By Alexi Knock, Assistant News Editor

University President Stuart  Rabinowitz and Vice President Herman Berliner signed a “2+2 Joint Admissions Agreement” on Aug. 30 with Nassau Community College President Donald Astrab and Vice President Jack Ostling. This agreement begins a system where eligible students entering Nassau Community College will be automatically admitted to the University for their junior and senior years, and receive a Hofstra University degree.

“Students in the program will gain their associate’s degree at Nassau and then have a seamless transfer to Hofstra to complete their degree,” said Nassau Community College Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Farber. “The agreement provides very careful guidance for the students as Hofstra and Nassau advisers will work cooperatively in making sure that student is taking the correct courses,” Farber said

Leaders of Nassau Community College and the University decided on this agreement after years of massive transfers between the two schools. “Many students at Nassau want to go to Hofstra. We have about 400 students transfer there every year,” said Farber. “There’s certainly an audience for this special agreement.”

In order to enroll in the program, students applying to Nassau Community College would check off on their application that they would like to be considered by Hofstra as well.

“If [applicants] don’t meet Hofstra’s admission standards, [they] get rejected from the 2+2 program,” said University Vice President for Academic Affairs Herman Berliner. “We are measuring them against the same standards as students entering Hofstra for their first year.”

If accepted, students must graduate Nassau Community College with a 2.3 GPA in order to enter the University. Since the students applied to the University through the Nassau Community College Application, their application fee for the University is waived. “It puts us in a much more positive position and the students will be on a road to succeeding without any bumps along the way,” said Berliner.

Although this is the University’s first joint admissions agreement with a community college, Nassau Community College already has similar agreements with half a dozen schools including Adelphi, C.W. Post and SUNY Stony Brook. “I would like to see this expanded to other community colleges,” said Berliner. “What we’re doing helps the students and it really does help Hofstra.”

In addition to extra advisement help, students in the program will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree for a much lower price than if they went to the University for all four years. Currently, The University’s tuition is $15,375 per semester and Nassau Community College’s tuition is only $1,866 per semester.

“I think I was an idiot for coming to Hofstra first,” said sophomore psychology major and Nassau County resident Arianna Valdez.  “I could have saved so much money.”

Students within their first year at Nassau Community College are eligible to join the program.

“I think it’s a good thing for people who go to Nassau who wanted to go to Hofstra,” said Nassau Community College first-year student Jenna Ortiz. “Though I could understand Hofstra students being very upset because they’re still paying for Hofstra’s first two years.”

Although the tuitions of the two schools are vastly different, students typically understand the price of their education before they sign a check and attend a school accordingly.

“A lot of the Nassau students have family incomes different from that of a Hofstra family,” said Nassau Community College President Donald Astrab. “I don’t think the Hofstra students are losing anything because there are certain things that are happening at Hofstra that students at Nassau don’t get.”

Berliner understands the high tuition is difficult for some people. However, he feels students get what they pay for at the University. “If students started at Hofstra, they get a substantially enriched education and that’s what the tuition is going for,” said Berliner. “Students in the 2+2 program pay Nassau’s tuition because they are Nassau students earning an associate’s degree.”

Some students feel that in addition to cost, the academic differences between the schools provide a reason to question this new agreement. “This is a community college and a university,” said sophomore engineering major Ben Knight. “They’re not on the same level.”

While some Long Island residents regret their decision to pay the University’s tuition for all four years, others would not have taken the opportunity to join the 2+2 program even if it had been in effect when they applied. “I could have gone to Suffolk Community College for two years then come here but I’m going to Hofstra for all four years because I don’t want to go to a community college,” said sophomore television production major and Suffolk County resident Bill Schoepflin.

While the benefits of this agreement for Nassau Community College students are clear, some students still wonder about The University’s motivation for doing joint admissions. “Ideally we’d like all students who meet our admission requirements to start at Hofstra because that’s the best education they can get,” said Berliner. “However, if students are undecided about the length of their education and end up starting at Nassau, we want them to have a seamless time moving from Nassau to Hofstra.”

Astrab also feels that the agreement will benefit both schools. “There’s a certain drop in the incoming class after the first two years so it gives Hofstra the opportunity to fill the ranks again.”

Some students feel that the University’s goals upon signing the 2+2 agreement were fiscally related. “It gives Hofstra more money, that’s about it,” said junior French major Ann Nesti.

Several students agreed with this notion, but not everyone felt the program is negative. “Unfortunately we weren’t given the same option but at least Hofstra is making money and they’re guaranteed incoming students,” said sophomore biology major Leslie Maddison. “I’m not too worried about this.”

Farber feels that the 2+2 agreement opens up opportunities for Long Island locals and  out-of-state students.  “It’s not as if you’re leaving one school and attending another,” she said. “Only the physical location will be different.”

University president and vice president collaborated with NCC president and vice president for the joint contract (Photo Courtesy of Ginny Greenberg)