Community college students transferring into California State University campuses next fall will be the first ones affected by guidelines adopted several years ago that require students to complete more units to be eligible for admission.

Beginning in the fall, all students must have completed 60 units in order transfer into one of CSU's 23 campuses as a junior. Current guidelines call for completion of 56 units.

The change shouldn't catch students unaware, however.

Allison Jones, CSU's assistant vice chancellor for student academic support, said the system adopted the new guidelines three years ago, but set fall 2005 as the implementation date to give students plenty of time to complete the additional required courses.

Jones said the change will bring CSU more in line with other institutions -- including University of California -- that already require transfer students to complete 60 units.

"We were the only college that designated upper division at 56 units," he said. "It was very confusing, Students were coming in with 56 units, but weren't eligible for upper division (financial aid awards). There were all sorts of problems."

The plan also will help streamline the graduation process by moving transfers through the system faster and helping clear up new seats for more incoming students. The issue has received greater attention in CSU in past months, since the state's budget deficit has meant that fewer state dollars are going to CSU, forcing campuses to restrict enrollments and layoff staff.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has also suggested charging students a higher fee if they take more classes than they need to graduate. Schwarzenegger's plan would levy higher fees on students who take 132 or more units; 120 units are required for graduation.

Jones said enrollment pressures are requiring new changes at CSU. He said officials have begun preliminary discussions that would give admission priority to incoming transfer students who declare a major and who have completed at least two courses toward that major in community college.

"When we reduce enrollment and demand increases, it will mean we have more eligible students than we have space to accommodate," Jones said. "Then, the discussion becomes, how do you determine who gets priority?"

Karen Halliday, president of Las Positas Community College in Livermore, said the CSU's 60-unit transfer requirement will put added pressures on community colleges, which have cut courses and laid off staff to accommodate millions of dollars in state budget cuts.

But she said the higher unit requirement will benefit students, since 60 units is the minimum required for a two-year associate degree. Students who transfer out at 56 units miss that degree, she said.

"Even though that (requirement) is another impact on the community colleges, we're going to do everything we can to make sure students do not suffer the consequences," she said.