Two NIU off-campus programs for the Rockford area will come before the Board of Regents Wednesday.

The programs, master’s degree work in electrical engineering and in mechanical engineering, are expected to be approved because of their low costs.

Lynne Waldeland, provost assistant for academic development and planning, said the programs are being funded by two Rockford companies, Sundstrand and Ingersoll.

“We’re doing this through industries in Rockford. Without a corporate sponsorship we couldn’t do this,” Waldeland said.

She said there would be no faculty costs because no new faculty members would be hired. Most of the faculty members involved in the new programs would teach the courses as an overload, so as to not take anything away from the courses they presently teach.

Waldeland said most of the students in the programs are employees of the companies. She said the present courses will be primarily for employees of the companies, with only two or three non-employee students enrolled.

Waldeland said the Illinois Board of Higher Education could be supportive of the programs because of their low cost and high service aspect.

“The IBHE is very concerned about providing service to underserved regions. Rockford has no public university—NIU is the closest to it to provide a service,” Waldeland said.

She also said the IBHE might like the fact that the programs are updating and enhancing the skills of professionals in a field.

Regents Chancellor’s Assistant Cheryl Peck said she thinks “it is pretty likely the programs will be passed by the BOR.”

She said NIU justified the programs and that the Regents staff has recommended the Regents approve the programs.

She said after the Regents, the next step is IBHE approval. “It is foggy whether the IBHE will, in this economic climate, approve the programs.”

She said the programs have a number of strong factors in their favor. She said the outside funding of the programs and their relatively low cost will be major factors in the approval process.