NIU Provost Kendall Baker addressed questions about the proposed cooperative admissions policy with Rockford College at Wednesday’s University Council meeting, and council members voted to allow a final vote on the proposal at their May 4 meeting.

Alan Voelker, professor of curriculum and instruction and chairman of the UC’s Academic Policy Committee, introduced the proposed policy to council members Wednesday as a first reading. He said the proposal had been discussed in “various forums” before coming to the council, including his committee.

“Committee A (Academic Policy) met with Provost Baker and discussed with him the concerns raised about this policy. We decided to take it to the council for discussion because it seems to have some positive aspects and some potential risks,” Voelker said.

Robert Lane, business systems and analysis professor, made a motion to table the proposal “indefinitely.”

Council members rejected the motion by a vote of 18 to 17.

Faculty Assembly members examined the proposal at their meeting last week and questioned its feasability, Baker said.

“One thing that’s been questioned repeatedly is the matter of faculty involvement in discussion and approval of the policy,” he said. “I cannot emphasize enough that the project is not already underway.”

Baker said he has stressed many times to Rockford College Provost Joel Rodney that the proposal must “go through the regular governance process” and receive approval by the University Council before any definite agreement can be reached.

He said many Rockford media have mistakenly reported approval of the policy prematurely. “There have been initial discussions about (the co-op) … but approval has not yet been obtained,” he said.

Some assembly members had asked how the money would be raised to fund the difference in tuition between NIU and Rockford College. Baker said he was told by Rockford College representatives a “private endowment of contributions” was established to cover these costs.

“I was surprised how quickly Rockford College was able to get the money to support this program,” he said.

Under the proposed policy, the first 500 students below the admissions cut-off level, determined by available space, could be eligible to attend Rockford College at the same tuition costs as NIU. The policy would only apply to students who were academically eligible to attend NIU.

Students attending Rockford College under the proposal would later be able to transfer to NIU if they desired.

Rockford College tuition costs are $3,495 per semester while NIU costs per semester are $1,717.

Another money matter in consideration of the proposal, Baker said, was the relationship between tuition funding by the private endowment and scholarships from the Illinois State Scholarship Commission.

Regency Professor William Monat said students eligible for ISSC funds who attend public institutions have received full compensation for tuition and fees under recent ISSC guidelines. Eligible students at private institutions, on the other hand, have received grants for only part of their costs.

Council members asked whether the money raised for the endowment fund would cover all costs for those students eligible for ISSC grants. Geology Professor Malcolm Weiss asked, “Would students involved in the program draw down the ISSC scholarships more by going to Rockford College (a private institution) before coming to NIU?”

The council agreed more information regarding the ISSC private endowment relationship should be obtained.

Baker said one of the reasons a cooperative program is being considered with Rockford College instead of other schools is concern for “institutions in our service region.

“We at NIU regard ourselves as the public institution of northern Illinois,” he said. Baker said NIU has a responsibility to help its service region, including Rockford.

“With reference to the community colleges matter, one concern of ours (NIU) was the reaction of Rock Valley College. We did not want to compete with Rock Valley or prevent recruitment for their school,” Baker said. However, communication with RVC representatives has shown support for the proposal, he said.

Monat suggested other area community colleges, such as Waubonsee and the College of DuPage, be alerted to the policy if it is passed because “not all of the students involved would come from the immediate Rockford area.”

Baker also said the Rockford area has potential for “increased development opportunities” and that its political and business communities have been supportive of NIU.

Some council members voiced their suspicions of entering into the policy, echoing the concerns raised at last week’s faculty assembly meeting.

Philosophy Professor Sherman Stanage said he thought the proposal sounded “too good to be true.” He told the council it seemed as though the policy could become a “good reason” to apply to NIU with hopes of not being admitted because of the partial tuition waiver at Rockford College.