NORMAL_ A recent state law is mandating NIU and other Regency universities to raise admission requirements, despite criticism that the state should not be involved.

The law states that effective in the fall of 1992, all students seeking to attend an Illinois public university will need to have successfully completed four years of high school English along with 11 other course-specific requirements.

NIU Provost Kendall Baker said the other 11 requirements are divided into the areas of science, math, social sciences and art. Baker added the law does not specify the exact distribution of the other 11 courses, which allows the universities some flexibility.

“This gives us the chance to require courses we feel are especially relevant for students who wish to compete in NIU’s vigorous academic environment,” Baker said.

In order to meet individual university needs, the Board of Regents has requested that each university present a report in April detailing their course recommendations to the Regents Academic and Student Affairs Committees.

The board governs NIU, Illinois State University in Normal and Sangamon State University in Springfield.

Although some endorse these requirements, the law draws criticism from Regents who feel the state should not be involved.

“I don’t think the legislature knows what is in the students’ best interest,” NIU Student Regent Bob Tisch said. “Ideally, academic decisions like these should be made collectively by the universities themselves.”

Tisch also expressed concern that the requirements would not be geared toward the needs and interests of individual students.

“Sure it’s essential that our incoming students be educated in the basic skills, but by too much specification we limit high school students to the courses they can take,” he said.

Baker said not only will the specific requirements help maintain the quality of incoming freshmen, but will allow NIU to keep up with many private universities who first initiated the trend toward increased admissions requirements.

Brian Hopkins, Sangamon State University student Regent, agreed the quality of new students is important, but he has reservations. “Any time the state takes decision-making powers away from the universities, it hurts the Regency system,” he said.

Baker said, “We attract many of the best students in Illinois. By requiring specific courses, we simply assure that we don’t spend time and money re-teaching fundamentals.”