The Board of Regents will spend $3,000 in Chicago at a meeting today and Friday to see how it can work better.

The workshop will be conducted by Dr. Richard Ingram, the vice-president of the national Association of Governing Boards (AGB), a Washington-based organization offering governing bodies self-study retreats and workshops.

Ingram said he is receiving an $800 fee for coordinating the workshop and a $1,200 speaker’s honorarium. The Regents also will pay for Ingram’s travel expenses and hotel accommodations, he said.

Ingram said for the money spent, the AGB will provide a day of planning and two workshop days that will assess the Regents’ performance.

The Regents will stay at the Ambassador West Hotel. Each room the Regents are using costs $60 per night. Groves said between 12 or 13 Regents will stay at the hotel on Thursday night.

Groves said the number of hotel rooms needed is less than expected because some Regents live in the Chicago area and will stay at home.

Other Chicago hotels charge considerably higher rates for comparable rooms. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is charging $265 for a room while the Hyatt Regency Hotel is $155.

Other costs include two refreshment servings, a reception and a Thursday night dinner either at the hotel or nearby restaurant.

Groves said Regents members Carol Burns and Harold Riss were ill and might not attend the workshop.

Burns, who introduced the idea, was pleased that Ingram will conduct the workshop.

“There are a number of mentors (at AGB) and Ingram is the mentor of mentors,” Burns said.

The workshop was approved at the January meeting in Normal.

The Regents govern NIU, Illinois State University in Normal and Sangamon State University in Springfield.