State Rep. William Shaw said Thursday that, despite NIU President John LaTourette’s opinion that it is inappropriate for the state legislature to interfere in personnel processes such as the dismissal of CHANCE counselor Martha Palmer, the “legislature will not be intimidated.”

Shaw, of the 34th Legislative District, said that he and all other members of the state appropriation committee are at liberty to look into any personnel matter being questioned.

“What is (LaTourette) talking about? Maybe he shouldn’t be president of the university. This is taxpayers’ money he is spending—it’s not his university, it belongs to the people of the state.

“If (the legislature believes) something is wrong, we can intercede with (university personnel matters),” he said.

Despite Shaw’s threats to cut university funding if Palmer is not rehired, LaTourette said last week that NIU would continue to follow the normal university policies to make a decision about whether Palmer should be retained after her contract expires next month.

“What (LaTourette) doesn’t understand is that the legislature makes some of the policies he is referring to. I don’t think he really understands the processes … but if he wants to pick a fight with me, he’s got one,” Shaw said.

State Sen. Patrick Welch, D-Peru, said Shaw should have discussed the Palmer issue with LaTourette before he began to make funding threats. “I think he might only have heard one side,” he said.

“I want to talk to (Shaw) before he goes beyond the point of discussion and becomes a cause,” Welch said. He said he did not know whether Shaw can carry out the funding cuts, but he said he believes the threats will catch the attention of the black caucus and the legislature.

Rep. Shaw and his brother, Chicago 9th Ward Alderman Robert Shaw, both threatened to influence the state legislature to cut university funds at a Nov. 10 student hearing organized by Students for the Freedom of Martha Palmer.

After listening to about 14 student testimonies, both Shaws said they believed that Palmer’s firing was the result of institutional racism.

“Most every member of the legislature has received some form of complaint of racism at Northern Illinois. … The university has had a history of getting rid of minorities,” Shaw said. He said the legislature also has received similar racial complaints about Western Illinois University, Macomb.

Shaw said he has not brought the Palmer issue to the attention of the Illinois legislature because he is waiting to meet personally with LaTourette and Board of Regents Chancellor Roderick Groves. “I’m looking forward to meeting the president to hopefully resolve our differences,” he said.

However, Shaw said he will meet with Michael Madigan, speaker of the Illinois House, if LaTourette does not agree to rehire Palmer.

LaTourette said he will be in Springfield on Nov. 28 to speak with several state legislators, “which might give me the opportunity to stay overnight and meet with (Rep. Shaw) on the 29th,” he said.