Non-traditional and commuter students have an opportunity to voice their concerns to a task force created earlier this year by the division of Student Affairs.

The task force, which focuses on non-traditional and commuter students, is looking for student input and ideas on services that cater to members of those groups, said Sharon Howard, co-chair of the task force and director of University Resources for Women.

Comprised of about 15 faculty, staff and students, the task force has been split into three separate focus groups: an information gathering group, a bench marking group and an audit group.

The information gathering group is exploring needs and interests of the group while the bench marking group is checking out other comparable universities and the services they offer. A third group is doing an internal audit of NIU, surveying the services it currently offers students.

The task force had its first meeting in February. A preliminary report on its findings will be given to Brian Hemphill, vice president of student affairs, in July.

“We want to speak to enough people to realize we are hearing some of the same things over and over again, in the same way you do a qualitative research project,” Howard said.

Finding students who fit into the criteria of being a commuter or non-traditional student has not been easy, Howard said.

“We really don’t know how many people are in the three groups that make up non-traditional and commuter students,” Howard said. “We know how many undergrads are over 24, but that is the only number that is accurate that we have. We only have impressions on the actual number.”

Students who fit the criteria are students over the age of 24, students of any age who have a child or other dependent, and students who commute to school.

“We believe there is a significant number of traditional students who have dependents, and we want to find out if we are correct on that,” Howard said. “There is no place in the university where people have to identify themselves that way.”

Dan House, director of institutional research, verified that his office does not have records for the number of students who commute or have dependents.

Anyone who is interested in the task force may call Howard at 753-0320 and leave contact information if she is not in.