Two NIU administrators contested on Tuesday charges by Black Student Union members and two Chicago-area legislators that the university is a racist institution.

Ken Beasley, assistant to NIU President John LaTourette, said that “out of the nearly 30,000 students who attend NIU, the majority believe in equity and brotherhood and make a practice of it.”

Tom Montiegel, vice president of development and university relations, said that during the past few years the university has experienced a series of unfortunate and unrelated racist events. “But there has not been one organization behind a concerted effort to promote racism,” Montiegel said.

Beasley said that although NIU does have a problem with racism, “the institution is not racist—individuals are.”

Montiegel said that it would be impossible for the university to “walk around and control the actions of every student and faculty member.”

He said he believes many of NIU’s problems with racism stem from the fact that “a vast majority” of the university’s students are from Chicago, “and (Chicago) has never been known for harmonious race relations.”

Because many of the Chicago-area students attended either all-white or all-minority high schools, NIU is the first experience for those students to interact socially with other races, Montiegel said.

Beasley, however, said he disagrees with Montiegel’s theory. “I think NIU is a microcosm of society as a whole and that the problems of society are mirrored at Northern.

“As a whole, I think NIU is striving to improve understanding and harmonious relationships between everyone (at the university),” Beasley said. He said that unfortunately, the campus has experienced a few “bigoted and wrong” actions which “gather all the headlines.”

Montiegel said the university’s attempt to combat racism has room for improvement. “I think we can do a better job, and our intention is to do so,” he said.

Both men said they believed the basic premise of threats made by Rep. William Shaw of the 34th District to cut state funding to NIU is wrong.

Shaw threatened to cut NIU funding if CHANCE counselor Martha Palmer is not rehired when her contract expires this month, because he believes Palmer is a victim of institutional racism.

“The charges are ridiculous; (NIU) is not racist … (the university) tries to recruit and retain minorities, and the facts of our efforts are there,” Montiegel said.

Rep. Zeke Giorgi of the 68th District, dean of the Illinois General Assembly’s House of Representatives, said Shaw’s threats are indicative of legislators’ actions when they get frustrated in a situation. “When they don’t get satisfied, they threaten to cut funds,” he said.

He said NIU’s funding will not be jeopardized by the Palmer issue.

Giorgi also said he does not believe students of the university are victims of institutional racism. “If racism was rampant at Northern Illinois University, I would have seen examples of it in my (Rockford) office,” he said.