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UNF deadline move leaves few options
By ADAM AASEN, The Times-Union
May 10, 2008
Community college students planning to transfer to the University of North Florida are looking for alternatives in dealing with a sudden change to UNF's deadlines, but some officials worry there might not be many other options.
UNF announced April 28 that the application deadline would be moved six weeks earlier, giving students until May 2. Those who couldn't make the deadline would not be accepted.
Steve Wallace, president of Florida Community College at Jacksonville, said students were furious at the move and he's received numerous complaints from students who were unable to apply.
"We just did not anticipate this particular problem right now," he said.
UNF President John Delaney said he expects transfer enrollment to decrease by 1,000 students, a move necessary because of an enrollment cap forced by state budget cuts.
Wallace said the majority of FCCJ students who receive their associate's degree plan to attend UNF to receive their bachelor's. Now, he said the options become much more difficult.
Wallace said he met with Jacksonville University President Kerry Romesburg to discuss lowering tuition for some transfer students. Last year, JU charged $11,250 a semester for undergraduate students, compared to a range of $1,440 to $1,800 a semester at UNF depending on credit hours.
Another option is to work with other schools such as the University of Central Florida in Orlando to see if they'll accept potential transfer students. The problem there, Wallace said, is many students have families and jobs that keep them rooted in Jacksonville and can't just move away. Wallace said FCCJ officials are trying to work out distance learning programs for some students.
Making things even more difficult, if students enroll at another state school such as UCF, then they cannot later transfer to UNF. Wallace said he's trying to get that policy changed.
An emergency council of counselors and academic advisers has been formed at FCCJ to help students find somewhere else to apply for transfer.
Wallace said students need to hurry because other schools might close their enrollments at any time because of state budget cuts.
adam.aasen@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4247
Copyright 2008
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