NIU faculty denies that the upcoming meeting concerning the judicial code is scheduled in an undersized room and gives students little time to prepare statements.

Students must inform Norman Magden, chair of Committee B, no later than March 18—the first day of classes after Spring Break—if they want to attend the meeting.

This gives students only two days’ notice about the meeting before they depart for a week’s vacation.

“I could’ve made them do this (release information about the meeting) Friday, but that would give them more short notice,” Magden said. “If the room looks like it’s going to be too small, we can reschedule.”

Magden added that he gave a memo to Student Association President Rob McCormack and hopes McCormack “makes every effort to contact students.”

University Council Executive Secretary J. Carroll Moody said one of the problems is finding members who can meet at the same time.

“I imagine he (Magden) has given the earliest notice he can. They (students and faculty) have a fairly active grapevine,” Moody said.

Moody said he thought the room would be adequate with enough space for students.

NIU Judicial Officer Larry Bolles said he plans to speak at the meeting concerning his views about the proposed change.

“I’m going to encourage student participation in policy-making, and that includes equal participation in the judicial system,” Bolles said.

Barbara Henley, vice president for Student Affairs, said the UC shouldn’t have control over judicial codes. “There should be UC input, but not authority over (codes) and we welcome their advice,” Henley said.

Curt Stein, SA campus welfare adviser and judicial board member, said the original idea was to hold the meeting before Spring Break, but that he wanted students to have a longer time to prepare for the meeting.

The meeting is a result of a UC member wanting the UC to have more power to change the University Judicial Codes.

Currently, the University Judicial Advisory Board has the power to propose changes in the codes. The council is then only asked to review the changes. Then, the judicial board presents the final changes to NIU President John La Tourette.

English professor James Giles proposed that the UC should have the authority to make code changes because the body is advisory to the president.