A contract outlining a possible cooperative admissions policy between NIU and Rockford College might be sent to Rockford College officials for their consideration this week.

Norden Gilbert, assistant NIU legal counsel, said he hopes to finalize a co-op admissions proposal this week. Gilbert said he is forming the contract according to the proposed terms of Rockford College officials and NIU Provost Kendall Baker.

The co-op admissions proposal made by Rockford College representatives last fall would involve students who are academically eligible to attend NIU and Rockford College but are not admitted to NIU because of a lack of space.

Baker said the admissions plan might be implemented by fall 1989.

A proposal approved by the University Council last spring stated the first 500 students closest to the cutoff point for admission into NIU would be given the opportunity to attend Rockford College at the same tuition they would pay at NIU.

If the Rockford College administration “is satisfied” with the contract, then they will sign and return the contract to NIU for its approval, Gilbert said.

UC Executive Secretary Judy Bischoff said that when a co-op proposal is finalized, it will be reviewed by Baker, Bischoff, an NIU Legal Counsel representative and the chairman of the UC’s Academic Policy Committee.

Baker said he does not think the recent reduction in NIU enrollment will affect a possible co-op. NIU’s on-campus enrollment was lowered by 655 students this fall, leaving this semester’s enrollment at 22,643.

“One of the reasons the proposal came up was the provision that students would be admitted to Rockford College with the opportunity to transfer (to NIU),” Baker said. A spokesman for Rockford College’s college relations office said the current enrollment is 1,472 students.

Baker also said he does not think the increase in NIU tuition due to the $125 surcharge imposed by the Board of Regents in September will influence the possibility of a co-op admissions program because NIU tuition “is still considerably less than Rockford College.”