After more than a year of controversy and deliberation, “the light at the end of the tunnel” is in sight for NIU’s fraudulent registration issue, said Conard White, chairman of the University Council’s Academic Policy Committee.

Members of the committee will meet today at 3:30 p.m. in room 406 of the Holmes Student Center to discuss and vote on the final draft of the fraudulent registration policy.

“We’re just waiting for the final stamp of approval,” White said.

Under the new policy, students suspected of fraudulent registration will be issued a grade of “NR” which means that the grade has not been received from their instructor. The “NR” will be valid, if necessary, for the duration of the student’s judicial process.

The policy states that all cases be referred to a Class II judicial hearing board, and petitions for readmittance into the class in which the student illegally registered would be referred to departmental grade appeals committees.

The addition of petition referrals to grade appeals committees came after several student UC representatives objected to the possibility that faculty members would have an unfair bias for or against students.

White said he expects the committee to approve the policy and there are no apparent objections to the policy from committee members. Wording changes might be made for clarity, but the policy most likely will remain unchanged, he said.

The UC handed the issue to the committee last October after more than 100 NIU students were discovered in March 1988 to have illegally registered for spring 1988 classes with a fraudulent “REG” stamp.

Larry Bolles, judicial office director, said all fraudulent registration cases have been resolved this semester.