The admission of transfer students to NIU this fall might be based more on the student’s academic records than the current policy, which is based on how soon the application is received.

A policy proposed to the University Council Wednesday states it “is in response to the earlier decision … to control transfer admission based on academic criteria rather than a postmark.”

Richard Durfee, director of registration and records, said this would be a “fairer way of dealing with admitting students.”

Associate Provost Lou Jean Moyer said the current policy results in “admitting students with weak credentials and denying students with better (academic records).”

Durfee said NIU has had to limit admissions in the past for budget reasons. The cutoff date last year for transfer admissions was June 15, he said.

Durfee said the deadline for fall 1988 admission for all students is August 1, “assuming (NIU) doesn’t have to limit transfer enrollment.” Durfee said NIU’s budget will affect the number of students admitted into NIU this fall.

“If we fill up, the application date will affect (the admission of a transfer student to NIU),” Durfee said.

The new policy also suggests the division of transfer applicants into two groups, students transferring from four-year colleges and students coming from two-year colleges.

Moyer said this method would “protect transfers” by allocating admissions to transfers as well as newly-admitted students. She said admissions will be made on a space-available basis.

“We are approaching the point where no more transfer students can be admitted for (fall 1988),” Moyer said.

NIU always receives “far more applications than it can approve (admit),” Moyer said. The new policy would be the “only way to control the number of transfers,” she said.

Moyer said 1,930 students is the target number for transfer admissions for fall 1988.