Dupage Policy Journal

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) urged an aye vote for her bill that, according to her, would be an initial step for students to have guaranteed admission to the University of Illinois.

House Bill 796 amends the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act by providing the University of Illinois to also admit community college transfer students aside from first-time freshman students under the pilot program.

"This is a bill that is designed to try to get more people opportunities to get guaranteed admission to the University of Illinois,” Mazzochi said. “I would like to thank Leader Ammons and Chairman Stewart who helped to get the language, and this language has also been agreed to by the University of Illinois. I very much look forward to people in our state being able to get better access to the University of Illinois programs with guaranteed admission program and with that, I ask for an Aye vote."

During the bill's interpolation on the House Floor, Mazzochi discussed with Rep. William Davis (D-Hazel Crest) about some of the bill’s provisions.

She explained that the University of Illinois is being asked to craft a pilot program that they can start to provide students guaranteed admission in connection with the University’s articulation agreements as well as through a community college pathway.  

The amended HB 796 “provides for the University of Illinois to admit community college transfer students (rather than first-time freshman students) under the pilot program. Specifies that the University of Illinois provides multiple pathways to transfer and shall guarantee admission to all applicants who (i) have enrolled only at an Illinois community college after graduating from an Illinois high school; (ii) have earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application to the University; (iii) have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all transferable coursework completed at the time of application to the University; and (iv) have satisfied the university's English language proficiency requirement.”