Dec. 5, 2003

Indiana State, Illinois colleges offer dual admission

Indiana State’s board of trustees Friday approved a dual admissions agreement with the Illinois Eastern Community College District, which has colleges in four southeastern Illinois cities and covers all or part of 12 counties.

With its campus just seven miles from the Illinois state line, the dual admission agreement and tuition waiver are tools Indiana State is using to expand its traditional market, said university President Lloyd W. Benjamin III.

“The future of Indiana relies upon having a well educated work force,” Benjamin said. “Terre Haute is an important retail market for the entire Wabash Valley, including much of Illinois. We must extend opportunities for people in that part of the region to continue their education as well. Ultimately, that’s going to be good for west-central Indiana and for all of Indiana.”

The agreement is the first of its kind for Illinois Eastern and the first between Indiana State and an Illinois community college system. A similar agreement between Indiana State and Vincennes University took effect this year.

“We have done great things with Indiana State University. They have a forward looking administration. They are nimble and aggressive and we appreciate the fact they saw the value in a dual admission agreement,” said Terry Bruce, chief executive officer at Illinois Eastern. This agreement allows an Illinois Eastern Student to know in advance that they’re going to have a place to complete their degree that has great credibility. It’s really an opportunity for college bound kids to know their future.”

The agreement is the next step in an existing partnership that includes articulation agreements between Illinois Eastern and Indiana State, said Rebecca Libler, interim associate vice president for enrollment services at Indiana State.

“When a student completes an associate’s degree, we agree to accept those credits and provide a smooth transfer to a corresponding bachelor’s degree program,” Libler said. “It only makes sense to go the next step and offer a dual admission agreement that further eases that transition. It allows us to provide early advising and to help with the student’s choice of courses so we can make sure they’re on track for bachelor’s degree completion at Indiana State.”

Students will also be able to utilize other services at Indiana State, including financial aid planning and the university library.

The agreement, effective for the 2004-05 academic year, allows students applying to Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Olney Central College and Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel to choose to apply to Indiana State at the same time at no additional cost. Applicants meeting Indiana State’s admission criteria will automatically be eligible to complete a bachelor's at ISU.

An education at Indiana State is also more affordable for residents of 20 Illinois counties, including the entire Illinois Eastern District, thanks to a newly expanded waiver of out-of-state tuition, which originally covered only three Illinois counties.

Under the waiver, full-time undergraduate students who reside in the affected counties pay $6,358 per year in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students not covered by the waiver pay $11,790.

The number of Indiana State students from the 17 additional counties doubled this fall after the waiver was expanded, Libler said. The dual admission agreement is expected to add to that increase, said Benjamin.

-30-

Contact:
Rebecca Libler, interim associate vice president for enrollment services, Indiana State University,
(812) 237-4975 or ealiblr@isugw.indstate.edu; Terry Bruce, chief executive officer,
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, (618) 393-2982

Writer:
Dave Taylor, ISU Public Affairs, (812) 237-3743 or devtaylo@isugw.indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu