The second day of talks on the Board of Regents’ proposed policy changes were marked by student protest signs, speeches by six campus leaders and a concession to the Joint University Advisory Committee.

JUAC Chairman Doug Anderson had asked he not be the only JUAC member consulting with the Board’s newly appointed committee on the proposed changes. Board Chairman Carol Burns, who is also chair of the new committee, agreed.

The other consultants will be Leonard Schmaltz, chairman of Illinois State University’s Academic Senate, and J. Carroll Moody, executive secretary of NIU’s University Council.

They were among the six who spoke in opposition to the Board’s proposed changes.

Kevin Hyde, head of ISU’s Alumni Association, spoke of the “red flags” that marked every perceived effect of the proposals, including limitations on presidential power and access to the chancellor and the threat to continued freedom and development of the Regency universities.

Dan Schramm, ISU student body president, said that by limiting the presidents’ power, the Board also limited that of the students. While he spoke, students held signs reading: Remove Our Decision-making (a play on Chancellor Rod Groves’ first name); BOR—Don’t clarify the changes, change the clarifications; Decisions for ISU – Made at ISU. Schramm asked the new committee to “do one thing. Make the honest effort to clarify the Board’s intentions.”

Schmaltz‘ speech was by far the strongest of the six. He said he represented six different ISU organizations’ positions on the matter. He asked the Board to “vote today to completely reject the proposed changes and let’s get on with the business” of education and service. He also said he is “not optimistic that the committee can accomplish their monumental and important task” in its two-week timetable.

That the Board supports Groves in the midst of the most chaotic period in its five-year chancellorship era was apparent before any discussion took place.

In response to an editorial calling for Groves’ resignation in Thursday’s Daily Vidette, the ISU student newspaper, it was suggested that Groves became chancellor by “hanging around the BOR offices for 15 years.” Assistant Board Chairman Len McClure listed Groves’ qualifications.

Regent Jim Wright defended Groves, saying the Chancellor is an employee of the Board and the Board protects him. He said Groves wrote the March memo at the Board’s request.

“He’s doing a good job,” Wright said. “If we don’t want him, we’ll fire him, it’s just that simple.”

In closing, ISU president Thomas Wallace said that after these issues have been settled, this struggle will be looked on as “positive and beneficial.”

Anderson said the outcome of the two days was positive, while Moody, like Schmaltz, was concerned two weeks would not be enough to fully address the controversy.

“That does not mean JUAC won’t cooperate (with the committee),” Moody said. “Cooperation is fine, we certainly intend to cooperate. But it is still results we’ll have to judge.”