Student Association members Sunday night heard a letter from one University Council member stating there probably will be changes in the handling of illegal class registration cases—changes the council member said she is not in favor of.

In a letter read by Student Association President Paula Radtke at the SA senate meeting Sunday, council member Regina Harris stated that “it is only fair to warn you that my sense of the situation at this time is that there will be changes … suffice it to say that none of the possibilities now looming make me particularly happy.”

Harris’ statement was in reply to a letter written to the council by Senate Speaker Joe Annunzio. Annunzio’s letter, which the senate voted to support Oct. 30, stated that the SA is “vehemently against the elimination of any appeal rights that students have,” and that “no changes be made that would systematically treat all offenders alike.”

The council has been discussing changes that would take illegal registration cases out of NIU’s Judicial Code, which would in turn take away a student’s option to appeal a guilty sentence.

The proposed changes were submitted by faculty members to the council after more than 100 NIU students illegally registered into spring 1988 classes using a fraudulent “REG” stamp.

“We’re trying to decide the fine line of where this kind of case falls and the ramifications of what office has to deal with registration procedures,” said Sen. Tom Link, who is also a UC member.

Link said, however, that the council most likely will not have “anything in writing for another month” concerning the illegal registration issue. “They’re going to change the system—that may turn out bad for (students) or it might turn out good.”

Student Regent Nick Valadez has said that if discussion on the issue continues, “it looks like the council has the ability to make that change.”

Harris’ letter went on to state that “the danger on this front has less to do with potential changes in REG stamp procedures than it does with a sentiment among some people that all academic micsonduct cases should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Judicial Office.”

Radtke said, “We can’t allow students’ rights to be taken away.” She added that faculty members would “not be infallible” in administering sanctions to students in cases of illegal registration.

Also at the Sunday meeting, senators, advisers and executives spoke out against The Northern Star. Sen. Jim Ruzicka suggested that every issue brought up during SA meetings “should be reported to the students.”

SA Vice President Gregg Bliss said, “The only way you can hurt me with The Northern Star is to roll it up and poke me in the eye with it.”

Mass Transit Board Chairman Dave Emerick said the Star is “a rag.”

“The only editorials they print are anti-student, and then they come to us asking for student fees,” he said.

Sen. John Martin said “The only thing the Star is good for is toilet paper.”