Some are upset about poor student attendance at meetings held to determine student fee recommendations.

NIU President John La Tourette’s Fee Study Committee was not delayed Monday by the absence of Student Association President Huda Scheidelman and SA Treasurer Bruce Williams. Both missed discussion about bus and health fee increases.

David Pack, undergraduate student committee representative and SA Mass Transit adviser, arrived at the meeting late.

“I was embarassed that I was the only Student Association member present for the majority of the meeting,” said SA senate Speaker John Fallon, who also is a committee member.

Scheidelman said she missed the meeting because it conflicted with one of her classes. She said her schedule was only half-completed at the time the meetings were planned.

“I’m just not going to miss classes for these meetings,” Scheidelman said, adding her absence will not affect her ability to make decisions. “I’ve been keeping abreast of the issues all along.”

However, Fallon said the three SA members on the commitee are responsible for student input, and should have been present to make an informed decision on the requests.

The 10-member committee has five student representative, including one graduate student representative. Scheidelman, Williams, and Fallon serve on the fee study committee because of their SA positions.

Committee Chairman Anthony Fusaro said the SA members absences will not interfere with the meetings, as long as six voting members needed for a quorum are present.

“Obviously, I’d like to have everyone there, but it’s not something I can control,” Fusaro said, adding attendance of the meetings has been about the same as in previous years.

Fusaro said committee members who know they won’t be able to attend a meeting can notify him and send someone in their place as a proxy.

Fusaro said missing members can get most of the meeting information independently, but continued absences might lengthen discussions when it comes time to vote.