Student Association President Paula Radtke and Student Regent Nick Valadez argued vehemently Wednesday on behalf of the NIU Judicial Board appeals system for more than 100 students who illegally registered into spring 1988 classes using a fraudulent “REG” stamp.

The two students’ remarks accentuated the second meeting of the University Committee’s subcommittee on academic policy, which has been charged with recommending to the council a system to deal with future cases of illegal registration.

Valadez said the purpose of the due process system is to see that people are “treated fairly and equitably.”

Associate Provost Lou Jean Moyer said in some cases of suspected illegal registration, the students’ original grades were restored on the basis of judicial findings.

Marilyn Skinner, chairman of the NIU foreign languages and literatures department, said there are cases “when the issue of (academic) credit should not be in the hands of the judicial board.”

Scott Leo, a student representing the College of Visual and Performing Arts, said he is “opposed to the use of sanctions” in cases of illegal registration. Leo said course credit is part of the registration process, and penalties involving the removal of course credit are “meant to deter people” from going through improper registration procedures.

Richard Durfee, director of the registration and records department, outlined the legal procedure for enrolling in a class or obtaining a course during schedule completion. He added that NIU has used the registration method since 1970.

“If we discover a falsified document, it is referred to the judicial office,” Durfee said.

Regina Harris, a student representing the College of Law, said in order to prove a violation of university registration procedure, the forgery of a registration document must be verified.

Harris said the due process system “needs to have a balancing of interests.” This might involve both administrative and student input into sanctions for cases of illegal registration.

Committee Chairman Conard White said it is not the committee’s task to determine if prior procedures in this “touchy issue” were correct. Committee member Carroll Moody said the body should develop recommendations “to see that this doesn’t happen again.”