coordinating Council approved the changes last year so future students would have time to prepare for the new requirements, Moyer said.

Moyer said the the model will not exactly match NIU’s, but will parallel NIU’s general education requirements.

The new model includes a math requirement and humanities courses taken in more than one department.

Moyer said the plan does not apply to all community college students. “We are looking at those who plan to have a four-year baccalaureate degree,” she said.

The changes should not affect NIU enrollment because community colleges knew about it last year, Moyer said. Russell works with the community colleges to inform them of ongoing changes.

Russell said all four-year colleges are different and he does not know of any other university which has changed its compact with community colleges.