Beginning this fall, students who wish to transfer to Wayne State University from another accredited institution of higher learning will find they can make the move sooner than in the past. The WSU Board of Governors has approved anew policy that permits transfer students with a grade point average of 2.0 or better to enroll at WSU after earning 12 credit hours.

Bill Markus, vice president for student affairs, said the university's current requirement for a minimum of 30 credit hours was adopted some 25 years ago and is outdated. It was usual back then, he explained, for college students to take full course loads, thereby accumulating credit hours much more quickly than today, when the majority of students take fewer courses per semester because of other commitments. The average course load per semester at WSU is 9.4 credit hours per student.

Many other Michigan public universities accept transfer students with fewer than 30 credit hours, Markus pointed out. "After a year or so in community college, many students are eager to move on to a four-year institution," he noted. "We know that most are capable of work at a four-year institution, and we would like Wayne State to be high on their list."

The university will track the academic performance of transfer students admitted under the new policy to ensure it is comparable to that of students who transfer with 30 or more credits. Various scholastic assistance programs are available without cost to all WSU students upon request.

Students who want more information should call the Admissions Office at (313) 577-3577.