In an attempt to determine which body—faculty or the NIU Judicial Office—can administer penalties for more than 100 cases of illegal registration into spring 1988 classes, the University Council subcommittee on academic policy reviewed the NIU Student Judicial Code and other university policies Wednesday.

NIU student Regina Harris, representing the College of Law, said punishment for the falsification of documents is covered in the judicial code, and each student has the right to appeal a charge of illegal registration.

“If the university tries to take away the right of appeal, it will open up the university to action outside,” she said.

Sue Doederlein, assistant liberal arts and sciences dean, stated in an Oct. 5 memo that the NIU judicial code does not have power over academic policy.

Marilyn Skinner, chairman of the NIU foreign languages and literatures department, said grades issued to students who illegally registered in classes create “a situation where a faculty member is asked to defend himself or herself.”

J. Carroll Moody, associate professor of history, said the only administrative grade changes were deletions of grades for students found guilty of illegal registration.

Sue Ouellette, communicative disorders professor, said that if the judicial board reinstates a grade originally given by an instructor, “that is not a grade change.”

Ron Provencher, professor of anthropology, said, “I hate to see us (faculty) have to get involved (in administering sanctions for illegal registration).”

Skinner said illegal registration has become an “option” for students because of the “overcrowding” of NIU courses.

“There is an awareness that this (illegal registration) can be done,” she said.

The Academic Regulations section of the 1988-89 NIU Undergraduate Catalog states on page 43, “Students will not receive credit for any course for which the registration was not completed” according to registration procedures published in the class schedule book.