The debate about student representation on the Joint University Advisory Committee is still cause for conflict between NIU students and faculty.

NIU Student Regent Bob Tisch said he alone cannot represent student interests to the Board of Regents and student representation on JUAC would be “a progressive thing” for NIU students.

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

At the last University Council meeting, member J. Patrick White called JUAC an organization “on the fringes of power” because the Regents do not pay attention to JUAC advice.

However, Tisch said the Regents involve the opinions of JUAC members in making decisions. If NIU had student representation on JUAC, like the other Regency schools, students would have more influence with the board, he said.

White also said students, through their student regent, have better access to the board than NIU faculty, even though NIU faculty dominate JUAC representation.

Student Association President Huda Scheidelman said having a student representative on the board is no substitute for JUAC representation.

NIU students “want to be represented in as many areas as we are affected,” Scheidelman said.

At Wednesday’s UC meeting, Scheidelman asked the council to change JUAC representation to one student, three faculty members and one staff representative.

Scheidelman’s first request, turned down by a UC subcommittee, would have replaced a JUAC faculty seat with a student. NIU has one staff representative and four faculty representatives on JUAC.